Oil and gas well drilling: A vibrations perspective

Abstract

The process of oil well rotary drilling is discussed from a vibrations perspective. Furthermore, a synopsis of the equipment used and of the procedures followed is included. Performance modeling and monitoring are discussed, along with data acquisition and utilization. Axial, torsional, and lateral vibrations are reviewed. Typical operational difficulties such as sticking, buckling, and fatiguing of strings are also reviewed. Finally, emerging techniques of analysis such as stochastic treatment, and optimization are discussed. To enhance the utility of the paper, references readily available in the form of books or archival journal publications are primarily cited. Furthermore, mathematical rigor and phenomenological completeness are sporadically moderated to conform with paper length limitations.