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An approach to directional drilling simulation: finite element and finite segment methods with contact

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Abstract

Directional drilling is a popular technique for oil well drilling. Accurate prediction of the directional performance is critical in order to achieve the desired well profile. Simplified geometry methods are, to date, the industry standard for predicting directional performance. A comprehensive, high-fidelity method for the simulation of directional drilling is presented here. It consists of a detailed discretization of the actual geometry and a rigorous application of two modeling techniques: the finite element and the finite segment methods. By doing so, the dynamic problem is addressed from two different yet complementary perspectives: structural mechanics and rigid-body motion. Collision detection and contact dynamics algorithms are also presented. Results show that both methods agree in terms of the dynamic response, and that the build rate estimations are consistent with available experimental data. Owing to the framework efficiency and physics-based nature, the presented tools are very well-suited for design engineering and real-time simulation.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the support from the Collaborative Research and Development Grants of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), in partnership with National Oilwell Varco—Canada.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, H3G 1M8, Canada

    Siamak Arbatani & Javad Dargahi

  2. Centre for Intelligent Machines, McGill University, Montréal, QC, H3A 0C3, Canada

    Alfonso Callejo & József Kövecses

  3. NOV Wellbore Technologies – Downhole Tools, Edmonton, AB, T6E 5N3, Canada

    Masoud Kalantari & Nick R. Marchand

Authors
  1. Siamak Arbatani
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  2. Alfonso Callejo
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  3. József Kövecses
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  4. Masoud Kalantari
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  5. Nick R. Marchand
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  6. Javad Dargahi
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Correspondence to Siamak Arbatani.

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Arbatani, S., Callejo, A., Kövecses, J. et al. An approach to directional drilling simulation: finite element and finite segment methods with contact. Comput Mech 57, 1001–1015 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00466-016-1274-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00466-016-1274-2

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