Drilling rig types

Geothermal modifications
Sverrir Thorhallsson
ISOR-Iceland GeoSurvey
s@isor.is

Geothermal Drilling Course Indonesia 2010 Sverrir Thorhallsson 1

 Geothermal wells
• Are drilled into formations having a temperatures of 200-
350°C in volcanic regions.
• Blow-outs are rare as the formations are usually with a low
pressure, water table at 50-500 m below the wellhead.
• BOP´s and wellheads must withstand pressures of 120 bar
and high temperatures. See later lecture on this subject.
• Require relatively large diameter casings to produce
commercial quantities of steam and water.
• Are open to the formation for over half their depth, the
well being supported by a slotted liner.
• The drilling mud needs to be cooled not to overheat.
• Water only or water+air is commonly selected to drill the
productive formation.
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 Types of wells being drilled

•The majority
of geothermal
wells being
drilled are of the
“directional”
type.

•Typical
production wells
are 2-3 km deep.

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 The rig types
• Practically all drilling rigs are sourced from petroleum
drilling. Most are medium size rigs, hook load (300-450 t).
• The rigs are mobile and are transported on trucks (50-100
loads). Specially built oilfield trucks can drag heavy
equipment onto the truck bed for transport.
• The mast is high enough to pull out three (3) drill pipes at a
time “tripples”, Some new rigs handle “singles” (1).
• Most rigs are diesel-electric (~2000 kW) with SCR variable
speed DC drives. Some are 3-phase electric motors with
variable Hz or hydraulic.
• Additional equipment required for geothermal drilling.:
Rotating head BOP, cooling tower for mud, separator for aerated
drilling, provisions for measurement of fluid losses.

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 Rigs to drill for surface casing
Some of the dvantages of landing the surface casing (30-90 m,
20-30") before bringing in the large drilling rig are:
• Troublesome (collapses, losses) near-surface layers are
cased off. Saving valuable time of the more expensive rig.
• Drilling can start with full weight on the bit (WOB), as there
is space for the drill collars.
• The big rig may not be able to handle the large diameters of
the surface hole.
• Types of rigs used:
• Auger rig.
• Truck-mounted rotary rigs: (tricone, air hammer, simultaneous
casing system) with drilling fluid a) mud, b) air, c) foam, d) reverse
circulation.
• Old style cable tool rigs have been used (chissel).
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 Rotary table – Hydraulic top-drive

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 PNOC Rig, Lihir, Papua New Guinea

Ref: http://www.energy.com.ph/

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 Rig specifications (PNOC Phil.)

PNOC in the Philippines has drilled 488 geothermal wells

Ref: http://www.energy.com.ph/

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 Jarðboranir hf.

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 Jarðboranir hf.

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Iron
roughneck Top
drive

Jarðboranir hf.
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 Rig control consoles
Ross Hill:
SCR-DC motor control
Rig with rotary table

Soilmec:
All hydraulic rig.
Note the
indisensable
weight indicator. Photo: Sverrir Thorhallsson

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 Drilling rigs in Iceland Týr JB 5000 m
Óðinn JB 4000 m
Geysir JB 4000 m
Jötunn JB 3300 m
Sleipnir JB 2400 m

Trölli Nýr bor RFS 1600 m

Saga JB 1350 m
Trölli RFS 1100 m
Jötunn
Langþr. RFS 600 m
Glámur RFS 600 m
Einráður RFS 500 m
Sleipnir Ýmir JB 1000 m
Hrímnir JB 300 m
Alvarr 300 m
Trítill RFS 120 m
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Ræktunarsamband Flóa og Skeiða-“Trölli”

Mobile rig for

drilling thermal
gradient wells and
production holes
to 1100 m

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 Power for rotation Drill String
Conventional rig Modern rig
Rotary table Top-drive
•Swivel •Top drive motor

• Rotary table drive

+ kelly

•Drill •Drill
Pipe Pipe

•Drill Collars •Drill Collars

•(Mud motor + MWD) •(Mud motor + MWD)
•Drill bit •Drill bit

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 Top-drive vs. rotary table drive
Top-drive: Rotary table drive:
This is the preferred This is the “old” type
type of rig for geothermal and rigs that have not
drilling: been upgraded find
•Efficient bit cooling difficulty in getting jobs,
•Always connected to because:
drill string – can rotate to •Only intermittent
avoid getting stuck cooling when running into
•Can use for screwing hole.
drill pipe and casings •Large fill-in can
preclude engaging kelly
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 Drilling methods used in Iceland

Most
common

Rotary Air hammer Odex Holte Pressure bal.

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 The mud circulation system

Tri-cone
drill bit

Check
valve
Typical for 8-½”: above
Flow 40 l/s bit
Presure 100 bar
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 Underbalanced or balanced drilling

Two methods used to

“lighten” the water
column by entering
compressed air – mixing
it with the mud or
water.
Water flow similar but
air is extra.

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 Weight on bit (WOB)
Typical:
1 tonne per
Drill 1" of bit
pipe diameter

Drill
collar

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 Rig Selection - Size
• The casing program affects the rotary table size
hoisting requirements and pump capacity.
• The main factors affecting the rig selection are:
– Mast total gross capacity (t).
– Hook load (t) of mast and drawworks.
– Top-drive or rotary table (Hp).
– Capacity (L/s) and pressure rating (bar) of rig
pumps. Power of mud pumps (kW).
– Size of hole in rotary table or rig floor (dia").
– Height of substructure (m) to accommodate
BOP´s.
– Racking capacity of drill pipes (m).
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 Hook load vs. depth capacity Hook Load
100
Rig #1 hook load rating 100 t
vs. Depth
The diagram shows
Weight in water (tonnes)

how deep a rig can

80
Rig #1 with safety factor 1.33 S.F.
5"

4 1/2"
drill, based on the
60 4"
3"
hook load rating.
Rig #2 hook loadrating 50 t

40 Rig #2 with S.F. Example.

13 3/8" 5"
4 1/2"
4"
100 tons rig can reach
20
9 5/8" 3"
2300 m with 5" drillpipe
7"
Casings
20 t weight on bit
2700 m with 4-1/2" dp
10 t weight on bit
S.Þ. 1.12.2001
0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500

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Depth (m) Sverrir Thorhallsson 22
Depth capacity of Jarðboranir hf. rigs

Ref.:
www.jardboranir.is/?PageID=104

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 HT wells in Iceland & Italy

Ref: Huang Hefu

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 Icelandic geothermal wells

High temp. Low temp.

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 Vertical vs. directional
The casing
programmes are
virtually the same.
The build-up starts
at the kick off
point (KOP) at 300-
500 m.
Inclination of 30-
40° is common in
geothermal wells.

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 Compact drillsite for HT well

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 Rig Set-Up PNOC (Philippines)
office office
hopper

hole
pump power
suction
pump tank
house

desilter coolin
desander g
lab shaker tower

settling tank intermediate tank water tanks

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 Rig Set-Up ”Dofri” (Iceland)
office crew

hole

Note simplicity:
Large water supply
No cooling tower settling
No desilter/sander shaker
tank
Has drilled to 300°C

mud sump
pump
mud
tank

pump water
freshwater 40 l/s tank

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 BOP Stack for Geothermal Drilling
The following blowout preventers (BOP) are
usually found on HT geothermal wells,
counting from the well up:
1. Ram BOP for full closure, or a master valve.
2. Ram BOP for closing around drill pipes.
3. Annular BOP for closing around any object.
4. Rotating BOP on top to protect the mast and
crew (optional).
The BOP stack must have 3” kill lines and
valves for cement returns below the BOPs.
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 BOP stack

Drilling for
production
casing.

Drilling
production
interval with
Master
valve on well.

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 BOP stack and closing unit

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 BOP stack 21-1/4”
Rotating

The BOP stack can

be quite tall, thus Annular

requiring a high Pipe rams

drilling rig substructure

or a deep cellar.
Blind rams

Drilling 17 1/2“
to 2400 m

21 1/4” x 2M

ORKUSTOFNUN ROS
11.10.2002 S.Th.

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 BOP´s

Annular preventer
can close around any
object – drill pipe, collar
casing.

Ram type BOP has fixed

rams that close around
a fixed OD, or solid
rams for full closing.

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 Rotating head BOP´s
ROTATING
CONTROL HEAD
(Kelly Drive)

ROTATING)

DUAL STRIPPER ROTATING

CONTROL HEAD - GEOTHERMAL
Ref: http://www.washingtonrotating.com/

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 Conclusions
• Rigs are sourced from petroleum drilling.
• Pre-drilling is common for large diameters to
30-90 m. Small rigs.
• Rig size depends mainly on depth to be
drilled, hook load. High substructure req.
• Top-drive rigs are preferred.
• Multiple types of drilling fluids used to drill
one well: mud, water, aerated fluids.
• Cooling tower or Hx reg. to cool the mud.
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