A major Latin America operator faced several operational challenges that impacted drilling performance and efficiency. These included premature wear of downhole tools caused by excessive flow rates up to 1150 gpm, exceeding directional drilling and LWD equipment mass flow capacity, borehole well damage due to excessive hydraulic power around the bit, suboptimal flow rates that hindered effective hole cleaning, and standpipe pressures (SPP) approaching the rig’s operational limits. A solution was required to balance the hydraulic performance, enhance operational efficiency, and maintain the integrity of the wellbore and equipment
To address challenges, the DSI 6 ¾-in. Booster Tool was used to split the flow and effectively redistributed. The plan involved maintaining a total flow rate of 1300 GPM, with 944 GPM directed to the bit to minimize the premature wear on BHA components and 356 GPM bypassed by the Booster Tool to increase the annular velocity. This configuration was designed to improve drilling hydraulics, reduce SPP, and enhance hole cleaning efficiency.
Deploying the DSI Booster Tool provided a practical and effective solution to overcome the customer’s challenges. By successfully executing the operation, the Tool enhanced the performance and efficiency, while preserving formation integrity in challenging drilling environments.
