Drill String Pulsation Dampening for Agitator Pressure Pulses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drilling systems experience significant fluid pressure pulsations and vibrations from downhole agitators, which cause damage to drilling components and interfere with downhole instruments, leading to reduced performance and lifespan of equipment.
Innovation Solution
The integration of pulsation dampening devices within or connected to the drill string, featuring internal flow paths with orifices and relief features to attenuate fluid pressure pulses, reducing vibrations and acoustic energies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If downhole agitators are used to emit fluid pulsations, then drilling performance is improved, but surface vibration and acoustic energy increase causing damage to drilling components
Solution Approach 1:
A pulsation dampening device is introduced as an intermediary component between the downhole agitator and the surface drilling system. The device includes a body with an internal flow path containing disruption features (orifices, eddy promoters, flow restrictors) that attenuate fluid pressure pulses before they reach the surface, thereby protecting components while allowing the agitator to maintain its drilling performance function
Solution Approach 2:
The pulsation dampening device converts the harmful fluid pressure pulsations generated by the agitator into beneficial attenuated flow patterns. The disruption features transform the high-energy pulsating flow into a dampened, more stable flow regime, effectively converting the harmful pulsation energy into a controlled flow state that protects the drilling system
2Reliability
If traditional saver subs are used in the drill string, then drill string connectivity is maintained, but pulsation energy protection is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The pulsation dampening device merges multiple functions into a single component: it provides the mechanical connectivity function of a traditional saver sub while simultaneously incorporating pulsation dampening features within its internal flow path. This integration allows the device to maintain drill string connectivity while protecting against pulsation energy, eliminating the need for separate protection devices
3Reliability
If pulsation dampening features are added to the drill string, then component protection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pulsation dampening device is designed as a universal component that can be integrated into various positions within the drill string (above, below, or at intermediate positions relative to the agitator). The same basic device structure with its internal flow path and disruption features provides effective pulsation dampening regardless of its specific location, reducing the need for multiple specialized components
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces fluid pressure pulsations and vibrations, protecting drilling components and improving the operational performance and longevity of drilling equipment while enhancing signal detection by downhole instruments.
Implementation Method 1
The internal flow path can include: a throat; an orifice adjacent the throat, where the orifice includes sharp edges or other edge geometries as may be beneficial, and restricts fluid flow through the internal flow path to a cross-sectional area that is smaller than a cross-sectional area for fluid flow through the internal flow path in a region of the throat; and a relief feature disposed on an opposite side of the orifice from the throat, the relief feature providing either an abrupt (e.g. stepped) or a gradual (e.g., conical) increase in the cross-sectional area of the internal flow path and causing, together with the orifice, a pressure drop within fluid passing through the internal flow path.
Implementation Method 2
An internal flow path extends through an axial length of the body, the internal flow path including features configured to provide vibration, acoustic, flow and acceleration energy reductions by using disruption features attenuating fluid pressure pulses originating from downhole tools
Data Source
AI summary
A pulsation dampening device includes a body having an upper connection end and a lower connection end, each connection end adapted to connect the body to connectors for a drill string pipe segment that are part of one of a top drive, a lower Kelly valve, a saver sub, drill string sub, a drill string pipe and a bottom hole assembly. Flow restriction is provided within an internal flow path extending axially through the body and is configured to reduce pumped fluid pressure pulses originating from an agitator within downhole tools. The flow restriction is provided by a combination of one or more orifice(s) restricting fluid flow within the internal flow path, optionally coupled with relief feature(s) gradually increasing or decreasing a cross-section of the internal flow path, or by an orifice device. Flow restriction operates unidirectionally or bidirectionally relative to predominant fluid flow in attenuating pressure pulses.