Experimental Study on the Down-Speed of Conductor Pipe Influenced by Jetting Displacement in Deepwater Drilling

Abstract

Based on the theory of jet drilling technology and displacement optimization, a set of experimental equipment about jet drilling is devised. The laws of conductor pipe down-speed influenced by pump displacement were studied by laboratory experiments. According to the experimental results and analysis, the following conclusions can be drawn. The down-speed of conductor pipe increases with the increasing of displacement, also the drilling speed is boosted. But the unstableness of borehole wall is augmented as well. And this will result in the increasing of waiting time for borehole formation. In the process of conductor pipe jetting, the conductor pipe down-speed and the waiting time of soil returning to a certain bearing capacity should be considered together in order to shorten the entirety drilling time. The research can provide certain references for expensive offshore operation and have important significance to improve the economic benefits of deepwater drilling.