When using mud motors, drillers alternate between rotary and sliding drilling. In rotary mode, the drilling rig’s rotary table or topdrive rotates the entire drillstring to transmit power to the bit. During slide drilling, the drillstring does not rotate, and the bit is turned by the mud motor alone. As a consequence, less weight is transferred to the bit and slide drilling is less efficient than rotary drilling.

An article in the May issue of Oilfield Review, “Slide Drilling—Farther and Faster,” describes an automated system that helps drillers achieve significant gains in horizontal reach wells that have noticeably faster rate of penetration (ROP). Field experience shows how a torque oscillation system can help operators optimize unconventional plays.