Advantages of Top Drive Drilling
A Safer Drilling Operation:
• The top drive makes-up and breaks-out many connections, thereby reducing the hazards of rotary tongs and spinning chain.
• The pipe handling features use hydraulic arms to move drill pipe and drill collars to and from the V-door and monkey board, thereby reducing strenuous work and increasing pipe handling safety.
• The automatic, driller operated pipe elevators eliminate accidents caused by drilling crews operating elevators manually during under balanced drilling operations. The top drive increases safety by reducing BOP wear and allowing the BOP/rotating head to pack off against round tubulars, not a square or hex Kelly.
• Well control capability is greatly enhanced because of the ability to scew into the string any point in the derrick to circulate drilling fluids.
• Remote operated Kelly valve reduces ( optional ) mud spillage when back reaming or breaking off after circulating above the rig floor. Reduce total drilling costs by increasing drilling efficiency.
• No drilling downtime caused by the inability to engage the kelly bushing in the rotary table.
• Eliminate time lost due to picking up or racking back the swivel and kelly when going from tripping to drilling or vice versa.
• Increase penetration rates when spilling in or drilling the surface hole.
• Eliminate rathole contractor charges and costs of rathole, mouse hole and conductor pipe in many cases.
• Make connections on the bottom while directional drilling, eliminating the need to re -orient the tool face after each connections.
• Spend more time on bottom making the hole and less time making connections, tripping, surveying, reaming and other non drilling rig functions. Continuous rotation and circulation during full movement of The Drill String.
• The most important feature of the top drive is the ability to rotate and pump continuously while reaming into or out of the hole.
• Continuous rotation means substantially reduced friction when removing the string from or tripping back into directional or horizontal wells.
• Reduce total directional or horizontal costs by using less or cheaper lubricate agents and drilling fluid systems and additives.
• Less reservoir damage due to reduced usage and subsequent entry of gel/clay particles into the producing formation.
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