Development and testing of a high-pressure downhole pump for jet-assist drilling. Final report

The goal of jet-assist drilling is to increase the rate of penetration (ROP) in deeper gas and oil wells, where the rocks become harder and more difficult to drill. Increasing the ROP can result in fewer drilling days, and therefore, less drilling cost. In late 1993, FlowDril and the Gas Research Institute (GRI) began a three-year development of a down hole pump (DHP{trademark}) capable of producing 30,000 psi out pressure to provide the high-pressure flow for high-pressure jet-assist of the drill bit. The US Department of Energy (DOE) through its Morgantown, WV (DOE-Morgantown) field office, joined with GRI and FlowDril to develop and test a second prototype designed for drilling in 7-7/8 inch holes. This project, `Development and Testing of a High-Pressure Down Hole Pump for Jet-Assist Drilling,` is for the development and testing of the second prototype. It was planned in two phases. Phase I included an update of a market analysis, a design, fabrication, and an initial laboratory test of the second prototype. Phase II is continued iterative laboratory and field developmental testing. This report summarizes the results of Phase I. The project was originally proposed to extend the DHP and jet-assist drilling technology to drilling slimholes. Results of the market analysis for DHP jet-assisted slimhole drilling indicated that the slimhole market would be small (about 1/20th) compared to 7-7/8 inch hole size. The best U.S. land market locations for use of the DHP were identified as East Texas RR District 3, Oklahoma, and East Texas RR District 6. For gas drilling alone, areas with the largest market potential were East Texas RR District 6, Oklahoma and Wyoming. As a consequence of the market size for 7-7/8 inch holes, associated savings to the industry, and a desire to promote earlier commercialization of the DHP jet-assisted drilling technology, this project was re-directed from slimhole applications to development of a second prototype DHP for 7-7/8 inch hole size