Using an experimental drilling simulator to study operational parameters in drilled-cutting transport efficiency

Inadequate hole cleaning can lead to many problems in horizontal and directional wells. In this work, we tried to investigate the cutting transport phenomenon by an experimental directional drilling simulator, considering the differences between the operational and experimental conditions. The inclination, fluid type (water, foam, viscous, and dense), rotary speed (0 and 110 rpm), nozzle bit size (4, 6, and 8 mm), and stabilizer location (8 and 95 cm from the bit) were included in the tests as the main parameters. It could be concluded that the nozzle size and the stabilizer position influenced the hole cleaning time. In vertical wells, by decreasing the nozzle size from 8 mm to 4 mm, the hole cleaning time was increased. The presence of stabilizer reduced the cleaning time, and optimizing the stabilizer position reduced the probability of cutting bed formation in all inclinations. Finally, a third polynomial equation was fitted between the dimensionless mass and the dimensionless cleaning time.