3D Numerical Simulation and Experiment Validation of Dynamic Damage Characteristics of Anisotropic Shale for Percussive-Rotary Drilling with a Full-Scale PDC Bit

• Main Authors: Guangjian Dong, Ping Chen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-05-01
• Series: Energies
• Subjects: percussive-rotary drilling; dynamic damage; anisotropic shale; full-scale bit; bit trajectory
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/6/1326

The lower rate of penetration (ROP) is one of the key technical difficulties during drilling of shale reservoirs. Percussive-rotary drilling (PRD) is crucial for increasing ROP. One of the core problems of ROP optimization for PRD are the dynamic damage characteristics of rock fragmentation. By considering the dynamic drilling parameters, a new model for estimating the PRD with a full-scale polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bit is established. The mechanical parameters of shale are measured by a wave velocity method. Rock damage characteristics are simulated by using the finite element method. The numerical simulation model is verified by the actual drilling case in LMX shale reservoir in Sichuan (China). The results indicate that rock element damage occurs along the direction of maximum principal stress. The order of decreasing rock damage rate is impact-static load, static load and impact load. When the impact load has the same peak value, and the rock elements in contact with the cutters obtain more energy with load frequency increasing. The rock fragmentation efficiency under a sine wave is higher than rectangular and pulse waves. The rock can obtain more energy to be broken with the increasing impact load duration and peak values. When the impact-static load goes over the rock damage threshold value, the higher the peak value of the impact load is, the more energy the rock will obtain. The higher the lateral vibration amplitude of the drill bit, the lower the efficiency of rock fragmentation. Repetitions of drill bit axial vibration at one indentation point will reduce the ROP, and the axial vibration energy of the drill bit is consumed. Therefore, a small lateral movement and reasonable axial vibration frequency increase the rock breaking efficiency. The ROP was increased through the suppression of drill string and the application of vibration. The study results can be used in the optimization designs of bit trajectory and ROP for PRD tools.