Case Study: National Oilwell Varco’s Agitator™ Systems, with 54,000 successful runs Reducing Friction In Sticky Situations

The case study below shows how National Oilwell Varco’s Agitator™ systems have delivered tens of thousands more successful runs than any other friction reduction tool in the oil and gas industry.

When it comes to increasing drilling efficiency, operators around the world insist on using Agitator™ systems, with 54,000 successful runs and counting.

Reducing Friction In Sticky Situations

As horizontal wells become more prevalent globally, and as vertical wells reach greater depths, operators face more friction along the drillstring, which frequently leads to stick-slip situations. Common in North America, these well profiles are spreading into the Middle East, increasing the odds that operators in this region will encounter the same challenges.

Across six continents, the patented axial oscillation technology of the Agitator system has provided unparalleled downhole friction reduction to improve drilling performance in conventional and unconventional wells. With more than 54,000 successful runs, Agitator™ systems have delivered tens of thousands more successful runs than any other friction reduction tool in the oil and gas industry. Compared to other industry offerings, the Agitator system provides up to 200 percent better ROP and as much as 50 percent less weight on bit. The elastomer power section is incredibly durable, logging a proven reliability rate of 99.9 percent.

In directional drilling operations, friction forces work against the bottomhole assembly (BHA), causing poor weight transfer to the drill bit. This can lead to pipe buckling, which results in lost drilling time. The type of oscillation makes a significant difference downhole. The Agitator system uniquely reduces the friction forces by providing axial oscillations, which provide greater friction reduction benefits than tools that create lateral vibration. Forward and backward axial motion travels a greater distance up and down the drillstring. The benefit of lateral motion is much more localized in comparison.

To envision how axial oscillation works, imagine a cell phone setting on an incline. When the phone is not vibrating, it stays stationary. Once a call comes in and the phone begins to vibrate, it slides down the slope. The movement breaks the friction between the phone and the surface it is resting upon, allowing the force of gravity to overcome the friction forces. The same principle works on a drillstring resting on the bottom side of a borehole in an extended reach operation.

Incorporating the Agitator system into the BHA has enabled operators around the world to reduce friction and drilling time, saving operating costs. In Egypt, an operator experienced torque and drag challenges when drilling in complex wells. Using a 6 ¾ in. Agitator system improved WOB and allowed the operator to drill an entire 8 ½ in. section in one run. Compared to offset wells without the Agitator system, the drillstring with the Agitator system saved half a dozen trips, increased average ROP by 31 percent, and reduced cost per foot by 42 percent, saving an estimated $580,000.

An operator in West Texas used the Agitator system to reduce fluctuations in weight on bit and differential pressure on two wells, resulting in improved ROP and toolface control. The Agitator system reduced drilling time by 50 percent and saved an estimated $100,000.

In Mexico, one customer wanted to compare rate of penetration of a well drilled with an RSS to one drilled with an RSS and the Agitator system. Adding the Agitator system to the string resulted in a 100 percent faster ROP compared to the best offset well that ran an RSS alone.