The next groundbreaking tool from the minds at Drilling Innovative Solutions is here: the Defender Back Pressure Valve (BPV). The Defender BPV is the newest in DIS’ line of drilling tools that save time and money for oil and gas operators around the globe. Back pressure valves like the Defender are used to help control and maintain downhole pressure and fluid flow during the drilling process, and are absolutely crucial in helping to maintain wellbore integrity during long curve and lateral hole sections.
The Problem With Back Pressure Valves
For years and countless well drilling operations, conventional drilling floats have been the standard for regulating pressure during drilling operations. Though they were vital to the safety and effectiveness of drilling wells, their limitations were glaring.
Firstly, smaller internal diameters of a standard BPV led to significantly increased circulation times. It was also observed that the design of these BPVs led to reduced efficiency in debris removal and wellbore cleaning, costing operators unnecessary circulating time. Furthermore, the unprotected sealing surfaces on traditional BPVs were having a detrimental impact on their lifespan. All of these limitations meant higher costs for operators throughout the well drilling process, and virtually negated all of the benefits of managed pressure drilling.
Finally, and most importantly, the size of traditional back pressure valves required larger pipe diameters which restricted their use with many double shoulder rotary connections. While the engineers at Drilling Innovative Solutions always strive for maximum efficiency, safety is still the top priority, so the development of a better solution began.
Development of The Defender BPV
With the problems surrounding traditional back pressure valves identified, the DIS engineering team set to work, creating a concept that would eventually be developed into “The Defender.” The priorities were to improve on the design of traditional back pressure valves by making one that is more compact, durable, safe, and cost efficient. With the experience of designing revolutionary tools like the Gatekeeper CRC and Sentinel DSFV, the team was confident it could be achieved.
The first of many improvements made over traditional BPVs during development was designing the defender to protect the sealing surface during operations. DIS engineers opted for an elastomeric-to-metal seal, protected from erosion via a flow tube. Similar to the highly successful and field-proven Sentinel DSFV. This protection not only extends the life of the tool, it allows for consistent sealing even after prolonged use. Another improvement was a design that allowed for maximized flow area for the given drill string internal diameter.
The increased flow area allowed for drastically improved wellbore cleaning leading to reduced circulating times and reduced operating costs Finally, the Defender was developed to be compatible with standard drill pipe connections eliminating the need for any crossover subs, saving both time and money. Like all DIS tools, the Defender was made to endure even the most extreme downhole conditions.
The Results
Testing the Defender BPV went smoothly. The test results showed that the tool met all industry standards, and that the tool could withstand up to 10,000 psi and 400 degrees fahrenheit, meaning it was ready for downhole conditions.
When deployed on two curve and lateral hole sections (approximately 4.5 miles each) drilled with Manage Pressure Drilling (MPD) by a major operator in the Utica Shale in Ohio; The Defender exceeded expectations! These sections were drilled in one bit run each, with only one Defender BPV in the hole. The operating times were 86 and 90 hours per well with flow rates averaging 730 to 550 gallons per minute. This was a substantial improvement on operations with older BPVs in the same formation. The operator expressed immense satisfaction with the results and consequent savings; thus specifying the Defender on all of their curve and lateral hole sections requiring MPD.
Continuing to Innovate
As always, Drilling Innovative Solutions looks to create revolutionary tools and save time and money for oil and gas operators. Our engineers will continue to identify problems and potential in the oil and gas drilling industry and develop solutions that reduce rig time, emissions, and make operations safer. Keep a look out for more news about The Defender as we continue to assist oil and gas operators in deployments across the globe! Be sure to follow us on Facebook or LinkedIn to get updates on new tools and jobs.
