DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL SEALED BEARING ASSEMBLY FOR IMPROVINGDOWNHOLE MOTOR PERFORMANCE IN DRILLING HORIZONTAL WELLS

THIS PROJECT IS AIMED AT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVING THE PERFORMANCE AND LIFE OF THE DOWNHOLE MUD MOTORS BY THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL SEALED BEARING ASSEMBLY. THE GOAL OF IMPROVING LIFE OF MUD MOTORS HAS BEEN HAMPERED BY THE LACK OF A SUITABLE HIGH PRESSURE ROTARY SHAFT SEAL CAPABLE OF PERFORMING RELIABLY UNDER THE SEVERE DOWNHOLE ENVIRONMENTWHICH EXPOSES THE SEAL TO HARSH ABRASIVE MUD, SHOCK AND VIBRATION. AN INNOVATIVE, HYDRODYNAMICALLY LUBRICATED RUBBER SEAL CAPABLE OF OPERATING IN THIS HARSH ABRASIVE ENVIRONMENT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED WHICH ELIMINATES THE MAJOR OBSTACLE THAT HAS LIMITED THE MOTOR LIFE TO 50-100 HOURS. THE PROPOSAL OUTLINES A SYSTEMATIC TECHNICAL EFFORT TO DEVELOP A SEALED BEARING ASSEMBLY WITH A LIFE OF 500 HOURS OR MORE. THE DEVELOPMENT OF RELIABLE, LONG LIFE, AND LOW MAINTENANCE COST SEALED BEARING ASSEMBLY HAS THE POTENTIAL OF SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING THE COST OF DRILLING LATERAL AND HORIZONTAL WELLS WHEN USED WITH MWD STEERABLE SYSTEMS. THISWILL ALLOW ECONOMICAL RECOVERY OF NATURAL GAS FROM LOW PERMEABILITY FORMATIONS IN THE U.S., AND CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE NATIONAL GOAL OF CHEAPER PRODUCTION OF ENERGY.