Identifying Applications for Turbines in Drilling Operations

In drilling applications the two most common drive mechanisms are rotary and the positive displacement motor (PDM), each of these having been employed for over a century. The theory behind PDM's is to increase the amount of mechanical power at the bit using the drilling fluid to generate power. This has proven to be a very efficient means of drilling.There is another drive mechanism that is commonly disregarded, the turbodrill. Turbodrills operate on the same principle as PDM"s, by using the drilling fluid to generate power to drive the bit. Having been used in the oil and gas industry since the 1950's the turbodrill is still relatively obscure and many applications where it could be used are simply overlooked. This paper provides the history of turbines, guidelines for identifying applications where turbines can be beneficial in the drilling operation, and recent case histories in the Rocky Mountains.