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oil & gas


Oilfi eld drilling equipment manufacturer steers manufacturing on a new production path with components made using industrial 3D-printing technology


An example of a drill bit and rotary steerable system (RSS). Complex parts for rotary steerable systems, which actively steer oil and gas


wells, are now being produced by APS Technology Inc. with industrial 3D-printing technology.


Changing Directions with Additive Manufacturing


I


magine trying to drill a hole through your living room wall, down the hallway and into the bedroom, all while standing on the front lawn. Not only would a very fl exible drill bit be needed, but some method to steer the tool and monitor its progress would also be required. Fortunately, carpenters and home improvement enthusiasts don’t have to resort to such extreme tactics, but feats just as improb- able as this are performed daily in the oil & gas industry. Around the world, well drillers routinely cut miles-deep


holes through various rock formations. Many of those well bores are steered through complex hole geometries, often while the drill bit is tens of thousands of feet deep. This inno-


vative technology uses a combination of Measurement While Drilling (MWD) and Rotary Steerable Systems (RSS), mounted immediately behind the drill bit to take real-time measure- ments of borehole position and control the trajectory. This data is transmitted uphole, enabling well operators to make intelligent decisions on where to steer the wellbore.


Harsh Environments Aside from the obvious diffi culties faced when cutting


rock with a fl exible tool longer than the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 2.5-mile oval, the pressurized fl uid used to cool the drill head and fl ush away cuttings is highly abrasive, and


48 — Energy Manufacturing 2016


Photos courtesy APS


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