I.
Drilling Equipment & Components
1. What are the main components of a drilling rig?
Answer: The main components include:
Derrick/Mast – Supports the hoisting system.
Hoisting System – Includes drawworks, crown block, traveling block, and drilling line
for handling drill pipe and casing.
Rotary System – Includes the rotary table or top drive, kelly, and drill pipe to rotate the
drill bit.
Circulating System – Consists of mud pumps, mud pits, and mud return lines to
circulate drilling fluid.
Power System – Diesel or electric generators to power the rig.
Blowout Preventer (BOP) System – Safety system to control well pressure and prevent
blowouts.
2. What are the differences between a rotary table and a top drive?
Answer:
Rotary Table: A conventional system that uses a kelly to rotate the drill string. Requires
frequent connection/disconnection of the kelly.
Top Drive: A more modern system that provides continuous rotation of the drill string,
allowing for faster and safer drilling.
3. What are the functions of drilling mud in well drilling?
Answer: Drilling mud serves multiple purposes:
Cooling & Lubrication – Reduces bit wear.
Cuttings Removal – Transports rock cuttings to the surface.
Wellbore Stability – Prevents collapse of formations.
Pressure Control – Maintains hydrostatic pressure to prevent kicks.
Formation Evaluation – Helps in identifying formations using mud logging.
4. What are the different types of drilling mud, and when are they used?
Answer:
Water-Based Mud (WBM) – Commonly used; lower cost and environmentally friendly.
Oil-Based Mud (OBM) – Used in reactive formations, high temperatures, and shale
zones.
Synthetic-Based Mud (SBM) – Alternative to OBM with lower environmental impact.
5. What are the key differences between PDC and tricone drill bits?
Answer:
PDC (Polycrystalline Diamond Compact) Bits – Used in soft to medium-hard
formations, high ROP, durable.
Tricone Bits – Roller cone design, used for harder formations, good for varied
lithologies.
II. Drilling Parameters & Their Effects
6. What is the significance of Weight on Bit (WOB)?
Answer:
WOB is the downward force applied on the drill bit to enable efficient drilling.
High WOB – Increases penetration rate but can cause bit wear and deviation.
Low WOB – Reduces ROP and can cause inefficient drilling.
7. What is Rotary Speed (RPM), and how does it affect drilling?
Answer:
RPM is the rotational speed of the drill bit.
High RPM – Increases ROP but can lead to bit balling in soft formations.
Low RPM – Reduces ROP and may lead to inefficient cutting.
8. How does Mud Weight affect drilling operations?
Answer:
Low Mud Weight – Can cause wellbore instability, kicks, or well collapse.
High Mud Weight – Can lead to lost circulation, formation damage, or slow ROP.
9. What is Differential Sticking, and how can it be prevented?
Answer:
Occurs when the drill string gets stuck due to high differential pressure between mud and
formation.
Prevention Methods: Reduce mud weight, use lubricants, rotate pipe frequently, and use
low-permeability mud cake.
10. What is the Effect of Flow Rate on Drilling Efficiency?
Answer:
High Flow Rate – Improves hole cleaning but can cause formation erosion.
Low Flow Rate – Can lead to cuttings accumulation and pack-off.
III. Well Control & Safety
11. What are the signs of a kick in drilling operations?
Answer:
Increase in mud return flow rate.
Decrease in mud weight.
Increase in drill pipe pressure.
Gas-cut mud at surface.
12. What is the purpose of a Blowout Preventer (BOP)?
Answer:
The BOP is used to control well pressure and prevent blowouts by sealing the wellbore.
Types: Annular BOP, Ram BOP (Blind, Pipe, Shear Rams).
13. What is the difference between primary and secondary well control?
Answer:
Primary Well Control – Maintaining sufficient mud weight to counteract formation
pressure.
Secondary Well Control – Using the BOP to control the well in case of a kick.
IV. Drilling Problems & Troubleshooting
14. What are the main causes of stuck pipe?
Answer:
Differential Sticking – Due to high-pressure differential.
Mechanical Sticking – Due to key seating, ledges, or junk in the wellbore.
Pack-off – Due to inadequate hole cleaning.
15. How do you handle lost circulation during drilling?
Answer:
Reduce mud weight.
Use lost circulation materials (LCM).
Adjust drilling parameters to avoid excessive ECD (Equivalent Circulating Density).
16. What are the common causes of drill string failure?
Answer:
Fatigue due to cyclic loading.
Corrosion due to drilling fluids.
Over-torquing during makeup.
17. What factors affect drill bit selection?
Answer:
Formation type (soft, medium, hard).
Required ROP.
Mud type and drilling parameters.
V. Directional & Extended Reach Drilling
18. What are the key objectives of directional drilling?
Answer:
Accessing multiple reservoirs from a single surface location.
Avoiding geological hazards.
Increasing production from horizontal sections.
19. What are the tools used in directional drilling?
Answer:
MWD (Measurement While Drilling) – Provides real-time drilling data.
LWD (Logging While Drilling) – Measures formation properties.
Rotary Steerable System (RSS) – Adjusts trajectory without stopping rotation.
20. What is the significance of the Dogleg Severity (DLS)?
Answer:
DLS measures the rate of change in wellbore inclination and azimuth.
High DLS – Can cause excessive torque and drag.
Low DLS – Results in smoother wellbore.
