When drilling like 12 km deep into the ground, how is it possible that a 12 km long pipe (drill string) is able to turn the drill bit AND be pushed down enough to drill??

Question

A 12 km long pipe seems like a ridiculous length for any of that to be possible. Isn’t it like trying to drill a hole with a 258 ft long piece of spaghetti?

In: 1335

Answer 1

I might be wrong but I think OPs question is more along the lines of “how is it possible that a drill bit inches thick and kilometers long has enough torque at the end of the bit to actually drill through rock?”

This is a question a can’t answer and i don’t see addressed by anyone yet. It’s a great question. A 1/16th inch bit would snap off of drilling through pretty much anything if it were meters long.