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
Here’s the thing, that 12KM of drill pipe applies a LOT of downward pressure on the cutting head just by its own weight. Second, you’re right, at that length the drill pipe is kind of noodly but that’s fine because the pipe is constrained in the drill hole. It will twist as the drill begins turning and build up torsional tension. Eventually, that tension will either overcome the rock it’s drilling through or you’ll break the drill pipe. A really deep drill can be turned several rotations at the top before the bit begins to turn. Also, no one ever said it was easy or cheap.
Here’s the thing, that 12KM of drill pipe applies a LOT of downward pressure on the cutting head just by its own weight. Second, you’re right, at that length the drill pipe is kind of noodly but that’s fine because the pipe is constrained in the drill hole. It will twist as the drill begins turning and build up torsional tension. Eventually, that tension will either overcome the rock it’s drilling through or you’ll break the drill pipe. A really deep drill can be turned several rotations at the top before the bit begins to turn. Also, no one ever said it was easy or cheap.
Hello, drilling engineer here! 🖐
In ELI5 terms: the pipe is thick and heavy. Over 12 kms, it’s so heavy that you don’t need to push it much. You just let the weight of the pipe work in your favour and help push the drill bit into the bottom of the hole.
The thing that rotates the pipe (top drive) is very powerful and can exert a very large turning force on the pipe.
To drill, you turn the pipe with the top drive and let the weight of the string push the bit further into the hole, thereby drilling.
This is the case in most applications. Things get trickier if the bottom of your hole is horizontal or some other crazy angle, where the full weight of the pipe no longer acts in the direction of the well bottom.
Hello, drilling engineer here! 🖐
In ELI5 terms: the pipe is thick and heavy. Over 12 kms, it’s so heavy that you don’t need to push it much. You just let the weight of the pipe work in your favour and help push the drill bit into the bottom of the hole.
The thing that rotates the pipe (top drive) is very powerful and can exert a very large turning force on the pipe.
To drill, you turn the pipe with the top drive and let the weight of the string push the bit further into the hole, thereby drilling.
This is the case in most applications. Things get trickier if the bottom of your hole is horizontal or some other crazy angle, where the full weight of the pipe no longer acts in the direction of the well bottom.
It was a significant problem. The famous Howard Hughes Jr. inherited his money [from his father’s inventions:](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_R._Hughes_Sr.) downhole oil well drill bits.
Any big company with “Hughes” in it’s name probably derives it from one of the two of them.
It was a significant problem. The famous Howard Hughes Jr. inherited his money [from his father’s inventions:](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_R._Hughes_Sr.) downhole oil well drill bits.
Any big company with “Hughes” in it’s name probably derives it from one of the two of them.
They are 12 km long pipes ? Height of mount everest is about 9 km
They are 12 km long pipes ? Height of mount everest is about 9 km
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