Centralizer range a boon to operators drilling extreme wells
Following successful trials in Norway and two years in research and development, Downhole Products, a designer and manufacturer of oilfield equipment, has introduced the Blade Runner centralizer.
The Blade Runner is a solid centralizer designed to reduce drag and torque while running casing, liners, and tubing for extreme wells. The new centralizer evolved from Downhole Products’ Spir-o-lizer centralizer.
The Blade Runner features Teflon inserts molded into Spir-o-lizer blades, which reduce sliding forces while running inside casing. Downhole Products designed the inserts from Teflon because of its low friction coefficient of just 0.04, which is the lowest available for any centralizer material. For those wishing to virtually eliminate start-up torque during pipe rotation, the company can also fit the Blade Runner with internal Teflon rings.
The Blade Runner’s spiral blades make 360° cement placement a straightforward exercise, and the greater flow-by significantly reduces surge pressure while running in-hole, the company says.
“With the surge in ultra reach well drilling in the past eight years, we have been keenly aware of the industry’s need for a centralizer that is specifically designed to meet the special challenges posed by the complexities of an extreme drilling operation,” Bill Barron, director of Downhole Products, says. “The Blade Runner has performed successfully for major operators during extreme well drilling in both the Caspian Sea and offshore Norway,” he added.