Roll No: 16PG-05 Date: 16-Jan-2018

PRACTICAL NO: 09

Object: Demonstration on Air/Gas drilling Unit.

Definition: Rotary drilling that uses compressed air instead of circulating mud system
mounted air compressors.

Procedure: The air is supplied by skid that mounted air compressor and diesel engine
that delivers 300-500 ft3 of air per minute at 300-600 psi.

Explanation: An air drilling rig in which air compressor and one or more hydraulic
pump are derived by some engine that the intake throttle of the compressor is controlled
by an electronic control having a proportional integral deviate control. The controller
minimize the unloading of compressor allowing engine to operate more efficiently, the
hydraulic system provided more constant power to drilling function and the volume and
pressure compressed air to optimized for drilling conditions encounter. Air compressor
provided air for flowing getting from the bore hole and also used to provide compressed
air for the operations of down hole hammer for percussive drilling of hard rock. The drilling
rig compressor are typically operated by pneumatic control system for generally purpose
air compressor of kind used in construction. In the air drilling the power required from the
engine by hydraulic pumps according to the size of hole being drilled by the formation
encountered by amount of water in hole. During drilling soft and hard formations give the
most preference on drilling fluid is given to air.

Ideal conditions for Air/ gas Drilling:

1. Long well bore section with minimal formation pressure.

2. Derivation problems due to high formation pressure.
3. Lost circulation problems
4. Formation that have minimum water influx.
5. Water sensitive formations are time sensitive to sloughing.
6. Hydrocarbon zones are typically gas bearing.
Roll No: 16PG-05 Date: 16-Jan-2018

7. Air from foam drilling are used where hard formations or loss circulation
becomes a major problem.
8. When formation water production becomes a problem or hydrocarbon are
encountered foam or unit drilling is necessary.

Advantages of Air/gas drilling:

1. Faster rate of penetration (ROP)

2. Improved deviation controlled.
3. Minimal formation damage in production sections.
4. Effective producing control through the lost circulation zones.
5. Faster reduce of drilling cuttings.
6. Lower cost per foot.

Disadvantages of Air/ gas drilling:

The main drawback of using air compressor is power required some time
requirement of power may exceed than the desire power which create overload on
compressor and this may cause of failure of them.
Roll No: 16PG-05 Date: 16-Jan-2018