WorldWide Drilling Resource

The project began by determining whether a high-temperature hammer was even possible. The Sandia team initially tested materials and coating combina- tions c apable of surviving the expected environments, while Atlas Copco designed a hammer without plastic parts. The hammers proved successful. “We were able to reach our drilling rates, the materials held up, the coatings worked well,” Su said. Sandia’s new high operating temperature (HOT) facility was designed to test hammers under real-world operating conditions, including temperatures up to 572ºF (300ºC). Conventional drilling generally sees temperatures of less than 320ºF (160ºC). The facility, a three-sided open concrete structure, houses a 20-foot-tall drill rig, heating chamber, and process gas heater. Researchers are able to simulate conditions deep underground and the elevated temperatures affecting the hammer, and can drill into different types of rock, like the granite commonly found in geothermal-rich areas. HOT was a large project itself. “We took a little more time in the development process, but when we put it all together, everything worked pretty much as we expected it to,” Su said. The work required integrating multiple subsystems, including electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, and control systems. Sandia also worked with Atlas Copco on what instrumentation was re- quired to collect the necessary data. The facility is also being used for other activities, such as developing drilling automation. New Down Hole Hammer cont’d from page 29. Congratulations to : Uldis Jansons Lakewood, CO Winner for December! Time for a Little Fun! December Puzzle Solution: SIMCO ® Drilling Equipment VolkBell Property & Casualty Insurance, LLC Can you identify which ads in this issue these two photos came from? Win a prize! Send your completed puzzle to: WWDR PO Box 660 Bonifay, FL 32425 or fax to: 850-547-0329 _______________ _______________ 46 JANUARY 2017 WorldWide Drilling Resource ®