Less time waiting for data

Sliding is steered on toolface, so a long update interval eats straight into drilling time. What these wells really care about is not peak data rate but the toolface update interval and how quickly a downlink is answered.

Common problems on directional jobs

• Slow toolface updates — When the update interval is too long there is no timely feedback on a correction, and the directional driller is left working on judgement alone.
• Downlinks with no confirmation — If surface cannot confirm that the tool received a command, there is nothing to do but wait and watch.
• Frequent tripping — More thermal cycles, and the cumulative damage to seals and connectors is greater than under steady temperature.

What we do about it

• Bandwidth is allocated by drilling state: toolface update rate takes priority while sliding, and bandwidth goes to gamma and inclination while rotating.
• Every downlink command is positively acknowledged at surface.
• Replacement intervals for connectors and seals are set by number of thermal cycles, not by cumulative hours alone.