The 50th Anniversary of the Start of Drilling the Kola Superdeep Well

The Kola Superdeep Well (SG-3) is an outstanding achievement of Soviet science and technology, drilled in Precambrian crystalline rocks and reached a depth of 12262 m. It was one of a series of super deep wells planned within the framework of the program “Earth's Interior Exploration and Superdeep Drilling”. In order to achieve record depths, unique domestic drilling equipment and materials capable of working at high temperatures and pressures were created. A fundamentally new technology for drilling wells using hydraulic downhole motors was developed. Despite difficult drilling conditions and repeated acci-dents, SG-3 has fulfilled almost all the tasks assigned to it. The well was penetrated with full core sampling, which was subjected to comprehensive study. This made it possible to study the deep structure of the Earth's crust and to revise the interpretation of depth seismic data. It was found that changes in the physical properties of rocks at great depths had been erroneously interpreted as a change in their composition. It made it possible to assess the prospects of deep horizons of the Pechenga structure for copper-nickel mineralisation by uncovering a previously unknown body of ore-bearing hyperbasites. New information was obtained on the temperature gradient, which turned out to be significantly higher than expected, as well as on the vertical metamorphic zoning along the borehole section. The composition and physical properties of rocks in deep horizons were investigated. Tectonic fault zones and six types of ore mineralisation were identified in the borehole section. New data on ore formation processes at great depths have been obtained, which is an important contribution to the theory of mineral deposit formation

Kristine M. Larson Receives 2020 Charles A. Whitten Medal

Kristine M. Larson was awarded the 2020 Charles A. Whitten Medal at the virtual AGU Fall Meeting in December. The medal is for “outstanding achievement in research on the form and dynamics of the Earth and planets.”

Changxun Fang. Pioneers of Allelopathy: Wenxiong Lin

Wenxiong Lin did research for > 30 years in plant molecular ecology and agro-ecology, rice allelopathy and continuous monoculture problems/soil sickness of Chinese medicinal plants. His 20 Patents and most publications (about 100) have focussed on (i). Gene regulation of allelochemicals biosynthesis in allelopathic rice, (ii). allelopathic inhibitory effects on weeds, (iii). continuous monoculture problems/soil sickness in medicinal plants and (iv). the influence of allelochemicals and monoculture practice on the rhizospheric micro-environment. He helped in development of microbial fertilizer to alleviate the autotoxicity problem in continuous cropping of Radix pseudostellariae and Rehmannia glutinosa, etc. He had been the President of Asian Allelopathy Society, and got the outstanding achievement from the platform of International Allelopathy Foundation. His student, Dr. Changxun Fang got Rice Award and Grodzinsky Award respectively in the 6th and 8th World Congress of International Allelopathy Society. His elucidation of the molecular ecological mechanism of rice allelopathy was awarded the II Class Prize of Fujian Provincial Scientific and Technological Progress Award in 2007. His researches to find the mechanism of development of continuous cropping obstacle/soil sickness in R. pseudostellariae and its remedy was awarded the I Class Prize of Fujian Provincial Scientific and Technological Progress Award in 2020.

Rotary Steerable System Design Optimisation with Roller Reamers Prevents Stuck Pipe Events

An increasing deployment of rotary steerable system to drill through complex reservoirs demands considerable gains in operating efficiency. It is a known fact that one of the main drilling challenges faced by oil & gas industry is stuck pipe. The risk of stuck pipe is particularly elevated when using a rotary steerable system tool to drill through formations having geo-mechanical instability and alternating hard-soft interbedded layers. This elevated risk is due to the pivot stabilizers, typically used on such tools which have a limited flow by-pass area and high side loads at the contact points with formation. This study showcases how in geo-mechanically unstable formations, a stabilizer in a rotary steerable system tool can be replaced with a roller reamer technology to reduce stuck pipe events while still delivering steerability objectives. Roller reamers are known to deliver reduced contact forces and torque. The analysis focuses on how roller reamer technology was used to prevent rotary stalling of a drill string while drilling, which inadvertently had been a root cause in most stuck events. It also describes how BHA was optimized to achieve directional objective. Further, it discusses how drilling execution and monitoring procedures were modified to ensure stuck pipe is avoided without compromising directional yield of the BHA. Results are presented from actual wells, demonstrating an outstanding achievement of no stuck events on 4 back to back wells after multiple incidents of stuck pipe and lost in hole on previous wells. The best practices followed to ensure safe drilling are explored to highlight roles played by roller reamer replacement of pivot stabilizer in rotary steerable system tool, BHA optimization and real time drilling monitoring. Results prove that an engineered application of proper BHA design and effective drilling execution & monitoring can deliver efficient operations, even in most complex drilling environments.

RAS Awards 2021

Each year the RAS recognizes outstanding achievement in astronomy and geophysics by the award of medals and prizes, celebrating scientists who have earned the respect and admiration of their peers