What is a Drill String and How Does it Work?

If you have ever visited an oil drilling site, you may wonder, “What is a drill string?” Drill strings are columns of drill pipes that are connected. send the drilling fluid to the drill bit through mud pumps and torque. The drilling rods in a drill string are attached to the head to ensure smooth drilling.

A drill string comprises a group of pipes and tools that allow oilfield operators to deliver the weight, rotation, and fluids to the bottom of the drilled oil well. It plays a vital role in the rotary drilling process. Some drill string components are the drilling bits, weight on bits, and drill pipes. Now, let’s see how these parts work.

Drill String Components

• Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA):

  Comprises a

  drilling bit

  for breaking up rock formations and heavy

  drill collars

  that exerts weight on the drill bit during oil well drilling. BHA also comprises reamers, jars, shock subs, and drill string stabilizers.

• Transition Pipes:

  A transition pipe is a heavy-weight drill pipe (HWDP). Some few years back, a drill string consisted of two major parts: pipes and collars. But since drill pipe

  fatigue damage

  became too common, transition pipes were built.

• Drill Pipes:

  A drill pipe comprises most of a drill string from the bottom of an oil well to the surface. Every drill pipe has a long tubular section with a specific outside diameter. Each end of a drill pipe tubular has tool-joint connections.

How it Works

So, how does a drill string work during oil well drilling? A drill string is a drill pipe that transmits the driving force from a rig on the surface to the drill bit at the bottom of the well. This works through a rotational motion. Drill strings are tubular to allow the supply of drilling fluid to cool the components and transfer rock cutting back to the surface.      

Where Blowout Preventers Fit In

Blowout preventers are vital in preventing potential “kicks” that may occur during drilling. If a kick happens, the highly pressurized, combustible fluids can uncontrollably flow up the wellbore and cause a blowout. Installing a blowout preventer (BOP) above the drill string can control the flow of pressurized fluids by sealing off the well in many ways.

BOP Products Can Help

Now that you understand how a drill string works and where blowout preventers can fit in, you need to invest in blowout preventers to protect your workers from harm. An oil well blowout can be catastrophic, so drilling an oil well without a blowout preventer risks your workers’ lives. BOP Products can help you install the right BOP for your oil well.

Contact us today for reliable and affordable blowout preventers and accessories.