Torque reduction tools placed over only 20% of the wellbore can deliver a 35% reduction in overall drilling torque. That's the power of targeted friction management.

As wells become longer and more complex, operators are facing a common challenge: friction.

Excessive torque and drag can limit drilling performance, reduce weight transfer to the bit, increase equipment wear, require rig upgrades and ultimately drive up well costs. In extended-reach and highly deviated wells, managing friction isn't simply a performance issue, it's often the difference between reaching total depth efficiently and encountering costly operational challenges.

At WWT International, we help operators overcome these challenges through advanced torque and drag management solutions, including our industry-leading Non-Rotating Protectors (NRPs).

The Challenge: Friction Is Not Uniform

Friction forces throughout the wellbore can vary drastically depending on the side forces and drilling parameters. More complex well geometries can introduce certain sections of the well that experience significantly higher side forces and increase contact between the drill string and casing or formation. These sections are often found at:

• ·       Shallow deviations
• ·       Sidetracks
• ·       Builds
• ·       Extended laterals

These localized areas become critical friction points, increasing:

• Surface torque requirements
• Casing and riser wear
• Drill string fatigue
• Energy losses to the bit
• The risk of stuck pipe and drilling dysfunctions

As operators push for longer laterals and more aggressive well designs, these challenges become increasingly difficult to manage.

The Solution: Targeted Friction Reduction

WWT's Non-Rotating Protectors are strategically placed in the sections of the well where friction reduction delivers the greatest benefit.

Rather than applying a single friction factor across the entire well, WWT engineers model the well in zones and apply localized friction reduction only where NRPs are installed.

In many applications, these zones of NRPs experience:

• Up to 65% reduction in local rotation friction
  Up to 40% reduction in local axial friction

These improvements can significantly enhance drilling efficiency while protecting critical wellbore equipment.

An operator in Southeast Asia reached out to WWT for torque reduction in an aggressive S-shaped well. Modeling showed torque reduction up to 30% by targeting the build and drop sections.

Reviewing the performance, placing NRPs in the targeted areas accounting for only 20% of the well’s depth reduced the overall torque by up to 35%.

Why Placement Matters

The effectiveness of NRPs is not simply about running more tools, it's about running them in the right locations.

WWT's engineering teams analyze every application individually quickly for no cost, utilizing torque and drag modeling software refined over more than three decades and more than 7,500 applications worldwide. The result is a customized placement strategy that identifies:

• The optimal number of NRPs required
• The most effective locations for deployment
• Expected reductions in torque and drag
• Potential casing wear mitigation

This engineering-first approach allows operators to make informed decisions before the tools ever arrive at the rig.

Delivering Measurable Results

For over 35 years, WWT International has helped operators solve complex drilling challenges through innovative engineering and field-proven technologies. Today, the company supports customers globally with:

• More than 7,500 customer jobs completed
• More than 255 patents issued and pending
• Operations supported through 50 global field and support offices

Whether the challenge is excessive torque, casing wear, drill string buckling, or limited drilling reach, WWT's solutions are designed to help operators drill farther, safer, and more efficiently.

Looking Ahead

As the industry continues to pursue increasingly challenging well profiles in oil, gas, geothermal and carbon capture projects, friction management will remain a critical component of well performance.  NRPs are bolt-one solution to allow an existing rig to driller farther. 

The lesson is clear: reducing friction where it matters most can have a substantial impact on overall drilling efficiency.

Sometimes, a localized 65% reduction in friction can translate into a well-wide performance improvement that makes all the difference.