运营商对非生产时间 (NPT) 的容忍度比以往任何时候都低，他们要求的每日钻井性能水平在几年前被认为是破纪录的。

传统的钻井方法通常分多次钻探曲线段和水平段，但如今一次性钻完“水平侧向段”的做法越来越普遍。为了更快、更精确地钻出这些形状的井眼，同时最大限度地提高油藏暴露度并保持井眼光滑，需要使用高度工程化的钻头、优化的井底钻具组合（BHA）以及自动化设备。

NOV'L Reed-Hycalog 业务部门钻头产品线总监Alex Benson告诉JPT，客户普遍对钻井提出了更高的要求，尤其是在美国陆上非常规资源方面。

“他们正在向钻井管线注入更多能量。他们拥有更强大的钻机、更强大的泵，一切都更强大，”他说道，并指出这意味着对钻头和钻井作业中其他部件的要求更高。“更强劲、更快、更持久。”

Less tolerant of nonproductive time (NPT) than ever, operators are demanding daily drilling performance levels that years ago were considered record-breaking.

Historical drilling approaches used separate runs to drill the curve and the lateral, but drilling the “curvilateral” in one run is increasingly common. Drilling these shapes faster and with such precision that the wellbores are smooth while maximizing reservoir exposure requires highly engineered drill bits, optimized bottomhole assemblies (BHAs), and automation.

Alex Benson, product line director for drill bits in NOV’s Reed-Hycalog business unit, told JPT that customers in general are demanding more from drilling, particularly in US land unconventional resources.

“They’re putting more energy in the string. They’ve got more powerful rigs, more powerful pumps, more powerful everything,” he said, noting that translates into higher demands on bits and other elements in drilling operations. “Harder, faster, longer.