MiSwaco

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Release

WELL COMMANDER ball-activated drilling valve provides an alternate circulating path for placing lost circulation material or boosting annular velocities during drilling operations

Whether placing lost‐circulation material, applying the I‐BOSS* wellbore strengthening solution, or confidently conditioning or displacing wellbore fluids at high flow rates, the WELL COMMANDER* ball‐activated drilling valve allows operators to readily accomplish these tasks while bypassing sensitive downhole bottomhole assembly tools.

Generally, run in the hole in the closed position, the tool remains inactive until needed. Then the operating ball is dropped and pumped down to the WELL COMMANDER tool. Pressuring up on the ball activates the tool and the increased pressure unseats the ball. It is expelled into the bypass ball catcher and the ports are locked opened. To close, another ball is dropped, pressure increased and the ports closed as the tool deactivates.

The tool uses the same size operating ball to open and close the ports. A smaller BHA‐shutoff ball can be dropped to prevent fluid flow or solids deposition at the top of the BHA. Up to seven complete cycles are possible on each trip due to the 14 ball capacity of the bypass catcher.

Unique ball‐seat technology allows the same‐size ball to open and close the tool, eliminating the risk of dropping the wrong size ball. No complicated ball/dart sequence or potentially problematic pump on/off hydraulic sequencing is required to open and close the tool.

Additionally, high circulation rates will not cause the tool to function prematurely. The WELL COMMANDER tool can assist in removing cuttings beds in high‐angle/horizontal wells and can efficiently displace fluids by boosting annular velocities. This very versatile and reliable tool also permits easy spotting of coarse LCM during drilling operations. Other applications include enhanced hole cleaning during hole‐opening/underreaming operations, displacing to kill weight fluids for Managed Pressure Drilling or Underbalanced Drilling operations, and preventing surge/swab by allowing more efficient pipe filling/draining during trips.

M‐I SWACO, which is based in Houston, TX and jointly owned 60% by Smith International, Inc. (NYSE, PSE:Sii) and 40% by Schlumberger Limited (NYSE:SLB), is a leading provider of a wide range of products and engineering services designed to deliver Drilling Solutions, Environmental Solutions, Wellbore Productivity and Production Technologies. The company is

strategically located in more than 70 countries.

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