Page 66 - Drilling Technology in Nontechnical Language

Chapter 3 – DRILLING A LAND EXPLORATION WELL 57

Fig. 3–11. Diverter set up for drilling

Spudding the well

With a conductor pipe that was driven into the ground with a pile
driver, the inside of the conductor will be full of rubble, as the bottom

of the conductor is open while hammering it into the ground. So the first
thing to do is to clean out this rubble. A drill bit that is only slightly smaller
than the conductor inside diameter (ID) is run on drill collars down to
the top of the rubble. Mud is pumped down the drill string, and the bit

is rotated and lowered. This breaks the rubble up, and the mud flowing
upwards in the annulus lifts it up to the surface.

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