A review of drilling vibration control strategies: Modeling, tools, applications, and future directions

Drillstring vibrations (axial, torsional, and lateral vibrations) occurring at various frequencies can significantly impact drilling performance and drilling equipment lifespan. Controlling excessive and (self-)sustained vibrations has become more challenging with increasing well depth and complexity. These vibrations primarily arise from the dynamic interactions between the drill bit, drillstring, wellbore, and surrounding formations. The ability to promptly identify and effectively control these vibrations presents a valuable opportunity for optimizing drilling operations and lowering drilling costs. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the dynamics of tri-axial drillstring vibrations, their modeling techniques, as well as tools and strategies to practically detect, analyze, and control them. Specifically, the axial, torsional, and lateral drilling vibration modes exhibit distinct patterns but are strongly interdependent due to structural and environmental coupling. Various modeling approaches, including lumped parameter method (LPM), finite element method (FEM), multibody dynamics (MBD), and continuum mechanics (CONT), have been developed to better understand detrimental drilling dysfunctions since the 1960s. Both state-of-practice tools adopted by the industry and emerging vibration mitigation strategies proposed by researchers are examined here and divided into three categories: 1) Passive drilling tools and shock subs; 2) Physics-/experience-based drilling optimization; 3) Proactive drilling tools and vibration controllers. Structures, mechanisms, and effectiveness of these technologies are analyzed and compared, highlighting their practical applications, limitations, and potential for improvement. Discussions and recommendations are presented to achieve more efficient and reliable drilling operations and guide the development of future proactive drilling vibration mitigation technologies, with the ultimate goal of achieving vibration-free drilling.