Stephen D. Butt, PhD, PEng

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• Stephen D. Butt, PhD, PEng

• Researcher Overview
• Principal Investigator, MUN Advanced Drilling
  Laboratory.
• Supervised or co-supervised 75 HQP with 90
  publications.
• Research funding as PI 4.5M and as CI 12M.
• Past positions as Mining Program Chair
  (Dalhousie), Associate Dean Graduate (MUN),
  Process Engineering Chair (MUN).
• Representing research team S. Butt, G. Rideout,
  A. Rahman
• Research Activities and Expertise
• Drilling and completions, penetration mechanisms,
  hydraulics, SWD.
• Tool fatigue and damage due to shock and
  vibration loading.
• Improved electrical motors for downhole
  applications e.g. ESPs
• Experimental mechanics focused on salt formation,
  post-peak behaviour, fatigue and NDT monitoring,
  material plasticity and creep.
• Recent collaborators Husky Energy, Suncor
  Energy, NOV, Noble Drilling, Nabors Group.

HEAD SHOT

• Steve Butt
• DISCIPLINE
• Process Enginering
• POSITION
• Professor
• PI, Advanced Drilling Laboratory
• LAB
• Drilling EN1035
• Geomechanics EN1026

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MUN Advanced Drilling Lab

• Emphasis on investigation and improving drilling
  penetration mechanisms, drilling dynamic
  simulation, early kick detection for well
  control.
• Vibration Assisted Rotary Drilling (VARD)
  technology and tool development and evaluation.

• Small Drilling Simulator (SDS)
• Simulate range of bit operating and downhole
  pressurized conditions, axial compliance, active
  vibration, kick entry..
• Full electronic data acquisition.
• PDC bits with adjustable nozzle TFA.

Drill Bit Nozzles

• Geomechanics Load frame
• Simulate axial loading up to 400 kN for sustained
  loading (creep) and cyclical fatigue studies.

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MUN Power Systems Laboratory

• Multiphysics numerical modelling of electric
  machines.
• Physical prototype development and evaluation.
• Numerical and physical evaluation of vibrations
  in motor operations.
• Involved with pioneering development of motors
  used in hybrid gas-electric vehicles.
• Current emphasis on Soft-starting IPM motors for
  ESP drive systems for offshore drilling and
  completions.

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Dynamic Drilling Simulator (DDS)
WOB 30 KN
Torque 1000 Nm
Speed 0 - 600 RPM
Vibration amp. - 5 kN
Vibration freq. 0 50 Hz
Closed loop electronic control of pneumatic and hydraulic actuators to simulate actions of drill strings and other rotating tools subjected to axial and torsional dynamic loading. Closed loop electronic control of pneumatic and hydraulic actuators to simulate actions of drill strings and other rotating tools subjected to axial and torsional dynamic loading.

• Experimental drilling and support systems SSDS
  I and SSDS II.
• Analytical and FEM modelling of drillstring
  vibration.
• VARD tool prototyping and test rigs for field
  trials.

in-situ stresses formation pore pressures and bottom hole pressure
PC/PLC-based operational and safety system controls Controls are PhD level design
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Contact Info
Dr. Stephen Butt Dr. Aziz Rahman Professor Uni
versity Research Professor PI Advanced Drilling
Lab PI Power Systems Lab Phone
709-864-8955 Phone [phone] Email
sdbutt_at_mun.ca Email arahman_at_mun.ca Dr.
Geoff Rideout Associate Professor Director,
Engineering One Phone [phone] Email
g.rideout_at_mun.ca
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