Polaris gauge enhances tracking and drilling efficiency in 3-mile Bakken laterals

New ReedHycalog Evolve technology improves ROP and reduces sliding in North Dakota trial.

Jul 13, 2026

As lateral lengths extend beyond 3 miles (5 km) and directional complexity increases, staying within the pay zone becomes more challenging. Frequent trajectory adjustments increase costs, accelerate tool wear, and add non-productive time.

In these longer, more complex wells, operators want to spend more time in rotating mode than in sliding mode. In rotating mode, the entire drillstring rotates from the surface, while in sliding mode, only the downhole motor rotates the drill bit. Although sliding enables directional control, it is also used to correct the wellbore trajectory, reducing rate of penetration (ROP) and affecting borehole quality.

Conventional drill bit gauges rely on a single point of contact with the wellbore, making it harder to keep the bit on track in rotation. This instability increases the need for corrective sliding.

NOV ReedHycalog™ developed the Evolve Polaris™ gauge to improve tracking and stability in longer laterals. Inspired by the North Star, a constant guide for navigation, the Polaris gauge provides two points of contact to keep the drill bit on the planned well path, enhancing precision while reducing wear on the bit and corrective sliding.

By adjusting the gauge pad’s geometry, our patent-pending technology enhances tracking in rotation mode while maintaining the ability to achieve build rates in slide mode. This modification enables more time in rotation, which increases energy at the bit for higher ROP.

“In many shale applications, the bit naturally wants to drop angle while rotating,” said David Gavia, Product Line Manager, NOV. “We designed Polaris to improve stability during that rotate mode and keep the bit on target.”

Proven performance in the Bakken

An operator in the Williston Basin experienced tracking issues with standard gauge designs while drilling 3-mile laterals in McKenzie County, North Dakota. In response, we deployed the Polaris gauge in a four-well pad trial, comparing its performance with standard gauge runs under similar drilling conditions.

For this trial, the drill bit included 14.5-mm ION+™ Intrepid polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutters, also part of the ReedHycalog™ Evolve platform, along with ION+ Eclipse shaped cutters. ION+ Intrepid is an intermediate-size PDC cutter that improves mechanical efficiency to deliver higher ROP without sacrificing durability. Our ION+ Eclipse shaped cutter efficiently removes the cuttings from the cutter surface, reducing torque fluctuations and improving stability and directional control.

Through improved tracking and steering control, Polaris gauge-equipped bits reduced sliding by about 10%, which allowed for more time in rotation. The runs achieved on-bottom ROP of up to 379 ft/hr and saved an average of two hours of drilling time per well, delivering the fastest wells on the pad.

Following the trial, the customer expanded the use of Polaris to additional lateral bit designs.

“The field results highlight NOV’s ability to deliver performance-driven drill bit solutions that improve lateral efficiency in shale plays,” said Michael Bailey, Product Line Director – ReedHycalog, NOV.