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The Lucas well drill string consisted of ordinary lapweld
pipe and couplings with one long length of "extra strong" or
"double extra strong" pipe to serve as griefstem at the top of the
string, which could withstand grooving produced by grip ring
rollers. Fishtail rotary bits were used exclusively in drilling gumbo
and soft sand formations encountered.
The rotary table had open bevel gear drive and a grip ring
rotating the round griefstem as it moved downward through the
table while drilling ahead. Drilling fluid was natural mud derived
from the clay and gumbo formations being drilled. The men
involved in this operation deserve special credit for drilling to
slightly below 1000 ft with this primitive equipment. The Lucas
well launched not only the oil industry but an effective drilling
system that pushed petroleum into, first place among all energy
sources.
Notable improvements in rotary drilling rigs and practices so
far in this century have been continuous and substantial. Let's look
at some highlights.
The rotary table with grip rings to drive the round griefstem,
as used on the Lucas well, had gained preference over another type
using posts and clamps to turn the drill string. Both drive systems,
however were developed simultaneously in the late 1880s.
Next development was a fluted kelly used with grip rings
(1914) but the grip rings were soon replaced by kelly drive
bushings. The use of a square kelly with matching drive bushings
appears to have been developed in California about 1915 and
gained wide acceptance during the early 1920s. Other than the
development of roller-type drive bushings and hexagon kellys, no
major сhange has been made in these two items.
The rotary machine or "table" also was improved
continuously. The rotary clutch was moved from pinion shaft to
drawworks countershaft in the early 1920s and soon thereafter
came the roller bearing pinion shaft with drive sprocket mounted

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