Lateral drilling method

A drilling method, comprising:

• drilling a portion of a wellbore using a drilling string comprising a bottom hole assembly and a first friction reduction tool connected to the drilling string at an interval above the bottom hole assembly,
• the first friction reduction tool comprising a variable choke assembly having a rotary component and a stationary component, and an oscillating unit,
• each of the rotary component and stationary component being provided with passages that enter into and out of alignment when the rotary component rotates with respect to the stationary component, the rotary component being drivable by a rotor of a motor of the first friction reduction tool;
• the rotary component, stationary component, and rotor each comprising a central bore defining a first central passage from above the first friction reduction tool to below the first friction reduction tool;
• and
• extending a wireline tool through the drilling string through the first central passage to below the friction reduction tool.

A method of drilling a substantially lateral section of a wellbore using a drilling string, the wellbore comprising a substantially vertical section and a build section connecting the substantially vertical wellbore section and the substantially lateral section, the method comprising:

• at a first determined interval of drill pipe above a bottom hole assembly, connecting a first friction reduction tool and a first activation tool, the first activation tool being in operable communication with the first friction reduction tool for activating the first friction reduction tool, the first friction reduction tool and the first activation tool providing a first friction reduction segment;
• at a further determined interval of the drilling string above the first friction reduction segment, connecting a further friction reduction tool and a further activation tool to the drilling string to provide a further friction reduction segment;
• after the further friction reduction tool is connected, activating the first friction reduction tool using the first activation tool while at least the first friction reduction tool is positioned in the substantially lateral section of the wellbore;
• and
• drilling a portion of the substantially lateral section of the wellbore using the drilling string while the first friction reduction tool is activated and the further friction reduction tool is not activated,
• wherein each friction reduction tool comprises a variable choke assembly having a rotary component and a stationary component,
• each of the rotary component and stationary component being provided with passages that enter into and out of alignment when the rotary component rotates with respect to the stationary component, the rotary component being drivable by a rotor of a motor connected to the rotary component,
• each friction reduction tool having a central passage permitting drilling fluid flow from above the friction reduction tool to below the friction reduction tool, the central passage of the first friction reduction tool being smaller in diameter than the central passage of the further friction reduction tool,
• wherein activating the first friction reduction tool comprises passing a first projectile through the passage of the further friction reduction tool and receiving the first projectile in the first activation tool, the first projectile substantially blocking the central passage and directing fluid flow into the motor and the passages of the variable choke assembly of the first friction reduction tool to cause the rotary component to rotate and the variable choke assembly to generate fluid pressure pulses.