SELECTIVELY ACTIVATED FRICTION REDUCTION TOOL AND METHOD

A friction reduction tool configured for selective activation downhole in response to a variation in a media flow's operating condition. A valve assembly and an activation assembly are both positioned downstream of a power assembly, which is configured to rotate a rotating valve segment of the valve assembly with media flow through the tool. The activation assembly is configured to transition from a first position to a second position with the media flow operating condition variation. In the first position, the activation assembly provides a bypass flow path around the valve assembly for at least a portion of the media flow, thereby preventing the valve assembly from generating any significant pressure pulse with rotation of the rotating valve segment. In the second position, the bypass flow path is closed such that all or a majority of the media flows through the valve assembly, thereby generating a significant pressure pulse.