Patent Application
20240279991
The present disclosure relates to devices and methods related to drilling and workover operations of oil and gas wells. In particular, the present disclosure utilizes a novel bit breaker apparatus and method that is used to loosen or tighten a drill bit on a tubular string of pipe.
In oil and gas drilling operations, the drill bit is threaded to a drill string for downhole drilling of a well. Conventional wrenches cannot be used to tighten or loosen drill bits from a drill string and it has been known to provide a generally square box called a bit breaker, which is fit into the rig floor. Bit breakers are conformed to fit the particular bit shape that is being used to drill and hold the bit in place while the drill string is either made up with the drill bit, or separated from the drill bit.
Each section of drill pipe is connected with heavy threads and the drill bit is likewise connected to the drill string with heavy threads. When a drilling bit wears out or is damages, the bit must be raised from downhole and removed from the drill string. As the drill bit is removed from downhole, each section of drill pipe is removed from successive sections and set aside for later use when drilling resumes.
Manual power tongs had been used to rotate the drill string to make up or separate a drill bit from a drill string or to separate sections of drill pipe. However, the use of manual tongs presents serious safety concerns and using manual tongs to make up or unscrew a drill bit from the drill string is time consuming. More recently, the oil and gas industry has move to use hydraulic make and break units which use power tongs to make up or break apart drill strings. Typically, rotatable upper tongs are used to rotate a new section of drill pipe and stationary lower tongs are used for holding the drill string stationary. In the case where the drill bit is held stationary in the bit breaker, upper rotatable tongs are used to connect the pipe to the drill bit or to loosen the section of pipe from the drill bit.
A novel bit breaker and method of use are disclosed. The novel bit breaker can be used to attach and tighten drill bits with a section of a drill string or to loosen (remove) a drill bit from a section of drill string. The novel bit breaker includes a generally planar body portion. The generally planar body portion can have a recessed area of a suitable size to allow a plate to be inserted. The plate can be attached to the body portion of the bit breaker by suitable mechanical means. Various sized and shapes of plates can be used. The novel bit breaker plate has a cut out to allow for insertion of a portion of a drill bit assembly. The bit breaker plate can be removed and changed out to accommodate different sizes and shapes of drill bits. Alternatively, the bit breaker plate can be attached to an additional plate that is attached or inserted into a box that is of a suitable size to be inserted into a recessed or cut out portion of the bit breaker body.
The novel method of use of the bit breaker includes the steps of removing a drill string from a well, placing a bit breaker apparatus around a drill bit, using tongs to grasp the bit breaker, using an additional set of tongs to grasp a section of drill pipe connected to the drill bit, and rotating one or both of the tongs to loosen the drill bit from the section of drill pipe.
The present disclosure relates to a bit breaker apparatus and methods for removing a drill bit from a drill string section or for making up a drill bit with a drill string section. An exemplary bit breaker housing and plate are described in one embodiment, however, different sized and shapes of housings and plates can also be used. Methods of removing a drill bit from a drill string and methods of attaching a drill bit to a drill string are also disclosed. The particular steps of the disclosed methods need not be carried out in any particular order.
To change drill bits during drilling of a well, or a workover operation of a well, it is necessary to raise the drill bit to surface and unscrew it from a section of the drill string. The bit breaker of the present disclosure can be used to tighten a drill bit on a section of drill string, often referred to as making up a connection, or it can be used to loosen and remove a drill bit from a section of drill string, often referred to as breaking up a connection. The method of using the bit breaker to make up a connection between a drill bit and a section of drill string involves the steps of placing a bit breaker apparatus around a drill bit, using a tong to grasp the bit breaker, using an additional tong to grasp a section of drill pipe connected to the drill bit, and rotating one or both of the tongs to tighten the drill bit to the section of drill pipe. The method of using the bit breaker to break a connection between a drill bit and a section of drill string involves the steps of removing a drill string from a well, placing a bit breaker apparatus around a drill bit, using a tong to grasp the bit breaker, using an additional tong to grasp a section of drill pipe connected to the drill bit, and rotating one or both of the tongs to loosen the drill bit from the section of drill pipe.
The plate 102 of the bit breaker apparatus is capable of being attached to the body 101 of the bit breaker apparatus. A top view of the plate 102 is shown in
The body 101 of the bit breaker apparatus can be made of any suitable material but is preferably made of a softer metal such as 4140 steel. The plate 102 can also be made of any suitable material, but is preferably made of a hard steel such as AR500.
Methods for connecting a drill bit to a drill string involve the steps of placing the drill bit in the opening of the bit breaker plate, using a tong to grasp the body of the bit breaker, using a tong to grasp a section of the drill string, rotating a section of the drill string using a tong while holding the bit breaker body with a tong to prevent it from rotating. It should also be understood that the drill string can be held stationary by a tong while the bit breaker is rotated by another tong so that it threads onto a section of drill string. Another option is to rotate both the tong secured to the drill string and the tong secured to the bit breaker, in opposite directions, such that the drill bit is threaded to the section of drill string. Another alternative step to having a tong grasp the bit breaker body is to have the bit breaker secured to the drilling rig floor to hold the bit breaker in place while a tong rotates the drill section to thread onto the drill bit.
To remove a drill bit from a drill string the method disclosed herein involves the steps of raising the drill string from the wellbore and unthreading each section of the drill string in a conventional manner. When the lower most section of the drill string, incorporating the drill bit, is raised above the rig floor, the bit breaker can either be secured to the rig floor or placed around the drill bit. The drill string containing the drill bit can then be lowered so that it engages the opening of the plate 102, thus allowing the opening of the plate to place a rotational force on the drill bit, or hold the drill bit in place while a rotational force is applied to the drill string. The rotational force that can be applied to either the drill string or the bit breaker apparatus can be caused by tongs that engage either the drill string or the bit breaker apparatus, or both. In the case where the bit breaker apparatus is secured to the floor of the rig, a rotational force is applied to the drill string to loosen the bit from the drill string. In the case where tongs are used to, either the upper or lower tong can be stationary, while the other rotates to cause the drill bit to unscrew from the drill string. Optionally, both the upper and lower tongs can rotate in opposite directions to cause the drill bit to unscrew from the drill string. In a preferred embodiment, a lower tong holds the bit breaker stationary while an upper tong rotates the drill string to cause the drill bit to unscrew from the drill string.
The order in which each operation of a given method is performed may be changed, and various elements of the systems or devices illustrated herein may be added, reordered, combined, omitted, modified, etc. Various modifications and changes may be made as would be clear to a person of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this specification. While the inventions have been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the inventions are desired to be protected.
