Patent Application
20140246236
The present disclosure relates generally to expandable reamer assemblies for reaming a subterranean formation, as well as bottom-hole assemblies including expandable reamer assemblies, devices and systems for activating such expandable reamer assemblies, and related methods.
Wellbores are formed in subterranean formations for various purposes including, for example, the extraction of oil and gas from a subterranean formation and the extraction of geothermal heat from a subterranean formation. A wellbore may be formed in a subterranean formation using a drill bit, such as, for example, an earth-boring rotary drill bit. Different types of earth-boring rotary drill bits are known in the art, including, for example, fixed-cutter bits (which are often referred to in the art as “drag” bits), rolling-cutter bits (which are often referred to in the art as “rock” bits), diamond-impregnated bits, and hybrid bits (which may include, for example, both fixed cutters and rolling cutters). Earth-boring rotary drill bits are rotated and advanced into a subterranean formation. As the drill bit rotates, the cutters or abrasive structures thereof cut, crush, shear, and/or abrade away the formation material to form the wellbore. A diameter of the wellbore drilled by the drill bit may be defined by the cutting structures disposed at the largest outer diameter of the drill bit.
The drill bit is coupled, either directly or indirectly, to an end of what is referred to in the art as a “drill string,” which comprises a series of elongated tubular segments connected end-to-end that extends into the wellbore from the surface of the formation. Often various tools and components (often referred to in the art as “subs”), including the drill bit, may be coupled together at the distal end of the drill string at the bottom of the wellbore being drilled. This assembly of tools and components is referred to in the art as a “bottom-hole assembly” (BHA).
The drill bit may be rotated within the wellbore by rotating the drill string from the surface of the formation, or the drill bit may be rotated by coupling the drill bit to a downhole motor, which is also coupled to the drill string and disposed proximate the bottom of the wellbore. The downhole motor may comprise, for example, a hydraulic Moineau-type motor having a shaft, to which the drill bit is mounted, that may be caused to rotate by pumping fluid (e.g., drilling mud or fluid) from the surface of the formation down through the center of the drill string, through the hydraulic motor, out from nozzles in the drill bit, and back up to the surface of the formation through an annular space between the outer surface of the drill string and the exposed surface of the formation within the wellbore.
It is known in the art to use what is referred to in the art as a “reamer” (also referred to in the art as a “hole opening device” or a “hole opener”) in conjunction with a drill bit as part of a BHA when drilling a wellbore in a subterranean formation. In such a configuration, the drill bit operates as a “pilot” bit to faun a pilot bore in the subterranean formation. As the drill bit and BHA advance into the formation, the reamer follows the drill bit through the pilot bore and enlarges the diameter of, or “reams,” the pilot bore.
Conventionally in drilling oil, gas, and geothermal wells, casing is installed and cemented to prevent the wellbore walls from caving into the subterranean borehole while providing requisite shoring for subsequent drilling operations to achieve greater depths. To increase the depth of a previously drilled borehole, new casing is laid within and extended below the previous casing. While adding casing allows a borehole to reach greater depths, it has the disadvantage of narrowing the borehole. Narrowing the borehole restricts the diameter of any subsequent sections of the well because the drill bit and any further casing must pass through the existing casing. As reductions in the borehole diameter limit the production flow rate of oil and gas through the borehole, it is often desirable to enlarge a subterranean borehole to provide a larger borehole diameter beyond previously installed casing.
Expandable reamers may include reamer blades pivotably or hingedly affixed to a tubular body and actuated by way of a piston disposed therein as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,856 to Warren. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,831 to Åkesson et al. discloses a borehole opener comprising a body equipped with at least two hole opening arms having cutting means that may be moved from a position of rest in the body to an active position by exposure to pressure of the drilling fluid flowing through the body. The blades in these reamers are initially retracted to permit the tool to run through the borehole on a drill string and, once the tool has passed beyond the end of the casing, the blades are extended so the bore diameter may be increased below the casing.
Expandable reamers include activation means for moving the reamer blades thereof between a deactivated position and an expanded, activated position. For example, prior known expandable reamers include a movable sleeve coupled to the reamer blades. As the movable sleeve moves axially within a body of the expandable reamer, the reamer blades move between the deactivated position and the activated position. The movement of the movable sleeve is accomplished by causing a pressure differential to push the movable sleeve in the desired axial direction. The pressure differential is provided by dropping a so-called “drop ball” into the drilling fluid. An orifice in the drilling fluid flow path smaller than the drop ball is provided in the expandable reamer, such that the drop ball cannot pass the orifice. When the drop ball reaches the orifice, pressure from the drilling fluid builds up above the drop ball, pushing the drop ball downward along with the structure in which the orifice is formed. Drilling fluid may then be directed to provide pressure against the movable sleeve, moving the movable sleeve upward and, consequently, moving the blades into the activated position. When drilling fluid pressure is released from against the movable sleeve, a spring biases the movable sleeve to move back into the deactivated position.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure includes expandable reamer assemblies for reaming a subterranean borehole. The expandable reamer assemblies include an expandable reamer module and an activation module. The expandable reamer module includes a tubular body, one or more blades, and a sleeve. The tubular body has a longitudinal axis and an inner bore. At least one of the blades is coupled to the tubular body and configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position. The sleeve is disposed within the inner bore of the tubular body and coupled to the at least one blade. The sleeve is configured to axially move relative to the tubular body to move the at least one blade into the extended position. The activation module includes an outer tubular body and an activation member at least partially disposed within an inner bore of the outer tubular body. The outer tubular body of the activation module is rigidly coupled to the tubular body of the expandable reamer module. A longitudinal end of the activation member is coupled to the sleeve to axially move the sleeve relative to the tubular body of the expandable reamer module responsive to axial movement of the activation member.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure includes bottom-hole assemblies including an expandable reamer module and an activation module. The expandable reamer module includes a first tubular body and the activation module includes a second tubular body coupled to first tubular body of the expandable reamer module. The expandable reamer module includes at least one reamer blade movably coupled to the first tubular body, and a sleeve axially movable within the first tubular body. The sleeve is coupled to the at least one reamer blade and configured to move the at least one reamer blade into an expanded position. The activation module includes an activation member coupled to the sleeve and configured to provide a motive force to the sleeve toward the activation module and opposite a direction of flow of drilling fluid through the bottom-hole assembly during use of the bottom-hole assembly. Such a motive force results in movement of the at least one reamer blade into the expanded position.
In other embodiments, the present disclosure includes methods of using expandable reamer modules. In accordance with such methods, a first expandable reamer module including a tubular body and an axially movable sleeve at least partially within the tubular body is provided. A first activation module is also provided, which includes a tubular body configured to be coupled to the tubular body of the first expandable reamer module. The first activation module also includes an axially movable activation member configured to be coupled to the sleeve of the first expandable reamer module such that axial movement of the activation member results in axial movement of the sleeve. The first activation module is configured to be activated with a first activation means. The first expandable reamer module and the first activation module are paired for use in a reaming process in which the first activation module activates the first expandable reamer module to ream a subterranean formation. A second expandable reamer module is provided that is substantially identical to the first expandable reamer module. A second activation module configured to be activated with a second, different activation means is also provided. The second expandable reamer module and the second activation module are paired for use in a reaming process in which the second activation module activates the second expandable reamer module to ream a subterranean formation.
While the disclosure concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming that which is regarded as the invention, various features and advantages of the disclosure may be ascertained from the following detailed description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The illustrations presented herein are, in some instances, not actual views of any particular reamer tool, bottom-hole assembly (BHA), expandable reamer assembly, or feature thereof, but are merely idealized representations that are employed to describe the present disclosure. Additionally, elements common between figures may retain the same numerical designation.
As used herein, any relational term, such as “first,” “second,” “over,” “upper,” “lower,” “middle,” “above,” “below,” etc., is used for clarity and convenience in understanding the disclosure and accompanying drawings, and does not connote or depend on any specific preference, orientation, or order, except where the context clearly indicates otherwise.
As used herein, the “substantially” in reference to a given parameter means and includes to a degree that one skilled in the art would understand that the given parameter, property, or condition is met with a small degree of variance, such as within acceptable manufacturing tolerances. For example, a parameter that is substantially met may be at least about 90% met, at least about 95% met, or even at least about 99% met.
Referring to
As shown in
By way of example and not limitation, if a mechanical activation module 124 is used that is activated by a drop ball, methods and apparatuses for drop ball activation of expandable reamer apparatuses are explained generally in, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/715,610, titled “CHIP DEFLECTOR ON A BLADE OF A DOWNHOLE REAMER AND METHODS THEREFORE,” filed Mar. 2, 2010, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/501,688, titled “STABILIZER SUBS FOR USE WITH EXPANDABLE REAMER APPARATUS, EXPANDABLE REAMER APPARATUS INCLUDING STABILIZER SUBS AND RELATED METHODS,” filed Jul. 13, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,297,381, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/949,259, titled “EXPANDABLE REAMERS FOR EARTH BORING APPLICATIONS,” filed Dec. 3, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,900,717, the entire disclosure of each of which is incorporated by this reference herein. Such disclosures explain in general terms the concept of using drop balls to form an obstruction in a drilling fluid flow path to create a pressure differential, which may be used to mechanically move components of reamers, and are not listed to describe a specific, complete mechanism to be used with embodiments of the present disclosure. By way of another non-limiting example, a drop ball activation module that may be used as the mechanical activation module 124 of the present disclosure is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/784,307, titled “ACTUATION ASSEMBLIES, HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED TOOLS FOR USE IN SUBTERRANEAN BOREHOLES INCLUDING ACTUATION ASSEMBLIES AND RELATED METHODS,” filed on even date herewith, assigned to the assignee of the present application, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by this reference herein.
Regardless of the activation means by which the selected activation module 120 is activated, each of the activation modules 120 may include an axially movable activation member (e.g., an elongated tube, rod, or piston) that is configured to be coupled to and move a sleeve of the expandable reamer module 110 during operation, to move at least one reamer blade of the expandable reamer module 110 between a deactivated (e.g., retracted) position and an activated (e.g., extended, expanded) position. The activation module 120 of the present disclosure may be configured to be positioned above the expandable reamer module 110 and to pull a sleeve within the expandable reamer module 110 toward the activation module 120 and opposite a direction of flow of drilling fluid through the BHA or expandable reamer assembly during use of the BHA or expandable reamer assembly. Such a pulling motion may result in movement of at least one reamer blade of the expandable reamer module 110 into an expanded position.
Similarly, the expandable reamer module 110 may be configured to be interchangeably coupled to any of various stabilizer or linking modules 130, such as a linking module 132 without stabilizer blades or a stabilizer module 134 with stabilizer blades. A pilot bit 140 of any type (e.g., a drag bit, a diamond impregnated bit, a roller cone bit, etc.) may be interchangeably coupled with any of the stabilizer or linking modules 130. In other embodiments, the pilot bit 140 may be coupled directly to the expandable reamer module 110 without use of a separate stabilizer or linking module 130.
The expandable reamer module 110 may be configured to be activated (i.e., to expand one or more reamer blades thereof) indirectly by any of the activation modules 120, as will be explained in more detail below. In particular, the expandable reamer module 110 may be configured to be activated by an activation member of the activation module 120 pulling on a sleeve disposed within the expandable reamer module 110. Accordingly, the expandable reamer module 110 itself may lack any mechanism or device configured to be directly activated, and it may not be possible to activate the expandable reamer module 110 without the activation module 120. In addition, the expandable reamer module 110 may lack a spring therein configured to bias the expandable reamer module 110 to one of the activated and deactivated positions. Rather, activation of the expandable reamer module 110 may be accomplished by one of the separate activation modules 120 operatively coupled to the expandable reamer module 110. In other words, the expandable reamer module 110 may be a slave unit that reacts to activation and/or deactivation from one of the activation modules 120, which acts as a master unit for providing a motive force to the expandable reamer module 110.
Although only the activation modules 120, the expandable reamer module 110, the stabilizer or linking modules 130, and the pilot bit 140 are shown in the schematic 100 of
Thus, a user may have several options for forming a BHA or expandable reamer assembly for a particular application. By way of example and not limitation, at one time the expandable reamer module 110 may be coupled to the mechanical activation module 124, such as when the expandable reamer module 110 is to be activated and deactivated relatively few times, or when cost is a limiting factor. The expandable reamer module 110, coupled to the mechanical activation module 124, and configured to be activated by a drop ball may be positioned in a borehole of a subterranean formation, and a drop ball may be dropped in drilling fluid to activate the mechanical activation module 124, which may result in the activation of the expandable reamer module 110. One or more reamer blades of the activated expandable reamer module 110 may engage the subterranean formation and remove material from the subterranean formation. The expandable reamer module 110 and the mechanical activation module 124 may be removed from the borehole, and the mechanical activation module 124 may be decoupled from the expandable reamer module 110.
In some embodiments, the expandable reamer module 110 may be maintained and/or modified after being removed from the borehole. For example: cutters may be replaced on a reamer blade; a first reamer blade may be replaced with a second, different reamer blade; or a first stop block configured to stop the reamer blade at a first position when activated may be replaced by a second stop block configured to stop the reamer blade at a second, different position when activated. Other components may be replaced or maintained to prepare the same expandable reamer module 110 to be reused with a same or a different activation module 120. As used herein, the phrase “the same expandable reamer module” refers to at least the same tubular body of the expandable reamer module. In some embodiments, “the same expandable reamer module” refers to retaining all the same components in addition to the tubular body thereof, such as an expandable reamer blade, a sleeve, a yoke, a stop block, etc. In other embodiments, one or more components of the expandable reamer module may be replaced, such as for maintenance or to modify a characteristic (e.g., cutting aggressiveness, reaming diameter) of the expandable reamer module, as described above. Although the expandable reamer module may include one or more components that are different, such a maintained or modified expandable reamer is also encompassed by the phrase “the same expandable reamer module,” since at least the same tubular body is used.
At another time, a user may couple the same expandable reamer module 110 that was coupled to the mechanical activation module 124 to the electronic and hydraulic activation module 122. For example, the electrical and hydraulic activation module 122 may be used when the expandable reamer module 110 is to be activated and deactivated relatively many times, when more accurate and timely control over the activation and deactivation of the expandable reamer module 110 is desired, or when a drilling fluid flow path is obstructed in a manner that a drop ball cannot reach the activation module 120, such as by a so-called “measurement while drilling” (MWD) tool, a downhole motor, etc. The expandable reamer module 110 coupled to the electronic and hydraulic activation module 122 may be positioned in a borehole (e.g., the same borehole that was reamed previously with the expandable reamer module 110 while activated by the mechanical activation module 124, or a different borehole) in the subterranean formation. The electronic and hydraulic activation module 122 may be activated by receiving an electronic signal, which may cause the electrical and hydraulic activation module 122 to activate the expandable reamer module 110. One or more reamer blades of the activated expandable reamer module 110 may engage the subterranean formation and remove material from the subterranean formation.
Accordingly, the present disclosure includes a reusable expandable reamer module 110 that may be used with any of several separate activation modules 120. The activation module 120 to be used in a given situation may be selected based on, for example, one or more of cost considerations, formation characteristics, BHA configuration, and activation control. Manufacturing and maintaining the expandable reamer module 110 of the present disclosure may be less expensive than the manufacturing and maintaining of prior known expandable reamers that include activation mechanisms integral to the expandable reamers, due to a reduced number of components and/or a reduced complexity thereof. In addition, a single design of the expandable reamer module 110 may be used with a relatively less expensive mechanical activation module 124 or with a relatively more expensive but potentially higher performance electronic and hydraulic activation device 122, without changing the design of the expandable reamer module 110.
In some embodiments, more than one reamer assembly (including an expandable reamer module 110 and an activation module 120) may be used in a BHA. For example, a first expandable reamer module 110 may be coupled to a first activation module 120 and positioned at a first location in the BHA (e.g., at a top of the BHA, at an initial location in a drilling fluid flow path passing through the BHA) and a second expandable reamer module 110 may be coupled to a second activation module 120 and positioned at a second location in the BHA (e.g., at a location in the BHA proximate the pilot bit 140, immediately adjacent to the pilot bit 140, at any location below the first location). The first and second expandable reamer modules 110 may be substantially identical to each other, while the first and second activation modules 120 may be different from each other. For example, the first and second activation modules 120 may be configured to be activated by different activation means. Thus, the first activation module 120 may be a mechanical activation module 124 configured to be activated by a drop ball and the second activation module 120 may be an electronic and hydraulic activation module configured to be activated by an electrical signal, drilling fluid force telemetry, a predetermined level of pressure in the drilling fluid, or a predetermined drilling fluid flow rate. During use, the second activation module 120 may be activated after the first activation module 120 even if a drop ball obstructs a fluid flow path to the second activation module 120 that would preclude a drop ball from reaching the second activation module 120.
The present disclosure also includes methods of using expandable reamer modules 110 to provide various options for one or more users. For example, a first expandable reamer module 110 including a tubular body and an axially movable sleeve within the tubular body may be provided. A first activation module 120 configured to be activated with a first activation means may also be provided. The first activation module 120 may include a tubular body configured to be coupled to the tubular body of the first expandable reamer module 110, as well as an axially movable activation member configured to be coupled to the sleeve of the first expandable reamer module 110. Thus, axial movement of the activation member may result in axial movement of the sleeve. The first expandable reamer module 110 and the first activation module 120 may be paired for used in a reaming process in which the first activation module 120 activates the first expandable reamer module 110 to ream a subterranean formation. A second expandable reamer module 110 may be provided that is substantially identical to the first expandable reamer module 110. A second activation module 120 configured to be activated with a second, different activation means may be provided. The second activation module 120 may include a tubular body configured to be coupled to the tubular body of the second expandable reamer module 110 and an axially movable activation member configured to be coupled to the sleeve of the second expandable reamer module 110. Thus, axial movement of the activation member may result in axial movement of the sleeve. The second expandable reamer module 110 and the second activation module 120 may be paired for use in a reaming process in which the second activation module 120 activates the second expandable reamer module 110 to ream a subterranean formation.
In some embodiments, the pairing of the first expandable reamer module 110 and the first activation module 120 may include coupling the tubular body of the first expandable reamer module 110 to the tubular body of the first activation module 120 and coupling the activation member of the first activation module 120 to the sleeve of the first expandable reamer module 110, as will be explained in more detail below.
Referring to
A yoke 210 may be rigidly coupled to the sleeve 206, such as by one or more of threads, mechanical interference, and a weld, for example. The yoke 210 may be configured to force (e.g., push against) the at least one reamer blade 204 to slide the at least one reamer blade 204 along the at least one track 208 from the deactivated position toward the activated position. A rotatable link 212 may be used to couple the yoke 210 to the at least one reamer blade 204 to enable the yoke 210 to force (e.g., pull) and slide the at least one reamer blade 204 along the at least one track 208 from the activated position toward the deactivated position. In the activated position, the at least one expandable reamer blade 204 may rest against a stop block 214 positioned on the tubular body 202 proximate an end of the at least one track 208.
The expandable reamer module 200 may include any number of expandable reamer blades 204, such as one, two, three, four, or more than four. The yoke 210 may include a number of protrusions corresponding to the number of expandable reamer blades 204. Similarly, the tubular body 202 may include a number of tracks 208 corresponding to the number of expandable reamer blades 204. A number of stop blocks 214 corresponding to the number of expandable reamer blades 204 may be coupled to the tubular body 202.
As can be seen in
Details of the expandable reamer module 200 and its operation are described in more detail below with reference to
The first seal 220 may be a so-called “chevron seal,” which includes a plurality of generally chevron-shaped portions when viewed in cross-section. As the sleeve 206 moves from the deactivated position to the activated position, the one or more holes 218 may pass from one axial side of the first seal 220 to another, opposite axial side of the first seal 220. In the activated position, drilling fluid may flow through the one or more holes 218 into a chamber 230 and ultimately through one or more nozzles 232 or holes extending through the tubular body 202. The drilling fluid may flow through the one or more nozzles 232 or holes to be directed at the one or more expandable reamer blades 204 (
In other embodiments, the first seal 220 may be omitted. In such embodiments, at least some drilling fluid may, during operation, continuously flow through the one or more holes 218 into the chamber 230 and through the one or more nozzles 232 or holes regardless of whether the sleeve 206 is in the deactivated or activated position. However, the drilling fluid may flow through the one or more holes 218 in the sleeve 206 at a lower rate when the sleeve 206 is in the deactivated position compared to the activated position due to the proximity of the seal sleeve 228 and/or the upper guide sleeve 229 to an outer surface of the sleeve 206.
The outer surface of the sleeve 206 may include a hard material to reduce wear on the sleeve 206 as the sleeve 206 moves axially and rubs against other components (e.g., the seal sleeve 228, the upper guide sleeve 229). By way of example and not limitation, the hard material may include one or more of a carbide material, a tungsten carbide material, a nitride material, a chrome material, a nickel plating material, a cobalt-chromium alloy material, and a STELLITE® material. In some embodiments, the hard material may be formed on the outer surface of the sleeve 206 by a so-called “high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) spraying” technique (also referred to in the art as “high velocity oxy-fuel spraying” or “high velocity oxy-acetylene fuel spraying”), in which a hot, high velocity fluid jet produced by combustion of a fuel and oxygen is sprayed from a nozzle, and a powder feedstock of the hard material is fed into the jet. The hard material may at least partially melt when exposed to the high velocity fluid jet. The fluid jet including the hard material may be directed at the outer surface of the sleeve 206 to coat at least a portion of the sleeve 206 with the hard material. Such HVOF techniques may be used to form a hard, wear-resistant surface that is relatively smooth.
The yoke 210 may include a surface 211 proximate the one or more blades 204 (
A lower guide sleeve 242 may be coupled (e.g., fixedly attached) to the tubular body 202 of the expandable reamer module 200. The wear sleeve 236 may be positioned such that the wear sleeve 236 slides within the lower guide sleeve 242 as the sleeve 206 moves along the longitudinal axis A between the deactivated position and the activated position. In addition, the wear sleeve 236 may be exposed to drilling fluid and possibly formation cuttings within the drilling fluid as the push sleeve 206 is moved into the activated position, since the wear sleeve 236 may be at least partially positioned in a slot that extends through the tubular body 202 in which the at least one reamer blade 204 (
In the activated position, the one or more reamer blades 204 may abut against a surface 215 of the one or more stop blocks 214. Thus, each stop block 214 may be configured to define a fully activated position by providing a stop at a desired location against which the at least one expandable reamer blade 204 may rest when fully activated. In addition, the one or more stop blocks 214 may be interchangeable to enable different stop blocks 214 to be used that have the surface 215 positioned at different axial positions. For example, the surface 215 of a first stop block 214 may be positioned at a first axial location along the tubular body 202 when installed, and the surface 215 of a second, different stop block 214 may be positioned at a second, different axial location along the tubular body 202 when installed. Accordingly, a distance that the at least one reamer blade 204 is allowed to travel along the at least one track 208 (
By way of example and not limitation, the elongated borehole 252 may be formed using a so-called “gun drilling” technique. A gun drill may include an elongated, straight-fluted drill bit and a fluid channel for providing a cutting fluid proximate a cutting face thereof. Gun drilling techniques may be used to form long, straight boreholes in metal or other material, such as the material of the tubular body 202. The elongated borehole 252 may be formed by gun drilling the tubular body 202 from the first longitudinal end 254 to the recess 258, then by gun drilling the tubular body 202 from the second longitudinal end 256 to the recess 258. Accordingly, a gun drill bit of only about half the length of the tubular body 202 may be used to form the elongated borehole 252. After the elongated borehole 252 is fully formed and an electrical wire is positioned therein, the recess 258 may be filled with a plug, to isolate the electrical wire from drilling fluid that may be present proximate the outer surface of the tubular body 202.
The electronic and hydraulic component 300 may include an electronic portion 302 and a hydraulic portion 304. The electronic portion 302 may include electronic elements 306 (such as, for example, a processor, memory, a printed circuit board, etc.) configured to receive a signal to activate the activation module or to deactivate the activation module. The hydraulic portion 304 may include a hydraulic pump 308 and a motor 310 configured to control the operation of the hydraulic pump 308. For example, when the electronic portion 302 receives a signal to activate the activation module, the electronic portion 302 may drive the motor 310. The motor 310 may drive the hydraulic pump 308 to pump a hydraulic fluid to the piston component 400. The hydraulic fluid may be in a closed system separate from drilling fluid flowing through the assembly during use.
Referring to
An end of a spring 410 may be coupled to the activation member 404 and another, opposite end of the spring 410 may be coupled to the outer tubular body 402 to bias the activation member 404 to a deactivated position. A piston chamber 412 may be provided around the activation member 404. Referring to
Operation of the piston component 400 is shown schematically in
Although
The activation member 404 of the activation module may be coupled to the sleeve 206 of the expandable reamer module 200 (
A first curved element 506 may be coupled to the sleeve link 502 and a second curved element 508 may be coupled to the piston link 504. First and second retaining members 510 and 512 may also be coupled to the respective sleeve link 502 and piston link 504 radially inward from the first and second curved elements 506, 508. A portion of the first and second retaining members 510 and 512 may be disposed between a longitudinal end of the respective sleeve link 502 and piston link 504 and an inner surface of the respective first and second curved elements 506 and 508. A third retaining member 514 may be coupled to both the first and second retaining members 510 and 512, such as by being threaded onto the first and second retaining members 510 and 512. The third retaining member 514 may be disposed along an outer surface of both the first and second curved elements 506 and 508. Thus, a longitudinal end of the first curved element 506 may be disposed in a volume defined between a portion of the first retaining member 510 and a portion of the third retaining member 514, and a longitudinal end of the second curved element 508 may be disposed in a volume defined between a portion of the second retaining member 512 and another portion of the third retaining member 514. The first and second curved members 506, 508 may be at least somewhat movable relative to the third retaining member 514. Configured in this manner, the joint structure 216A may allow for some misalignment between the activation member 404 and the sleeve 206 without causing undue mechanical stress at an interface between the activation member 404 and sleeve 206. The third retaining member 514 may, optionally, include one or more holes 516 extending therethrough to provide fluid communication between the interior of the joint structure 216A and an exterior of the joint structure 216A.
Referring to
In some embodiments, the tubular body 202 of the expandable reamer module 200 may have a variable length. For example, threads of the outer tube 202 for coupling to the outer tubular body 402 of the piston component 400 (
Additional non-limiting example embodiments of the present disclosure are set forth below.
An expandable reamer assembly for reaming a subterranean borehole, the expandable reamer module comprising: an expandable reamer module comprising: a tubular body having a longitudinal axis and an inner bore; one or more blades, at least one blade coupled to the tubular body and configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position; and a sleeve disposed within the inner bore of the tubular body and coupled to the at least one blade, the sleeve configured to axially move relative to the tubular body to move the at least one blade into the extended position; and an activation module comprising: an outer tubular body rigidly coupled to the tubular body of the expandable reamer module, the outer tubular body of the activation module having an inner bore; and an activation member at least partially disposed within the inner bore of the outer tubular body of the activation module, a longitudinal end of the activation member coupled to the sleeve to axially move the sleeve relative to the tubular body of the expandable reamer module responsive to axial movement of the activation member.
The expandable reamer assembly of Embodiment 1, wherein each blade of the one or more blades includes at least one cutting element configured to remove material from a subterranean formation during reaming.
The expandable reamer assembly of any one of Embodiments 1 and 2, wherein the expandable reamer module lacks a spring for biasing the sleeve to an axial position.
The expandable reamer assembly of any one of Embodiments 1 through 3, further comprising a yoke coupled to the sleeve, the yoke positioned to force the at least one blade into the extended position upon axial movement of the sleeve toward the activation module.
The expandable reamer assembly of Embodiment 4, wherein the yoke comprises a surface proximate the at least one blade, the surface extending in a plane at least substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body.
The expandable reamer assembly of any one of Embodiments 1 through 5, wherein the sleeve comprises one or more holes extending through a sidewall thereof.
The expandable reamer assembly of Embodiment 6, further comprising at least one seal surrounding the sleeve and positioned proximate the one or more holes extending through the sidewall of the sleeve, the at least one seal configured to inhibit drilling fluid from flowing through the one or more holes when the sleeve is in a first, deactivated position and to allow the drilling fluid to flow through the one or more holes when the sleeve is in a second, activated position.
The expandable reamer assembly of any one of Embodiments 1 through 7, wherein an outer surface of the sleeve comprises one or more of carbide material, a tungsten carbide material, a nitride material, a chrome material, a nickel plating material, and a cobalt-chromium alloy material.
A bottom-hole assembly, comprising: an expandable reamer module comprising a first tubular body, at least one reamer blade movably coupled to the first tubular body, and a sleeve axially movable within the first tubular body, the sleeve coupled to the at least one reamer blade and configured to move the at least one reamer blade into an expanded position; and an activation module comprising a second tubular body rigidly coupled to the first tubular body of the expandable reamer module and an activation member coupled to the sleeve, the activation member configured to provide a motive force to the sleeve to move the sleeve toward the activation module and opposite a direction of flow of drilling fluid through the bottom-hole assembly during use of the bottom-hole assembly resulting in movement of the at least one reamer blade into the expanded position.
The bottom-hole assembly of Embodiment 9, wherein the activation module further comprises a spring positioned to bias the activation member to a deactivated axial position.
The bottom-hole assembly of any one of Embodiments 9 and 10, further comprising a joint structure positioned between the activation member and the sleeve.
The bottom-hole assembly of Embodiment 11, wherein the activation member is attached to a first longitudinal end of the joint structure and the sleeve is attached to a second longitudinal end of the joint structure.
The bottom-hole assembly of any one of Embodiments 11 and 12, further comprising at least one spacer positioned to at least partially define a distance between a longitudinal end of the activation member and a longitudinal end of the sleeve.
The bottom-hole assembly of any one of Embodiments 9 through 13, wherein the activation module comprises an electronic and hydraulic component configured to receive a signal and respond to the signal by causing hydraulic fluid to move the activation member between a deactivated axial position to an activated axial position.
A method of reaming a subterranean formation, comprising: coupling a first activation module to an expandable reamer module, the first activation module configured to be activated with a first activation means; activating the first activation module with the first activation means to activate the expandable reamer module; removing material from the subterranean formation using the expandable reamer module while activated by the first activation module; decoupling the first activation module from the expandable reamer module; coupling a second activation module to the expandable reamer module, the second activation module configured to be activated with a second, different activation means; activating the second activation module with the second activation means to activate the expandable reamer module; and removing material from the subterranean formation using the expandable reamer module while activated by the second activation module.
The method of Embodiment 15, further comprising, after removing material from the subterranean formation using the expandable reamer module while activated by the first activation module and prior to removing material from the subterranean formation using the expandable reamer module while activated by the second activation module: removing a first stop block from the expandable reamer module, the first stop block configured to stop a reamer blade of the expandable reamer module at a first position; and replacing the first stop block with a second stop block configured to stop the reamer blade at a second, different position.
The method of any one of Embodiments 15 and 16, further comprising, after removing material from the subterranean formation using the expandable reamer module while activated by the first activation module and prior to removing material from the subterranean formation using the expandable reamer module while activated by the second activation module: removing a first reamer blade from the expandable reamer module; and replacing the first reamer blade with a second, different reamer blade.
The method of any one of Embodiments 15 through 17, wherein coupling a first activation module to an expandable reamer module comprises coupling an activation member of the first activation module to a sleeve of the expandable reamer module.
The method of Embodiment 18, wherein coupling the activation member of the first activation module to a sleeve of the expandable reamer module comprises coupling the activation member to a first longitudinal end of a joint structure and coupling the sleeve to a second, opposite longitudinal end of the joint structure.
The method of any one of Embodiments 15 through 19, wherein each of activating the first activation module and activating the second activation module comprises activating the respective activation module with a respective activation means selected from the group consisting of a drop ball, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip, drilling fluid force telemetry, increased drilling fluid pressure, increased drilling fluid flow rate, and an electrical signal.
A method of using expandable reamer modules, the method comprising: providing a first expandable reamer module comprising a tubular body and an axially movable sleeve at least partially within the tubular body; providing a first activation module comprising a tubular body configured to be coupled to the tubular body of the first expandable reamer module and an axially movable activation member configured to be coupled to the sleeve of the first expandable reamer module such that axial movement of the activation member results in axial movement of the sleeve, the first activation module configured to be activated with a first activation means; pairing the first expandable reamer module and the first activation module for use in a reaming process in which the first activation module activates the first expandable reamer module to ream a subterranean formation; providing a second expandable reamer module comprising a tubular body and an axially movable sleeve at least partially within the tubular body, the second expandable reamer module substantially identical to the first expandable reamer module; providing a second activation module comprising a tubular body configured to be coupled to the tubular body of the second expandable reamer module and an axially movable activation member configured to be coupled to the sleeve of the second expandable reamer module such that axial movement of the activation member results in axial movement of the sleeve, the second activation module configured to be activated with a second, different activation means; and pairing the second expandable reamer module and the second activation module for use in a reaming process in which the second activation module activates the second expandable reamer module to ream a subterranean formation.
The method of Embodiment 21, further comprising: providing a third activation module comprising a tubular body configured to be coupled to the tubular body of the first expandable reamer module and an axially movable activation member configured to be coupled to the sleeve of the first expandable reamer module such that axial movement of the activation member results in axial movement of the sleeve, the third activation module configured to be activated with a third activation means different from the first activation means; and pairing the first expandable reamer module and the third activation module for use in a reaming process in which the third activation module activates the first expandable reamer module to ream a subterranean formation.
The method of any one of Embodiments 21 and 22, wherein providing a first expandable reamer module comprises providing a first expandable reamer module lacking an internal spring for biasing the sleeve to any axial position.
The method of any one of Embodiments 21 through 23, wherein pairing the first expandable reamer module and the first activation module comprises coupling the tubular body of the first expandable reamer module to the tubular body of the first activation module and coupling the activation member of the first activation module to the sleeve of the first expandable reamer module.
The method of Embodiment 24, wherein coupling the activation member of the first activation module to the sleeve of the first expandable reamer module comprises coupling the activation member to a first longitudinal end of a joint structure and coupling the sleeve to a second, opposite longitudinal end of the joint structure.
The method of any one of Embodiments 21 through 25, wherein each of providing a first activation module configured to be activated with a first activation means and providing a second activation module configured to be activated with a second, different activation means comprises providing the respective activation module configured to be activated with a respective activation means selected from the group consisting of a drop ball, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip, drilling fluid force telemetry, increased drilling fluid pressure, increased drilling fluid flow rate, and an electrical signal.
A bottom-hole assembly comprising: a first expandable reamer module comprising a first tubular body, at least one reamer blade movably coupled to the first tubular body, and a first sleeve axially movable within the first tubular body, the first sleeve configured to move the at least one reamer blade into an expanded position; a first activation module comprising a second tubular body rigidly coupled to the first tubular body of the first expandable reamer module and a first activation member coupled to the first sleeve, the first activation member configured to be activated by a first activation means and configured to provide a motive force to the first sleeve to axially move the first sleeve; a second expandable reamer module comprising a third tubular body, at least one reamer blade movably coupled to the third tubular body, and a second sleeve axially movable within the third tubular body, the second sleeve configured to move the at least one reamer blade into an expanded position; and a second activation module comprising a fourth tubular body rigidly coupled to the third tubular body of the second expandable reamer module and a second activation member coupled to the second sleeve, the second activation member configured to be activated by a second activation means different from the first activation means and configured to provide a motive force to the second sleeve to axially move the second sleeve.
The embodiments of the disclosure described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures do not limit the scope of the invention, since these embodiments are merely examples of embodiments of the disclosure. The invention is defined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Any equivalent embodiments lie within the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, various modifications of the present disclosure, in addition to those shown and described herein, such as alternative useful combinations of the elements described, will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the description. Such modifications and embodiments also fall within the scope of the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
