Claims
- 1. An apparatus for removing cuttings from a deviated wellbore comprising:
a drilling assembly connected to a non-rotating drill string and powered by a fluid that flows therethrough; and means for diverting a portion of said fluid away from said drilling assembly and into said deviated wellbore while said drilling assembly drills said deviated wellbore.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 further including means for controlling the flow rate of said diverted fluid.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said controlling means is capable of adjusting the flow rate of said diverted fluid.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1 further including means for dissipating the energy associated with said diverted fluid.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1 further including at least one screen for limiting the size of solids flowing through said diverting means.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a plug for preventing flow through said diverting means.
- 7. An apparatus for removing cuttings from a deviated wellbore being drilled using a non-rotating drill string, comprising:
a diverter that directs a fluid through a dissipater and into said deviated wellbore to remove cuttings while drilling of said wellbore progresses; wherein said dissipater expends a pressure differential as said fluid flows therethrough.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7 further including at least one screen for limiting the size of solids flowing into said diverter.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 7 further including a plug that prevents flow through said diverter.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said plug is disposed within a threaded sleeve.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said plug is secured in place by a snap ring.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said diverter comprises at least one port extending through a diverter wall.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 7 further including a controller for controlling the flow rate of said fluid.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said flow rate controller comprises one or more exchangeable nozzles.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said dissipater comprises at least one nozzle.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said nozzle includes a series of turns.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said nozzle includes a curved path having a continuous radius.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said nozzle includes a straight path having a substantially constant height.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said nozzle has a widening diameter.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said nozzle includes a straight path having a substantially constant width.
- 21. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said nozzle is held in position by a snap ring.
- 22. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said nozzle is threaded into position.
- 23. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said nozzle is disposed within a threaded sleeve.
- 24. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said nozzle is formed of a mold material.
- 25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said mold material is coated with a spray-on hardmetal.
- 26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said mold material is sand.
- 27. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said mold material is glass.
- 28. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said dissipater comprises a tortuous pathway.
- 29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the tortuosity of said pathway is determined by the pressure differential expended through said dissipater.
- 30. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said tortuous pathway comprises a barrier cylinder.
- 31. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said tortuous pathway comprises at least one baffle sleeve having obstructions disposed therein.
- 32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said at least one baffle sleeve is disposed at an angle.
- 33. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said tortuous pathway comprises protrusions extending between a first housing and a second housing.
- 34. The apparatus of claim 33 further including at least one port between said tortuous pathway and said wellbore.
- 35. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said protrusions extend from a wall of said first housing.
- 36. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said protrusions extend from a wall of said second housing.
- 37. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said protrusions are formed of a hardened material.
- 38. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein said hardened material is tungsten carbide.
- 39. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said protrusions are formed of steel coated with a hardened material.
- 40. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said protrusions are diamond-shaped.
- 41. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said protrusions are circular.
- 42. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said protrusions are square.
- 43. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said protrusions are rectangular.
- 44. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said protrusions are triangular.
- 45. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said protrusions are bullet-shaped.
- 46. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein at least one of said housings is formed of a hardened material.
- 47. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein said hardened material is tungsten carbide.
- 48. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein at least one of said housings is formed of steel having a hardmetal coating.
- 49. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein at least one of said housings further includes a hardmetal sleeve.
- 50. The apparatus of claim 33 further including a positioning assembly for maintaining an axial position of said second housing with respect to said first housing and enabling rotational movement therebetween.
- 51. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said protrusions comprise an intermeshed pattern having an adjustable flow area.
- 52. The apparatus of claim 51 further including one or more channels to allow the passage of solids through said intermeshed pattern.
- 53. The apparatus of claim 51 wherein said intermeshed pattern is formed by connecting said first housing and said second housing via a multi-lead thread.
- 54. The apparatus of claim 51 further including a flow adjusting assembly for enabling a measured change to said adjustable flow area.
- 55. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein said flow adjusting assembly comprises an upper adjusting sleeve, a lower adjusting sleeve, and an adjusting housing.
- 56. The apparatus of claim 55 wherein said upper adjusting sleeve forms a first multi-position connection with said second housing and a second multi-position connection with said lower adjusting sleeve; said first and second connections having a different number of positions.
- 57. The apparatus of claim 55 wherein said lower adjusting sleeve forms a connection with said adjusting housing that enables axial movement and prevents rotational movement therebetween.
- 58. A method for removing cuttings from a deviated wellbore comprising:
drilling the deviated wellbore using a drilling assembly connected to a non-rotating drill string, said drilling assembly powered by a fluid flowing therethrough; and diverting a portion of the fluid away from the drilling assembly into the deviated wellbore at a flow rate corresponding to a velocity sufficient to remove cuttings while the drilling assembly drills the deviated wellbore.
- 59. The method of claim 58 further including adjusting the magnitude of the flow rate of the diverted fluid.
- 60. The method of claim 58 further including dissipating the energy of the diverted fluid.
- 61. The method of claim 58 wherein the diverting occurs near a connection between the drilling assembly and the coiled tubing.
- 62. The method of claim 58 wherein the diverting occurs continuously while drilling.
- 63. The method of claim 58 further including screening the portion of the fluid as it is diverted into the wellbore.
- 64. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a shiftable cylinder for allowing or preventing flow through said diverting means.
- 65. The apparatus of claim 7 further including a shiftable cylinder that allows or prevents flow through said diverter.
- 66. The apparatus of claim 65 further including a shiftable sleeve for protecting a seal when flow is allowed through said diverter.
- 67. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said dissipater comprises a plurality of nozzles in series with a pressure drop chamber therebetween.
- 68. The apparatus of claim 7 further including an electronics housing.
- 69. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said nozzle is formed of tungsten carbide.
- 70. A method for flow testing a diverter assembly having a flow bore and a diverter port comprising:
blocking the diverter port; pumping a drilling fluid through the flow bore with the diverter port blocked; measuring a first flow rate at a predetermined pressure drop of the drilling fluid through the diverter assembly; opening the diverter port; pumping drilling fluid through the flow bore with the diverter port open; measuring a second flow rate at the predetermined pressure drop of the drilling fluid through the diverter assembly; determining a diverted flow rate.
- 71. The method of claim 70 wherein blocking the diverter port comprises moving an outer cylinder to a first position with respect to an inner housing.
- 72. The method of claim 71 wherein opening the diverter port comprises moving the outer cylinder to a second position with respect to the inner housing.
- 73. The method of claim 71 further comprising moving a sleeve to expose a seal.
- 74. The method of claim 70 wherein all of the steps may be performed at the top of a well on a rig floor.
- 75. The method of claim 70 further comprising adjusting the diverted flow rate.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. Section 119(e) of provisional application Serial No. 60/416,020 filed Oct. 4, 2002, and entitled “Method and Apparatus for Removing Cuttings from a Deviated Wellbore”.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60416020 |
Oct 2002 |
US |