Patent Application
20120205157
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to an expandable apparatus for use in a subterranean borehole and, more particularly, to an expandable reamer apparatus for enlarging a subterranean borehole and to an expandable stabilizer apparatus for stabilizing a bottom home assembly during a drilling operation and to related methods.
Expandable reamers are typically employed for enlarging subterranean boreholes. Conventionally, in drilling oil, gas, and geothermal wells, casing is installed and cemented to prevent the well bore walls from caving into the subterranean borehole while providing requisite shoring for subsequent drilling operation to achieve greater depths. Casing is also conventionally installed to isolate different formations, to prevent cross-flow of formation fluids, and to enable control of formation fluids and pressure as the borehole is drilled. To increase the depth of a previously drilled borehole, new casing is laid within and extended below the previous casing. While adding additional 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 are undesirable because they 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 for installing additional casing beyond previously installed casing as well as to enable better production flow rates of hydrocarbons through the borehole.
A variety of approaches have been employed for enlarging a borehole diameter. One conventional approach used to enlarge a subterranean borehole includes using eccentric and bi-center bits. For example, an eccentric bit with a laterally extended or enlarged cutting portion is rotated about its axis to produce an enlarged borehole diameter. An example of an eccentric bit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,738, which is assigned to the assignee of the present disclosure. A bi-center bit assembly employs two longitudinally superimposed bit sections with laterally offset axes, which, when rotated, produce an enlarged borehole diameter. An example of a bi-center bit is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,223, which is also assigned to the assignee of the present disclosure.
Another conventional approach used to enlarge a subterranean borehole includes employing an extended bottom hole assembly with a pilot drill bit at the distal end thereof and a reamer assembly some distance above the pilot drill bit. This arrangement permits the use of any conventional rotary drill bit type (e.g., a rock bit or a drag bit), as the pilot bit and the extended nature of the assembly permit greater flexibility when passing through tight spots in the borehole as well as the opportunity to effectively stabilize the pilot drill bit so that the pilot drill bit and the following reamer will traverse the path intended for the borehole. This aspect of an extended bottom hole assembly is particularly significant in directional drilling. The assignee of the present disclosure has, to this end, designed as reaming structures so called “reamer wings,” which generally comprise a tubular body having a fishing neck with a threaded connection at the top thereof and a tong die surface at the bottom thereof, also with a threaded connection. U.S. Pat. Nos. RE 36,817 and 5,495,899, both of which are assigned to the assignee of the present disclosure, disclose reaming structures including reamer wings. The upper midportion of the reamer wing tool includes one or more longitudinally extending blades projecting generally radially outwardly from the tubular body, and PDC cutting elements are provided on the blades.
As mentioned above, conventional expandable reamers may be used to enlarge a subterranean borehole and may include blades that are pivotably or hingedly affixed to a tubular body and actuated by way of a piston disposed therein as disclosed by, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,856 to Warren. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,831 to Akesson et al. discloses a conventional 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 be 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.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure includes an expandable apparatus for use in a subterranean borehole. The expandable apparatus includes a tubular body having a longitudinal bore and at least one opening in a wall of the tubular body. At least one member is positioned within the at least one opening in the wall of the tubular body and configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position. A yoke is coupled to the at least one member includes. At least one of the yoke and the tubular body comprises at least one surface having a central portion comprising an apex for removing debris proximate to the at least one opening in the wall of the tubular body.
In additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes an expandable apparatus for use in a subterranean borehole. The expandable apparatus includes a tubular body having at least two openings extending between a longitudinal bore of the tubular body and an outer surface of the tubular body. At least two members are each positioned within one opening of the at least two openings of the tubular body and are configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position. The at least two members are substantially disposed within the tubular body when in the retracted position. A push sleeve is disposed within the longitudinal bore of the tubular body and coupled to the at least one member. The push sleeve is configured to move the at least two members from the retracted position to the extended position responsive to a flow rate of drilling fluid passing through the longitudinal bore. A traveling sleeve is positioned within the longitudinal bore of the tubular body and partially within the push sleeve. The traveling sleeve is configured to secure the push sleeve from axial movement within the tubular body in an initial position. The tubular body, the push sleeve, and the traveling sleeve are sized and configured to enable the at least two members to be sized and configured to increase a diameter of a subterranean borehole by greater than twenty percent (20%).
In yet additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes an expandable apparatus for use in a subterranean borehole. The expandable apparatus includes a tubular body having a longitudinal bore and at least one opening in a wall of the tubular body. At least one member is positioned within the at least one opening in the wall of the tubular body and configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position. At least one nozzle assembly is positioned in the tubular body proximate to the at least one member and is in fluid communication with the longitudinal bore of the tubular body. A traveling sleeve is positioned within the longitudinal bore of the tubular body and comprises an uphole portion configured to at least partially restrict fluid flow through the at least one nozzle assembly by abutting a portion of the tubular body when the traveling sleeve is in an initial position and to at least partially enable fluid flow when the traveling sleeve is in a triggered position.
In yet additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes an expandable apparatus for use in a subterranean borehole. The expandable apparatus includes a tubular body having a longitudinal bore and at least one opening in a wall of the tubular body. At least one member is positioned within the at least one opening in the wall of the tubular body and configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position. A protect sleeve is disposed within the longitudinal bore of the tubular body. A push sleeve is disposed within the longitudinal bore of the tubular body and positioned at least partially within the protect sleeve. The push sleeve is coupled to the at least one member and is configured to move the at least one member from the retracted position to the extended position responsive to a flow rate of drilling fluid passing through the longitudinal bore.
In yet additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes a method for operating an expandable apparatus for use in a subterranean borehole. The method includes moving at least one member of the expandable apparatus coupled to a yoke from a retracted position to an extended position against a biasing force of a spring disposed in the expandable apparatus to compress the spring, forcing the at least one member and the yoke from the extended position to the a retracted position with the biasing force of the spring; and removing debris from an exterior of the expandable apparatus proximate to the at least one member with at least one surface of at least one of the yoke and the tubular body having a central portion comprising an apex and with the biasing force of the spring.
In yet additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes a method for operating an expandable apparatus for use in a subterranean borehole. The method includes securing at least one member of the expandable apparatus in a retracted position with a traveling sleeve disposed within a tubular body of the expandable apparatus, moving the traveling sleeve within the tubular body of the expandable apparatus to unsecure the at least one member, moving the at least one member of the expandable apparatus from the retracted position to an extended position, and flowing drilling fluid passing through a longitudinal bore of the tubular body through at least one nozzle assembly positioned in the longitudinal bore of the tubular body proximate to the at least one member while the at least one member is in the retracted position and in the extended position.
In yet additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes a method for operating an expandable apparatus for use in a subterranean borehole. The method includes securing at least one member of the expandable apparatus in a retracted position with a traveling sleeve disposed within a tubular body of the expandable apparatus, moving the traveling sleeve within the tubular body of the expandable apparatus to unsecure the at least one member, moving the at least one member of the expandable apparatus from the retracted position to an extended position, restricting drilling fluid passing through a longitudinal bore of the tubular body from flowing through at least one nozzle assembly positioned in the longitudinal bore of the tubular body proximate to the at least one member while the at least one member is in the retracted position, and flowing a drilling fluid passing through the longitudinal bore of the tubular body through at least one nozzle assembly while the at least one member is in the extended position.
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming what are regarded as embodiments of the disclosure, various features and advantages of embodiments of the disclosure may be more readily ascertained from the following description of some embodiments of the disclosure, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The illustrations presented herein are, in some instances, not actual views of any particular earth-boring tool, expandable apparatus, cutting element, or other feature of an earth-boring tool, but are merely idealized representations that are employed to describe embodiments the present disclosure. Additionally, elements common between figures may retain the same numerical designation.
As used herein, the terms “distal” and “proximal” are relative terms used to describe portions of an expandable apparatus or members thereof with reference to a borehole being drilled. For example, a “distal” portion of an expandable apparatus is the portion in closer relative proximity to the downhole portion of the borehole (e.g., relatively closer to the furthest extent of the borehole and the furthest extent of a drill sting extending into the borehole) when the expandable apparatus is disposed in a wellbore extending into a formation during a drilling or reaming operation. A “proximal” portion of an expandable apparatus is the portion in closer relative proximity to the uphole portion of the borehole (e.g., relatively more distant from the furthest extent of the borehole and the furthest extent of a drill sting extending into the borehole) when the expandable apparatus is disposed in a wellbore extending into the formation during a drilling or reaming operation.
In some embodiments, the expandable apparatus described herein may be similar to the expandable apparatus described in, for example, United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2008/0102175 A1, entitled “Expandable Reamers for Earth-Boring Applications,” and filed Dec. 3, 2007; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/570,464, entitled “Earth-Boring Tools having Expandable Members and Methods of Making and Using Such Earth-Boring Tools,” and filed Sep. 30, 2009; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/894,937, entitled “Earth-Boring Tools having Expandable Members and Related Methods,” and filed Sep. 30, 2010; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/411,201, entitled “Earth-Boring Tools having Expandable Members and Related Methods,” and filed Nov. 11, 2010, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.
An embodiment of an expandable apparatus (e.g., an expandable reamer apparatus 100) is shown in
Three sliding members (e.g., blades 101, stabilizer blocks, etc.) are positionally retained in circumferentially spaced relationship in the tubular body 108 as further described below and may be provided at a position along the expandable reamer apparatus 100 intermediate the first distal end 190 and the second proximal end 191. The blades 101 may be comprised of steel, tungsten carbide, a particle-matrix composite material (e.g., hard particles dispersed throughout a metal matrix material), or other suitable materials as known in the art. The blades 101 are retained in an initial, retracted position within the tubular body 108 of the expandable reamer apparatus 100, as illustrated in
Referring still to
The three sliding blades 101 may be retained in three blade tracks 148 formed in the tubular body 108. The blades 101 each carry a plurality of cutting elements 118 for engaging the material of a subterranean formation defining the wall of an open borehole when the blades 101 are in an extended position (shown in
Optionally, one or more of the blades 101 may be replaced with stabilizer blocks having guides and rails as described herein for being received into grooves 179 of the track 148 in the expandable reamer apparatus 100, which may be used as expandable concentric stabilizer rather than a reamer, which may further be utilized in a drill string with other concentric reamers or eccentric reamers.
As shown in
The increased pressure at a proximal end of the constriction portion 104 of the traveling sleeve 102 and a decreased pressure at a distal end of the constriction portion 104 of the traveling sleeve 102 may form a pressure differential and may impart a force in the downhole direction 157 to the traveling sleeve 102. The force may translate the traveling sleeve 102 in the downhole direction 157. In some embodiments, the constriction portion 104 of the traveling sleeve 102 may be formed from a wear resistant material (e.g., cemented carbide) in order to reduce wear of the constriction portion 104 of the traveling sleeve 102 due to the drilling fluid passing therethrough.
In additional embodiments, other methods may be used to constrict fluid flow through the traveling sleeve 102 in order to move the traveling sleeve 102 in the downhole direction 157. For example, an obstruction may be selectively disposed within the traveling sleeve 102 to at least partially occlude fluid from flowing therethrough in order to apply a force in the downhole direction 157 to the traveling sleeve 102.
The traveling sleeve 102 may be at least partially received within a portion of the actuating feature of the reamer apparatus 100 (e.g., one or more of a portion of the push sleeve 115 and a portion of the latch sleeve 117). For example, the push sleeve 115 and the latch sleeve 117 may be cylindrically retained between the traveling sleeve 102 and the inner surface 112 of the tubular body 108 of the expandable reamer apparatus 100.
The push sleeve 115 may be retained in the initial position by the traveling sleeve 102. For example, a portion of the traveling sleeve 102 may act to secure a portion of the push sleeve 115 (or another component attached thereto such as, for example, the latch sleeve 117) to a portion of the inner wall 109 of the tubular body 108 of the expandable reamer apparatus 100. For example, the latch sleeve 117 may be coupled to the push sleeve 115 and may include one or more latch members 122 for engaging the inner wall 109 of the tubular body 108. The latch sleeve 117 may include one or more apertures 120 (e.g., apertures 120 extending laterally through the latch sleeve 117 relative to the longitudinal axis L108 (
In some embodiments, the push sleeve 115 may be biased in the initial position (e.g., by a spring 116). For example, as shown in
In some embodiments, the spring 116 may be selected to exhibit a relatively large amount of force. For example, the spring 116 may be selected to have a size, configuration, or combinations thereof to exhibit relatively large amount of force in the downhole direction 157 when the spring 116 (e.g., the spring 116 in a loaded position as shown in
Referring still to
After the traveling sleeve 102 travels sufficiently far enough from the initial position in the downhole direction 157 (e.g., to a triggered position) to enable the latch members 122 of the latch sleeve 117 to be disengaged from the grooves 124 of the tubular body 108, the latch members 122 of the latch sleeve 117, which is coupled to the push sleeve 115, may all move in the uphole direction 159. In order for the push sleeve 115 to move in the uphole direction 159, the differential pressure between the longitudinal bore 151 and the outer surface 111 of the tubular body 108 caused by the hydraulic fluid flow must be sufficient to overcome the restoring force or bias of the spring 116.
In some embodiments, a portion of the expandable reamer apparatus 100 (e.g., the arms 177 of the yoke 114) may include one or more surfaces or components (e.g., a wear-resistant insert) suitable for expelling debris as the blades 101 are transitioned between the extended and retracted positions (e.g., moved toward the retracted position in the downhole direction 157). For example, the arms 177 may include one or more surfaces having an apex or pointed end or an external component having an apex or pointed end attached to the arms 177 for removing (e.g., crushing, gouging, shearing, etc.) debris that may have formed proximate to the tubular body 108 of the expandable reamer apparatus 100. As shown in
When the blades 101, the yoke 114, the push sleeve 115, and the latch sleeve 117 are to be returned to their initial position after activation of the expandable reamer apparatus 100 (as shown in
Referring still to
In some embodiments, the expandable reamer apparatus 100 may restrict communication of the drilling fluid flowing through the longitudinal bore 151 of the expandable reamer apparatus 100 with the nozzle assemblies 110. For example, portions of the reamer apparatus 100 may prevent drilling fluid from flowing to one or more of the nozzle assemblies 110. In some embodiments, a portion of the traveling sleeve 102 may act to restrict fluid flow to the nozzle assemblies 110. For example, the traveling sleeve 102 may extend in the uphole direction 159 to a location proximate to the blades 101 and tracks 148. As shown in
In some embodiments, one of the body 108 of the expandable reamer apparatus 100 and the proximal portion 210 of the traveling sleeve 102 may have an o-ring seal disposed in a groove (e.g., seal 214) to prevent fluid from flowing between the protruding portion 212 of the body 108 of the expandable reamer apparatus 100 and the proximal portion 210 of the traveling sleeve 102. In a similar manner, one of the seal sleeve 126 and the traveling sleeve 102 may have an o-ring seal disposed in a groove (e.g., seal 216) to prevent fluid from flowing between the seal sleeve 126 and the traveling sleeve 102. It is noted that while the embodiment of
The seals formed between components of the expandable reamer apparatus 100 proximate to the nozzle assemblies 110 (e.g., by the combination of the traveling sleeve 102, the body 108 of the expandable reamer apparatus 100, and the seal sleeve 126) may form an annulus 218 proximate to an inlet 220 of the nozzle assemblies 110. As shown in
In such an embodiment, downward movement of the traveling sleeve 102 during activation of the expandable reamer apparatus 100, as discussed below, may also be indicated by enabling fluid flow to the nozzle assemblies 110. For example, once the traveling sleeve 102 has traveled in the downhole direction 157 a sufficient distance to enable fluid flow to the nozzle assemblies 110, a signal in the form of, for example, a detectable or measurable pressure or change in pressure of drilling fluid within the borehole due to fluid flow through the nozzle assemblies 110 may, as sensed by the operator, indicate that the expandable reamer apparatus 100 has been activated. Stated in another way, when fluid flow through the nozzle assemblies 110 is enabled, the fluid pressure within the expandable reamer apparatus 100 will decrease as fluid is directed out of the expandable reamer apparatus 100 through the nozzle assemblies 110 and into the borehole.
In other embodiments, (e.g., as shown in
Referring now to
As shown in
As also shown in
Whenever the flow rate of the drilling fluid passing through the traveling sleeve 102 is decreased below a selected flow rate value, the traveling sleeve 102 may be returned to the initial position shown in
Whenever the flow rate of the drilling fluid passing through traveling sleeve 102 is elevated to or beyond a selected flow rate value, the traveling sleeve 102 may again move in the downhole direction 157 releasing the latch members 122 of the latch sleeve 117 as shown in
Referring back to
The protect sleeve 222 may be formed from a material that is relatively hard and resistant to wear (e.g., metallic materials, composite materials, diamond enhanced materials, etc.) and may protect inner surfaces of the body 108 of the expandable reamer apparatus 100 from wear caused to the inner surfaces of the expandable reamer apparatus 100 during downhole drilling activity. For example, the protect sleeve 222 may enable the push sleeve 115 to slide on an inner surface of the protect sleeve 222 as the expandable reamer apparatus 100 is moved between to expanded and retracted position. The push sleeve 115 may form a seal with the protect sleeve 222 (e.g., at seal 224). The protect sleeve 222 may also protect portions of inner surface of the body 108 from wear caused by the drilling fluid flowing through the expandable reamer apparatus 100. In some embodiments, the protect sleeve 222 may secured to the body 108 of the expandable reamer apparatus 100 with a sealed screw. In some embodiments, the protect sleeve 222 may include one or more seals (e.g., o-ring seals 226) for sealing the outer surface of the protect sleeve 222 to the inner surface of the body 108 of the expandable reamer apparatus 100.
The protect sleeve 222 may be easily removed from the longitudinal bore 151 of the expandable reamer apparatus 100 and replaced when desirable. Such a configuration including the protect sleeve 222 may enable the expandable reamer apparatus 100 to have a relatively longer use life by enable high wear and use areas of the longitudinal bore 151 of the expandable reamer apparatus 100 to be replaced.
As shown in
Embodiments of the present disclosure may be particularly useful in providing a relatively more reliable and robust an expandable apparatus. For example, an expandable apparatus may include components and mechanisms ensuring proper expansion and retraction of the expandable members and removal of debris proximate the expandable members. Further, an expandable apparatus may include internal components enabling the use of relative larger expandable members. Even further still, an expandable apparatus may include internal components enabling fluid flow through nozzle assemblies at selected times including constant flow through the nozzle assemblies. Finally, an expandable apparatus may include replaceable internal components that may increase the use life of the expandable apparatus as compared to similar expandable apparatus.
While particular embodiments of the disclosure have been shown and described, numerous variations and other embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the disclosure only be limited in terms of the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
