Abstract
A method of manufacture and installation of a resizable, plastically deformable or crimpable elastomeric bearing collar or stabilizer sleeve which can be installed over upset sections of rotary drilling and wellbore completion tubulars such as but not limited to subs, drill collars, drill pipe, wellbore casing, production liners and other drilling and production related tubulars that are run down-hole. In order to enable the reduction of rotational torque generated when directionally drilling and completing extended reach development (ERD) wells.
Claims
1. A downhole tool comprising; a tubular body; a collar for location on said tubular body, the collar reconfigurable from a first diameter configuration in which the collar comprises an initial internal diameter which permits the collar to pass over and translate along the tubular body, to a second, smaller, diameter configuration in which the collar comprises a second, smaller, internal diameter, wherein the collar is configured to be plastically deformed to reconfigure the collar from the first diameter configuration to the second, smaller, diameter configuration, wherein the collar is rotatably mounted on the tubular body in the second configuration, and wherein an outer surface of the collar is configured for engagement with a borehole or bore-lining tubular as the downhole tool is run downhole, the collar configured to support and offset the tubular body from said borehole or bore-lining tubular to reduce or mitigate friction as the downhole tool is run downhole.
2. The downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the collar comprises or forms part of a bearing, optionally a fluid lubricated bearing.
3. The downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the collar comprises a deformable portion, wherein the deformable portion permits reconfiguration of the collar from the first diameter configuration to the second diameter configuration.
4. The downhole tool of claim 3, wherein the deformable portion comprises a ductile material, optionally a ductile metal.
5. The downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the collar comprises a core.
6. The downhole tool of claim 5, wherein the core comprises a cylindrical tubular body, or ring.
7. The downhole tool of claim 5, wherein the core comprises or forms part of a deformable portion of the collar.
8. The downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the collar comprises at least one outer layer.
9. The downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the collar comprises at least one perforation.
10. The downhole tool of claim 9, wherein the collar is configured so that reconfiguring the collar from the first diameter configuration to the second diameter configuration collapses one or more of the perforations.
11. The downhole tool of claim 9, wherein the collar comprises a core, and where at least one perforation is provided in the core.
12. The downhole tool of claim 8, wherein the collar is configured so that reconfiguring the collar from the first diameter configuration to the second diameter configuration extrudes or deforms the outer layer.
13. The downhole tool of claim 12, wherein the collar is configured so that reconfiguring the collar from the first diameter configuration to the second diameter configuration extrudes or deforms part of the outer layer through one or more perforation.
14. A method for reducing torque and/or drag in a downhole environment using the downhole tool of claim 1.
15. The downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the collar is configured in the second configuration to engage, to be secured to, and/or retained on a smaller diameter section of the tubular body.
16. The downhole tool of claim 8, wherein at least one of: the outer layer is provided on at least one of an outer surface and an inner surface of the core; the outer layer encapsulates the core.
17. The downhole tool of claim 8, wherein at least one of: the outer layer is constructed from a polymeric elastomeric material; the core is constructed from a metallic material or metallic alloy.
18. The downhole tool of claim 15, wherein the smaller diameter section of the tubular body comprises at least one of a bearing journal, a recess, and a preformed location.
19. The downhole tool of claim 1, wherein the collar comprises one or a plurality of radially extending ribs, blades or upset diameter portions.
20. A method comprising: providing a downhole tool according to claim 1; locating the collar on said tubular body; reconfiguring the collar from said first diameter configuration to said second, smaller, diameter configuration, wherein reconfiguring the collar from the first diameter configuration to the second diameter configuration comprises plastically deforming the collar, and wherein the collar is rotatable relative to the tubular body in the second configuration.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein reconfiguring the collar from the first diameter configuration to the second diameter configuration comprises at least one of: swaging the collar or part of the collar; crimping the collar or part of the collar; and crushing the collar or part of the collar.
22. A downhole tool comprising a collar for location on a tubular body, the collar reconfigurable from a first diameter configuration to a second, smaller, diameter configuration via plastic deformation, wherein the collar comprises a core comprising at least one perforation and at least one outer layer, and wherein the collar is configured so that reconfiguring the collar from the first diameter configuration to the second, smaller, diameter configuration extrudes or deforms part of the outer layer through the one or more perforation.
23. A method comprising: providing a downhole tool comprising a collar, wherein the collar comprises a core comprising at least one perforation and at least one outer layer; locating the collar on a tubular body; and reconfiguring the collar from a first diameter configuration to a second, smaller, diameter configuration, via plastic deformation wherein reconfiguring the collar from the first diameter configuration to the second, smaller, diameter configuration extrudes or deforms part of the outer layer through the one or more perforation.
24. A downhole tool comprising a collar for location on a tubular body, the collar reconfigurable from a first diameter configuration to a second, smaller, diameter configuration via plastic deformation, wherein the collar is constructed from an elastomeric material, and wherein the collar is configured for translation along the tubular body in the first diameter configuration and to engage the tubular body in the second diameter configuration, and wherein the collar is rotatably mounted on the tubular body downhole in the second configuration.
25. A method comprising: providing a downhole tool comprising a collar, wherein the collar is constructed from an elastomeric material; locating the collar on a tubular body in a first configuration; translating the collar along the tubular body in the first configuration; reconfiguring the collar from the first diameter configuration to a second, smaller, diameter configuration and via plastic deformation, wherein the collar engages the tubular body in the second configuration, and wherein the collar is rotatable relative to the tubular body in the second configuration.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) These and other aspects of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings, of which:
(2) FIG. 1A shows a conventional enhanced performance or heavyweight drill pipe section;
(3) FIG. 1B shows an enlarged view of an upset portion of the pipe section shown in FIG. 1A;
(4) FIG. 2A shows a modified enhanced performance or heavyweight drill pipe section according to the present invention;
(5) FIG. 2B shows an enlarged view of an upset portion of the pipe section shown in FIG. 2A;
(6) FIG. 3A shows the enhanced performance or heavy weight drill pipe section shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B with a number of reformed or crimped non-rotating collar or stabiliser sleeves located on each bearing journal;
(7) FIG. 3B shows an enlarged view of the upset portion of the pipe section shown in FIG. 3A;
(8) FIG. 4A shows a deformable or crimpable collar or stabiliser sleeve according to an embodiment of the present invention, the collar having integral elastomeric bearing pads prior to being reformed or crimped into place on the bearing journal;
(9) FIG. 4B shows the collar shown in FIG. 4A after being reformed or crimped to fit on to the bearing journal;
(10) FIG. 5A shows a deformable or crimpable collar or stabiliser according to an alternative embodiment;
(11) FIG. 5B shows the deformable or crimpable collar or stabiliser shown in FIG. 5B, after reforming or crimping;
(12) FIG. 6 shows an enlarged section of the drill pipe shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 with the low side debris agitation flutes and the upset section more clearly defined;
(13) FIG. 7 shows an enlarged section of the drill pipe shown in FIG. 6 with the unreformed collar or stabiliser sleeve being passed over the upset section after having been passed over one of the upset box or pin tool joints.
(14) FIG. 8 shows the enlarged section of the drill pipe shown in FIG. 6 with the reformed or crimped collar or stabiliser in place on the bearing journal;
(15) FIG. 9 shows an unreformed collar or stabiliser sleeve;
(16) FIG. 10 shows cross section of reformed or crimped collar or stabiliser sleeve located on the bearing journal; and
(17) FIG. 11 shows an enlarged section B of FIG. 10;
(18) FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of a downhole tool according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention;
(19) FIG. 13 shows an elevation view of the downhole tool shown in FIG. 12;
(20) FIG. 14 shows an end view of the downhole tool shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 in a first configuration; and
(21) FIG. 15 shows an end view of the downhole tool shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, in a second configuration.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(22) Referring first to FIGS. 1A and 1B, there is shown a downhole tubular 10 in the form of a joint of conventional enhanced performance drill pipe (EPDP). As shown in FIG. 1A, the downhole tubular 10 has a main tubular body 12 having a throughbore 14, an upset threaded box connector 16 at a first end and an upset threaded pin connector 18 at a second end. In use, the threaded box and pin connectors 16, 18 are used to couple the tubular 10 to adjacent sections of a string (shown schematically at S), such as a drill string, completion string, running string or the like. A number of upset hard faced sections 20 are formed on the main body 12 of the tubular 10 along its length. As shown most clearly in FIG. 1B, the lead-ins from the main tubular body 12 to each of the hard faced upset sections 20 are milled to include low side debris agitation flutes 22. In use, the upset sections 20 provide a degree of stability to centralise and support the tubular 10 off the low side of the borehole wall (shown schematically by B). In addition, the flutes 22 resist the potential for buckling caused by the compressive loads applied to the tubular 10 when connected joints are used in a rotating drill string used to drill long horizontal sections of the borehole B.
(23) In use, the hard faced upset sections 20 make contact with the borehole wall B and generate frictional losses which cumulatively add to the torque required to rotate the drill string S in operation. This torque is normally taken as being the vertical weight component of the tubular 10 multiplied by the coefficient of friction between the contact points 24 of the tubular 10 and the borehole wall B. The coefficient of friction is normally taken to be between 0.25 and 0.3.
(24) Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, there is shown a downhole tubular 110 for use in an embodiment of the present invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the downhole tubular 110 also comprises a joint of enhanced performance drill pipe (EPDP) and like components between the tubular 10 and the tubular 110 are represented by like components incremented by 100. As with the tubular 10, the downhole tubular 110 has a main tubular body 112 having a throughbore 114 and low side debris agitation flutes 122, an upset threaded box connector 116 at a first end, an upset threaded pin connector 118 at a second end. In use, the threaded box and pin connectors 116, 118 are used to couple the tubular 110 to adjacent sections of the string S. The downhole tubular shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B differs from the tubular 10 in that the upset hard faced sections 20 have been removed and replaced by an undercut bearing journal section 26 which, in use, receives a collar 28 as will be described further below, and which creates a torque reducing, free rotating collar or stabiliser sleeve.
(25) As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the tubular 110 has a number of collars 28 (three are shown in the illustrated embodiment), each mounted on a journal section 26. In the illustrated embodiment, the collars 28 have been crimped or swaged in place on their respective journal sections 26 and, in use, the collars 28 support the rotating drill string S along its length and help to reduce the frictional losses between rotating drill string S and the borehole wall B by acting as efficient bearings between the rotating drill pipe 110 running on the journals 26.
(26) An exemplary collar 28 is shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, FIG. 4A showing the collar 28 in a first diameter configuration before being crimped or swaged down in size and FIG. 4B showing the collar 28 in a second, smaller, diameter configuration after being crimped or swaged down in size.
(27) In use, the collar 28 is configured for location over the tubular body 110 in its larger first configuration as shown in FIG. 4A, translated along the tubular body 110 until positioned adjacent to the journal section 26, and then reconfigured to define its smaller second diameter configuration shown in FIG. 4B, the collar 28 being secured to, and/or retained on the tubular body 110 in the second diameter configuration.
(28) The collar 28 is manufactured as a composite component comprising a metallic ring or core 30 encapsulated within an elastomeric outer layer 32 which, in use, forms a fluid lubricated elastomeric bearing having a coefficient of friction of about 0.1 or lower. In the illustrated embodiment, the core is manufactured from grade 316 stainless steel while the outer layer 32 is constructed from hnbr rubber. The use of grade 316 stainless steel gives the core 30 sufficient ductility to permit the deformation or reconfiguration of the collar 28 from its larger first configuration shown in FIG. 4A to the smaller second configuration shown in FIG. 4B. The use of hnbr rubber provides an outer layer 32 which is capable of following the deformation of the core 30. However, it will be recognised that other suitable materials may be used where appropriate. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the core 30 is perforated having a number of circular perforations 34. In use, when crimped or crushed down in size the perforated core 30 is plastically deformed in a controlled collapse of the perforations 34. Since the core 30 is encapsulated within the outer layer 32, the act of plastic deformation of the core 30 and controlled collapse of the perforations 34 causes the elastomeric material of the outer layer 32 bonded within the perforations 34 to be extruded to form raised sections or buttons of elastomeric material to be formed in the reduced bore. These raised sections or buttons of elastomeric material create multiple bearing points on the journal section 26 with clearance space around them for fluid cooling and cleaning, thereby creating a fluid lubricated bearing surface between the internal bore of the collar 30 and the journal section 26.
(29) Referring now to FIGS. 5A and 5B, there is shown an alternative collar 28, FIG. 5A showing the collar 28 in a first diameter configuration before being crimped or swaged down in size and FIG. 5B showing the collar 28 in a second, smaller, diameter configuration after being crimped or swaged down in size. In this embodiment, the collar 28 comprises a resizable, or deformable bearing collar or stabiliser sleeve manufactured from a ductile plastically deformable metal. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the collar 28 comprises a deformable portion 36 which can be controllably crimped, swaged or deformed down from the first configuration shown in FIG. 5A to the second configuration shown in FIG. 5B, the reduced internal diameter of the collar 28 forming a running fit in the journal section 26 in use. Elastomeric or polymer bearing strips 38 are installed in preformed grooves or pockets 40 prior to crimping in position on the journal section 26, thus forming a fluid lubricated bearing surface between the internal bore of the collar 28 or stabiliser sleeve and the journal section 26. The elastomer or polymer bearing strips 38 may be set in helical or angled fashion as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B to induce the flow of cooling and lubricating fluid throughout the bearing in operation.
(30) Referring now to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, there is shown a sequence of installing a resizable, or deformable bearing collar or stabiliser sleeve onto the tubular body 110 of a modified enhanced performance or heavyweight drill pipe with a recessed bearing journal 26 located in an upset section 120. The collar may comprise the collar 28 or the collar 28. FIG. 6 shows the recessed bearing journal section 26 prior to installing the resizable, or deformable bearing collar or stabiliser sleeve. FIG. 7 shows the resizable, or deformable bearing collar or stabiliser sleeve 30 in its untrimmed state being passed over the upset 120. FIG. 8 shows the resizable, or deformable bearing collar or stabiliser sleeve 28 crimped onto the bearing journal section 30. As shown in FIG. 8, in the installed state the plastically deformable ring or sections are below the level of the upset 120. Beneficially, this arrangement eliminates or at least mitigates the risk of wear through should the elastomeric or polymer bearing fail and cause the ring to lock on to the bearing journal, and thus maintains the structural integrity of the collar 28.
(31) FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 show additional views of the embodiments of the present invention, FIG. 9 showing an unreformed collar or stabiliser sleeve; FIG. 10 showing a cross sectional view of reformed or crimped collar or stabiliser sleeve located on the bearing journal; and FIG. 11 showing an enlarged section B of the cross section view shown in FIG. 10.
(32) Embodiments of the present invention provide a number of benefits, including inter alia, providing torque reducing collars or stabiliser sleeves with integral fluid lubricated elastomeric and or polymer bearings which can be attached or installed on to bearing journals that are smaller in diameter than the upset drill pipe tool joint connections while eliminating the requirement to have split connections in the collar or stabiliser sleeves or the use of clamping mechanisms to attach split collars or stabiliser sleeves. A particular embodiment of the invention relates to the provision of a method of attaching a torque reducing collars or stabiliser sleeves in the form of resizable or deformable rings incorporating fluid lubricated elastomeric and or polymer bearing materials which can be installed over upset sections of drilling or completion related tubulars and then resized or reformed by plastic deformation or circumferential sections or an integral central core of the ring to a smaller size to create a free running fit on to one or more bearing journals located on the tubular body between the upsets. However, it should be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely exemplary and that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.
(33) Referring to FIGS. 12 to 15, there are shown perspective, elevation, and end views respectively of a downhole tool according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14 shows the tool in a first position with a borehole B. FIG. 15 shows the tool in a second position within the borehole B. In the illustrated embodiment, the downhole tool comprises a tubular 210, the tubular 210 also comprising a joint of enhanced performance drill pipe (EPDP) and like components between the tubulars 10, 110 and the tubular 210 are represented by like components incremented by 200. As with the tubular 10, the downhole tubular 210 has a main tubular body 212 having a throughbore 214 and low side debris agitation flutes 222. Although not shown, the tubular 210 will also comprise an upset threaded box connector at a first end, an upset threaded pin connector at a second end which, in use, are used to couple the tubular 210 to adjacent sections of the string S. In this embodiment, the collar 228 is provided with an offset and skew angle which on contacting the wall of the tubular or borehole B provides traction. In the illustrated embodiment, the offset is 3 mm and the skew angle is about 1 degree. In use, the tool is configured so that a first portion 40 of the collar 228 engages a high side of the borehole or tubular wall B and a section portion 42 of the collar 228 engages a low side of the borehole or tubular wall. The first portion 40 of the collar 228 comprises the offset and skew and so induce traction when engaged with the borehole or tubular wall B, while the second portion 42 does not induce traction but rather provides a rubbing contact when engaged with the borehole, or may be offset from the borehole wall.
(34) For example, the second diameter may alternatively comprise a larger diameter configuration than the first diameter configuration.
(35) While in the illustrated embodiments, the collar comprises a composite component, the collar may comprise a unitary component.
