Downhole drilling assembly with concentric alignment feature

Abstract

A concentric alignment device is provided that elevates the working face of a drill bit off of the inner wall of a casing or tubing to prevent premature wear of the working face of the drill bit. In horizontal drilling applications, the working face of a drill bit has a tendency to contact or rest on the inner wall of a casing or tubing, which negatively affects the working face of a drill bit. In some embodiments, one or more optional inserts are provided on the shank of a drill bit or on a centralizing sub such that the inserts contact the inner wall of a casing or tubing instead of the working face of the drill bit. In other embodiments, blade packages on a drill bit or sub contact the inner wall of a casing or tubing and also pump drilling fluid in a downhole direction.

Claims

1. A bottom hole drilling assembly for removing an obstruction in a subterranean, inclined wellbore lined with a casing string, comprising: a drill bit having a working face, wherein a cross section of said working face defines a maximum diameter; a centralizing sub operatively interconnected to said drill bit such that said centralizing sub rotates with said drill bit, wherein said centralizing sub is a drill collar, said centralizing sub having: a plurality of immovable, non-cutting vanes adapted to contact an inner surface of said casing string to centralize said drill bit above said obstruction, wherein a cross section of said plurality of immovable, non-cutting vanes defines a maximum diameter that is larger than said maximum diameter of said working face of said drill bit; a plurality of channels, wherein each channel is positioned between two vanes of said plurality of immovable, non-cutting vanes to facilitate removal of debris from said obstruction.

2. The bottom hole drilling assembly of claim 1, wherein each vane of said plurality of immovable, non-cutting vanes is oriented non-parallel to a longitudinal axis of said centralizing sub.

3. The bottom hole drilling assembly of claim 1, wherein said centralizing sub has a second plurality of immovable, non-cutting vanes spaced apart from said first plurality of immovable, non-cutting vanes along a longitudinal axis of said centralizing sub, wherein a cross section of said second plurality of immovable, non-cutting vanes defines a maximum diameter that is larger than said maximum diameter of said working face, wherein each vane of said second plurality of immovable, non-cutting vanes is oriented non-parallel to said longitudinal axis of said centralizing sub.

4. The bottom hole drilling assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one insert extending from an outermost housing of said drill bit to provide a contact surface to engage said inner surface of said casing string, wherein said at least one insert has a coating with a friction coefficient that is less than a friction coefficient of said centralizing sub.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and together with the general description of the disclosure given above and the detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of the disclosures.

(2) FIG. 1 is a cross sectional elevation view of a derrick and a drill string in accordance with the prior art;

(3) FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a casing string with a fracturing plug and a drill bit positioned therein in accordance with the prior art;

(4) FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a casing with a drill bit having at least one insert in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

(5) FIG. 4A is a front elevation view of a working face of a drill bit in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

(6) FIG. 4B is a front elevation view of a drill bit area and an insert area in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

(7) FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a casing string with a centralizing sub and a drill bit positioned opposite to a fracturing plug in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

(8) FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of a centralizing sub immovable blade packages in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

(9) FIG. 7A is a cross sectional view of a centralizing sub with blade packages in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

(10) FIG. 7B is a side elevation view of a centralizing sub with blade packages in accordance with various embodiments of the invention; and

(11) FIG. 8 is a cross sectional, front elevation view of centralizing sub in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

(12) To assist in the understanding of the embodiments of the present invention the following list of components and associated numbering found in the drawings is provided herein:

(13) TABLE-US-00001 Component No. Component 2 Drill String 4 Derrick 6 Bottom Hole Assembly 8 Wellbore 10 Drill Bit 12 Fracturing plug 14 Casing 16 Inner Surface 18 Working Face 20 Drilling Surface 22 Drill Bit Axis 24 Casing Axis 26 Insert 28 Drill Bit Area 30 Insert Area 32 Centralizing Sub 34 Blade Package 36 Blade 38 Blade Angle 40 Spacer 42 Sub Length 44 Sub Diameter 46 Blade Package Diameter 48 First Offset 50 Spacer Length 52 Second Offset 54 Blade Width 56 Blade Height 58 Blade Radius

(14) It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and various dimensions may be altered. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the present invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(15) The present invention has significant benefits across a broad spectrum of endeavors. It is the Applicant's intent that this specification and the claims appended hereto be accorded a breadth in keeping with the scope and spirit of the present invention being disclosed despite what might appear to be limiting language imposed by the requirements of referring to the specific examples disclosed. To acquaint persons skilled in the pertinent arts most closely related to the present invention, a preferred embodiment that illustrates the best mode now contemplated for putting the present invention into practice is described herein by, and with reference to, the annexed drawings that form a part of the specification. The exemplary embodiment is described in detail without attempting to describe all of the various forms and modifications in which the present invention might be embodied. As such, the embodiments described herein are illustrative, and as will become apparent to those skilled in the arts, and may be modified in numerous ways within the scope and spirit of the present invention.

(16) Although the following text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims. To the extent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent is referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning, that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader, and it is not intended that such claim term by limited, by implication or otherwise, to that single meaning.

(17) Various embodiments of the present invention are described herein and as depicted in the drawings. It is expressly understood that although the figures show drill bits, inserts, centralizing subs, and other components, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

(18) Now referring to FIG. 1, a perspective view of a prior art drill string 2 suspended by a derrick 4 is provided. A bottom hole assembly 6 is located at the bottom of a wellbore 8, and the bottom hole assembly 6 comprises a drill bit 10. As the drill bit 10 rotates downhole, the drill string 4 advances further into the earth. The drill string 4 may penetrate soft or hard subterranean formations, and the drill bit 10 may break up the formations by cutting and/or chipping the formation during a downhole drilling operation. The drill string 4 behind the drill bit 10 has a smaller cross sectional area or outer diameter than the drill bit 10, specifically a working face of the drill bit 10, to prevent the other components of the drill string 4 from interfering with the downhole drilling of the wellbore 8.

(19) Now referring to FIG. 2, a cross sectional elevation view of a prior art casing 14 with a fracturing plug 12 and a drill bit 10 is provided. The fracturing plug 12 is positioned within the casing 14 to obstruct the casing 14 and set up one or more intervals along the wellbore for hydraulic fracturing. The drill bit 10 at the end of a drill string has been lowered downhole and down the casing 14 to drill out the fracturing plug 12. However, the drill bit 10 has a working face 18 that includes one or more drilling cones or surfaces 20 for cutting and chipping subterranean formations where the cross sectional area or outer diameter of the working face 18 is larger than the other components of the drill string. Since the wellbore in FIG. 2 is horizontal, the working face 18 of the drill bit 10 contacts the inner surface 16 of the casing 14. A wellbore may be miles long, and this contact causes premature wear and tear on the drill bit 10.

(20) In addition, the drill bit 10 is out of alignment with the casing 14 and the fracturing plug 12. The drill bit 10 has a drill bit axis 22 and the casing 14 has a casing axis 24. As shown in FIG. 2, these axes 22, 24 are not substantially aligned. As a result, the drill bit 10 will drill out a lower portion of the fracturing plug 12. This is not effective because the fracturing plug 12 is typically plastic and composite, and the drill bit 10 must break the fracturing plug 12 into small pieces that travel back to the surface during circulation of wellbore fluids. In the embodiment in FIG. 2, the drill bit 10 will not drill a top portion of the fracturing plug 12 into smaller pieces. The result is a less effective clearance of the fracturing plug 12.

(21) Now referring to FIG. 3, a cross sectional elevation view of a casing 14 is provided where a drill bit 10 of the present invention is centralized using one or more inserts 26. In this embodiment of the present invention, the inserts 26 extend outward from a shank of the drill bit 10, and the inserts 26 create a cross sectional area or outer diameter that is larger than the cross sectional area or outer diameter of the working face of the drill bit 10. As a result, the working face of the drill bit 10 is raised off of the inner surface 16 of the casing 14 to prevent wear to the drill bit 10.

(22) The drill bit 10 is also substantially aligned with the casing 14 and the fracturing plug 12. The inserts 26 raise the drill bit 10 upward, and the drill bit axis 22 is substantially aligned with the casing axis 24. This alignment provides a more effective and complete drilling of the fracturing plug 12.

(23) The one or more optional inserts 26 may have a variety of configurations. In some embodiments, an insert 26 may be a single, continuous insert 26 that circumscribes a perimeter of a drill bit 10. In further embodiments, additional continuous inserts 26 may be positioned at other perimeters along the drill bit 10. Other inserts 26 may be non-continuous and discrete. A plurality of these inserts 26 may be arrayed about a perimeter of the drill bit 10, using equal or unequal spacing. It should be understood that these inserts 26 may be positioned about different perimeters, using different spacing, etc.

(24) The inserts 26 may also come in a variety of sizes. As shown in FIG. 3, the one or more inserts 26 may have a cross sectional area or outer diameter that is greater than the cross sectional area or outer diameter of the working face of the drill bit 10, but is less than the cross sectional area or inner diameter of the casing 14. Thus, the one or more inserts 26 raise the working face of the drill bit 10 off of the casing 14 but do not completely align the drill bit axis 22 with the casing axis 24. This prevents wear to the drill bit 10 and minimizes friction between the one or more inserts 26 and the inner surface 16 of the casing 14.

(25) In other embodiments, the one or more inserts 26 may have a cross sectional area or outer diameter that is equal to the cross sectional area or inner diameter of the casing 14. In these embodiments, the drill bit axis 22 is aligned with the casing axis 24, but the entire outer surface of the one or more inserts 26 creates friction with the entire inner surface 16 of the casing 14. One skilled in the art will appreciate the tradeoffs between these, and other, configurations of the one or more inserts 26.

(26) The inserts 26 may be made from a variety of materials. These materials may be rigid enough to raise the drill bit 10 off of an inner surface 16 of casing 14 and structurally resist wear as the inserts 26 travel down a wellbore, casing, tubing, etc. In addition, the material or materials of the insert 26 may have a low friction coefficient to lower frictional resistance as the drill string travels down the wellbore. The inserts 26 may be made from materials including, but not limited to, polytetrafluoroethylene, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, perfluoroalkoxy, tetrafluorethylene-perfluoropropylene, chlorotrifluoroethylene, perfluorooctanoic acid, octylcyanoacrylate, and combinations thereof. The inserts 26 may also be a composite of multiple materials. For example, a top layer of low friction material may be secured to a metal structure to from an insert 26.

(27) Now referring to FIG. 4A, a front elevation view of the working face 18 of a drill bit 10 is provided. This view is provided down a central or longitudinal axis of the drill bit 10. The working face 18 and the drilling cones or surfaces 20 on the working face 18 combine to define a cross sectional area, which is larger than other components of the drill string during initial wellbore drilling operations. However, as explained above, this configuration is not effective for post-wellbore drilling operations.

(28) Now referring to FIG. 4B, a front elevation view of a drill bit area 28 and an insert area 30 is provided. This view is also provided down a central or longitudinal axis of the drill bit 10. The cross sectional area 28 of the working face 18 of the drill bit is less than the cross sectional area 30 of the one or more inserts. In addition, the cross sectional area 28 of the working face 18 of the drill bit has a maximum outer diameter defined by the drilling cones or surfaces, and this outer diameter does not extend past the cross sectional area 30 of the one or more inserts and risk contact with the inner surface of a casing or tubing. Stated in another similar way, the maximum outer diameter of the working face 18 of the drill bit is less than the minimum diameter of the one or more inserts. This configuration keeps the working face of the drill bit off of the inner surface of the casing and substantially aligns the drill bit axis with the casing axis.

(29) Now referring to FIG. 5, a cross sectional elevation view of a casing 14 is provided where a centralizing sub 32 has centralized a drill bit 10. One or more inserts 26 may be positioned on an outer surface of the centralizing sub 32 as described with respect to the one or more inserts 26 positioned on the drill bit 10. The centralizing sub 32 may be positioned adjacent to the drill bit 10 in the drill string. However, it will be appreciated that the centralizing sub 32 may be positioned at any point on the drill string to raise the working face of the drill bit 10 off of the inner face 16 of the casing 14 and to substantially align the drill bit axis 22 with the casing axis 24. As can be further appreciated, in some embodiments the centralizing sub is a drill collar.

(30) FIGS. 6-7C show a centralizing sub 32 with blade packages 34a, 34b positioned on an outer surface of the centralizing sub 32. The blade packages 34a, 34b perform several functions including raising the drill bit off of the inner surface of a casing or tubing. Similar to the inserts 26, the blade packages 34a, 34b have an outer diameter or cross sectional area that is larger than the outer diameter or cross sectional area of the working face of the drill bit. Thus, when the wellbore runs in a horizontal orientation, the blade packages 34a, 34b contact the inner surface of the casing rather than the working face of the drill bit, which preserves the drill bit and aligns the drill bit with any fracturing plugs in the wellbore.

(31) In some embodiments, the centralizing sub 32 may have a single blade package 34, and in some embodiments, the centralizing sub 32 may have multiple blade packages 34. With multiple blade packages, the centralizing sub 32 avoids a fulcrum effect with one blade package where the single blade package raises the drill bit off of one surface inside the casing but causes the drill bit to contact an opposite surface inside the casing. With multiple blade packages, a spacer 40 between the packages can flex to keep the drill bit away from every surface inside of the casing or tubing.

(32) Another function of the blade packages 34a, 34b is to churn and further break up the fracturing plug as drilling fluid flows back up to the surface of the wellbore. During operation, a drilling fluid flows through the center of the drill string and exits the working face of the drill bit. The broken material and drilling fluid flows back to the top of the wellbore in the annular space between the drill string and the casing. So when the drill bit breaks up a fracturing plug, the remnants of the fracturing plug travel with the drilling fluid in the annular space. However, the remnants of the fracturing plug can physically obstruct wellbore operations as they travel with the drilling fluid.

(33) Therefore, the blade packages 34a, 34b have a plurality of blades 36 that form channels through which the drilling fluid and the fracturing plug remnants can flow past the blade packages 34a, 34b. In addition, the rotational motion of centralizing sub 32 causes the blades 36 to strike the fracturing plug remnants and break the fracturing plug remnants into small sizes. The blades 36 are oriented at a blade angle 38 relative to the longitudinal axis of the centralizing sub 32. As shown in FIG. 6, the blade angle 38 is approximately 30 degrees. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, the blade angle 38 can be between 0 and 90 degrees.

(34) The blades 36 in the blade packages 34a, 34b can be oriented to rotate with the rotation of the centralizing sub 32, rotate against the rotation of the centralizing sub 32, or in some embodiments, different blade packages 34a, 34b can rotate in different directions. When the blades 36 of the blade packages 34a, 34b rotate against the centralizing sub 32, the blade packages 34a, 34b push drilling fluid back toward the drilling bit. This cycles the fracturing plug remnants against the blades 36 to reduce the fracturing plug remnants to an even smaller size. The diameter of the blade packages 34a, 34b can be approximately the same size as the diameter of the casing or tubing so that the blade packages 34a, 34b contact the inner surface of the casing and propel the drill string downhole, or alternatively, inhibit travel of the drill string downhole. It will be appreciated that the blade packages 34a, 34b may have a diameter that is larger, the same, or smaller than the diameter of the casing or tubing that it is positioned in.

(35) The blades 36 can be enhanced with a coating that in some embodiments increases friction, and in some embodiments, decreases friction. With increased friction, blade packages can draw tubing down a wellbore. With decreased friction, the blades 36 and blade packages experience less wear. It will be further appreciated the blade packages on the centralizing sub 32 can allow compatibility with all bottom hole assemblies.

(36) Now referring to FIG. 7A, a cross sectional view of the centralizing sub 32 is provided, and various dimensions of the centralizing sub 32 are identified. In some embodiments, a sub length 42 can be between approximately 24 and 48 feet. In various embodiments, the sub length 42 can be approximately 36 feet. In some embodiments, a sub diameter 44 can be between approximately 1 and 5 feet. In various embodiments, the sub diameter 44 can be approximately 3.500 feet or 3.125 feet. In some embodiments, a blade package diameter 46 can be between approximately 2 and 6 feet. In various embodiments, the blade package diameter 46 can be approximately 3.665 feet or 4.560 feet.

(37) Next, in some embodiments, a first offset 48 between a blade package and a first end of the centralizing sub 32 can be between approximately 1 and 5 feet. In various embodiments, the first offset 48 can be approximately 3.250 feet. A spacer length 50 between the blade packages can be between approximately 10 and 20 feet. In various embodiments, the space length 50 can be approximately 14.250 feet. In some embodiments, a second offset 52 between a blade package and a second end of the centralizing sub 32 can be between approximately 4 and 8 feet. In various embodiments, the second offset 52 can be approximately 6 feet.

(38) FIG. 7B is a side elevation view of the centralizing sub 32, and FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a centralizing sub 328 shows various dimensions of the blades 36 of a blade package. In some embodiments, the blade width 54 can be between approximately 0.5 and 1.5 feet. In various embodiments, the blade width 54 can be approximately 1 foot. In some embodiments, a blade height 56 can be between approximately 0.1 and 2 feet. In various embodiments, the blade height 56 can be approximately 0.530 feet. A blade radius 58 formed between the blade and a channel can be between approximately 0.1 and 1 foot. In various embodiments, the blade radius 58 can be approximately 0.3 feet. It will be appreciated that the dimensions herein are exemplary and non-limiting in nature.

(39) The present invention has significant benefits across a broad spectrum of endeavors. It is the Applicant's intent that this specification and the claims appended hereto be accorded a breadth in keeping with the scope and spirit of the present invention being disclosed despite what might appear to be limiting language imposed by the requirements of referring to the specific examples disclosed.

(40) The phrases at least one, one or more, and and/or, as used herein, are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions at least one of A, B, and C, at least one of A, B, or C, one or more of A, B, and C, one or more of A, B, or C, and A, B, and/or C means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together.

(41) Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities, dimensions, conditions, and so forth used in the specification, drawings, and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term about.

(42) The term a or an entity, as used herein, refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms a (or an), one or more and at least one can be used interchangeably herein.

(43) The use of including, comprising, or having, and variations thereof, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Accordingly, the terms including, comprising, or having and variations thereof can be used interchangeably herein.

(44) It shall be understood that the term means as used herein shall be given its broadest possible interpretation in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f). Accordingly, a claim incorporating the term means shall cover all structures, materials, or acts set forth herein, and all of the equivalents thereof. Further, the structures, materials, or acts, and the equivalents thereof, shall include all those described in the summary of the present invention, brief description of the drawings, detailed description, abstract, and claims themselves.

(45) The foregoing description of the present invention has been presented for illustration and description purposes. However, the description is not intended to limit the present invention to only the forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description for example, various features of the present invention are grouped together in one or more embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(46) Consequently, variations and modifications commensurate with the above teachings and skill and knowledge of the relevant art are within the scope of the present invention. The embodiments described herein above are further intended to explain best modes of practicing the present invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in such a manner, or include other embodiments with various modifications as required by the particular application(s) or use(s) of the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the claims be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art.