Steering Device for Downhole Tools

• US 20090260884A1
• Filed: 04/14/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Santelmann, Bernd
• Granted Patent: US 8,360,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 175/61
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/00 Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/062 the tool shaft rotating inside a non-rotating guide travelling with the shaft E21B7/067 and E21B7/068 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/067 with means for locking sections of a pipe or of a guide for a shaft in angular relation, e.g. adjustable bent sub

Abstract

An apparatus for drilling a wellbore may include a first section, a second section, and a third section, all of which are rotatably interconnected with pivot bearings and positioned along a drill string. The second section and the third section may be configured to form a controllable bend angle in the drill string. The first section, the second section, and the third section may be configured as sleeves that surround a portion of the drill string. One or more sections may include locking pads that selectively engage a wall of the wellbore. A hydraulic locking device for controlling a direction of rotation of the second section may include one or more brake elements and a reverse spinning sleeve. A first brake element may be used engage the reverse spinning sleeve and a second brake element may be used to engage a drive shaft.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured to be conveyed in a wellbore via a drill string, comprising:

a first section;

a second section coupled to the first section, wherein the second section is configured to be selectively rotated relative to the first section; and

a third section rotatably coupled to the second section, wherein the second section and the third section are configured to form a controllable bend angle in the drill string.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first section, the second section and the third section are sleeves configured to surround a portion of the drill string.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first section includes at least one anchoring element configured to anchor the first section to a wall of the wellbore.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a drive unit configured to rotate the second section relative to the first section.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a clamping device configured to selectively rotate one of the first section and the third section relative to the second section.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a drive shaft through the second section and wherein the clamping device is configured to engage and rotate with the drive shaft.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a spinning sleeve configured to rotate the second section in a direction counter to a rotation of the drive shaft.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a brake element in the second section configured to control rotation of the second section in a selected direction.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the brake element is further configured to selectively engage the second section to a drive shaft placed in the second section to control one of a tool face direction and a tilt angle.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a pivot bearing connecting one of:

(i) the first section to the second section, and (ii) the second section to the third section, wherein the pivot bearing is configured to selectively lock adjoining sections.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first section, the second section and the third section are configured to be rotatably mounted on the drill string.

12. A method for forming a wellbore in an earth formation, comprising:

positioning a first section, a second section, and a third section on a drill string;

rotatably coupling the first section to the second section and the second section to the third section;

conveying the drill string into the wellbore; and

rotating the second section relative to the third section to form a controllable bend angle in the drill string.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first section, the second section and the third section are configured as sleeves that surround a portion of the drill string.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising locking the first section to a wall of the wellbore.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising locking the second section to a wall of the wellbore.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising using a clamping device to rotate the third section relative to the second section.

17. A system for forming a wellbore in an earth formation, comprising:

a drill string;

a first section, a second section coupled to the first section, wherein the second section is configured to be selectively rotated relative to the first section, and a third section rotatably coupled to the second section, wherein the second section and the third section are configured to form a controllable bend angle in the drill string.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a drive unit configured to rotate the second section relative to the first section.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a clamping device configured to selectively rotate one of the first section and the third section relative to the second section.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a brake element in the second section configured to control rotation of the second section in a selected direction.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising a control unit configured to control rotation of the second section relative to the third section.