Drilling Apparatus and Method
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use in drilling a borehole, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) an upper assembly which is connectable with a drilling string;
(b) a lower assembly comprising a rotary drilling motor such that the lower assembly is subjected to a reactive torque during drilling as a result of the operation of the drilling motor;
(c) an orientable rotatable connection between the upper assembly and the lower assembly;
(d) a reactive torque control device associated with the orientable rotatable connection, wherein the reactive torque control device is actuatable to selectively allow rotation of the lower assembly relative to the upper assembly or prevent rotation of the lower assembly relative to the upper assembly;
(e) an orientation sensing device for providing a sensed actual orientation of the lower assembly; and
(f) a feedback control system associated with the reactive torque control device and the orientation sensing device, for actuating the reactive torque control device in response to the sensed actual orientation of the lower assembly in order to achieve a target orientation of the lower assembly.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A drilling apparatus includes an upper drill string, a lower drill string including a rotary drilling motor, an orientable rotatable connection between the drill strings, a reactive torque control device associated with the orientable rotatable connection, an orientation sensing device for providing a sensed actual orientation of the lower drill string, and a feedback control system configured to actuate the control device in response to the sensed actual orientation to achieve a target orientation of the lower drill string. A drilling method includes actuating the control device to prevent relative rotation of the drill strings, providing a sensed actual orientation of the lower drill string, comparing the sensed actual orientation with a target orientation of the lower drill string, actuating the control device to allow the lower drill string to rotate to provide the target orientation, and actuating the control device to prevent relative rotation of the drill strings.
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Citations
72 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use in drilling a borehole, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) an upper assembly which is connectable with a drilling string; (b) a lower assembly comprising a rotary drilling motor such that the lower assembly is subjected to a reactive torque during drilling as a result of the operation of the drilling motor; (c) an orientable rotatable connection between the upper assembly and the lower assembly; (d) a reactive torque control device associated with the orientable rotatable connection, wherein the reactive torque control device is actuatable to selectively allow rotation of the lower assembly relative to the upper assembly or prevent rotation of the lower assembly relative to the upper assembly; (e) an orientation sensing device for providing a sensed actual orientation of the lower assembly; and (f) a feedback control system associated with the reactive torque control device and the orientation sensing device, for actuating the reactive torque control device in response to the sensed actual orientation of the lower assembly in order to achieve a target orientation of the lower assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method of directional drilling of a borehole using an apparatus comprising an upper assembly connected with a drilling string, a lower assembly comprising a rotary drilling motor such that the lower assembly is subjected to reactive torque during drilling as a result of the operation of the drilling motor, an orientable rotatable connection between the upper assembly and the lower assembly, and a reactive torque control device associated with the orientable rotatable connection, wherein the reactive torque control device is actuatable to selectively allow rotation of the lower assembly relative to the upper assembly or prevent rotation of the lower assembly relative to the upper assembly, the method comprising the following:
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(a) actuating the reactive torque control device to prevent rotation of the lower assembly relative to the upper assembly; (b) providing a sensed actual orientation of the lower assembly; (c) comparing the sensed actual orientation of the lower assembly with a target orientation of the lower assembly; (d) actuating the reactive torque control device to allow the lower assembly to rotate relative to the upper assembly; (e) operating the drilling motor in order to provide the target orientation of the lower assembly; and (f) actuating the reactive torque control device to prevent rotation of the lower assembly relative to the upper assembly. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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Specification