DIRECTIONAL DRILLING SYSTEMS

• US 20130213713A1
• Filed: 01/22/2013
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: SMITH, Raymond C., KANJI, Karim N.
• Granted Patent: US 9,556,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 175/45
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/06 Deflecting the direction of boreholes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/068 drilled by a down-hole drilling motor down-hole drives per se E21B4/00, E21B7/067 takes precedence

Abstract

A directional drilling system for use in drilling a wellbore can include a bit deflection assembly with a bit axis deflection mechanism which applies a deflecting force to a shaft connected to a drill bit. The deflecting force may deflect the shaft, without being reacted between the deflection mechanism and the drill bit. The deflecting force may deflect the shaft between the drill bit and a radial bearing which maintains the shaft centered in the bit deflection assembly. The deflection mechanism may both angularly deflect and laterally displace the bit axis in the deflection mechanism.

Claims

1. A directional drilling system for use in drilling a wellbore, the system comprising:

a bit deflection assembly including a bit axis deflection mechanism which applies a deflecting force to a shaft connected to a drill bit, and

wherein the deflecting force deflects the shaft without being reacted between the deflection mechanism and the drill bit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the deflection mechanism is interconnected between the drill bit and an articulation which permits deflection of the shaft.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the articulation comprises a constant velocity joint.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the articulation comprises a splined ball joint.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the articulation comprises a flexible torsion rod.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the deflection mechanism rotates the bit axis about an inclined axis.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the inclined axis is formed in an inclined cylinder which is rotated about the shaft.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the deflection mechanism laterally displaces the bit axis.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the deflection mechanism angularly deflects the bit axis.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the deflection mechanism angularly deflects and laterally displaces the bit axis.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the deflection mechanism deflects the shaft in a succession of separate steps.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein a housing which encloses the deflection mechanism is non-cylindrical.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein a housing which encloses the deflection mechanism has an oblong lateral cross-section.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a laterally extendable structure which selectively laterally deflects the bit deflection assembly.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the structure applies a biasing force to a wall of the wellbore in response to a signal transmitted from a remote location.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the deflection mechanism is positioned between the extendable structure and the drill bit.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein a sensor senses multiple different deflections of the bit axis by the deflection mechanism.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein a signal indicating a deflection of the bit axis is transmitted to a remote location.

19. A directional drilling system for use in drilling a wellbore, the system comprising:

a bit deflection assembly including a bit axis deflection mechanism which applies a deflecting force to a first shaft connected to a drill bit, and

wherein the deflecting force deflects the first shaft between the drill bit and a radial bearing which maintains a second shaft centered in the bit deflection assembly.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the deflection mechanism is interconnected between the drill bit and an articulation which permits deflection of the first shaft relative to the second shaft.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the articulation comprises a constant velocity joint.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the articulation comprises a splined ball joint.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the articulation comprises a flexible torsion rod.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the deflection mechanism rotates the bit axis about an inclined axis.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the inclined axis is formed in an inclined cylinder which is rotated about the first shaft.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the deflection mechanism laterally displaces the bit axis.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the deflection mechanism angularly deflects the bit axis.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein the deflection mechanism angularly deflects and laterally displaces the bit axis.

29. The system of claim 19, wherein the deflection mechanism deflects the shaft in a succession of separate steps.

30. The system of claim 19, wherein a housing which encloses the deflection mechanism is non-cylindrical.

31. The system of claim 19, wherein a housing which encloses the deflection mechanism has an oblong lateral cross-section.

32. The system of claim 19, further comprising a laterally extendable structure which selectively laterally deflects the bit deflection assembly.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the structure applies a biasing force to a wall of the wellbore in response to a signal transmitted from a remote location.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the deflection mechanism is positioned between the extendable structure and the drill bit.

35. The system of claim 19, wherein a sensor senses multiple different deflections of the bit axis by the deflection mechanism.

36. The system of claim 19, wherein a signal indicating a deflection of the bit axis is transmitted to a remote location.

37. The system of claim 19, wherein the bit deflection assembly is free of any radial bearing which is positioned between the deflection mechanism and the drill bit, and which maintains the first shaft laterally centered.

38. A directional drilling system for use in drilling a wellbore, the system comprising:

a bit deflection assembly including a bit axis deflection mechanism which applies a deflecting force to a shaft connected to a drill bit, and

wherein the deflection mechanism angularly deflects and laterally displaces the bit axis in the deflection mechanism.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the deflecting force deflects the shaft without being reacted between the deflection mechanism and the drill bit.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the deflection mechanism is interconnected between the drill bit and an articulation which permits deflection of the shaft.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the articulation comprises a constant velocity joint.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the articulation comprises a splined ball joint.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein the articulation comprises a flexible torsion rod.

44. The system of claim 38, wherein the deflection mechanism rotates the bit axis about an inclined axis.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the inclined axis is formed in an inclined cylinder which is rotated about the shaft.

46. The system of claim 38, wherein the deflection mechanism deflects the shaft in a succession of separate steps.

47. The system of claim 38, wherein a housing which encloses the deflection mechanism is non-cylindrical.

48. The system of claim 38, wherein a housing which encloses the deflection mechanism has an oblong lateral cross-section.

49. The system of claim 38, further comprising a laterally extendable structure which selectively laterally deflects the bit deflection assembly.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the structure applies a biasing force to a wall of the wellbore in response to a signal transmitted from a remote location.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein the deflection mechanism is positioned between the extendable structure and the drill bit.

52. The system of claim 38, wherein a sensor senses multiple different deflections of the bit axis by the deflection mechanism.

53. The system of claim 38, wherein a signal indicating a deflection of the bit axis is transmitted to a remote location.