Rotary steerable drilling tool

• US 6,837,315 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2002
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Martinez, Ruben, Pisoni, Attilio C., Kotsonis, Spyro, Schaaf, Stuart
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsay, Frank
• Application Number:
  US10/122,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20020175003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 175/61, 175/73, 175/27, 175/74, 175/250, 175/62, 175/269, 175/317, 175/324, 464/112, 464/158, 464/159, 464/147, 464/160
• US Class Current: 175/61
• 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

The invention refers to a rotary steerable drilling tool having a tool collar and a bit shaft. The bit shaft is supported within the tool collar for pivotal movement about a fixed position along the bit shaft. Moreover, the rotary steerable drilling tool includes a variable bit shaft angulating mechanism, located within the interior of the tool collar. The variable bit shaft angulating mechanism includes a motor, an offset mandrel, and a variable offset coupling. The motor is attached to the upper end of the offset mandrel and adapted to rotate the offset mandrel. The upper end of the variable offset coupling is uncoupleably attached to an offset location of the lower end of the offset mandrel, and the upper end of the bit shaft is rotatably coupled to the variable offset coupling. The rotary steerable drilling tool also includes a torque transmitting coupling adapted to transmit torque from the tool collar to the bit shaft at the fixed position along the bit shaft. Finally, a seal system is adapted to seal between the lower end of the tool collar and the bit shaft.

Claims

1. A rotary steerable drilling tool, comprising:

a tool collar comprising an interior, an upper end and a lower end,

a bit shaft comprising an exterior surface, an upper end and a lower ends the bit shaft being supported within the tool collar for pivotal movement about a fixed position along the bit shaft;

a variable bit shaft angulating mechanism, located within the interior of the tool collar, comprising a motor, an offset mandrel having an upper end and a lower end and a variable offset coupling, having an upper end and a lower end, the motor attached to the upper end of the offset mandrel and adapted to rotate the offset mandrel, the upper end of variable offset coupling being uncoupleably attached to an offset location of the lower end of the offset mandrel, and the upper end of the bit shaft being rotatably coupled to the variable offset coupling;

a torque transmitting coupling adapted to transmit torque from the tool collar to the bit shaft at the fixed position along the bit shaft; and

a seal system adapted to seal between the lower end of the collar and the bit shaft.

2. The rotary steerable drilling tool according to claim 1, farther comprising a lock ring adapted to uncoupleably attach the variable offset coupling to the offset location of the offset mandrel.

3. The rotary steerable drilling tool according to claim 2 further comprising an actuator adapted to uncouple the offset mandrel from the variable offset coupling.

4. The rotary steerable drilling tool according to claim 3 wherein the lock ring comprises an outer ring on which the actuator acts.

5. The rotary steerable drilling tool according to claim 4 wherein the actuator comprises a linear actuator.

6. The rotary steerable drilling tool according to claim 5 wherein the linear actuator comprises a motor/ball screw assembly.

7. The rotary steerable drilling tool according to claim 6 wherein the motor is an annular motor.

8. The rotary steerable drilling tool according to claim 1, the bit shaft, at the fixed point, comprising a plurality of protrusions extending radially from the exterior surface of the drill bit shaft, wherein the torque transmitting coupling comprises,

a ring having an inner surface and a perimeter and a plurality of perforations around the perimeter, wherein the ring surrounds the bit shaft and each protrusion is aligned with a perforation of the ring;

a plurality of cylinders comprising lower ends, each lower end having a slot;

wherein the cylinders are located within the perforations of the ring and the protrusions enter the slot, of the cylinder.

9. The rotary steerable drilling tool according to claim 8 wherein the inner surface of the ring comprises plurality of slots each slot intersecting a perforation of the ring.

10. The rotary steerable drilling tool according to claim 9 wherein the ring is fixed to the inner surface of the tool collar.

11. The rotary steerable drilling tool according to claim 10 the ring and the inner surface of the tool collar having cross sections wherein the cross sections are polygons.

12. The rotary steerable drilling toot according to claim 1, wherein the seal system comprises;

a bellows seal located between the tool collar and the drill bit shaft,

a ring located between the tool collar and the drill bit shaft and located at the lower end of the tool collar, the ring having an upper end and a lower end.

13. The rotary steerable drilling tool according to claim 12 wherein a pressure between the interior of the tool collar and fluid pressure in a well is equalized by a pressure compensation system comprising a conduit passing through the tool collar and a slidable piston being located within the tool collar, having an upper and lower side wherein the upper side of the piston is exposed to the fluid pressure of the well.

14. The rotary steerable chilling tool according to claim 13 wherein the ring is adapted to substantially close a gap between the bit shaft and the lower end of the tool collar.

15. The rotary steerable drilling tool according to claim 14 wherein the drill bit shaft exterior surface, at a location where the drill bit shaft exits the tool collar, has a concave spherical surface.

16. The rotary steerable drilling tool according to claim 15 wherein the upper end of the ring has a convex spherical surface adapted to mate with the concave spherical surface of the drill bit shaft.

17. The rotary steerable drilling tool according to claim 1 wherein the motor is an annular motor.

18. The rotary steerable drilling tool according to claim 17 further comprising a tube adapted to conduct drilling fluid from an upper end of the motor to the upper end of the drill bit shaft.

19. The rotary steerable drilling tool according to claim 18 wherein the tube comprises a titanium alloy.

20. A variable bit shaft angulating mechanism comprising:

a motor,

an offset mandrel comprising an upper end and a lower end, the motor attached at the upper end of the offset mandrel and adapted to rotate the offset mandrel,

a variable offset coupling mechanism comprising an upper end and a lower end; and

a lock ring,

wherein the lock ring is adapted to uncoupleably attach the upper end of the variable offset coupling at an offset location of the lower end of the offset mandrel.

21. The variable bit shaft angulating mechanism according to claim 20 further comprising an actuator adapted to uncouple the offset mandrel from the variable offset coupling.

22. The variable bit shaft angulating mechanism according to claim 21 wherein the lock ring comprises an outer ring on which the actuator acts.

23. The variable bit shaft angulating mechanism according to claim 22 wherein the actuator comprises a linear actuator.

24. The variable bit shaft angulating mechanism according to claim 23, wherein the liner actuator comprises a motor/ball screw.

25. A torque transmitting coupling comprising:

a first shaft comprising a periphery;

protrusions extending from the periphery of the first shaft;

a second shaft comprising a inner surface and a ring, the ring having an inner surface and a plurality of perforations around its perimeter and surrounding the first shaft, each protrusion being aligned with one perforation of the ring; and

a plurality of cylinders each comprising a lower end, each lower end having a slot;

wherein the plurality of cylinders are located within the plurality of perforations of the ring and the protrusions enter the slot of the lower end of each of the plurality of cylinders.

26. The torque transmitting coupling according to claim 25 wherein the inner surface of the ring comprises a plurality of slots that intersect the perforations of the ring.

27. The torque transmitting coupling according to claim 26 wherein at least a portion of the first shaft is enclosed by the second shaft.

28. The torque transmitting coupling according to claim 27 wherein the ring is fixed within the second shaft.

29. The torque transmitting coupling according to claim 28 wherein the ring and the second shaft have a polygonal cross section.

30. A rotary steerable drilling tool comprising:

a tool collar comprising an interior, an upper end and a lower end;

a bit shaft comprising an exterior surface, an upper end and a lower end, the bit shaft being supported within the tool collar for pivotal movement about a fixed position along the bit shaft;

a variable bit shaft angulating mechanism, comprising;

a motor;

an offset mandrel comprising an upper end and a lower end, the motor attached at the upper end of the offset mandrel and adapted to rotate the offset mandrel;

a variable offset coupling mechanism comprising an upper end and a lower end, and

a lock ring;

wherein the lock ring is adapted to uncoupleably attach the upper end of the variable offset coupling at an offset location of the lower end of the offset mandrel;

a torque transmitting coupling adapted to transmit torque from the tool collar to the bit shaft at the fixed position along the bit shaft; and

a seal system adapted to seal between the lower end of the collar and the bit shaft.

31. A rotary steerable drilling tool comprising:

a tool collar comprising an interior, an upper end and a lower end;

a bit shaft comprising an exterior surface, an upper end and a lower end, the bit shaft being supported within the tool collar for pivotal movement about a fixed position along the bit shaft;

a variable bit shaft angulating mechanism, located within the interior of the tool collar, comprising a motor, an offset mandrel having an upper end and a lower end and a variable offset coupling, having an upper end and a lower end, the motor attached to the upper end of the offset mandrel and adapted to rotate the offset mandrel, the upper end of variable offset coupling being uncoupleably attached to an offset location of the lower end of the offset mandrel, and the upper end of the bit shaft being rotatably coupled to the variable offset coupling;

a torque transmitting coupling comprising;

a first shaft comprising a periphery;

protrusions extending from the periphery of the first shaft;

a second shaft comprising a inner surface and a ring, the ring having an inner surface and a plurality of perforations around its perimeter and surrounding the first shaft, each protrusion being aligned with one perforation of the ring;

a plurality of cylinders each comprising a lower end, the each lower end having a slot;

wherein the plurality of cylinders are located within the plurality of perforations of the ring and the protrusions enter the slot in the lower end of each of the plurality of cylinders; and

a seal system adapted to seal between the lower end of the collar and the bit shaft.