Bore lining and drilling

• US 7,004,264 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC (Weatherford International PLC)
• Original Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb Incorporated (Weatherford International PLC)
• Inventors: Harrall, Simon John, Simpson, Neil Andrew Abercrombie
• Primary Examiner(s): GAY, JENNIFER HAWKINS
• Application Number:
  US10/388,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20030217865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 166/277, 166/378, 166/380, 166/381, 166/382, 166/384, 166/387, 166/206, 166/207, 166/208, 166/242.2, 166/242.6, 175/57, 175/22, 175/23, 175/53, 175/171, 175/257, 175/258, 175/263, 175/290
• US Class Current: 175/57
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/32 with expansible cutting tools
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/103 of expandable casings, screens, liners, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/20 Driving or forcing casings or pipes into boreholes, e.g. sinking; Simultaneously drilling and casing boreholes

Abstract

A method of lining and drilling a bore (10) comprises the steps of mounting a first section of bore-lining tubing (20) on the lower end portion of a drill string (18). The method also includes running the drill string and tubing into a bore having an unlined section and an existing tubing lined section, locating the first tubing section (20) in the unlined section, uncoupling the first tubing section (20) from the drill string (18), and drilling the bore beyond the first tubing section.

Claims

1. A method of lining and drilling a bore, the method comprising:

mounting a first tubing section on a drill string;

running the drill string and the first tubing section into a pre-existing bore having an unlined section and a lined section lined with an existing tubing;

locating at least part of the first tubing section in the unlined section;

lowering a drill bit through at least a portion of the first tubing section; and

drilling the bore beyond the first tubing section.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising locating the first tubing section relative to the existing tubing such that the first tubing section overlaps the existing tubing.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising locating the first tubing section such that an upper end of the first tubing section overlaps a lower end of the existing tubing.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising expanding the first tubing section while lowering the drill bit.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising expanding the first tubing section at least in part by application of a mechanical expansion force.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising expanding the first tubing section by rotary expansion.

7. The method of claim 5, comprising expanding the first tubing section by advancing an expansion cone axially through the tubing.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising mounting a tubing expander on the string, and operating the tubing expander to expand the first tubing section.

9. The method of claim 4, comprising expanding the first tubing section at least in part by application of fluid pressure force.

10. The method of claim 4, comprising expanding the first tubing section by a combination of mechanical and fluid pressure expansion forces.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising mounting the drill bit on the drill string.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising initially locating the bit within the first tubing section.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising initially locating the bit above the first tubing section.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising reconfiguring the bit to drill a bore of larger diameter than the internal diameter of the first tubing section.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting a hanger to couple the first tubing section to the existing tubing.

16. The method of claim 1, comprising expanding the first tubing section into contact with the existing tubing.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising expanding the existing tubing while expanding the first tubing section.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing existing tubing with a larger diameter lower end to accommodate the expanded upper end of the first tubing section.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising sealing the first tubing section in the bore.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising cementing the first tubing section in the bore.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein, following drilling of a section of bore beyond the first tubing section, the drill string and drill bit are pulled out of the bore, and the method is then repeated using a further tubing section of length corresponding to the unlined bore section which has been drilled beyond the first tubing section.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the first section of bore-lining tubing comprises an enclosed lower end.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising drilling through the enclosed lower end.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the tubing lined section includes an increased diameter portion.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tubing section and the tubing lined section have a substantially equivalent inner diameter following the expanding.

26. The method of claim 1 further comprising initially locating the bit in an upper portion of the first tubing section.

27. A method of lining and drilling a bore, the method comprising:

mounting a bore-lining tubing on a drill string coupled to a drill bit;

running the drill string and tubing into a pre-existing bore having an unlined section;

locating at least part of the tubing in the unlined section;

exanding the tubing while lowering the drill bit through the tubing; and

drilling the bore beyond the tubing.

28. An apparatus for use in lining and drilling a bore, the apparatus comprising:

a bore-lining tubing coupled to a drill string; and

a drill bit coupled to the drill string, wherein the bit is initially located in an upper portion of the bore-lining tubing and adapted to pass through the tubing and then to be utilised to drill a bore.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the drill bit is adapted to drill a bore of larger diameter than the internal diameter of the tubing.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the tubing is expandable.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a tubing expander coupled to the string, the expander being operable to expand the tubing.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the tubing expander is a rotary expander.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the tubing expander is a cone.

34. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a coupling adapted for coupling the tubing to tubing previously located in the bore.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the coupling is activated by expanding the tubing into contact with the tubing previously located in the bore.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the coupling is adapted for coupling an upper end of the tubing to a lower end of the tubing located in the bore.

37. A method of lining and drilling a bore, the method comprising:

mounting a first tubing section on a drill string;

mounting a drill bit on the drill string;

initially locating the bit above the first tubing section;

running the drill string and the first tubing section into a pre-existing bore having an unlined section and a lined section lined with an existing tubing;

locating at least part of the first tubing section in the unlined section; and

drilling the bore beyond the first tubing section.

38. A method of lining and drilling a bore, the method comprising:

mounting a tubing on a drill string coupled to a drill bit;

initially locating the drill bit in an upper portion of the tubing;

running the drill string and the tubing into a bore having an unlined section and a lined section; and

drilling the bore beyond the tubing.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising coupling an expander to the drill bit.

40. The method of claim 38, further comprising expanding the tubing while lowering the drill bit along the tubing.