Apparatus and methods for drilling with casing
First Claim
1. An energy transfer assembly for use while lowering a casing in a wellbore, comprising:
- a motor portion operatively connected to the casing, the motor portion rotatable by fluid traveling in the casing, the motor portion having an impeller;
a pump section operatively connected to the motor portion and in fluid communication with an annulus of the wellbore, the pump section having at least one blade and constructed and arranged to rotate in response to rotation of the motor portion to add energy to fluid traveling in the annulus; and
a housing for the at least one blade, the housing extending at least partially into the annulus and having at least one port for the entry of fluid from the annulus and one port for the exit thereof.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus and methods to reduce ECD and pressure associated therewith while drilling with casing. In one aspect, the invention provides an energy transfer assembly locatable at a predetermined location in a casing string. The assembly includes an impeller portion in the interior of the casing to be acted upon by the downward moving fluid in the casing and a pump portion disposed outwardly of the impeller portion and arranged in fluid communication with the upward moving fluid in the annulus between the casing and the borehole, adding energy thereto and reducing pressure in the annulus therebelow. In another aspect, the energy transfer assembly is retrievable to the surface of the wellbore prior to cementing. In a further aspect, fluid ports between the interior and exterior of the casing are remotely sealable prior to cementing.
-
Citations
33 Claims
-
1. An energy transfer assembly for use while lowering a casing in a wellbore, comprising:
-
a motor portion operatively connected to the casing, the motor portion rotatable by fluid traveling in the casing, the motor portion having an impeller; a pump section operatively connected to the motor portion and in fluid communication with an annulus of the wellbore, the pump section having at least one blade and constructed and arranged to rotate in response to rotation of the motor portion to add energy to fluid traveling in the annulus; and a housing for the at least one blade, the housing extending at least partially into the annulus and having at least one port for the entry of fluid from the annulus and one port for the exit thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A removable energy transfer assembly for use in a tubular string run-in to a wellbore comprising:
-
a motor portion and a pump portion, the motor portion in fluid communication with fluid in the tubular string and the pump portion in fluid communication with fluid in an annulus; at least one latch assembly temporarily holding at least a portion of the assembly in an interior of the tubular string, the latch assembly being selectively disengageable; an isolating member axially movable in the tubular to seal the tubular string as the energy transfer assembly is removed. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A drilling assembly for forming a wellbore, comprising:
-
a casing having a drilling member disposed at a lower portion thereof; an energy transfer assembly coupled to the casing, the energy transfer assembly having; a motor portion in fluid communication with fluid in the casing; and a pump portion in fluid communication with fluid in an annular area between the casing and the wellbore, wherein the energy transfer assembly is adapted to transfer energy from fluid traveling in the casing to fluid traveling in the annular area. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 31, 32, 33)
-
-
21. An energy transfer assembly for use while lowering a casing in a wellbore, comprising:
-
motor portion operatively connected to the casing, the motor portion rotatable by fluid traveling in the casing; a pump section operatively connected to the motor portion and in fluid communication with an annulus of the wellbore, the pump section constructed and arranged to rotate in response to rotation of the motor portion to add energy to fluid traveling in the annulus; and a sleeve member, the sleeve member shiftable from a first position to a second position in the casing, wherein, in the second position, the sleeve member is adapted to isolate the interior of the casing from the annulus. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. An energy transfer assembly for use while lowering a casing in a wellbore, comprising:
-
motor portion operatively connected to the casing, the motor portion rotatable by fluid traveling in the casing; a pump section operatively connected to the motor portion and in fluid communication with an annulus of the wellbore, the pump section constructed and arranged to rotate in response to rotation of the motor portion to add energy to fluid traveling in the annulus; and a drilling member disposed at a lower portion of the casing. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
-
-
30. A method of lowering a casing assembly in a wellbore, comprising:
-
providing the casing assembly with; a casing; a drilling member disposed at a lower portion of the casing; an energy transfer assembly having; a motor portion in fluid communication with an interior of the casing; and a pump portion in fluid communication with an annular area between the casing and the wellbore, wherein the energy transfer assembly is adapted to transfer energy from fluid traveling in the casing to fluid traveling in the annular area; supplying fluid in the casing to activate the motor portion; rotating the drilling member; and adding energy to fluid traveling in the annular area.
-
Specification