Method and apparatus for cementing drill strings in place for one pass drilling and completion of oil and gas wells

• US 7,228,901 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2005
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC (Weatherford International PLC)
• Original Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb Incorporated (Weatherford International PLC)
• Inventors: Chitwood, James E., Vail, William Banning III
• Primary Examiner(s): TSAY, FRANK
• Application Number:
  US11/292,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20060137911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 175/22, 175/171, 175/92
• US Class Current: 166/250.01
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/14 for cementing casings into boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/16 using plugs for isolating cement charge; Plugs therefor stage cementing E21B33/146; spacer compositions C09K8/424
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/20 Driving or forcing casings or pipes into boreholes, e.g. sinking; Simultaneously drilling and casing boreholes

Abstract

The steel drill string attached to a drilling bit during typical rotary drilling operations used to drill oil and gas wells is used for a second purpose as the casing that is cemented in place during typical oil and gas well completions. Methods of operation are described that provide for the efficient installation a cemented steel cased well wherein the drill string and the drill bit are cemented into place during one single drilling pass down into the earth. The normal mud passages or watercourses present in the rotary drill bit are used for the second independent purpose of passing cement into the annulus between the casing and the well while cementing the drill string into place during one single pass into the earth. A one-way cement valve is installed near the drill bit of the drill string that allows the cement to set up efficiently under ambiently hydrostatic conditions while the drill string and drill bit are cemented into place during one single drilling pass into the earth.

Claims

1. A method of drilling a wellbore, comprising:

providing a casing string having;

a drilling assembly disposed at a lower end of the casing string; and

an annular recess profile formed in an inner surface of the casing string, wherein the annular recess profile is located above the drilling assembly, drilling the wellbore using the casing string and the drilling assembly;

engaging a one-way valve to the annular recess profile; and

pumping cement through the casing string and the one-way valve.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising pumping the one-way valve down the casing string until the one-way valve engages into the annular recess profile.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one-way valve is in sealing engagement with the casing string.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising allowing the cement to cure under ambient hydrostatic conditions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one-way valve comprises a float valve.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising drilling out at least a portion of the one-way valve.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising releasing a first plug and coupling the first plug to the one-way valve.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising releasing a second plug and coupling the second plug to the first plug.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one-way valve includes a radially extendable latch for latching to the annular recess profile.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one-way valve includes a seal for sealing engagement with the casing string.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting geological information regarding a formation proximate the wellbore.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the geological information is collected using a measuring-while-drilling technique, a logging-while-drilling technique, or combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing a trajectory of the wellbore.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving a portion of the casing string from the wellbore by fishing.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein engaging the annular recess profile comprises latching to the annular recess profile.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the one-way valve releasably engages the annular recess profile.

17. A drill string for drilling a wellbore, comprising:

a casing string having a bore;

a drilling assembly coupled to a lower end of the casing string; and

a recess profile formed in a surface of the bore; and

a one-way valve adapted to engage the recess profile.

18. The drill string of claim 17, wherein the one-way valve is adapted to releasably engage the recess profile.

19. The drill string of claim 17, wherein the one-way valve includes a self-locking mechanism for engaging the recess profile.

20. The drill string of claim 19, wherein the self-locking mechanism comprises a radially extendable latch adapted to engage the recess profile.

21. The drill string of claim 17, wherein the recess profile is an annular groove.

22. A cement valve assembly for use with a drill string, comprising:

a tubular body connectable to the drill string, wherein the tubular body includes a bore extending therethrough;

a recess profile formed in a surface of the bore; and

a cement valve adapted to engage the recess profile.

23. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the cement valve is a one-way valve.

24. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the cement valve includes a latch for engaging the recess profile.

25. The assembly of claim 24, wherein the latch is radially extendable.

26. The assembly of claim 24, wherein the latch is adapted to releasably engage the recess profile.

27. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the drill string comprises casing.

28. The assembly of claim 22, wherein an upper portion of the cement valve is adapted to receive a cement plug.

29. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the cement valve includes a seal for sealing engagement with the drill string.

30. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the cement valve includes a self-locking mechanism for engaging the recess profile.

31. The assembly of claim 30, wherein the self-locking mechanism comprises a mechanically biased latch.