Drilling subsurface wellbores with cutting structures

• US 7,841,425 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2008
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Guimerans, Rosalvina Ramona, Mansure, Arthur James
• Primary Examiner(s): BOMAR, THOMAS S
• Application Number:
  US12/106,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20090078461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 175/57, 175/12, 175/17, 175/320, 175/349, 175/401
• US Class Current: 175/57
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/845 containing inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/86 containing organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/008 Controlling or regulating of liquefaction processes
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/02 by distillation
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/04 by extraction
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/042 by the use of hydrogen-donor solvents
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/04 using electrical heaters
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/16 Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/24 using heat, e.g. steam injection
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2401 by means of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49083 Heater type

Abstract

A system for forming a wellbore includes a drill tubular. A drill bit is coupled to the drill tubular. One or more cutting structures are coupled to the drill tubular above the drill bit. The cutting structures remove at least a portion of formation that extends into the wellbore formed by the drill bit.

Claims

1. A system for forming a wellbore in a heated formation, comprising:

a drill tubular;

a drill bit coupled to the drill tubular; and

one or more cutting structures coupled to the drill tubular above the drill bit, wherein the cutting structures are configured to remove at least a portion of the heated formation that extends into the wellbore formed by the drill bit;

wherein the wellbore is configured to be formed by the drill bit in the heated formation, the heated formation having been heated by one or more heat sources located in the formation prior to the wellbore being formed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the cutting structures are positioned away from the drill bit and oriented upwards to facilitate removal of formation extending in the wellbore as the drill tubular is moved upwards.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the cutting structures are positioned on an outside portion of the drill tubular, and wherein the one or more cutting structures extend radially beyond the drill tubular.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the cutting structures are positioned away from the drill bit and oriented downward to facilitate removal of formation extending in the wellbore as the drill bit moves downwards.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more upward facing cutting structures on the drill bit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the cutting structures are coupled to a bottom hole assembly.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the cutting structures are located at or near a section of the drill tubular where the diameter of the drill tubular changes.

8. A method for forming a wellbore in a heated formation, comprising:

forming the wellbore in the heated formation using a drill bit, wherein the heated formation has been previously heated by one or more heat sources located in the formation; and

using cutting structures positioned above the drill bit to remove heated formation that expands into the wellbore.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein one or more of the cutting structures are oriented downwards to facilitate removal of formation extending into the wellbore as the drill bit is moved downwards.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein one or more of the cutting structures are oriented upwards to facilitate removal of formation extending into the wellbore when the drill bit is moved upwards in the wellbore.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein one or more of the cutting structures are coupled to a drill string at or near a change in diameter of the drill string.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein one or more of the cutting structures extend radially past a drill string coupled to the drill bit.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the formation adjacent to the wellbore has been previously heated by electric heaters.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the formation adjacent to the wellbore has been previously heated by introduction of a hot fluid into the formation.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the formation adjacent to the wellbore has been previously heated by combustion of hydrocarbons in the formation.

16. The method of claim 8, further comprising removing cuttings created by the cutting structures with circulated drilling fluid.

17. A method of forming a wellbore in a heated formation, comprising:

forming the wellbore in the heated formation using a bottom hole assembly, wherein the heated formation has been previously heated by one or more heat sources located in the formation; and

cutting the formation with cutting structures to remove heated portions of the formation that expand into the wellbore after the wellbore is formed with the bottom hole assembly.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein one or more of the cutting structures are coupled to the bottom hole assembly.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein one or more of the cutting structures are oriented downwards to facilitate removal of formation extending into the wellbore as the drill bit is moved downwards.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein one or more of the cutting structures are oriented upwards to facilitate removal of formation extending into the wellbore when the drill bit is moved upwards in the wellbore.