Downhole turbine

• US 8,297,375 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2008
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Hall, David R., Dahlgren, Scott, Marshall, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hoang
• Application Number:
  US12/262,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20090057016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 175/107, 175/57, 175/324
• US Class Current: 175/57
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/42 Rotary drag type drill bits with teeth, blades or like cutting elements, e.g. fork-type bits, fish tail bits characterised by wear resisting parts E21B10/46; by conduits or nozzles for drilling fluid E21B10/60; by detachable or adjustable parts E21B10/62
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/62 characterised by parts, e.g. cutting elements, which are detachable or adjustable E21B10/64 takes precedence; for roller bits E21B10/20; for augers E21B10/44
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 4/14 Fluid operated hammers
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/068 drilled by a down-hole drilling motor down-hole drives per se E21B4/00, E21B7/067 takes precedence

Abstract

In one aspect of the present invention, a drill bit has a jack element that is substantially coaxial with an axis of rotation of the drill bit and the jack element has an asymmetrical distal end that extends beyond a working face of the drill bit. A turbine is located within a bore formed in the drill bit and a flow valve is actuated by the turbine. The flow valve is adapted to route a drilling fluid in the bore into a porting mechanism adapted to extend the jack element farther beyond the working surface of the drill bit. The turbine is also adapted to rotate the jack element at variable speeds.

Claims

1. A pipe segment, comprising;

a cylindrical body having an inner surface defining a longitudinal bore;

an inlet in fluid communication with said longitudinal bore, said inlet adapted to receive a flow of a fluid;

a turbine having a plurality of blades and said turbine being disposed within said longitudinal bore;

a flow guide disposed within said longitudinal bore about said plurality of blades, said flow guide adapted to guide said flow of a fluid in said pipe segment across said turbine;

an actuating mechanism disposed within said longitudinal bore and configured to cause said flow guide to change from a first position to a second position;

a jack element disposed proximate a working surface of the pipe segment;

a porting mechanism adapted to extend said jack element beyond the working surface of the pipe segment; and

a flow valve in mechanical communication with said turbine, said flow valve being actuated by said turbine and adapted to route said flow of a fluid into said porting mechanism to extend said jack element.

2. The pipe segment of claim 1, wherein said pipe segment is incorporated into a drill string.

3. The pipe segment of claim 2, wherein fluid pressure fluctuations within said bore due to a change of a rotational speed of said turbine is detectable elsewhere along said drill string.

4. The pipe segment of claim 1, wherein the pipe segment is incorporated into an oil pipeline, a gas pipeline, a sewage pipeline, a water pipeline, or combinations thereof.

5. The pipe segment of claim 1, wherein said pipe segment is a drill bit.

6. The pipe segment of claim 1, wherein said flow valve is adapted to route said flow of a fluid from said porting mechanism out of the porting mechanism.

7. The pipe segment of claim 1, wherein said porting mechanism includes a piston adapted to extend said jack element beyond a working surface of said drill bit.

8. The pipe segment of claim 1, wherein said jack element has an asymmetrical distal end.

9. The pipe segment of claim 1, wherein said turbine is adapted to rotate said jack element at variable speeds.

10. The pipe segment of claim 1, wherein said turbine rotates said jack element in a direction opposite to a direction of rotation of said drill bit.

11. The pipe segment of claim 1, further comprising magnets connected to said jack element and sensors disposed proximate said magnets, wherein said sensors are adapted to detect an orientation of said jack element and a rotational speed of said jack element.

12. The pipe segment of claim 1, wherein said actuating mechanism includes a solenoid valve, an aspirator, a hydraulic piston, a pump, a dc motor, an ac motor, or a rack and pinion.

13. The pipe segment of claim 1, wherein said turbine actuates an electrical generator disposed in said pipe segment.

14. The pipe segment of claim 1 further comprising a gear box disposed between said turbine and said flow valve, wherein said gear box is adapted to transfer torque from said turbine to said flow valve.

15. The pipe segment of claim 1, wherein said mechanism is adapted to change an engagement angle of said turbine blades and/or stator associated with the turbine.

16. The pipe segment of claim 1, wherein said pipe segment is in data communication with a telemetry network.

17. A method for adjusting the rotational speed of a turbine, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing a pipe segment having a turbine with a plurality of blades, said turbine located within a bore of said pipe segment, a flow guide disposed in said bore about said plurality of blades said flow guide having a first end with a diameter larger than a diameter of a second end, and an actuator disposed within said bore adapted to move said flow guide along a central axis of the bore towards and away from a bottom end of the turbine;

directing a drilling fluid flow across said turbine; and

causing said actuator to move said flow guide along a central axis of the bore towards or away from a bottom end of said turbine.