Wellbore percussion adapter and tubular connection

• US 8,739,901 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2010
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NOV Worldwide C.V. (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NOV Worldwide C.V. (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cote, Bradley R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beach, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOIKITH, CATHERINE A
• Application Number:
  US12/878,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20110031020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 175/107, 175/57, 175/296
• US Class Current: 175/296
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 1/38 Hammer piston type, i.e. in which the tool bit or anvil is hit by an impulse member
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/042 Threaded
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/07 Telescoping joints for varying drill string lengths; Shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 4/10 continuous unidirectional rotary motion of shaft or drilling pipe effecting consecutive impacts
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 4/14 Fluid operated hammers
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/24 Drilling using vibrating or oscillating means, e.g. out-of-balance masses percussion drilling E21B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 15/001 with conical threads

Abstract

A percussion adapter that is driven to generate a percussive axial motion on a wellbore structure. One percussion adapter includes a drive connection to mechanically convert rotational drive to axially directed percussive motion. Another percussion adapter employs a valve that creates back pressure causing axially directed percussive motion. A wellbore tubular connection transitions torque to resist back off when left hand or right hand torque is applied.

Claims

1. A method for accelerating the drilling penetration of a rotary driven drill bit, the method comprising:

coupling a drilling accelerator to a rotor of a positive displacement motor the rotor being rotatable and the drilling accelerator including;

a housing,

a shaft coupled to the rotor and rotatable by the rotor,

a bit box sub moveable relative to the housing, and

a cam assembly having a first cam surface coupled to the housing and a second cam surface coupled to the bit box sub, wherein the first cam surface and the second cam surface are moveable relative to each other between a first configuration and a second configuration; and

delivering fluid through the motor to rotate the rotor and the shaft, thereby moving the cam assembly from the first configuration to the second configuration, thereby lifting the shaft and the housing away from the bit box sub; and

continuing to deliver fluid through the motor to rotate the rotor and the shaft, thereby moving the cam assembly from the second configuration to the first configuration, thereby enabling at least one of (a) the shaft impacting the bit box sub and (b) the first cam surface impacting the second cam surface, the impacting generating axial percussive force;

wherein the shaft impacting the bit box sub generates the axial percussive force;

wherein during impacting, the first cam surface is spaced from impact with the second cam surface.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising stopping the generation of axial percussive force by eliminating weight on bit.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising rotating the drill bit by rotation of a drill string to which the drilling accelerator is connected.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising rotating the drill bit by conveying rotational drive through the shaft and the bit box sub to the drill bit.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a threaded connection to accommodate left hand torque in the housing, the threaded connection including a collar including an upwardly facing box formed to accept a right hand thread form and a downwardly facing box formed to accept a left hand thread form.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising communicating the axial percussive force from the drilling accelerator to the drill bit.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising rotating the drill bit by conveying rotational drive through the shaft and the bit box sub to the drill bit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein rotating the shaft, rotates the second cam surface relative to the first cam surface to move the cam assembly between the first configuration and the second configuration.

9. A drilling accelerator comprising:

a housing;

a rotatable shaft;

a bit box sub moveable relative to the housing; and

a cam assembly having a first cam surface coupled to the housing and a second cam surface coupled to the bit box sub, wherein the first cam surface and the second cam surface are moveable relative to each other between a first configuration and a second configuration; and

rotation of the rotatable shaft moving the cam assembly from the first configuration to the second configuration, thereby lifting the rotatable shaft and the housing away from the bit box sub; and

continued rotation of the rotatable shaft moving the cam assembly from the second configuration to the first configuration, thereby enabling at least one of (a) the shaft impacting the bit box sub and (b) the first cam surface impacting the second cam surface, the impacting generating axial percussive force in the drilling accelerator;

wherein the rotatable shaft impacting the bit box sub generates the axial percussive force;

wherein when the rotatable shaft impacts the bit box sub, the first cam surface is spaced from impact with the second cam surface.

10. The drilling accelerator of claim 9 further comprising a connection between the rotatable shaft and the bit box sub, the connection communicating rotational drive from the rotatable shaft to the bit box sub and allowing axial movement of the bit box sub relative to the rotatable shaft between an impacting position and a position forming a gap between a lower surface of the rotatable shaft and an upper surface of the bit box sub.

11. The drilling accelerator of claim 9 further comprising a threaded connection to accommodate left hand torque in the housing, the threaded connection including a collar including an upwardly facing box formed to accept a right hand thread form and a downwardly facing box formed to accept a left hand thread form.

12. A drilling accelerator comprising:

a housing;

a rotatable shaft;

a bit box sub moveable relative to the housing; and

a cam assembly having a first cam surface coupled to the housing and a second cam surface coupled to the bit box sub, wherein the first cam surface and the second cam surface are moveable relatives to each other between a first configuration and a second configuration; and

rotation of the rotatable shat moving the cam assembly from the first configuration to the second configuration, thereby lifting the rotatable shaft and the housing away from the bit box sub; and

continued rotation of the rotatable shaft moving the cam assembly from the second configuration to the first configuration, thereby enabling at least one of (a) the shaft impacting the bit box sub and (b) the first earn surface impacting the second earn surface, the impacting generating axial percussive force in the drilling accelerator;

wherein the bit box sub is axially moveable in the housing between a compressed position with the first cam surface and the second cam surface in contact and an in-tension position where the second cam surface is spaced from the first surface and the cam assembly is unable to move between the first configuration and the second configuration.