Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080236894 | Hydraulic Jar and an Overpressure Relief Mechanism Therefor - A hydraulic jar for a drilling assembly is disclosed. In some embodiments, the hydraulic jar includes a tubular housing, a mandrel disposed in the housing, an annulus between the mandrel and the housing, and a pressure relief mechanism disposed in the annulus. The pressure relief mechanism generally divides the annulus into first and second portions. The pressure relief mechanism includes first and second annular members in engagement with one another when the pressure in the second annulus portion is less than a predetermined value and a fluid flow path between the first and second annulus portions. The fluid flow path has a first size when the pressure in the second annulus portion is less than the predetermined value, and a second size that is larger than the first size when the pressure in the second annulus portion becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined value. | 10-02-2008 |
20090275415 | DRIVE SHAFT ASSEMBLY FOR A DOWNHOLE MOTOR - A drive shaft assembly for a downhole motor includes a drive shaft formed with convexly spherical bearing surfaces on each end, and end housings with concavely spherical bearing surfaces for mating contact with the spherical bearing surfaces of the drive shaft, thereby facilitating omni-directional articulation between the drive shaft and the end housings while transferring axial thrust loads between the drive shaft and end housings across the interface of the mating spherical bearing surfaces. Torque is transferred between the drive shaft and end housings through two or alternatively four swivelling drive keys mounted to each end of the drive shaft and engageable with complementary drive key slots in the end housings. Full and constant torque-transferring contact is thus provided between the swivelling drive keys and the end housings irrespective of any angular offset between the drive shaft and the end housings, resulting from omni-directional articulation of the drive shaft relative to the end housing. The omni-directional center of rotation at each end of the drive shaft coincides with the geometric centerpoint of the corresponding convexly spherical bearing surface, which corresponds to the intersection of the drive shaft's rotational axis, the end housing's rotational axis, and the drive key swivel axis. | 11-05-2009 |
20100326730 | Sealing System and Bi-Directional Thrust Bearing Arrangement for a Downhole Motor - A bearing assembly for a downhole motor comprises a housing having an upper end, a lower end, a radially inner surface, and a radially outer surface. In addition, the bearing assembly comprises a mandrel rotatably disposed within the housing. Further, the bearing assembly comprises an upper seal assembly, a lower seal assembly, and a thrust bearing assembly, each radially positioned between the housing and the mandrel. The bearing assembly also comprises a lubricating fluid radially disposed between the housing and the mandrel. The lower end of the housing comprises a first check valve radially positioned between the radially inner surface and the radially outer surface of the housing. The check valve is in fluid communication with the lubricating fluid and is adapted to allow at least a portion of the lubricant to exit the bearing assembly at a predetermined pressure differential. | 12-30-2010 |
20110036631 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING DOWNHOLE ROTATIONAL RATE OF A DRILLING TOOL - A downhole rotational rate control apparatus, adapted for coupling to the lower end of a drill string, includes a progressive cavity (PC) motor, a driveshaft, a mud flow control valve, and an electronics section. Drilling mud flowing downward through the drill string is partially diverted to flow upward through the PC motor and out into the wellbore annulus, with the mud flow rate and, in turn, the PC motor speed being controlled by the mud flow control valve. The control valve is actuated by a control motor in response to inputs from a sensor assembly in the electronics section. The PC motor drives the driveshaft and a controlled downhole device at a specific zero or non-zero rotational rate. By varying the rotational rate of the PC motor relative to the rotational rate of the drill string, the tool face orientation or non-zero rotational speed of the controlled device in either direction can be varied in a controlled manner. | 02-17-2011 |
20110049873 | TORQUE MEMBER FOR THREADED CONNECTIONS - Apparatus and methods for increasing the torque capacity of connections between tubular members. In some embodiments, the connection is threaded. The apparatus may include a first tubular end having a torque member moveable thereon. A second tubular end is made up with the first tubular end. The torque member is moveable back toward the second tubular end. The torque member can be moved into engagement with the second tubular end, and then torqued against the second tubular end. A first torquing interface is provided between the first tubular and the second tubular by making up their respective ends, and a second torquing interface is provided therebetween by torquing the torque member against the second tubular end. A torque capacity of the made up connection is increased thereby. | 03-03-2011 |
20120061148 | DOWNHOLE ROTARY DRILLING APPARATUS WITH FORMATION-INTERFACING MEMBERS AND CONTROL SYSTEM - A steerable drilling apparatus includes a control system inside a cylindrical housing connected to a drill bit having radially-extendable pistons. A fluid-metering assembly directs a piston actuating fluid into fluid channels in the drill bit leading to respective pistons. The control system controls the fluid-metering assembly to selectively allow fluid flow through the fluid channels to the pistons and to exit through orifices in the fluid channels. The selective fluid flow causes the actuated piston to temporarily extend in the opposite direction to a desired wellbore deviation, thereby deflecting the drill bit away from the borehole centerline. An upper member in the fluid-metering assembly can be moved to stabilize, steer, and change TFA within the drill bit. The control system and drill bit are connected so as to facilitate removal to change the drill bit's steering section and cutting structure configuration or gauge simultaneously. | 03-15-2012 |
20130118812 | Rotary Steerable Push-the-Bit Drilling Apparatus with Self-Cleaning Fluid Filter - A steerable drilling apparatus includes a control system inside a cylindrical housing connected to a drill bit having radially-extendable pistons. A fluid-metering assembly directs a piston-actuating fluid into fluid channels leading to respective pistons. The control system controls the fluid-metering assembly to allow fluid flow to selected pistons, causing the actuated pistons to temporarily extend in the opposite direction to a desired wellbore deviation, thereby deflecting the drill bit away from the borehole centerline. An upper member in the fluid-metering assembly can be moved to stabilize, steer, and change TFA within the drill bit. The control system and drill bit are connected so as to facilitate removal to change the drill bit's steering section and cutting structure configuration or gauge simultaneously. The apparatus may incorporate a fluid filter module mounted to the control system. The pistons may incorporate auxiliary cutting elements to provide near-bit reaming capability. | 05-16-2013 |
20130284516 | Mechanism For Providing Controllable Angular Orientation While Transmitting Torsional Load - A mechanism for adjusting the relative angular orientation between two coaxial components includes a housing, a mandrel disposed in the housing, a lower ratchet member disposed around the mandrel, wherein a lower engagement interface between the lower ratchet member and the mandrel restricts relative rotation between the lower ratchet member and the mandrel, an upper ratchet member disposed around the mandrel, wherein an upper engagement interface between the upper ratchet member and the mandrel restricts relative rotation between the upper ratchet member and the mandrel, and a central sleeve disposed around the mandrel, wherein an outer engagement interface between the central sleeve and the housing restricts relative rotation between the central sleeve and the housing, wherein the central sleeve has an upper position configured to transmit torque between the upper ratchet member and the housing and a lower position configured to transfer torque between the lower ratchet member and housing. | 10-31-2013 |
20140037232 | Mud-Lubricated Bearing Assembly with Mechanical Seal - In a mud-lubricated bearing assembly for a downhole motor, a mechanical seal is provided between the mandrel and the lower end of the bearing housing to prevent discharge of drilling fluid (mud) from the bearing assembly into the wellbore annulus. The mechanical seal is effected by mating wear-resistant annular contact surfaces provided on the mandrel and the bearing housing, with biasing means preferably being provided to keep the contact surfaces in sealing engagement during both on-bottom and off-bottom operational modes. The diverted drilling fluid passing through the bearings is redirected into the bore of the mandrel via ports through the mandrel wall to rejoin the main flow to the drill bit, such that substantially all of the drilling fluid flows through the bit. | 02-06-2014 |
20140251695 | Adjustable Bend Assembly for a Downhole Motor - A downhole motor for directional drilling includes a driveshaft assembly including a driveshaft housing and a driveshaft rotatably disposed within the driveshaft housing. In addition, the downhole motor includes a bearing assembly including a bearing housing and a bearing mandrel rotatably disposed within the bearing housing. The bearing mandrel has a first end directly connected to the driveshaft with a universal joint and a second end coupled to a drill bit. Further, the downhole motor includes an adjustment mandrel configured to adjust an acute deflection angle θ between the central axis of the bearing housing and the central axis of the driveshaft housing. The adjustment mandrel has a central axis coaxially aligned with the bearing housing, a first end coupled to the driveshaft housing, and a second end coupled to the bearing housing. | 09-11-2014 |
20140284104 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A DOWNHOLE TOOL - A system and method for communicating with a downhole tool. A downhole tool includes a downlink receiver and a command actuator. The downlink receiver receives control information, encoded in rotation of the tool, that controls operation of the tool. The downlink receiver includes a rotation sensor and a decoder. The rotation sensor senses rotation of the tool about a longitudinal axis. The decoder demarcates fields of the control information based on rotation state transitions sensed by the rotation sensor. The rotation state transitions are transitions between a rotating state and a non-rotating state. The decoder also decodes a control value for controlling the tool based on a duration of a field of the control information. The control value is wholly encoded in the field, and the field is encoded as a non-rotating state of the tool. The command actuator applies the control value to control operation of the tool. | 09-25-2014 |
20150068811 | DOWNHOLE MOTOR WITH CONCENTRIC ROTARY DRIVE SYSTEM - A downhole motor rotary drive system including a housing, a rotor rotatably and coaxially disposed within the housing, and an annular space between the rotor and housing. The rotor includes first and second ends, a bore extending between the first and second ends, an inlet port extending from the bore to the annular space, and an outlet port extending from the annular space to the bore. A plurality of gates are disposed within the annular space, each configured to engage the rotor and the housing, and a plurality of lobes extend within the annular space such that the lobes and the gates divide the annular space into a plurality of chambers. A flow path is defined by the annular space between the inlet and outlet ports, and the rotor is configured to rotate relative to the housing when a fluid is circulated along the flow path. | 03-12-2015 |
20150114721 | Downhole Motor with Concentric Rotary Drive System - A rotary fluid drive has first and second bodies | 04-30-2015 |
20150240580 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING DOWNHOLE ROTATIONAL RATE OF A DRILLING TOOL - A downhole rotational rate control apparatus is disclosed, adapted for coupling to the lower end of a drill string, and includes a progressive cavity (PC) pump or motor, multiple fluid flow paths, and a flow control valve for controlling fluid flow in the flow paths. Drilling mud flowing downward through the drill string is partially diverted to flow through the PC pump or motor and, in turn, the PC pump or motor speed is controlled by the flow control valve. The control valve can be actuated by a control motor in response to inputs from a sensor assembly in an electronics section. The PC pump or motor drives a controlled downhole device at a specific zero or non-zero rotational rate. By varying the rotational rate of the PC pump or motor relative to the rotational rate of the drill string, the tool face orientation or non-zero rotational speed of the controlled device in either direction can be varied in a controlled manner. | 08-27-2015 |
20150252627 | SAFETY JOINT FOR A TOOL STRING - A safety joint includes two tubular joint bodies. A plurality of circumferentially spaced first holes is formed in one tubular joint body and at least a second hole is formed in the other tubular joint body. The tubular joint bodies each have threaded sections. The threaded sections and holes are configured such that the at least one second hole is aligned with one of the first holes when a threaded connection is formed between the threaded sections. A shear pin is inserted into the aligned holes. Instead of providing the circumferentially spaced first holes in one of the tubular joint bodies, the circumferentially spaced first holes may be provided in a torque ring that is coupled to one of the tubular joint bodies by a threaded connection. The hole alignment could then be between the tubular joint body having the second hole and the torque ring. | 09-10-2015 |
20150368978 | POWERED REAMING DEVICE - A powered reamer comprising a stationary assembly having a flow bore therethrough. A rotating assembly is disposed about the stationary assembly and one or more cutting structures are coupled to an outer surface of the rotating assembly. A flow restriction is disposed within the flow bore so as to divert a portion of fluid flowing through the flow bore through an outlet from the flow bore into an annulus between the stationary assembly and the rotating assembly. A power section is formed in the annulus between the stationary assembly and the rotating assembly. The power section operates to eccentrically rotate the rotating assembly about the stationary assembly in response to fluid flowing through the annulus between the stationary assembly and the rotating assembly. | 12-24-2015 |
20160084004 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING DOWNHOLE ROTATIONAL RATE OF A DRILLING TOOL - A downhole rotational rate control apparatus, adapted for coupling to the lower end of a drill string, includes a progressive cavity pump or motor, a mud flow control valve, and an electronics section. Drilling mud flowing downward through the drill string is partially diverted to flow through the pump or motor, with the mud flow rate and, in turn, the pump or motor speed being controlled by the mud flow control valve. The control valve is actuated by a control motor in response to inputs from a sensor assembly in the electronics section. By varying the rotational rate of the pump or motor relative to the rotational rate of the drill string, the tool face orientation or non-zero rotational speed of the controlled device in either direction can be varied in a controlled manner. | 03-24-2016 |