Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090272579 | STEERABLE BIT - Steerable drilling systems for facilitating drilling according to a prescribed, three-dimensional trajectory are described. Steering may be achieved using passive actuators which require little or no power. For example, damping elements which couple a drill bit to a drill collar can be used to tilt the drill bit with respect to the drill collar. Alternatively, rotary cutting elements disposed on the drill bit may be used to control the force between the drill bit and the formation at different axial locations. The passive elements used to control the tilt or rotation of the rotary cutting elements are actuated in a certain pattern, e.g., geostationary, in order to achieve a desired deviation of the well bore while drilling ahead. One way to achieve this is through the use of field-sensitive materials, e.g. magnetorheological (MR) fluids, that change viscosity in response to an applied magnetic field. | 11-05-2009 |
20100130027 | ROTATING ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS AND METHODS OF USING THE SAME - This invention provides rotating electrical connections and methods of using the same. One aspect of the invention provides a rotating electrical connection. The rotating electrical connection includes: a rotary member and a pin. The rotary member includes a contact surface and is configured for rotation about a rotational axis. The rotational axis intersects with the contact surface. The pin is configured to contact the rotary member at the intersection of the rotational axis and the contact surface. | 05-27-2010 |
20100170671 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION IN DOWNHOLE TOOLS - A downhole drilling tool includes a housing defining an axial passageway and a shaft mounted for rotation within the axial passageway such that the housing and shaft form an annular gap. An electrical connector provides a signal to the shaft. The electrical connector includes a first lead assembly coupled to the housing and the shaft, and a second lead assembly coupled to the housing and the shaft. Each lead assembly has an outer ring electrode fixed to the housing and an inner ring electrode fixed to the shaft for rotation therewith such that connector gaps are formed between the outer ring electrodes and the inner ring electrodes. Drilling fluid is pumped through the annular gap to flow through the connector gaps to complete electrical connections between the outer ring electrodes and inner ring electrodes. | 07-08-2010 |
20100194117 | ELECTROMAGNETIC DEVICE HAVING COMPACT FLUX PATHS FOR HARVESTING ENERGY FROM VIBRATIONS - Electrical energy is produced by harvesting mechanical energy in the form of vibrations which are generally present in tools during the process of drilling oil wells. Electrical energy production is based on the Faraday induction principle whereby changes, i.e., movement, in magnetic flux through a coil induce an electric current through the coil. The changes in magnetic flux are produced by relative motion between at least one set of magnets and at least one coil. In particular, as the flux lines change due to the movement of the magnets, they remain perpendicular to both the direction of motion of the magnets as well as a planar or cylindrical surface defined by the coils. As a result, output for a given size of device is enhanced. Further, flexibility in adapting device form factor to particular shapes is enhanced. For example, a relatively flat device may be implemented using flexural bearing support of the magnets and coils on a printed circuit. The flexural bearings may also function as spring members that define the resonant frequency of the device. Alternative embodiments may be characterized by cylindrical or annular form factors. | 08-05-2010 |
20110011644 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ATTENUATING DRILLSTRING VIBRATIONS - Apparatus and methods are described for highly attenuating vibrations of a drillstring assembly while drilling. In one embodiment, vibrations are attenuated by introducing one or more vibration attenuation modules at appropriate assembly locations. For example, vibration attenuation modules may be inserted at locations where vibration energy is expected to be maximal. In one embodiment the vibration attenuation modules include cavities loosely packed with particles of solid material such as sand or metallic powder. In one embodiment, the cavity walls are rough and/or include geometric features that enhance vibration energy transfer to the loosely packed particles in the cavity(ies). The vibration energy is dissipated via friction and inelastic particle-particle and particle-wall collisions that occur as a result of drillstring motion. | 01-20-2011 |
20110220417 | DRILL BITS AND METHODS OF DRILLING CURVED BOREHOLES - The invention provides drill bits and methods of drilling curved boreholes. One aspect of the invention provides a drill bit including a bit body and one or more blades positioned within the bit body, the one or more blades individually actuatable to a plurality of cut depths. Another aspect of the invention provides a method for drilling a curved borehole. The method includes: providing a drill string including a drill bit including a bit body and one or more blades positioned within the bit body, the one or more blades individually actuatable to a plurality of cut depths; rotating the drill string; and selectively actuating the one or more blades to a plurality of cut depths; thereby drilling a curved borehole. | 09-15-2011 |
20110253453 | COILED TUBING ORIENTER TOOL WITH DIFFERENTIAL LEAD SCREW DRIVE - A technique facilitates control over the orientation of a bottom hole assembly. The bottom hole assembly comprises an orienting tool having a dual-spline drive which, in turn, comprises a first lead screw portion and a second lead screw portion having threads of a first pitch and a second pitch, respectively. A motor is connected to the dual-spline drive to impart rotational motion with respect to the first threads having the first pitch. A difference in pitch between the first pitch and the second pitch enables the rotational motion imparted by the motor to be converted to a slower, higher torque, output via the second lead screw portion. As a result, the orienting tool is able to provide a selective, high torque, low-speed adjustment to the drilling orientation of the bottom hole assembly. | 10-20-2011 |
20110315450 | COILED TUBING ORIENTER TOOL WITH HIGH TORQUE PLANETARY GEAR STAGE DESIGN DRIVE - A technique facilitates control over the orientation of a bottom hole assembly. A planetary gearbox assembly incorporates a sun wheel which cooperates with planet wheels at a plurality of levels along the planetary gear box assembly. The sun wheel and the planet wheels cooperate to convert rotational input to rotational output through an output carrier. Torsional rigidity characteristics of the sun wheel and the output carrier are selected to distribute torque loading across the plurality of levels of the planetary gear box assembly. The distributed forces reduce the potential for component failure. | 12-29-2011 |
20130056195 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DOWNHOLE ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION - A technique facilitates transmission of electric signals across well components which move relative to each other in a wellbore environment. The well components are movably, e.g. rotatably, coupled to each other via one or more conductive bearings. Each conductive bearing has a conductive rolling element which enables relative movement, e.g. rotation, between the well components while simultaneously facilitating transmission of electric signals through the bearing. Portions of the bearing are coupled to each of the well components, and those bearing portions may be connected with electric leads to enable flow of electric signals through the bearing during operation of the system downhole. | 03-07-2013 |
20140299381 | Coil Tubing Orienter Tool with Differential Lead Screw Drive - A technique facilitates control over the orientation of a bottom hole assembly. The bottom hole assembly comprises an orienting tool having a dual-spline drive which, in turn, comprises a first lead screw portion and a second lead screw portion having threads of a first pitch and a second pitch, respectively. A motor is connected to the dual-spline drive to impart rotational motion with respect to the first threads having the first pitch. A difference in pitch between the first pitch and the second pitch enables the rotational motion imparted by the motor to be converted to a slower, higher torque, output via the second lead screw portion. As a result, the orienting tool is able to provide a selective, high torque, low-speed adjustment to the drilling orientation of the bottom hole assembly. | 10-09-2014 |