Drilling efficiency through beneficial management of rock stress levels via controlled oscillations of subterranean cutting elements
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
E21B-007/24
E21B-007/00
출원번호
US-0038889
(2005-01-20)
등록번호
US-7341116
(2008-03-11)
발명자
/ 주소
Fincher,Roger W.
Watkins,Larry A.
Aronstam,Peter
Sinor,Allen
Baugh,John L.
출원인 / 주소
Baker Hughes Incorporated
대리인 / 주소
Madan, Mossman & Sriram, P.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
5인용 특허 :
27
초록▼
A device and system for improving efficiency of subterranean cutting elements uses a controlled oscillation super imposed on steady drill bit rotation to maintain a selected rock fracture level. In one aspect, a selected oscillation is applied to the cutting element so that at least some of the stre
A device and system for improving efficiency of subterranean cutting elements uses a controlled oscillation super imposed on steady drill bit rotation to maintain a selected rock fracture level. In one aspect, a selected oscillation is applied to the cutting element so that at least some of the stress energy stored in an earthen formation is maintained after fracture of the rock is initiated. Thus, this maintained stress energy can thereafter be used for further crack propagation. In one embodiment, an oscillation device positioned adjacent to the drill bit provides the oscillation. A control unit can be used to operate the oscillation device at a selected oscillation. In one arrangement, the control unit performs a frequency sweep to determine an oscillation that optimizes the cutting action of the drill bit and configures the oscillation device accordingly. One or more sensors connected to the control unit measure parameters used in this determination.
대표청구항▼
The invention claimed is: 1. An apparatus for forming a wellbore in a subterranean formation, comprising: (a) at least one cutting element for fracturing an earthen formation to form the wellbore; and (b) an oscillation device oscillating the at least one cutting element by using at least one contr
The invention claimed is: 1. An apparatus for forming a wellbore in a subterranean formation, comprising: (a) at least one cutting element for fracturing an earthen formation to form the wellbore; and (b) an oscillation device oscillating the at least one cutting element by using at least one controllable element, wherein the at least one controllable element is responsive to a control signal, and wherein the at least one controllable element is formed of a material that changes one of: (i) volume, (ii) shape, (iii) dimension, (iv) size, and (v) viscosity in response to the control signal. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the oscillation is selected from one of (i) a torsional oscillation, and (ii) an axial oscillation. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit coupled to the oscillation device, the control unit being configured to control the oscillation device to provide a selected oscillation. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit includes a processor for determining an optimizing oscillation that minimizes the loss of stress energy added to the earthen formation, the control unit being further configured to control the oscillation device to oscillate the at least one cutting element at the optimizing oscillation. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor for measuring a parameter of interest, the control unit controlling the oscillation device in response to the sensor measurement. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a rotary power device for rotating the at least one cutting element at a substantially constant rotational speed, the oscillation device providing an oscillation that is superimposed on the substantially constant rotational speed. 7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the oscillation device has an upper section coupled to the rotary power device, a lower section coupled to the at least one cutting element, and a controllable element interposed between the upper section and the lower section, the controllable element causing the lower section to move relative to the upper section. 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controllable element applies a torsional force to the lower section to accelerate the lower section and to thereby accelerate the at least one cutting element. 9. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the controllable element allows the lower section to rotate slower than the upper section, the controllable element substantially locking the lower section to the upper section in response to a control signal to accelerate the lower section and to thereby accelerate the at least one cutting element. 10. The apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising a torsion resistance device coupled to the upper section that prevents the oscillation device from substantially oscillating the upper section. 11. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the rotary power device is one of (i) a drill string and (ii) a drilling motor. 12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the oscillation device oscillates the at least one cutting element at a frequency that accelerates the at least one cutting element to maintain contact with a fracturing earthen formation. 13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the oscillation device isolates a selected oscillation existing in one of (i) a drill string rotating the at least one cutting element, and (ii) a bottomhole assembly coupled to the at least one cutting element and oscillates the at least one cutting element using the selected oscillation. 14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cutting element is positioned in one of (i) a drill bit, (ii) an under-reamer, and (iii) a hole opener. 15. A system for forming a subterranean wellbore, comprising: a rig positioned at a surface location; a drill string conveying a bottomhole assembly into the wellbore from the rig; a drill bit provided in the bottom hole assembly, the drill bit including at least one cutting element for fracturing an earthen formation by adding stress energy to the earthen formation; and an oscillation device positioned in the bottomhole assembly, the oscillation device oscillating the at least one cutting element such that at least some of the stress energy added to the earthen formation by the drill bit is not lost upon fracture of the earthen formation, the oscillation device oscillating the at least one cutting element by using at least one controllable element, wherein the at least one controllable element is responsive to a control signal, and wherein the at least one controllable element is formed of a material that changes one of: (i) volume, (ii) shape, (iii) dimension, (iv) size, and (v) viscosity in response to the control signal. 16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the oscillation device oscillates the at least one cutting element at a frequency that accelerates the at least one cutting element to maintain contact with a fracturing earthen formation. 17. The system according to claim 15 wherein the drill bit is rotated at a substantially constant rotational speed by one of (i) the drill string and (ii) a drilling motor in the bottomhole assembly, and wherein the oscillation device provides an oscillation to the at least one cutting element that is superimposed on the substantially constant rotational speed. 18. The system according to claim 15, further comprising a control unit coupled to the oscillation device, the control unit being configured to control the oscillation device to provide a selected oscillation. 19. The system according to claim 15, wherein the oscillation device has an upper section coupled to the rotary power device, a lower section coupled to the at least one cutting element, and a controllable element interposed between the upper section and the lower section, the controllable element causing the lower section to move relative to the upper section. 20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the controllable element applies a torsional force to the lower section to accelerate the lower section and to thereby accelerate the at least one cutting element. 21. A system for forming a subterranean wellbore, comprising: a rig positioned at a surface location; a drill string conveying a bottomhole assembly into the wellbore from the rig; a drill bit provided in the bottom hole assembly, the drill bit including at least one cutting element for fracturing an earthen formation by adding stress energy to the earthen formation; and an oscillation device positioned in the bottomhole assembly, the oscillation device oscillating the at least one cutting element such that at least some of the stress energy added to the earthen formation by the drill bit is not lost upon fracture of the earthen formation, wherein the oscillation device has an upper section coupled to the rotary power device, a lower section coupled to the at least one cutting element, and a controllable element interposed between the upper section and the lower section, the controllable element causing the lower section to move relative to the upper section, and wherein the controllable element allows the lower section to rotate slower than the upper section, the controllable element substantially locking the lower section to the upper section in response to a control signal to accelerate the lower section and to thereby accelerate the at least one cutting element. 22. A method for forming a wellbore in a subterranean formation, comprising: providing at least one cutting element for fracturing an earthen formation by adding stress energy to the earthen formation to form the wellbore; oscillating the at least one cutting element with an oscillation device such that at least some of the stress energy added to the earthen formation by the at least one cutting element is not lost upon fracture of the earthen formation, the oscillation device oscillating the at least one cutting element by using at least one controllable element, wherein the at least one controllable element is responsive to a control signal, and wherein the at least one controllable element is formed of a material that changes one of: (i) volume, (ii) shape, (iii) dimension, (iv) size, and (v) viscosity in response to the control signal. 23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the oscillation device oscillates the at least one cutting element at a frequency that accelerates the at least one cutting element to maintain contact with a fracturing earthen formation. 24. The method according to claim 22 further comprising rotating the drill bit at a substantially constant rotational speed by one of (i) the drill string and (ii) a drilling motor in the bottomhole assembly, and providing an oscillation to the at least one cutting element that is superimposed on the substantially constant rotational speed. 25. The method according to claim 22, further comprising controlling the oscillation device to provide a selected oscillation to the at least one cutting element with a control unit coupled to the oscillation device. 26. The method according to claim 22, wherein the oscillation device has an upper section coupled to a rotary power device, a lower section coupled to the at least one cutting element, and a controllable element interposed between the upper section and the lower section, the controllable element causing the lower section to move relative to the upper section. 27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the controllable element applies a torsional force to the lower section to accelerate the lower section and to thereby accelerate the at least one cutting element. 28. A method for forming a wellbore in a subterranean formation, comprising: providing at least one cutting element for fracturing an earthen formation by adding stress energy to the earthen formation to form the wellbore; oscillating the at least one cutting element with an oscillation device such that at least some of the stress energy added to the earthen formation by the at least one cutting element is not lost upon fracture of the earthen formation, wherein the oscillation device has an upper section coupled to the rotary power device, a lower section coupled to the at least one cutting element, and a controllable element interposed between the upper section and the lower section, the controllable element causing the lower section to move relative to the upper section, and wherein the controllable element allows the lower section to rotate slower than the upper section, the controllable element substantially locking the lower section to the upper section in response to a control signal to accelerate the lower section and to thereby accelerate the at least one cutting element. 29. An apparatus for forming a wellbore in a subterranean formation, comprising: (a) at least one cutting element for fracturing an earthen formation to form the welibore; and (b) an oscillation device oscillating the at least one cutting element by using at least one controllable element, wherein the at least one controllable element includes at least one of: (i) an electrorheological material, and (ii) a magnetorheological fluid.
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