US2776111A - Well drilling appendage or device - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 1, 1957 J. VANCE WELL DRILLING APPENDAGE OR DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 18, 1953 Quill R O m E V m ATTORNEY Jan. 1, J VANCE WELL DRILLING APPENDAGE OR DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 18, 1953 INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent ce 2,776,111 WELL DRILLING APPENDAGE "ORfDEVICE James Vance; Oklahoma Gity, flkla.

.Ap'p'lic'ationJune 18;. 1953, Serial No. 362,445

g 3 Claims. (CL 255-4) The invention relates to a"well-'dril1ing appendage or device. adapted to .besecured todrill tubing or the like .atsai position ;-j'ust above the drill, the primary purpose .of -the device being to smooth out thewell sidewalls. \T he invention in itsbroadest aspects is applicable to either rotary orreciprocating-drilling operations, though the specific embodiment 'of the inventionrwill vary in accordance withthetype ofdrilling apparatus to which the vappendageis applied. Thetinvention will betspecificallyde .scribed in its,application to a rotarydrill,.withtheunderstanding that. such application of. the invention -is intended as illustrative only rather than as limiting 'thein- .ventiontto, the particular details herein set forth.

Morespecifically statedrny improved. attachment ,comprises acylindricalv smoothing shellcarried by the drill tubing orv-the like, such shell being .ofsubstantially the ,samediameter as .the bit and the'wellbore, the shell be- .,ing,preferably cupped or rounded at each end so as to facilitate its introduction into the holeand toy prevent gouging of the sidewalls in its travel up and -=dowu the hole. The cylindrical shell is providedwith one or JIIXOIE cup like pla ster applying members, preferably struck frornthe' shell wall, each such member'beingopen at the lower-end to permitaccess.of--the plastering fluid Y but closed at the upper end to 'retard the flowcf-the plastering fluid during the plastering operation. v

rItis well known that where wells,- or holes, are drilled -Tinto theaground for the: possible discovery of oil, .gas, -wa-ter.or other products, they pass through numerous for- -rnat-ions of:varying structure ofwhich some. are solidor roeky,-while others are soft, loose, 'sandy,.sh'aly, or of other.eomposite masses. 'The rocky formations, such as limestone or; sand-stone, usually-stand up .without pollapsing breakingsdown or shaling off and droppifng down "inrthc hole whiehissbeing-cut. wOther softerorslooser -fformatinsbrealgdown-and collapse into the-hole, making di-illing difiicilltuand requiring the constant .removab of {the savings," which causes; expensive delay and= the..pro

-;lqnga-tionof drilling operations. 7 I 4 -Under -presentconditions, when the drilling of -a hple has been: comp1eted-the- ,sidewalls present a rather 11ndulating COI1tOlJI,--dll6-t0 collapse of formations by-reason-of-;-their .-structural conditions and-by reason ofihaving been-tgougedp outbyoperation .ofthe drilling" fluids =onthe-side walls.

Thepr-imarvpurpose of the device therewith, presented 1 1i tozsmooth .out the; side walls by] plastering and filling caving in and presentaqsmooth filled-in surface uniform win contour. This-plastering.results. in shuttingolfa water .psands and building up the-loose andporous formations v by' filling int-all cracksfand crevices,,.and by-causing the walls, to standnp it makes drilling operations md'tefcontinuous andwith aimijriim'urn off'delay There" are'two methods'bf drillingwells now=in general g p t d Jan-.1, 1.9

2 use. The first is knownas" "the rotary'meth-od, iii-which a cutting bitfisffastenedat the end of a hollow drill 'stem,or'pipe,'and revolved in a' rotary manner while a fluid is forced'downthe inside bf the drill stem to absorb :the cuttings from the bit at the bottom of the hole and {the solution'of cuttings and fluid is then fo'rced'back up the hole between the walls of'the hole and the outside of thedrill stem. "As the bit cuts away'the formations and'the cuttings are forced upithe hole the bit and'drill ste'm' sink downward. 'In'its journey back up the hole "the mud, or cutting solution, under more or less pressure causes a washing awayandgouging out'of'the softer and moreporous formations.

The second drilling method is the standard, or plunger bit type in'which a drilling tool is fastened'at the end of fa'lineor"rope,and with'an'up and down reciprocalrnotionfpounds and breaks up or pulverizes the formations, *aswitha pestle, so that they can be mixed with water oro'th'erdiilling fluid,"and brought out ofthe hole tothe surfaceby use of abailer. Whenthe cuttings'have been b'rou'ghtbut fresh drilling fluidfis putback into the hole and the process "repeated;causingthehole to sink. deeper and'd'eeper. In "eithenmeth'od the' gouging out and washingaway of the side walls'is similar. It can readily be "seenth'at the device'herewith presentedmust be adapted vfor each method in a specifically. diiferent manner, but withfthesamegeneral results in each case, namely,'plasterfingfthewallsmf the hole so as to'prevent cave-ins and collapsing ofcertain formations encountered.

{It has previously been proposed to employ various ap- "pendagesf for use 'withfrotary drills primarily intended to prevejnflateral deflection of the drill, but also. stated Ito'have a smoothing. effect uponthe walls. While the presentdevice also serves thefuseful function of preventing such lateraldefie'ction, its primarypurpose is to pro vide'means for'tillinggorbuilding up all cracks, crevices and the jlike in"the"s'ide Walls offthewell, and this, my invention,accotnplishes'fin-a manner not possible in any of the devices'ofthe prior art known to me, owing to the factthatthe jshellis rounded at its opposite ends and "includes cup likeplasteringdevicesclosed atone end to preventfthe plastering fluid from passing freely there- .through, thisibeihgione of 'the characteristic features of the invention. v

Although, as previously .stated, 'the device under confsidera'tionfdoes result V in. accomplishing several collateral f functions 'intits operation, i.je.,'acting as a drilling guide 1 andjsteadying irifluje'nce on the drill-stem in rotary drilling jtofkefep itfrom whipping from side to side, which func- 'ftionsarealso' aimed at by the prior art, the primary pur- Jposeofjthepresenfdevice is to provide a method or means to fill and'build up all cracks,'crevices and cavities occurring in 'the sidewalls of the holeand to imaintain jftheIwaHs'infthat condition against erosive tendencies of ,thegdrjilling'fluid as it returnsup thehole from the ,bit. To accomplish thispurpose it is necessary to capture and ih'oldthe cuttings and sedimentary materials coming up ffrohrthe bit, or fsfuch materials as may beintro-duced linto the drilling fluid for that purpose, which none of the devices of the prior art attempt to do, ,or succeed in doing. v

The inventionwill be finore readily understood by,referen'ce to the accompanying drawings and following detailed description, which are, intended as illustrative rather 'than'as" limiting the invention Ito the particular details .Ksfet forth therein.

Figfil is aview illustrating one form of my plastering 'fdevice applied to ahydraulic rotary drill, as it appears "in-a wellhole," thedr'ill tubing being broken away above and belowniy improved device;

Fig.2 is asection orl line 22'0f Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a modification of the attachment and showing the same used in connection with a conventional form of rotary drill;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the attachment; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on a smaller scale showing the attachment applied to rotary drill tubing.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2, the rotary adapted plastering device consists of a hollow cylindrical tube or shell 1 of the same diameter as the bit and the well hole, said shell being rounded or cupped at each end as indicated at 2, so as to make introduction into the hole simpler and to prevent gouging of the side walls in its travel up and down the hole. In the side of the tube are openings 3 made by cutting a slit lengthwise of the device and a shorter slit at each end of the longer one, and bending the part so slit to the inside of the tube as to form a projecting blade, or fin 4, which protrudes into the tube. This opening should preferably be cut at an angle, and a horizontal perforated top piece 5 is secured by welding, or the like, to the upper end of the fin 4 and to the adjacent portion of the shell, so as to retard the upward flow of fluid, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and the inclined surface of the fin is perforated with fine openings 6, so as to allow water, or other fluid, used as drilling solution to be strained through but allow the heavier substances of the solution to be held against the surface of the fin.

The plastering and smoothing device so constructed is fastened rigidly to the outside of the drill stem 20, prefcrably just above the bit so as to come into contact with porous surfaces (formations) before they start to collapse, by means of braces 7 extending from its inside surface to the outside of the drill stem, so that when the drill stem revolves the device revolves with it. Any suitable means may be employed for securing the braces 7 to the drill stem, as by welding or the use of fastening devices, both being well known in the art and forming no part of this invention. As drilling commences fluid is forced downwardly, as indicated by the arrow 9, through the center of the drill pipe 20 under pressure absorbing the cuttings from the bit and then pushed up, as indicated by arrow 11 between the walls of the hole and the drill stem to the surface. With the device attached, the mud (cutting solution) is forced up through the open bottom of the tube or shell 1, the sides of which fit against the walls of the hole, and is caught between the fins 4 projecting into the inside of the device and the well bore. As the shell revolves the mud is forced outward by the rotary motion along the surface of the fins 4 towards the openings. The fins 4 act as trowels and force the mud (cuttings) into loose or porous formations 12 filling up all cracks and crevices 13 in the formations, while the solid portion of the tube or shell acts to smooth out the walls and keep them at a uniform diameter 14. As stated above, the opening in the side of the device should preferably be at an angle cut in the direction of the rotation of the device so as to catch and hold the cuttings better than if it were cut perpendicularly, as the flow of the mud or plastering fluid is usually straight up under normal conditions and such fluid would slip by more readily if the fin were cut perpendicularly. The top end of the fin being closed serves to retard the mud and keep it from escaping out the top before it can be used to close up holes in the porous formations. Also the blade of the fin should be perforated as indicated at 6, or constructed of material with fine openings, so as to allow a certain amount of water, or other drilling liquid, to be strained off and allowed to escape upward, while holding the heavier or more solid substances to be used in plastering the side walls of the hole. As in plastering any opening, the plastering material used cannot be too fluid and must have a certain consistency to hold together. As the well bore is drilled deeper the fins 4 catch and hold sufficient cuttings to fill up any holes or porous places appearing in the side walls and the balance of the cuttings pass through the device and on up the hole to the surface as is customary in hydraulic rotary drilling operations.

In order to keep the returning fluid from washing out the walls up the hole several of the devices may be fastened at different points on the drill stem, so as to keep the side walls in repair in the event they are damaged by the force of the returning fluid which has not been used in plastering the wall below.

Wherever the hole is cut through solid formations, without any porous or open places, the mud and cuttings remain held against the side of the fin until such formations are drilled in which it can then be used in filling up the cracks and crevices. As the mud is used up more accumulates behind the fin blade to keep it full and what is not being used, or accumulating, passes up the hole to the surface as is customary.

It will be noted that the device accomplishes the intended purpose, of catching and holding the cuttings or other materials, by providing the end 5 at the top of the fin 4, which serves to keep those materials from continuing to the top of the hole until such time as they would be used by the inwardly projecting blade or fin 4- as a trowel in forcing these materials into any crevices or cavities in the side-walls, yet holding and retaining them suspended, when no crevices or cavities were present in non-porous formations, until such time as they would be needed to fill openings encountered in formations as drilling goes on.

An improved form of plastering device generally similar to the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and intended for use with a hydraulic rotary drill is disclosed in Figs. 3 to 6. Such device comprises a cylinder like shell 30 similar to the shell 1 of Figs. 1 and 2, of a diameter corresponding to the size of the hole being drilled, open at each end 32, 33 to allow passage upward of the drilling fluid, the ends being bent slightly inward at 34, 35 to allow easier introduction and withdrawal from the hole without gouging the side walls. The cylinder or shell is provided with means, such as clamps or other fasteners 36, to attach it firmly to the drill stem 37, and is provided with elongated openings or slits 38, preferably angular, in its side wall 39 facing and coming into contact with, the side wall 31 of the hole being dug. In place of the fin 4 shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a bulge or protuberance 40, extending inwardly into the cylinder is fastened by welding or other suitable fastening means to the edges of each elongated opening 38, being completely enclosed except at the bottom which is left open and slightly flared, thereby forming a pocket-like receptacle or reservoir. As can readily be seen, the purpose is to catch cuttings or sedimentary materials as they come up the hole from the bit 42 through the opening 43 (Fig. 6) in the bottom of this inward bulge and dispose of them through the openings 38, 38 in the side wall of the cylinder into crevices or cavities when present, such sedimentary materials being held in the reservoir by the side walls of the hole when no cavities are present, until other cavities appear as the well progresses downward. Preferably the wall and top of the reservoir, or inward bulge should have small openings 43, or be made of perforated material, in order to strain out excess water or liquid from the drilling fluid and allow it to escape up the well bore, such openings being fine enough to retain the cuttings and sedimentary materials, thereby preventing too much liquid from being forced against the side walls of the hole. As shown the whole device is fastened to the drill stem 37, preferably just above the bit 42, and revolves or rotates therewith.

Normally when a well is being drilled with rotary tools the cuttings from the drilling bit are absorbed by the drilling fluid coming down the inside of the drill stem under pressure exerted from the surface and are forced back up to the surface between the outside of the drill stem and the sides of the hole being dug, with the drilling bit passing through various and different formations, some porous and some impervious.

With this device attached to the drill stem just above the bit, as the formations are drilled and the cuttings start up the hole some are caught in the bottom opening of the inward bulge of the device and their upward motion stopped, whereupon they are forced sideways through the elongated opening in the cylinder wall against the side walls of the hole by the centrifugal pressure created by the rotary motion of the drilling tools. If the formation coming into contact with, or opposite to, the elongated opening in the cylinder wall is of a porous or caving nature the cuttings and sedimentary materials are forced into the crevices and cavities therein and plaster them shut so as to keep the formations from shaling-oif or collapsing into the hole. If the formation is of a non-porous or impervious nature the cuttings and sedimentary materials are retained in the reservoir, or inward bulge of the device, Where they are held until another formation is encountered where they may be needed to fill in. As the accumulation in the reservoir is used up it is replenished by other materials coming up the hole and when the reservoir is filled the rest of the cuttings and sedimentary materials pass up the hole as at present.

In rotary drilling the predominant feature is the forcing down of a fluid inside of the drill stem for the purpose of absorbing the cuttings from the drilling bit and washing them out of the hole to the surface. The forces in operation are a downward pressure inside the stem or drill pipe to the drilling bit and a corresponding upward pressure from the bit outside of the drill pipe and between it and the side walls of the hole. No method for plastering the side walls and filling up the cavities and crevices therein can be successful unless the cuttings and sedimentary materials, or others which may be introduced into the drilling fluid for that purpose, are captured and held so as to oppose the upward pressure and are then forced outwardly into the side walls by the horizontal pressure created by the rotary motion of the drilling apparatus.

All devices shown in the prior art fail to accomplish this because the ideas employed tend only to agitate the drilling fluid more than under normal conditions and make no attempt or eifort to capture and hold the materials and oppose the prevailing upward pressure.

Because of the speed with which rotary drilling tools revolve one fluid retaining reservoir 38 to a device may be suificient, but if not the device may be constructed with more, and in the embodiment shown in Figs. 3 to 6 two such reservoirs are disclosed.

The invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration but it will be obvious that numerous modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention in its broadest aspects.

I claim:

1. In combination with a hollow rotary drill stem adapted to deliver drilling fluid to the bottom of a hole and provided at its lower end with a drill bit, a drill hole plastering and smoothing device secured to said stem above said bit, said device comprising an openended smooth surfaced cylindrical shell having substantially the same diameter as a drill hole to be plastered thereby and provided in its lateral Wall with an elongated opening extending obliquely to the axis of the shell, a fin extending inwardly in said shell from one longitudinal edge of said opening, and a top piece provided in the shell at the upper end of said fin, whereby fluid entrained solids passing, upwardly in the drill hole and through the bottom of the shell may be deflected laterally by said fin and top piece against the side of a drill hole.

2. In combination with a hollow rotary drill stem adapted to deliver drilling fluid t0 the bottom of a hole and provided at its lower end with a drill bit, a drill hole plastering and smoothing device secured to said stem above said bit, said device comprising an openended smooth surfaced cylindrical shell having substantially the same diameter as a drill hole to be plastered thereby and provided in its lateral wall with an elongated opening, an elongated perforate wall member of an arcuate cross-section disposed in said shell and connected to the shell contiguously with the longitudinal edges of said opening whereby to provide a pocket in the shell open at the outside and at the lower end thereof, and a top piece secured in the shell at the upper end of said wall member and closing the upper end of said pocket, whereby fluid entrained solids passing upwardly in the drill hole and through the bottom of the shell may enter the pocket and be deflected laterally by said wall member and top piece against the side of a drill hole.

3. In combination with a hollow rotary drill stem adapted to deliver drilling fluid to the bottom of a hole and provided at its lower end with a drill bit, a drill hole plastering and smoothing device secured to said stem above said bit, said device comprising an open-ended smooth surfaced cylindrical shell coaxial with said drill stern and having substantially the same diameter as a drill hole to be plastered thereby, said shell having inturned rounded end portions and a lateral wall provided with an elongated opening extending obliquely to the axis of the shell, an elongated perforate Wall member disposed in the shell at one side of said drill stem and connected to the shell contiguously with the longitudinal edges of said opening whereby to provide a pocket in the shell open at the outside and at the bottom thereof, and a top piece secured in the shell at the upper end of said wall member and closing the upper end of said pocket, whereby fluid entrained solids passing upwardly in the drill hole and through the bottom of the shell may enter the pocket and be deflected laterally by said wall member and top piece against the side of a drill hole.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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