Bearing assembly for drilling a subterranean formation

A method of drilling a subterranean formation, the method comprising:

• flowing a drilling fluid through a drill string disposed in the subterranean formation, the drill string comprising a bottom hole assembly comprising a bearing assembly and a drill bit section, wherein
• the drill bit section is at a downhole end of the bottom hole assembly,
• the bearing assembly comprises a high flow bearing and a low flow bearing,
• the low flow bearing is more proximate to the drill bit section than the high flow bearing, and
• at least one bearing surface of the low flow bearing comprises diamond;
• flowing a first part of the drilling fluid and a second part of the drilling fluid together into contact with the high flow bearing, comprising cooling the high flow bearing with the first and second parts of the drilling fluid, lubricating the high flow bearing with the first and second parts of the drilling fluid, or a combination thereof;
• flowing the first part of the drilling fluid into contact with the low flow bearing, comprising cooling the low flow bearing with the first part of the drilling fluid, lubricating the low flow bearing with the first part of the drilling fluid, or a combination thereof, while simultaneously flowing the second part of the drilling fluid through a bypass channel around the outer diameter of the low flow bearing;
• and
• discharging the first and second part of the drilling fluid between the bottom hole assembly and the subterranean formation.

A bearing assembly for drilling a subterranean formation, the bearing assembly comprising:

• an inlet configured to flow a drilling fluid into the bearing assembly;
• a low flow bearing;
• a high flow bearing wherein the bearing assembly is configured to flow first and second parts of the drilling fluid together into contact with the high flow bearing;
• a bypass channel configured to the second part of the drilling fluid flowed into the bearing assembly through the bypass channel around the outer diameter of the low flow bearing while the first part of the drilling fluid flowed into the bearing assembly is simultaneously flowed into contact with the low flow bearing;
• a first outlet configured to discharge the first part of the drilling fluid that contacted the low flow bearing externally to the bearing assembly;
• and
• a bypass outlet configured to discharge the second part of the drilling fluid that flowed through the bypass channel externally to the bearing assembly.