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US 11,142,955 B2Granted
Steerable drill bit system
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorGeoffrey Downton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steerable drilling system in accordance to an embodiment includes a bias unit integrated with the drill bit to form a steering head and an electronic control system located remote from the steering head and electrically connected to a digital valve of the bias unit.
Claims20
A method for propagating a borehole in a desired direction, comprising:
- operating a bias unit by controlling first, second, and third digital valves to actuate first, second, and third steering actuators;
- applying a first force and timing to the first, second, and third steering actuators;
- measuring a distance to a borehole wall;
- measuring a direction or an inclination;
- and
- modulating the first force and timing to a second force and timing of the first, second, and third steering actuators based on the measured distance to the borehole wall and in response to the measured direction or inclination.
3 more elements
A method for propagating a borehole in a desired direction, comprising:
- selectively opening first, second, and third digital valves with a first timing;
- flowing fluid from the first, second, and third digital valves to corresponding first, second, and third actuators;
- actuating the first, second, and third actuators with a first force and the first timing based on the opening of the first, second, and third digital valves;
- measuring a direction or an inclination;
- measuring a distance to a borehole wall;
- modulating the opening of the first, second, and third digital valves with the first timing to opening the first, second, and third digital valves with a second timing based on the measured distance to the borehole wall and based on the measured direction or inclination;
- and
- modulating actuating the first, second, and third actuators with the first force to actuating the first, second, and third actuators with a second force and the second timing based on the measured distance to the borehole wall and based on the measured direction or inclination.
5 more elements
A bias unit, comprising:
- first, second, and third digital valves, the first, second, and third digital valves including only a first position and a second position;
- a sensor configured to measure a distance to a borehole wall;
- first, second, and third actuators connected to the first, second, and third digital valves with corresponding first, second, and third conduits;
- and
- a control unit configured to change a force and timing of actuation of the first, second, and third digital valves based on the distance measured to the borehole wall and based on azimuth and inclination information.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.