Drill bit for downhole electrocrushing drilling
AssigneesHalliburton Energy Services, Inc., Chevron U.S.A. Inc., SDG, Inc.
InventorWilliam M. Moeny
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrocrushing drill bit comprises a bit body and at least one electrode coupled to a power source and the bit body, wherein the at least one electrode having a distal portion for engaging with a surface of a wellbore. The electrocrushing drill bit comprises a ground structure coupled to the bit body proximate to the at least one electrode and having a distal portion for engaging with the surface of the wellbore, wherein the ground structure comprises a transverse ground structure.
Claims41
An electrocrushing drill bit, comprising:
- a bit body;
- at least one electrode coupled to a power source and the bit body, the at least one electrode having a distal portion for engaging with a surface of a wellbore, wherein the at least one electrode further comprises a slot in a face of the at least one electrode;
- and
- a ground structure coupled to the bit body proximate to the at least one electrode and having a distal portion for engaging with the surface of the wellbore, wherein the ground structure comprises a transverse ground structure.
A downhole drilling system comprising:
- a drill string;
- a power source;
- and
- a drill bit coupled to the drill string and the power source, the drill bit comprising, a bit body;
- at least one electrode coupled to the power source and the bit body, the at least one electrode having a distal portion for engaging with a surface of a wellbore, wherein the at least one electrode further comprises a slot in a face of the at least one electrode;
- and
- a ground structure coupled to the bit body proximate to the at least one electrode and having a distal portion for engaging with the surface of the wellbore, wherein the ground structure comprises a transverse ground structure.
A method comprising:
- deploying a drill bit downhole in a wellbore, the drill bit comprising,
- a bit body;
- at least one electrode coupled to a power source and the bit body, the at least one electrode having a distal portion for engaging with a surface of the wellbore, wherein the at least one electrode further comprises a slot in a face of the at least one electrode;
- and
- a ground structure coupled to the bit body proximate to the at least one electrode and having a distal portion for engaging with the surface of the wellbore, wherein the ground structure comprises a transverse ground structure;
- supplying an electrical energy to the drill bit;
- supplying an electrocrushing drilling fluid to the drill bit;
- forming an electrical arc between the portion of the at least one electrode proximate to the distal portion of the at least one electrode and the portion of the ground structure proximate to the distal portion of the ground structure of the drill bit;
- fracturing a rock formation at an end of the wellbore with the electrical arc;
- and
- removing fractured rock from the end of the wellbore with the electrocrushing drilling fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.