Drilling apparatus and related methods

A drill string for drilling, the drill string comprising:

• a drill bit having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is adapted to drill;
• a drilling sub apparatus having a first end and a second end, the drilling sub apparatus comprising:
• an inner pipe having a through hole and a plurality of apertures extending from an inner surface of the inner pipe to an outer surface of the inner pipe;
• a pendulum sleeve having a through hole and a pendulum recess extending outward from the through hole, wherein at least a portion of the inner pipe extends through the through hole of the pendulum sleeve, wherein the pendulum sleeve has a plurality of apertures extending from an inner surface of the pendulum sleeve to an outer surface of the pendulum sleeve;
• a stabilizer sleeve having a through hole, wherein at least a portion of the pendulum sleeve is located within the through hole of the stabilizer sleeve, and wherein the stabilizer sleeve and the pendulum sleeve define a plurality of chambers therebetween;
• a pendulum member having a through hole and a plurality of apertures, wherein at least a portion of the pendulum member is positioned within the pendulum recess of the pendulum sleeve, at least a portion of the inner pipe extends through the through hole of the pendulum member, and the plurality of apertures extend from an inner surface of the pendulum member to an outer surface of the pendulum member;
• wherein the pendulum member is configured to move within the pendulum recess of the pendulum sleeve between (a) a first position in which a bottom portion of the pendulum member covers the plurality of apertures of the pendulum sleeve such that an inner region of the inner pipe is not in fluid communication with the plurality of chambers and (b) a second position in which one or more of the plurality of apertures of the pendulum sleeve are not sealed by the bottom portion of the pendulum member such that an inner region of the inner pipe is in fluid communication with one or more of the plurality of chambers;
• and
• a bottom hole assembly having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the bottom hole assembly is coupled to the second end of the sub apparatus and the second end of the bottom hole assembly is coupled to one or more pipes.

A method of drilling a well, the method comprising:

• providing a sub apparatus, the sub apparatus comprising:
• an inner pipe having a through hole and a plurality of apertures extending from an inner surface of the inner pipe to an outer surface of the inner pipe;
• a pendulum sleeve having a through hole and a pendulum recess extending outward from the through hole, wherein at least a portion of the inner pipe extends through the through hole of the pendulum sleeve, wherein the pendulum sleeve has a plurality of apertures extending from an inner surface of the pendulum sleeve to an outer surface of the pendulum sleeve;
• a stabilizer sleeve having a through hole, wherein at least a portion of the pendulum sleeve is located within the through hole of the stabilizer sleeve, and wherein the stabilizer sleeve and the pendulum sleeve define a plurality of chambers therebetween;
• a pendulum member having a through hole and a plurality of apertures extending between an inner surface and an outer surface of the pendulum member, wherein at least a portion of the pendulum member is positioned within the pendulum recess of the pendulum sleeve, at least a portion of the inner pipe extends through the through hole of the pendulum member, and wherein the pendulum member is configured to move within the pendulum recess of the pendulum sleeve between a first position and a second position;
• and
• in response to the inner pipe moving from the first position to the second position, wherein in the second position the inner pipe is tilted away from vertical, the pendulum member automatically shifting to uncover one or more of the plurality of apertures in the pendulum sleeve for allowing a fluid to flow from an inner region of the inner pipe to one or more of the plurality of chambers for providing a force on the inner pipe in a direction opposite the direction of the tilt of the inner pipe for forcing the inner pipe to return to the first position.