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US 2013/0075164 A1Published application
Point The Bit Rotary Steerable System
OwnerRichard Hutton, Jeff Rutlandinventors
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Abstract
A method, device, and system is described herein for pointing a rotary drill bit. A rotary bit pointing device is positioned between a proximal end of a control shaft and a universal joint. As the bottom hole assembly rotates, various portions of the rotary bit pointing device are enabled and subsequently disabled to apply a substantially constant force in a substantially constant direction to the control shaft. Such a force causes the distal end of the control shaft to point the rotary drill bit in a target direction.
Claims20
A method for pointing a rotary drill bit, comprising:
- receiving a target direction in a formation to point the rotary drill bit while drilling a wellbore in a formation;
- enabling, at a first rotational position, a first deflection device of a plurality of deflection devices, wherein enabling the first deflection device applies a force to a control shaft in an applied direction;
- disabling, after the first rotational position, the first deflection device, wherein disabling the first deflection device removes the force applied to the control shaft;
- enabling, at a second rotational position, a second deflection device of the plurality of deflection devices, wherein enabling the second deflection device applies the force to the control shaft in the applied direction;
- and
- disabling, after the second rotational position, the second deflection device, wherein disabling the second deflection device removes the force applied to the control shaft,
- wherein the first rotational position and the second rotational position are adjacent to each other,
- wherein the force is applied to the control shaft between a proximal end of the control shaft and a pivot point of the control shaft, and
- wherein the proximal end of the control shaft is opposite a distal end of the control shaft, wherein the distal end of the control shaft is coupled to the rotary drill bit.
6 more elements
A rotary bit pointing device, comprising:
- a shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal end;
- an end plate disposed over an outer surface of the shaft toward the proximal end of the shaft, wherein the end plate comprises a top surface having a first inner perimeter, wherein the top surface comprises a plurality of passthrough apertures and a first plurality of securing apertures;
- a retaining plate disposed over the outer surface of the shaft toward the distal end of the shaft, wherein the retaining plate comprises a bottom surface having a second inner perimeter, wherein the bottom surface comprises a second plurality of securing apertures;
- a plurality of deflection devices disposed around the outer surface of the shaft between the end plate and the retaining plate, wherein each of the plurality of deflection devices comprises a protrusion that traverses one of the plurality of passthrough apertures;
- a plurality of retaining pins disposed around the outer surface of the shaft between the plurality of deflection devices, the end plate, and the retaining plate, wherein the plurality of retaining pins are mechanically coupled to the end plate using the first plurality of securing apertures and the retaining plate using the second plurality of securing apertures;
- and
- a control device mechanically coupled to the protrusion of each of the plurality of deflection devices,
- wherein the plurality of deflection devices and the retaining plate are slidably coupled to a proximal end of a control shaft, wherein the control shaft comprises a middle portion mechanically coupled to a universal joint and a distal end mechanically coupled to a rotary drill bit.
5 more elements
A point the bit rotary steerable system, comprising:
- a rotary drill bit;
- a bit shaft having a distal end mechanically coupled to the rotary drill bit;
- a universal joint mechanically coupled to a proximal end of the bit shaft;
- a body having a distal end mechanically coupled to the universal joint;
- a shaft that traverses a cavity in the rotary drill bit, the bit shaft, the universal joint, and the body, wherein the shaft is pivotally coupled to the universal joint between a proximal end and a distal end of the shaft;
- and
- a rotary bit pointing device that is coupled to a proximal end of the shaft and is mechanically coupled to a proximal end of the body, wherein the rotary bit pointing device comprises:
- a plurality of deflection devices disposed proximately to a perimeter of the shaft, wherein each of the plurality of deflection devices comprises a protrusion;
- and
- a control device mechanically coupled to the protrusion of each of the plurality of deflection devices,
- wherein the control device enables at least one of the plurality of deflection devices and disables a remainder of the plurality of deflection devices so that the rotary drill bit is pointed at a particular target in a radial direction.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.