# US 2014/0190750 A1 · Rotary steerable drilling system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190750 A1 - Document ID: US20140190750A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/233,350 - Filed: 2011-07-11 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-11 - Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Inventors: Robello Samuel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190750A1 ## CPC - E21B 7/062: {the tool shaft rotating inside a non-rotating guide travelling with the shaft (E21B7/067 and E21B7/068 take precedence)} - E21B 44/00: Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A drilling system may include an outer sleeve, and a rotary steerable module including a shaft extending within the outer sleeve. The rotary steerable module may further include bearings disposed within the outer sleeve and through which the shaft extends, and cams positioned along the shaft between the bearings. Each cam may include an eccentric ring through which the shaft extends. Each extension of the shaft through one of the eccentric rings defines a bend in the shaft within the outer sleeve, the bend having a bend angle. A method of use and a drilling control apparatus are also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drilling system, comprising: an outer sleeve; and a first rotary steerable module, comprising: a first shaft extending within the outer sleeve; a first bearing disposed within the outer sleeve and through which the first shaft extends; a second bearing disposed within the outer sleeve and through which the first shaft extends, wherein the second bearing is spaced from the first bearing along the first shaft; a first cam disposed within the outer sleeve so that the first cam is positioned along the first shaft between the first and second bearings, the first cam comprising: a first eccentric ring through which the first shaft extends; and a second eccentric ring extending about the first eccentric ring; wherein the extension of the first shaft through the first eccentric ring defines a first bend in the first shaft within the outer sleeve, the first bend having a first bend angle; and a second cam disposed within the outer sleeve so that the second cam is positioned along the first shaft between the first cam and the second bearing, the second cam comprising: a third eccentric ring through which the first shaft extends; and a fourth eccentric ring extending about the third eccentric ring; wherein the extension of the first shaft through the third eccentric ring defines a second bend in the first shaft within the outer sleeve, the second bend having a second bend angle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, wherein the first bend within the outer sleeve bends in a first angular direction; and wherein the second bend within the outer sleeve bends in a second angular direction that is the reverse of the first angular direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, wherein the first and second bends within the outer sleeve bend in the same angular direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, wherein the first shaft has a center axis and is rotatable about the center axis within, and relative to, the outer sleeve. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, wherein the outer sleeve and the first shaft have first and second center axes, respectively; wherein the drilling system further comprises a drill bit connected to the first shaft, the drill bit having a range of movement defined at least in part by the first and second bend angles; and wherein the second center axis is angularly offset from the first center axis within the range of movement of the drill bit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, wherein the first rotary steerable module comprises a pad connected to the outer sleeve, wherein at least a portion of the pad is positioned outside of the outer sleeve. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, wherein the outer sleeve has a center axis; and wherein the drilling system further comprises: a control unit operably coupled to each of the first and second cams, the control unit comprising: a processor; a computer readable medium operably coupled to the processor; and a plurality of instructions stored on the computer readable medium and executable by the processor, wherein the plurality of instructions comprises: instructions that cause the processor to rotate at least one of the first and second eccentric rings about the center axis to a first angular position, relative to the outer sleeve; and instructions that cause the processor to rotate at least one of the third and fourth eccentric rings about the center axis to a second angular position, relative to the outer sleeve. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The drilling system of claim 7, wherein the second angular position is different than the first angular position; and wherein the first and second bend angles are dependent upon the first and second angular positions, respectively. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The drilling system of claim 7, wherein the outer sleeve comprises a first section and a second section connected thereto; wherein the first shaft, the first and second bearings, and the first and second cams of the first rotary steerable module are disposed within the first section of the outer sleeve; and wherein the drilling system further comprises a second rotary steerable module connected to the first rotary steerable module, the second rotary steerable module comprising: a second shaft connected to the first shaft and extending within the second section of the outer sleeve; a third bearing disposed within the second section of the outer sleeve and through which the second shaft extends; a fourth bearing disposed within the second section of the outer sleeve and through which the second shaft extends, wherein the second bearing is spaced from the first bearing along the second shaft; a third cam disposed within second section of the outer sleeve so that the third cam is positioned along the second shaft between the third and fourth bearings; and a fourth cam disposed within the second section of the outer sleeve so that the fourth cam is positioned along the first shaft between the third cam and the fourth bearing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The drilling system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first and second rotary steerable modules comprises a pad carried by one of the first and second sections of the outer sleeve, and wherein at least a portion of the pad is positioned outside of the outer sleeve. ### Claim 11 A drilling method, comprising: extending a shaft within an outer sleeve, wherein the shaft and the outer sleeve have first and second center axes, respectively; placing a first bend in the shaft within the outer sleeve, the first bend having a first bend angle; placing a second bend in the shaft within the outer sleeve, the second bend having a second bend angle; and rotating, relative to the outer sleeve, the shaft about the first center axis while maintaining the first and second bends in the shaft within the outer sleeve. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The drilling method of claim 11, wherein placing the first bend in the shaft within the outer sleeve comprises: extending the shaft through a first eccentric ring about which a second eccentric ring extends within the outer sleeve; and rotating at least one of the first and second eccentric rings about the second center axis to a first angular position within the outer sleeve to thereby place the first bend in the shaft within the outer sleeve. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The drilling method of claim 12, wherein placing the second bend in the shaft within the outer sleeve comprises: extending the shaft through a third eccentric ring about which a fourth eccentric ring extends within the outer sleeve; rotating at least one of the third and fourth eccentric rings about the second center axis to a second angular position within the outer sleeve to thereby place the second bend in the shaft within the outer sleeve; ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The drilling method of claim 13, wherein the second angular position is different than the first angular position; and wherein the first and second bend angles are dependent upon the first and second angular positions, respectively. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The drilling method of claim 14, wherein the first bend within the outer sleeve bends in a first angular direction; and wherein the second bend within the outer sleeve bends in a second angular direction that is the reverse of the first angular direction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The drilling method of claim 11, wherein the drilling method further comprises attaching a drill bit to the shaft, the drill bit having a range of movement defined at least in part by the first and second bend angles; and wherein the first center axis is permitted to be angularly offset from the second center axis within the range of movement of the drill bit. ### Claim 17 A drilling control apparatus, comprising: a computer readable medium; and a plurality of instructions stored on the computer readable medium and executable by a processor, the plurality of instructions comprising: instructions that cause the processor to place a first bend in a shaft within an outer sleeve, wherein the first bend has a first bend angle, and wherein the shaft and the outer sleeve have first and second center axes, respectively; instructions that cause the processor to place a second bend in the shaft within the outer sleeve, wherein the second bend has a second bend angle; and instructions that cause the processor to rotate, relative to the outer sleeve, the shaft about the first center axis while maintaining the first and second bends in the shaft within the outer sleeve. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The drilling control apparatus of claim 17, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to place the first bend in the shaft within the outer sleeve comprise: instructions that cause the processor to rotate at least one of a first eccentric ring through which the shaft extends, and a second eccentric ring extending about the first eccentric ring within the outer sleeve, about the second center axis to a first angular position within the outer sleeve. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The drilling control apparatus of claim 18, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to place the second bend in the shaft within the outer sleeve comprise: instructions that cause the processor to rotate at least one of a third eccentric ring through which the shaft extends, and a fourth eccentric ring extending about the third eccentric ring within the outer sleeve, about the second center axis to a second angular position within the outer sleeve; wherein the second angular position is either the same as, or different than, the first angular position; and wherein the first and second bend angles are dependent upon the first and second angular positions, respectively. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The drilling control apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first bend within the outer sleeve bends in a first angular direction; and wherein the second bend within the outer sleeve bends in a second angular direction that is either the reverse of, or the same as, the first angular direction.