US 2018/0003025 A1 · Multi-Directionally Rotating Downhole Drilling Assembly and Method

Abstract

Embodiments of a downhole drilling assembly generally include a rotatable lower drilling assembly, a rotatable upper drilling assembly, and a drill bit, wherein the upper drilling assembly contains a mud motor adapted for clockwise rotation of its stator and counter-clockwise rotation of its rotor, whereby the lower drilling assembly is rotatable in the opposite direction of the upper drilling assembly or maintainable in a non-rotating state. The apparatus further includes sensors adapted to continuously measure physical properties and/or drilling parameters and a mechanism for continuously transmitting information relating thereto to the surface. Embodiments of a method for operating a downhole drilling assembly generally include continuously measuring physical properties and/or drilling parameters proximate the drill bit, continuously transmitting information relating thereto to the surface, and controlling rotation of a lower drilling assembly in a non-rotating state or in the opposite direction of an upper drilling assembly by varying drill string rotation.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A downhole drilling assembly for use in a subsurface wellbore, comprising:

a rotatable lower drilling assembly;
a rotatable upper drilling assembly;
and
a drill bit;
wherein:
said lower drilling assembly comprises:
a first motor adapted to provide rotational force to said drill bit in a first direction;
and
a sensor assembly comprising one or more sensors;
and
said upper drilling assembly comprises:
a second motor adapted to provide rotational force to said lower drilling assembly in a second direction;
wherein:
said upper drilling assembly is adapted to provided rotational force directed in said first direction and rotational force directed in said second direction to said lower drilling assembly;
and
said lower drilling assembly is adapted to be rotated, by said rotational force directed in said first direction and said rotational force directed in said second direction, in one or more rotation modes selected from the group consisting of:
rotating in said first direction;
rotating in said second direction;
and
not rotating.

17 more elements

A downhole drilling assembly for use in a subsurface wellbore, comprising:

a rotatable lower drilling assembly;
a rotatable upper drilling assembly;
a drill bit;
and
a logic assembly;
wherein:
said lower drilling assembly comprises:
a first motor adapted to provide rotational force to said drill bit in a first direction;
a sensor assembly comprising one or more sensors;
and
a sensor information transmission device;
and
said upper drilling assembly comprises:
a second motor adapted to provide rotational force to said lower drilling assembly in a second direction;
wherein
said logic assembly is adapted to receive information from said sensor information transmission device and transmit information to a location proximate the surface of said wellbore;
said upper drilling assembly is adapted to provided rotational force directed in said first direction and rotational force directed in said second direction to said lower drilling assembly;
and
said lower drilling assembly is adapted to be rotated, by said rotational force directed in said first direction and said rotational force directed in said second direction, in one or more rotation modes selected from the group consisting of:
rotating in said first direction;
rotating in said second direction;
and
not rotating.

20 more elements

A method for controlling a downhole drilling assembly for use in a subsurface wellbore, comprising:

adjusting the rotation speed of a drill string to vary the rotation rate or direction of a component of said downhole drilling assembly;
wherein said drilling assembly comprises:
a rotatable lower drilling assembly;
a rotatable upper drilling assembly;
a drill bit;
and
a logic assembly;
wherein;
said lower drilling assembly comprises:
a first motor adapted to provide rotational force to said drill bit in a first direction;
a sensor assembly comprising one or more sensors;
and
a sensor information transmission device;
and
said upper drilling assembly comprises:
a second motor adapted to provide rotational force to said lower drilling assembly in a second direction;
wherein
said logic assembly is adapted to receive information from said information transmission device and transmit information to a location proximate the surface of said wellbore;
said upper drilling assembly is adapted to provided rotational force directed in said first direction and rotational force directed in said second direction to said lower drilling assembly;
and
said lower drilling assembly is adapted to be rotated, by said rotational force directed in said first direction and said rotational force directed in said second direction, in one or more rotation modes selected from the group consisting of:
rotating in said first direction;
rotating in said second direction;
and
not rotating.

22 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-Directionally Rotating Downhole Drilling Assembly and Method

Life of this patent

Multi-Directionally Rotating Downhole Drilling Assembly and Method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20