# US 2022/0034166 A1 · Drilling A Borehole With A Steering System Using A Modular Cam Arrangement > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0034166 A1 - Document ID: US20220034166A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/278,976 - Filed: 2018-12-21 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-21 - Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Applicants: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Inventors: Alben D'Silva - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220034166A1 ## CPC - E21B 7/06: Deflecting the direction of boreholes - E21B 7/067: {with means for locking sections of a pipe or of a guide for a shaft in angular relation, e.g. adjustable bent sub} - E21B 4/003: {Bearing, sealing, lubricating details (for roller bits E21B10/22)} - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A cam system for use with a rotary steerable system, the cam system includes a housing, a cam positioned at least partially within the housing, and a solid cam shaft engaged with the cam and positioned at least partially within the housing, wherein the cam is operable to adjust an azimuthal orientation of the solid cam shaft. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cam system for use with a rotary steerable system, the cam system comprising: a housing; a cam positioned at least partially within the housing; and a solid cam shaft engaged with the cam and positioned at least partially within the housing, wherein the cam is operable to adjust an azimuthal orientation of the solid cam shaft. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cam system of claim 1, further comprising a shaft cap coupled to the solid cam shaft at an end opposite of the cam, wherein the shaft cap comprises a bore and a channel to allow a drilling fluid to flow from an area outside the shaft cap between the solid cam shaft and the housing into the bore of the shaft cap. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The cam system of claim 2, wherein the shaft cap is coupleable to a hollow constant velocity shaft and the shaft cap is pivotable to pivot rotation of the solid cam shaft at the azimuthal orientation to rotation about a central axis of a CV section. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The cam system of claim 2, wherein the end of the solid cam shaft extends axially further than the housing to attach to the shaft cap outside of the housing. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cam system of claim 1, wherein a drilling fluid is flowable in an area between the solid cam shaft and the housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The cam system of claim 1, further comprising a bearing positioned between the cam and the housing and a lubrication system, the lubrication system comprising: a flow sleeve positioned between the solid cam shaft and the housing to define a cavity between the flow sleeve and the housing; a piston that fluidly separates the cavity into a first chamber and a second chamber; and a biasing device positioned in the second chamber and between the piston and an end cap to bias the piston into the first chamber; wherein a lubricating fluid is within the first chamber and in communication with the bearing, and the second chamber is in fluid communication with a drilling fluid inside the cam system to enable the piston to equalize pressure between the lubricating fluid and the drilling fluid. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The cam system of claim 1, further comprising a motor coupled to the cam to maintain the azimuthal orientation of the solid cam shaft while the solid cam shaft rotates. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The cam system of claim 1, wherein the solid cam shaft comprises titanium. ### Claim 9 A rotary steerable system (“RSS”) comprising: a steering head; a cam system comprising: a housing; a cam positioned at least partially within the housing; and a solid cam shaft engaged with the cam and positioned at least partially within the housing, wherein the cam is operable to adjust an azimuthal orientation of the solid cam shaft; a shaft cap coupled to the solid cam shaft at an end opposite of the cam, wherein the shaft cap comprises a bore and a channel to allow a drilling fluid to flow from an area outside the shaft cap between the solid cam shaft and the housing into the bore of the shaft cap; a constant velocity shaft coupled to the shaft cap; and a drill bit engaged with the CV shaft. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The RSS of claim 9, wherein the shaft cap is pivotable to pivot rotation of the solid cam shaft at the azimuthal orientation to rotation about a central axis of a CV section. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The RS S of claim 9, wherein the end of the solid cam shaft extends axially further than the housing to attach to the shaft cap outside of the housing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The RSS of claim 9, wherein a drilling fluid is flowable in an area between the solid cam shaft and the housing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The RSS of claim 9, further comprising a bearing positioned between the cam and the housing and a lubrication system, the lubrication system comprising: a flow sleeve positioned between the solid cam shaft and the housing to define a cavity between the flow sleeve and the housing; a piston that fluidly separates the cavity into a first chamber and a second chamber; and a biasing device positioned in the second chamber and between the piston and an end cap to bias the piston into the first chamber; wherein a lubricating fluid is within the first chamber and in communication with the bearing, and the second chamber is in fluid communication with a drilling fluid inside the cam system to enable the piston to equalize pressure between the lubricating fluid and the drilling fluid. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The RSS of claim 9, further comprising a motor coupled to the cam to maintain the azimuthal orientation of the solid cam shaft while the solid cam shaft rotates. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The RSS of claim 9, wherein the solid cam shaft comprises titanium. ### Claim 16 A method for drilling a wellbore into a formation comprising: deploying a drill string comprising a rotary steerable system into the wellbore; adjusting an angular direction of a drill bit using a cam system comprising a solid cam shaft and a cam engaged with the solid cam shaft and operable to adjust an azimuthal orientation of the solid cam shaft; and drilling the borehole with the drill bit in the azimuthal orientation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising replacing the cam module with a different cam module having a solid cam shaft at a different azimuthal orientation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising flowing a drilling fluid in an area between the solid cam shaft and the housing. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising flowing a drilling fluid into a shaft cap coupled to the solid cam shaft at an end opposite of the cam, wherein the drilling fluid flows from an area outside the shaft cap between the solid cam shaft and the housing into the shaft cap through a bore and a channel, out of the shaft cap, and into a constant velocity shaft. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising maintaining the azimuthal orientation of the solid cam shaft with a motor while the solid cam shaft rotates.