Multistage, downhole, turbo-powered intensifier for drilling petroleum wells

A multiple stage, downhole, turbine-powered intensifier for drilling petroleum wells comprising:

• a. a drill collar having a long axial dimension relative to its maximum radial dimension;
• b. a plurality of turbine and pump intensifier stages of the drill collar, each intensifier stage having at least one axial flow turbine, at least one axial flow pump, and shaft means coupling the turbine to the pump;
• c. power fluid passage means in the drill collar to each of the turbines, the power fluid passage means supplying the turbines with power fluid in parallel so that each turbine sees the same inlet pressure;
• d. turbine exhaust passage means in the drill collar from each of the turbines;
• e. working fluid passage means in the drill collar to each of the pumps, the working fluid passage means supplying the pumps with working fluid in series so that the pressure of the working fluid increases after each of the pumps;
• and
• f. nozzle means at the base of the drill collar for receiving the working fluid from the last intensifier stage and directing such fluid at bore hole walls in an erosion zone.

A multiple stage, downhole, turbine-powered intensifier for drilling petroleum wells comprising:

• a. a drill collar adapted for attachment to the downhole end of a drill string;
• b. a plurality of intensifier stages of the drill collar for increasing the pressure of a working fluid, each intensifier stage including an axial flow intensifier turbine, an axial flow intensifier pump, and shaft means for driving the intensifier pump by the intensifier turbine;
• c. centrifugal cleaner means of the drill collar for removing solids from drilling mud and forming a cleansed stream;
• d. a cleaner turbine of the drill collar for driving the centrifugal cleaner means;
• e. drilling mud passage means from the drill string to the inlet of the centrifugal cleaner means;
• f. cleansed fluid passage means from the centrifugal cleaners for fluid cleansed thereby;
• g. dirty fluid passage means from the centrifugal cleaner means for discharging fluid containing the solids from the drill collar;
• h. power fluid passage means from the cleansed fluid passage means for driving the cleaner turbine;
• i. power fluid passage means from the cleansed fluid passage means to drive intensifier turbines, the power fluid passage means being in parallel to the intensifier turbines so that each turbine sees the same inlet pressure;
• j. exhaust passage means from the intensifier turbines and cleaner turbine;
• k. working fluid passage means from the cleansed fluid passage means to each of the intensifier pumps, the working fluid passage means being in series between the pumps so that the pressure of the working fluid increases after each pump;
• and
• l. nozzle means at the base of the drill collar for receiving the working fluid from the last intensifier stage and directing such fluid at bore hole walls in an erosion zone.