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US 4,359,899 AGranted
Weight on drill bit measuring apparatus
AssigneeDresser Industries, Inc.
InventorJackson R. Claycomb
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A measuring device is provided for measuring the weight applied to a drilling bit or like device in a borehole while the drilling is taking place. The measuring apparatus has a tubular housing adapted to be coupled into a drill string preferably immediately above the drill bit. A transducer is mounted in the tubular housing and measures pressure in a captive fluid chamber within the housing which can be correlated to weight on the measuring apparatus and in turn on the drill bit.
Claims20
A weight measuring apparatus adapted for measuring the weight load condition in a drilling string while drilling a borehole, comprising:
- (a) tubular housing means adapted to be coupled in a borehole drill string and having upper and lower tubular telescopic housing members arranged for limited relative telescopic movement, wherein said tubular housing means has a pressure balancing means between said upper and lower telescopic housing members to offset the effects of relatively high pressure drilling fluid in said housing means that tends to displace said telescopic members apart and the effect of drilling fluid on the exterior of said housing means that tends to displace said telescopic members together;
- (b) means between said telescopic upper and said lower housing to sense the longitudinal force load on said housing means including a variable volume fluid chamber situated between said upper and lower housing members and arranged such that the pressure of fluid in said chamber is functionally related to the longitudinal force load on said tubular housing means;
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- (c) said means to sense also includes a fluid pressure transducer in one of the housing members and in fluid communication with said chamber to sense fluid pressure in said chamber, said fluid pressure transducer being operably connected to a means of transmitting measured data in order to relay this data to drilling equipment at the earth's surface.
1 more element
A weight sensing apparatus for sensing the weight load condition on a drilling string while drilling a borehole, comprising:
- (a) tubular housing means adapted to be coupled into a borehole string and having an upper housing member coupleable to a drill string and telescopically mounted within a lower housing member that is coupled with a borehole drilling device such as a bit, said upper housing member and said lower housing member having means therewith to balance the effect of internal drilling fluid pressure that tends to telescopically extend said housing members and the effect of external drilling fluid pressure that tends to telescopically retract said housing members, and said housing members also defining a fluid pressure measuring captive fluid chamber therebetween that is fluidicly isolated from said drilling fluid, wherein said captive fluid chamber is pressurized in relation to longitudinal compressive forces applied to said tubular housing means;
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- (b) means within said tubular housing means to sense pressure in said captive fluid chamber and thereby sense a measurable parameter indicative of longitudinal force applied to said weight measuring apparatus which is indicative of weight placed on said drilling device.
A weight measuring apparatus adapted for measuring the weight load condition in a drilling string while drilling a borehole, comprising:
- (a) a drill string operably positioned in a borehole for the drilling thereof,
- (b) transmitting and data processing apparatus contained within at least one drill collar of said drill string operable to sense various drilling related measurement data and transmit some data to the earth's surface,
- (c) drilling data receiving means at the earth's surface operable for receiving and processing said various drilling related measurement data for display to individuals operating the drilling operation and for recording of some data,
- (d) tubular housing means adapted to be coupled in a borehole drill string and having upper and lower tubular telescopic housing members arranged for limited relative telescopic movement, a pressure balancing means between said upper and lower telescopic housing members to offset the effects of relatively high pressure drilling fluid in said housing means that tends to displace said telescopic members apart and the effect of drilling fluid on the exterior of said housing means that tends to displace said telescopic members together;
- (e) means between said telescopic upper and said lower housing to sense the longitudinal force load on said housing means including a variable volume fluid chamber situated between said upper and lower housing members and arranged such that the pressure of fluid in said variable volume fluid chamber is functionally related to the longitudinal force load on said tubular housing means;
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- (f) said means to sense also includes a fluid pressure transducer in one of the housing members and in fluid communication with said chamber to sense fluid pressure in said chamber, said fluid pressure transducer being operably connected to a means of transmitting measured data in order to relay this data to drilling equipment equipment at the earth's surface in order for this pressure measurement to be used in calculating the weight load condition in the drill string at said tubular housing means.
4 more elements
A method of measuring the weight applied a drill bit in a borehole drill string while drilling in a borehole, comprising the steps of:
- (a) operably connecting a pressure balanced weight sensor sub in a drill string wherein said sub has upper and lower telescopic housing members with a variable volume captive fluid chamber therebetween arranged such that fluid pressure therein is related to longitudinal force load on said weight sensor sub wherein this fluid pressure is sensed by a pressure transducer and wherein fluid pressures inside of and outside of said sub are balanced relative to said variable volume captive fluid chamber;
- (b) operably connecting said pressure transducer to a data transmitting means in said drill string operable to transmit data upward to the earth surface while drilling;
- (c) drilling a borehole with said drill string;
- (d) sensing of the fluid pressure in a said captive fluid chamber with said pressure transducer and creating an electrical data signal indicative of the pressure;
- (e) conveying the electrical pressure data signal to said transmitting means;
- (f) transmitting a signal indicative of said pressure data signal from said transmitting means in said drill string to a receiving means at the earth surface,
- (g) determining the longitudinal force applied to said drill bit by correlating the pressure data signal received by said receiving means with a known pressure parameter for said weight sensor sub.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.