Method and apparatus for preventing wireline kinking in a directional drilling system

In a wireline directional drilling system including a drill string having a bit and downhole motor for rotating the bit, a bent angle sub and a jar and a wireline directional tool mounted within the drill string between the jar and the bit with a wireline extending from the directional tool, upwardly through the drill string, to a surface location, wherein the improvement comprises:

• a landing sub coaxially mounted within the drill string above the jar, said landing sub having
• a central longitudinal passage from end to end thereof,
• a plurality of longitudinal extending bypass passages positioned radially outwardly from said central longitudinal passage, and in fluid communication with said central longitudinal passage, and
• a seat fashioned within said landing sub about said central longitudinal passage;
• and
• generally cylindrical stop means connected to the wireline, said stop means having
• a seat portion configured and dimensioned to cooperate with said seat of said landing sub and having an exterior radial dimension less than the outermost radial extent of said bypass passages, said stop means being operable to engage said landing sub and support the wireline between said landing sub and the directional tool while concomitantly permitting drilling fluid to pass through said landing sub, said stop means being connected to the wireline at a position to permit a degree of slack in the wireline between said landing sub and the directional tool in excess of the maximum stroke of the jar but with sufficient tautness in the wireline between said landing sub and the directional tool to reduce the tendency of the jar to kink the wireline during dynamic action thereof.

In a wireline directional driling system including a drill string having a bit and downhole motor for rotating the bit, a bent angle sub, a jar and a wireline directional tool mounted within the drill string between the jar and the bit with a wireline extending from the directional tool, to the surface, wherein the improvement comprises:

• a landing sub coaxially mounted within the drill string above the jar and having at least one longitudinal passage therethrough for permitting drilling fluid to pass within the drill string, through said landing sub and through the downhole motor and bit;
• stop means connected to the wireline for engaging said landing sub and supporting the wireline between said landing sub and the directional tool while concomitantly permitting drilling fluid to pass through said landing sub;
• means within said landing sub for receiving said stop means;
• and
• means on said stop means for guiding said stop means into engagement with said means for receiving within said landing sub, said stop means being connected to the wireline in a position to permit a degree of slack in the wireline between the landing sub and the directional tool in excess of the maximum stroke of the jar but with sufficient tautness in the wireline between said landing sub and the directional tool to minimize coiling of the wireline adjacent the jar and reduce the tendency of the jar to kink the wireline during dynamic action thereof.

A wireline protection sub for a directional drilling system having a bit and downhole motor, a bent angle sub, a jar and a wireline directional tool mounted within the drill string between the jar and the bit with a wireline extending from the directional tool to a surface location, said wireline protection sub comprising:

• a landing member operable to be coaxially mounted within a drill string above a jar and having at least one longitudinal passage therethrough for permitting drilling fluid to pass within the drill string, through said landing member and through a downhole motor and bit;
• a stop member operable to be connected to the wireline for engaging said landing member and supporting the wireline between said landing member and the directional tool while concomitantly permitting drilling fluid to pass through said landing member;
• means on said landing member for receiving said stop member;
• and
• means on said stop member for guiding said stop member into engagement with said means for receiving on said landing member, said stop member being operable to be connected to the wireline in a position to permit a degree of slack in the wireline between the landing member and the directional tool in excess of the maximum stroke of the jar but with sufficient tautness in the wireline between said landing member and the directional tool to minimize coiling of the wireline adjacent the jar and reduce the tendency of the jar to kink the wireline during dynamic action thereof.

A method for minimizing the tendency to kink a wireline in a directional drilling system comprising a drill string having a bit and downhole motor for rotating the bit, a bent angle sub a jar and a wireline directional tool mounted within the drill string adjacent the bent sub wherein a wireline extends from the directional tool upward to a surface location and within the drill string at least to a position above the jar wherein the method comprises the steps of:

• connecting a stop means to the wireline above the directional tool axially spaced along the wire line at a distance greater than the axial distance between the operative position of the directional tool and the jar;
• running the directional tool on the wireline down the drill string;
• engaging the directional tool within the drill string adjacent the bent angle sub;
• and
• supporting the wireline from the stop means within a landing sub located within the drill string above the jar, wherein the stop means is further axially positioned upon the wireline so as to create a supporting tautness of the wireline between the directional tool and the landing sub while concomitantly providing a degree of slack between the landing sub and the directional tool slightly in excess of the maximum stroke of the jar such that coiling of the wireline above the jar and kinking of the wireline will be minimized upon dynamic action of the jar.