Back to results
US 7,066,280 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for monitoring and recording of the operating condition of a downhole drill bit during drilling operations
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorsEric Charles Sullivan, Theodore Edward Zaleski, Jr., Scott Ray Schmidt, Don Quy Nguyen, Glenn R. Zadrapa, Timothy K. Marvel, Daniel E. Ruff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved drill bit for use in drilling operations in a wellbore comprising a bit body including a plurality of bit legs, each supporting a rolling cone cutter, a lubrication system for a rolling cone cutter, at least one lubrication sensor for monitoring at least one condition of said lubricant during drilling operations, and an electronics member in the bit body for recording data obtained form said lubrication sensor.
Claims55
An improved downhole drill bit for use in drilling operations in wellbores, comprising:
- an integrally formed bit body;
- at least one cutting structure carried on said integrally formed bit body;
- a coupling member located at an upper portion of said intergrally formed bit body for securing said bit body to a drillstring;
- a lubrication system for providing lubrication to said at least one cutting structure during drilling operations;
- at least one operating condition sensor located in and carried by said integrally formed bit body for monitoring at least one bit operating condition relating to said lubrication system during drilling operations;
- at least one semiconductor memory device, located in and carried by said integrally formed bit body, for recording in memory data pertaining to said lubrication system for a time interval which may be substantially co-extensive with at least a portion of said drilling operations said drilling operations;
- and
- an electrical power supply located in and carried by said integrally formed bit body for supplying electrical power to electrical power consuming components carried by said integrally formed bit body.
5 more elements
An improved drill bit for use in drilling operations in wellbores, comprising:
- a bit body;
- a threaded coupling member formed at an upper portion of said bit body for connecting said bit body to a drill string;
- at least one cutting structure carried by said bit body:
- a lubrication system for supplying lubricant to selected portions of said improved drill bit;
- at least one bit failure sensor located in, and carried by, said drill bit body for monitoring at least one bit operating condition during drilling operations which relates at least in part to said lubrication system, which has been empirically determined to be predictive of likely bit failure;
- at least one electronic memory device, located in and carried by said bit, for recording data pertaining to said at least one bit operating condition for a time interval which is substantially co-extensive with said drilling operation;
- a data processor device, located in and carried by said bit body, for performing at least one predefined diagnostic analysis of said at least one bit operating condition in order to determine if bit failure is impending prior to the occurrence of bit failures;
- and
- an electrical power supply for supplying electrical power to at least said data processor device, located in and carried by said bit body.
6 more elements
An improved drilling apparatus for use in drilling operations in a wellbore, comprising:
- a bit body including a plurality of bit legs, each supporting a rolling cone cutter;
- a lubrication system for each rolling cone cutter for supplying lubricant thereto;
- a coupling member formed at an upper portion of said bit body;
- at least one lubricant condition sensor for monitoring at least one electrical condition of said lubricant during drilling operations;
- and
- at least one electronic memory member, communicatively coupled to said at least one lubricant condition sensor, and located in said bit body, for recording in memory, data obtained by said at least one lubricant condition sensor representing a plurality of separate measurements made over time utilizing said at least one lubricant condition sensor.
3 more elements
An improved drill bit for use in drilling operations in a wellbore, comprising:
- (a) a bit body formed from a plurality of bit legs;
- (b) each of said plurality of bit legs including:
- (1) a bearing head;
- (2) a rolling cone cutter coupled to said bearing head;
- (3) a bearing assembly facilitating rotary movement of said rolling cone cutter relative to said bearing head;
- (4) a lubrication system for providing lubricant to said bearing assembly;
- (5) an electrical sensor in communication with said lubrication system for monitoring at least one electrical property of said lubricant;
- (c) electronic memory carried by said bit body;
- and
- (d) a sampling circuit for developing digital samples from said sensor from each of said plurality of bit legs and recording a plurality of separate digital samples over a time interval in said electronic memory.
7 more elements
A method of performing drilling operations in a wellbore, comprising:
- providing a bit body including a plurality of bit legs, each supporting a rolling cone cutter;
- providing a lubrication system for each rolling cone cutter for supplying lubricant thereto;
- providing a coupling member formed at an upper portion of said bit body;
- providing at least one lubricant condition sensor for monitoring at least one electrical condition during drilling operations;
- providing at least one electronic memory member, communicatively coupled to said at lest one lubricant condition sensor, for recording in memory data obtained by said at least one lubricant condition sensor;
- utilizing said improved drill bit during drilling operations in a wellbore;
- utilizing said at least one lubricant condition sensor to sense said at least one electrical condition of said lubricant during drilling operations;
- and
- utilizing said at least one electronic memory member for recording data pertaining to said at least one electrical condition of said lubricant which is representative of a plurality of separate measurements over time.
6 more elements
An improved drilling apparatus for use in drilling operations in a wellbore, comprising:
- a bit body including a plurality of bit legs, each supporting a rolling cone cutter;
- a lubrication system for each rolling cone cutter for supplying lubricant thereto;
- a coupling member formed at an upper portion of said bit body;
- at least one contaminant sensor for monitoring at least one electrical condition of said lubricant during drilling operations which is indicative of contamination of said lubricant;
- and
- at least one electronic memory member, communicatively coupled to said at least one contaminant sensor, and locating in said bit body, for recording in memory, data obtained by said at least one contaminant sensor.
3 more elements
An improved drill bit for use in drilling operations in a wellbore, comprising:
- (a) a bit body formed from a plurality of bit legs;
- (b) each of said plurality of bit legs including:
- (1) a bearing head;
- (2) a rolling cone cutter coupled to said bearing head;
- (3) a bearing assembly facilitating rotary movement of said rolling cone cutter relative to said bearing head;
- (4) a lubrication system for providing lubricant to said bearing assembly;
- (5) an electrical sensor in communication with said lubrication system for monitoring at least one electrical property of said lubricant which is indicative of contamination of said lubricant;
- (c) electronic memory carried by said bit body;
- and
- (d) a sampling circuit for developing digital samples from said sensor from each of said plurality of bit legs and recording said digital samples in said electronic memory.
7 more elements
A method of performing drilling operations in a wellbore, comprising:
- providing a bit body including a plurality of bit legs, each supporting a rolling cone cutter;
- providing a lubrication system for each rolling cone cutter for supplying lubricant thereto;
- providing a coupling member formed at an upper portion of said bit body;
- providing at least one contaminant sensor for monitoring at least one electrical condition during drilling operations which is indicative of contamination of said lubricant;
- providing at least one electronic memory member, communicatively coupled to said at least one contaminant sensor, for recording in memory data obtained by said at least one lubricant condition sensor;
- utilizing said improved drill bit during drilling operations in a wellbore;
- utilizing said at least one contaminant sensor to sense said at least one electrical condition of said lubricant during drilling operations;
- and
- utilizing said at least one electronic memory member for recording data pertaining to said at least one electrical condition of said lubricant which is indicative of contamination.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.