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US 7,681,667 B2Granted
Drilling apparatus
AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.
InventorGiancarlo Pia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Drilling apparatus, such as an underreamer comprises a generally cylindrical tubular body and two cutting blades pivotally mounted to the body and movable between a retracted position and an extended position. Each cutting blade has a retracted position minimum gauge cutting portion and an extended position maximum gauge cutting portion, with the blades in the extended position the gauge cutting portions extending axially and being located in a transverse plane on or forward of the blade pivot axis.
Claims32
A drilling apparatus comprising:
- a body;
- a blade actuation arrangement;
- and
- at least one cutting blade pivotally mounted to the body and movable between a retracted position and an extended position as a cam pin interacts with a cam track, wherein the at least one blade is capable of moving to one or more preset positions between the extended position and the retracted position, wherein the at least one blade is retainable in the one or more preset positions using one or more stops along the cam track, and the drilling apparatus is capable of simultaneously cutting inwardly of an outer diameter of the body and outwardly of the outer diameter of the body in each position.
1 more element
A method of forming a wellbore, the method comprising:
- forming a hole with a drilling apparatus having at least one cutting blade in a retracted position;
- moving the at least one cutting blade of the drilling apparatus to an extended position by moving a cam pin along a cam track in the drilling apparatus;
- and
- enlarging the hole with the drilling apparatus.
1 more element
A drilling apparatus comprising:
- a body having a cam pin;
- and
- at least one cutting blade pivotally mounted to the body and movable between a retracted position, an intermediate position and an extended position as the cam pin interacts with a cam track, wherein the cam pin and the cam track are positioned in the drilling apparatus at a location remote from the at least one cutting blade, wherein the drilling apparatus is capable of simultaneously cutting inwardly of an outer diameter of the body and outwardly of the outer diameter of the body in each position, wherein the at least one cutting blade is movable to the intermediate position and the extended position in response to circulation of drilling fluid through the drilling apparatus.
A drilling apparatus comprising:
- a body;
- a blade actuation arrangement having a piston that defines a cam track;
- and
- at least one cutting blade pivotally mounted to the body and movable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the at least one blade is capable of moving to one or more preset positions between the extended position and the retracted position and the drilling apparatus is capable of simultaneously cutting inwardly of an outer diameter of the body and outwardly of the outer diameter of the body in each position.
1 more element
A method of forming a wellbore, the method comprising:
- forming a hole with a drilling apparatus having at least one cutting blade in a retracted position, wherein the drilling apparatus includes a blade actuation arrangement comprising a piston that defines a cam track that interacts with a cam pin mounted on a body of the drilling apparatus;
- moving the at least one cutting blade of the drilling apparatus to an extended position;
- and
- enlarging the hole with the drilling apparatus.
1 more element
A drilling apparatus comprising:
- a body having a cam pin and at least one drilling fluid port;
- and
- at least one cutting blade pivotally mounted to the body using a pivot in and movable between a retracted position and an extended position as the cam pin interacts with a cam track, wherein the at least one drilling fluid port opens as the at least one cutting blade moves between the retracted position and the extended position, and wherein the position of the at least one cutting blade is determined from surface by monitoring a fluid back pressure generated by the drilling apparatus.
A drilling apparatus comprising:
- a body;
- and
- at least one cutting blade pivotally mounted to the body and movable to one or more preset positions between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the at least one blade is retainable in the one or more preset positions using one or more stops along a cam track, wherein the drilling apparatus is capable of simultaneously cutting inwardly of an outer diameter of the body and outwardly of the outer diameter of the body in each position, wherein the position of the at least one cutting blade is determined from surface by monitoring a fluid back pressure generated by the drilling apparatus.
A drilling apparatus comprising:
- a body;
- a blade actuation arrangement;
- and
- at least one cutting blade pivotally mounted to the body and movable between a retracted position and an extended position as a cam pin interacts with a cam track, wherein a portion of the body defines the cam track, wherein the at least one blade is capable of moving to one or more preset positions between the extended position and the retracted position and the drilling apparatus is capable of simultaneously cutting inwardly of an outer diameter of the body and outwardly of the outer diameter of the body in each position.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.