Back to results
US 8,109,345 B2Granted
System and method for drilling a borehole
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorBenjamin Peter Jeffryes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method is provided for drilling a wellbore using a rotary drill bit with a bit body having a plurality of mechanical cutters to cut away formation material as the wellbore is formed and a directed energy mechanism to direct energy into the formation. The energy from the directed energy mechanism is used to enhance the cutting of the mechanical cutters by fracturing surrounding material to facilitate drilling in the direction of the directed energy.
Claims17
A system for drilling a borehole in a formation, comprising:
- a drill bit comprising:
- a bit body having a plurality of mechanical cutters disposed on a bit face of the bit body to cut away formation material as the borehole is formed;
- and
- a directed energy mechanism configured to direct electromagnetic energy into the formation comprising:
- one or more directed energy members disposed at a circumferential location on the drill bit and configured in use to direct the electromagnetic energy into a portion of the formation appurtenant to the circumferential location, and wherein the directed energy member may comprise at least one of an electrode, a fiber optic and a gas or fluid filled member and the directed energy member is configured to direct energy from the directed energy mechanism to fracture the portion of the formation.
2 more elements
A method of drilling a borehole, comprising:
- boring a hole through a formation with a rotary drill bit having a plurality of mechanical cutters to cut away formation material as the wellbore is formed;
- and
- directing electromagnetic energy against portions of the formation proximate to a circumference of the drill bit to fracture the portions of the formation, wherein:
- the step of directing electromagnetic energy against the portions of the formation occurs simultaneously with the step of boring the hole through the formation with the rotary drill bit;
- and
- the step of directing electromagnetic energy against the formation to fracture the portions of the formation proximate to the circumference of the drill bit comprises using a directed energy member to direct the electromagnetic energy through the drill bit to a location at the circumference of the drill bit.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.