Back to results
US 8,281,878 B2Granted
Method of drilling and running casing in large diameter wellbore
AssigneeTesco Corporation
InventorErik P. Eriksen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A well is drilled and casing installed utilizing a casing drilling technique. A bottom hole assembly having a drill bit and a fluid diverter is secured to a string of drill pipe and installed within a casing string. Drilling fluid is pumped down the drill pipe string to cause the drill bit to rotate and drill the well while the fluid diverter is in a drilling mode position. At the total depth for the casing string, the operator moves the fluid diverter to a cementing position and pumps cement down the drill pipe and up the casing string annulus. After cementing, the operator moves the fluid diverter to a packer set position and again pumps drilling fluid down the drill string to set the packer.
Claims17
A method of drilling a well and installing casing, comprising:
- (a) making up a casing string;
- (b) securing to a drill pipe string a bottom hole assembly (BHA) having an earth boring bit and a fluid diverter, locking the drill pipe string to the casing string for rotation therewith and placing the fluid diverter between a passage of the drill pipe string and the interior of the casing string;
- (c) rotating the bit to drill the well and pumping drilling fluid down the passage of the drill pipe string while the fluid diverter is in a drilling mode position, which causes the drilling fluid to flow out the drill bit;
- (d) at a total depth for the casing string, moving the fluid diverter to a cementing position and pumping cement down the drill pipe, which flows out the drill pipe string above the drill bit and up a casing string annulus surrounding the casing string;
- and
- (e) retrieving the BHA from the casing string after the cement has been dispensed:
- and
- wherein step (c) comprises returning a portion of the drilling fluid after exiting the drill bit up a drill pipe string annulus between the drill pipe string and the casing string and past the fluid diverter to an upper end of the casing string, and returning another portion of the drilling fluid up the casing string annulus.
5 more elements
A method of drilling a well and installing casing, comprising:
- (a) making up a casing string;
- (b) securing to a drill pipe string a bottom hole assembly (BHA) having an earth boring bit and a fluid diverter. locking the drill pipe string to the casing string for rotation therewith and placing the fluid diverter between a passage of the drill pipe string and the interior of the casing string;
- (c) rotating the hit to drill the well and pumping drilling fluid down the passage of the drill pipe string while the fluid diverter is in a drilling mode position. which causes the drilling fluid to flow out the drill bit;
- (d) at a total depth for the casing string, moving the fluid diverter to a cementing position and pumping cement down the drill pipe, which flows out the drill pipe string above the drill bit and up a casing string annulus surrounding the casing string;
- (e) retrieving the BHA from the casing string after the cement has been dispensed;
- and
- wherein step (b) comprises providing the BHA with a mud motor, and step (c) comprises rotating the drill bit with the mud motor, reacting torque caused by the mud motor to the casing string, and causing the reacting torque to rotate the casing string in reverse to the rotation of the drill bit.
4 more elements
A method of drilling a well and installing casing. comprising:
- (a) making up a casing string;
- (b) securing to a drill pipe string a bottom hole assembly (BHA) having an earth boring hit and a fluid diverter, locking the drill pipe string to the casing string for rotation therewith and placing the fluid diverter between a passage of the drill pipe string and the interior of the casing string;
- (c) rotating the bit to drill the well and pumping drilling fluid down the passage of the drill pipe string while the fluid diverter is in a drilling mode position. which causes the drilling fluid to flow out the drill bit;
- (d) at a total depth for the casing string. moving the fluid diverter to a cementing position and pumping cement down the drill pipe. which flows out the drill pipe string above the drill bit and up a casing string annulus surrounding the casing string;
- (e) retrieving the BHA from the casing string after the cement has been dispensed;
- and
- wherein step (e) further comprises;
- after releasing the drill pipe string from the casing string and before retrieving the drill pipe string, pumping fluid down the drill pipe string and out the fluid diverter into an interior of the casing string to clean the BHA.
5 more elements
A method of drilling a well and installing casing, comprising:
- (a) making up a casing string with a lower profile sub and a packer in a lower portion of the casing string;
- (b) securing to a drill pipe string a bottom hole assembly (BHA) having an earth boring hit and a fluid diverter and installing the drill pipe string within the casing string;
- (c) rotating the bit to drill the well while pumping drilling fluid down the passage of the drill pipe string while the fluid diverter is in a drilling mode position, which causes the drilling fluid to flow out the drill bit;
- (d) at a total depth for the casing string, moving the fluid diverter to a cementing position and pumping cement down the drill pipe string passage, the fluid diverter blocking flow of the cement through the drill bit and directing the cement along a flow path out the drill pipe string and up a casing string annulus;
- (e) after dispensing the cement. moving the flow diverter to a packer set position and pumping fluid down the drill pipe string passage and into the packer, which causes the packer to radially expand and seal the casing string annulus to prevent downward flow of cement in the casing annulus;
- then
- (f) retrieving the bottom hole assembly from the casing string;
- wherein:
- during step (c), some of the drilling fluid exiting the drill bit flows up an interior of the casing string past the fluid diverter to an upper end of the casing string;
- and
- moving the fluid diverter to the cementing position in step (d) blocks the upward flow of any fluid in the interior of the casing string past the fluid diverter.
8 more elements
A method of drilling a well and installing casing, comprising:
- (a) making up a casing string;
- (b) providing a bottom hole assembly (BHA) comprising a drill bit, a mud motor, and a locking unit above the mud motor;
- (c) installing the BHA in the casing string and locking the locking unit to the casing string to transmit rotation;
- (d) pumping drilling fluid through the BHA to drive the mud motor, causing the drill bit to rotate;
- (e) reacting torque creating by the rotation of the drill bit through the locking unit to the casing string;
- and
- (f) allowing the casing string to rotate in a reverse direction to the direction of rotation of the drill bit.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.