Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC

Daniel A Marson

Liam A Lines

Neil Bird

A fully rotating bias unit for directional drilling rotates at bit speed while providing proportional control of directional response and steering force. The unit also provides added reliability by having increased redundancy (multiple independently controlled actuators). The unit disposed on a drillstring transfers rotation to a drill bit and has a bore communicating fluid from the drillstring to the drill bit. Directors are disposed on the unit to rotate with it. Each of the directors is independently movable between extended and retracted conditions relative to the unit's housing. Actuators of the unit are in fluid communication between the bore and the borehole or some other low pressure. Each actuator is independently operable to direct communicated fluid from the bore to extend a respective one of the directors toward the extended condition. Meanwhile, venting of the communicated fluid from the directors to the borehole or other low pressure dump allows the respective director to retract toward the retracted condition.

Rotary steerable system having multiple independent actuators

A drilling assembly disposed on a drillstring deviates a borehole (i.e., changes the trajectory of the borehole) advanced by a drill bit. A housing disposed on the drillstring transfers first rotation to the drill bit, and one or more directors are disposed on the housing to rotate therewith. Each of the directors is independently movable between an extended condition and a retracted condition relative to the housing. An actuator is disposed on the assembly and is operable provide a second rotation relative to the first rotation. An internal component is disposed in the housing and is rotatable by the second rotation of the actuator to have first and second conditions relative to each of the one or more directors rotating with the first rotation of the housing. The internal component in the first condition extends a given one of the one or more directors toward the extended condition. Conversely, the internal component in the second condition allows retraction of a given one of the one or more directors toward the retracted condition.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Daniel A Marson