Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.

Daniel Winslow

Neelesh V Deolalikar

Richard Thomas Hay

Christopher A Golla

John Ransford Hardin, Jr

Larry DeLynn Chambers

John Keith Savage

Stephen Christopher Janes

Michael Dewayne Finke

Kennedy John Kirkhope

Mark Anthony Sitka

Kristopher V Sherrill

Jonathan Peter Zacharko

Ravi P Nanayakkara

Michael John Strachan

Jean-Pierre Lassoie

Clint Paul Lozinsky

Mukul M Agnihotri

Satish Rajagopalan

Ruchir Shirish Patwa

David Yan Lap Wong

Gopal Madhukar Bhosle

Benjamin Scott Riley

Neelesh V Doelalikar

Nicolas Mouraret

Christian Menger

Thomas Paul Galley

Larry Chambers

A rotary valve can include a housing, a manifold with multiple flow paths can be fixedly mounted to the housing. A rotary actuator with a first surface can be rotatably mounted within the housing, and a valve seat with a second surface can be fixedly attached to the manifold, where the second surface can sealingly engage the first surface. The rotary actuator can include a gap that selectively aligns with respective ones of valve seat ports as the rotary actuator rotates relative to the valve seat, thereby selectively pressurizing one or more actuators. A system and method can include a rotary valve that selectively causes pads to extend at a predetermined orientation in the wellbore to steer a drill bit. The azimuthal orientation of a rotary actuator of the valve can determine which pads are extended and which are retracted as the drill bit rotates.

Steering a drill bit with a rotary valve

According to aspects of the present disclosure, systems and methods for a closed-loop speed/position control mechanism. An example system may include a housing and a planetary gearbox disposed within the housing, wherein a ring gear of the planetary gearbox is coupled to the housing, a sun gear of the planetary gearbox is coupled to a drive shaft, and a planetary carrier of the planetary gearbox is coupled to an output shaft. A controller may receive measurements from sensors proximate to the output shaft and use those measurements to transmit control signals to change the rotation of the drive shaft. In this way, the output shaft may be rotated independently of the housing by controlling the rotation of the drive shaft. In example systems, the output shaft may be a sonde or an offset mandrel coupled to a drill bit. The rive shaft may be coupled to a fluid-controlled controlled drive mechanism and rotation may be controlled by adjusting flow control valve. The closed-loop system may be used to set a target rotation speed of said output shaft or may be used to maintain the output shaft in a constant position or orientation despite housing rotation.

Closed-loop speed/position control mechanism

A directional drilling device for drilling a borehole having a borehole wall, the device including an outer housing and a driveshaft selectively rotatable with respect to the housing and including an axial flow bore and a through port formed in the driveshaft wall. The device also includes one or more borehole engagement members rotatable with and radially moveable with respect to the outer housing toward engagement with the borehole wall to urge the directional drilling device in a radial direction with respect to the borehole. The device further includes a mud pressure actuation system. The mud pressure actuation system controls fluid flow through the through port to control hydraulic pressure on a piston device and thus movement of the borehole engagement members into engagement with the borehole wall to maintain a rotational position of the outer housing and the corresponding radial direction in which the device is being urged.

Mud operated rotary steerable system with rolling housing

A directional drilling device for drilling a wellbore having a wall, the device including an outer housing, a driveshaft located at least partially within and selectively rotatable with respect to the outer housing. The device also includes extendable members moveable to extend radially outwardly from the outer housing and so as to apply a force onto the wellbore wall and move the device off-center in the wellbore in a direction. The device further includes a hydraulic actuation system operable to control hydraulic fluid to extend and retract of the extendable members. The rotational orientation of the extendable members is controllable by rotation of the outer housing by the driveshaft and the rotational orientation of the extendable members and the outer housing and thus the direction may be maintained by extension of the extendable members into contact with the borehole to restrain the outer housing from rotating.

Rotary steerable system with rolling housing

A downhole tool including multiple orifices defining at least a first and a second flow path, and a valve that adjusts to change a ratio of fluid flow between the first and second flow paths, the valve being offset from the multiple orifices by a gap that is adjustable to customize a sensitivity of the change to each adjustment. A method for regulating flow along a first fluid path in a downhole tool includes adjusting a valve relative to multiple orifices that define the first fluid path and a second fluid path, said adjusting changing a ratio of fluid flow between the first and second flow paths, and adjusting a gap between the valve and the multiple orifices to modify a sensitivity of the change to each adjustment.

Controlling the sensitivity of a valve by adjusting a gap

A Rotary Steerable System (RSS) includes a flexible collar coupled therein that reduces the stiffness of the RSS and permits a tighter turning radius to be achieved. The positioning of the flexible collar between the steering section and the controller of the RSS further improves the turning radius, and may permit a push-the-bit system to operate similar to a point-the bit system. The flexible collar permits communication therethrough between controller and the steering sections of the RSS. The RSS may be arranged as a modular system to receive various configurations of a flexible collar and may operate with no flexible collar installed. The modularity enables tuning of the stiffness of an RSS to achieve different steering objectives.

Flexible collar for a rotary steerable system

An example method for control of a drilling assembly includes receiving measurement data from at least one sensor coupled to an element of the drilling assembly positioned in a formation. An operating constraint for at least a portion of the drilling assembly may be determined based, at least in part, on a model of the formation and a set of offset data. A control signal may be generated to alter one or more drilling parameters of the drilling assembly based, at least in part, on the measurement data and the operating constraint. The control signal may be transmitted to a controllable element of the drilling assembly.

Closed-loop drilling parameter control

An actuation apparatus includes a housing comprising a housing bore extending through the housing, an adjustment shaft comprising an adjustment shaft bore extending through the adjustment shaft, the adjustment shaft positioned at least partially within housing bore, and a steering shaft positioned at least partially within the adjustment shaft bore and rotatable with respect to the adjustment shaft.

Actuation apparatus of a directional drilling module

Systems and methods of counteracting downhole reactive forces within a directional drilling tool are disclosed. The directional drilling tool includes a steering mechanism for selectively pivoting a bit shaft with respect to an elongate housing. A preloaded flexible member may be provided between an upper end of the bit shaft and an elongate housing to counteract reactive forces applied by a geological formation on a drill bit at a lower end of the bit shaft. Where sufficient reactive forces are transmitted through the bit shaft to overcome the preload, the flexible member will be induced to flex, permitting some movement of the upper end of the bit shaft. This movement limits the force that may be applied by the steering mechanism, which can extend the useful life of the directional drilling tool and may permit the power required to drive the drill bit to be maintained at a consistent value.

Steering force control mechanism for a downhole drilling tool

A system and method for determining drilling parameters based on hydraulic pressure associated with a directional drilling system are disclosed. A drilling parameter associated with a directional drilling system may be determined by measuring hydraulic pressure associated with the directional drilling system during drilling of a wellbore, detecting a change in the hydraulic pressure, and determining a drilling parameter based on the detected change in hydraulic pressure.

System and method for determining drilling parameters based on hydraulic pressure associated with a directional drilling system

Systems and methods of down-hole power generation are disclosed, which provide for the generation of electrical power in a down-hole environment for use by down-hole tools such as logging tools, telemetry, and electric control circuit. The electrical generator is operably coupled to a turbine shaft of a hydraulic turbine, and operates at a first rotational speed in response to a rotation of the turbine shaft. The turbine shaft is also coupled to a down-hole actuator such as a rotary drill bit such that the actuator operates at a second rotational speed in response to the rotation of the turbine shaft. A gearbox is operably coupled between the actuator and the turbine shaft to permit operation of the generator and actuator at different rotational speeds by the rotation of the turbines shaft.

Turbine-generator-actuator assembly for rotary steerable tool using a gearbox

A rotary steerable drilling tool and a method according to which a universal joint is sealed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing the collar, the shaft, the universal joint, and first and second shoulders between which the universal joint is positioned; providing first and second self-energizing seals between the collar and the shaft on opposite sides of the universal joint; rotating the collar and the shaft; seating the first self-energizing seal against the first shoulder; and seating a second self-energizing seal against the second shoulder. In one embodiment, the universal joint includes a convex surface formed on the shaft; a first concave surface extending circumferentially about the shaft and adapted to mate with the convex surface to carry a first axial load; and a spacer ring defining a second concave surface adapted to mate with the convex surface to carry a second axial load.

Load-bearing universal joint with self-energizing seals for a rotary steerable drilling tool

An example slip-ring interface may include a first section and a second section rotationally independent from the first section. At least one conductor path between the first section and the second section may be selectively associated with and dedicated to the transmission of signals with a first signal type. At least one conductor path between the first section and the second section may be selectively associated with and dedicated to the transmission of signals with a second signal type. If error conditions occur, the signal types associated with one or more of the conductor paths may be changed so that signals of both the first and second signal types are transmitted across the interface.

Redundant, adaptable slip ring

A control mechanism for a drill string tool is configured to activate the drill string tool by hydraulically actuated movement of the switching element to an activated position, with drilling mud serving as actuating medium. Movement of the switching element to the activated position is automatically regulated, so that tool activation is conditional upon application of above-threshold downhole drilling fluid conditions for at least a predetermined switching duration. A switch regulator that regulates movement of the switching element to the activated position can be configured to regulate a rate of movement of the switching element such that a substantially constant switching duration is maintained regardless of fluctuations in the magnitude of an actuating pressure differential during above-threshold downhole drilling fluid conditions.

Growing community of inventors

Spring, TX, United States of America

Daniel Winslow