Tesco Corporation

Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Weatherford/lamb, Inc.

Smith International, Inc.

Tesco Corporation (us)

Erik Peter Eriksen

Michael E Moffitt

Tommy M Warren

David Michael Haugen

L Cameron White

Michael Brouse

Barry J Tate

Salah Mahmoud

Drilling flow control tools may include a tool body having a central bore and bypass ports that allow flow of fluid to an outer surface of the tool body. The drilling flow control tool may also include a control sleeve within the central bore. The control sleeve may restrict fluid flow through the bypass ports when in an inactive state and allow the fluid flow through the bypass ports when in an active state. The drilling flow control tool may further include a release subassembly movably coupled to the tool body. Packer cups coupled to the tool body can act as packoff devices that control passage of fluid along the outer diameter of the tool body. Using the packer cups and control sleeve, fluid flow may be circulated within an inner annulus of a wellbore, an outer annulus of a wellbore, or both.

Drilling flow control tool

A system and method for locating a bottom hole assembly during liner drilling. The system and method employ a liner and a drill string. The liner may include a stop sub. The drill string may include a bottom hole assembly position indicator. In one or more embodiments, the bottom hole assembly position indicator is configured to engage the stop sub and arrest further advancement of the drill string.

Liner drilling bottom hole assembly locator system and method

A method of cementing a liner in a well includes mounting a valve assembly that is biased in a closed position to a running tool assembly. The running tool assembly has a stinger inserted through the valve assembly, retaining the valve assembly in an open position. The stinger has a cement retainer releasably mounted to it. After lowering the running tool assembly into engagement with the liner string into latching engagement with a lower portion of the liner string. Afterward, the operator lifts the stinger from the valve assembly, causing the valve assembly to move to the closed position. The valve assembly blocks upward flow of fluid from the well conduit through the valve assembly in the event of leakage of the cement retainer.

Apparatus and method for cementing liner

A method of cementing a liner in a well includes mounting a valve assembly that is biased in a closed position to a running tool assembly. The running tool assembly has a stinger inserted through the valve assembly, retaining the valve assembly in an open position. The stinger has a cement retainer releasably mounted to it. After lowering the running tool assembly into engagement with the liner string, the operator pumps a cement slurry through the stinger and the valve assembly. The operator then pumps the cement retainer down the liner string into latching engagement with a lower portion of the liner string. Afterward, the operator lifts the stinger from the valve assembly, causing the valve assembly to move to the closed position. The valve assembly blocks upward flow of fluid from the well conduit through the valve assembly in the event of leakage of the cement retainer.

A packer setting tool sets a liner top packer by mechanical rotation of the running tool and set down weight following cementing of a liner. The packer setting tool includes a tubular release body mounted on an end of the running tool. An annular dog sub circumscribes a portion of the release body. The dog sub is linked to the release body with a shear screw. A thread on an outer surface of the release body engages a thread on an inner surface of the dog sub to define a threaded connection between the dog sub and the release body. When the running tool rotates, the thread on the release body rotates with respect to the thread on the dog sub driving the release body in an axial direction fracturing the shear screw and urges an adapter sleeve against the packer assembly to set the packer assembly.

Mechanical liner drilling cementing system

A running tool for well drilling operations is carried by a running string into and out of a wellbore. A collet is carried by the running tool, the collet having fingers with a radially expanded position arranged to latch against a wellbore shoulder in the wellbore. The fingers are resiliently and radially contractible. A shear element is carried by the collet, the shear element preventing the fingers from radially contracting to unlatch the running tool while the shear element is intact. If a selected axial force is applied against the shear element, it shears, freeing the collet fingers to retract. The collet may be part of a tool to set and release a liner hanger from engagement with a string of casing.

Well tool with shearable collet

A casing drilling assembly includes a profile sub having an interior profile shoulder and secured a casing string. A bottom hole assembly is run into and retrievable from the casing string. Stop dogs carried by the bottom hole assembly lands on the profile shoulder and stop downward movement of the bottom hole assembly, positioning an underreamer below the casing string. A mandrel is coupled to the bottom hole assembly. An elastomeric sleeve encircles the mandrel below a setting ring. A running tool releasably couples to the mandrel and moves the setting ring downward relative to the mandrel to a lower position to deform the sleeve into frictional engagement with the casing string and the mandrel to transmit torque and axial load between the bottom hole assembly and the casing string.

Torque transmitting elastomeric element in casing drilling drill lock assembly

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.

Method of drilling and running casing in large diameter wellbore

A method of installing a drilling tool at a lower end of a string of casing suspended in a borehole employs a setting tool run by wireline. The setting tool is latched to a drilling tool connected a drill lock assembly. After landing in a profile sub at the lower end of the casing, fluid pressure is applied to the interior of the string of casing to actuate the setting tool. The setting tool moves to latch the drill lock assembly to the sub so that torque may be transmitted between the profile sub and the drill lock assembly. The setting tool movement also releases the setting tool from the drill lock assembly for retrieval.

Method and apparatus for retrieving and installing a drill lock assembly for casing drilling

An underreamer for earth boring operations has a tubular body with a passage extending through it. Arms are pivotally mounted to the body and movable between retracted and extended positions. An actuator mandrel, located within the passage in the body, pushes the arms outward when drilling fluid is pumped downward in the drill string. Ports are located in the sidewall of the body and in the actuator mandrel. The ports align with each other when the mandrel moves to its downstream position. The ports divert a portion of the drilling fluid out to jet it across the cutting elements on the arms. The remaining portion of the drilling fluid passes downward to the drill bit and out nozzles of the drill bit.

Jetted underreamer assembly

A method of drilling a well and installing a liner includes assembling concentric inner and outer strings of tubulars. A drill bit is located at the lower end of the inner string and a liner with a liner hanger makes up part of the outer string. The inner and outer strings may be rotated in unison to drill the well. At a selected depth, the operator sets the liner hanger and retrieves the inner string. The operator lowers a packer and a cement retainer on a string of conduit. The packer engages the liner hanger and the cement retainer is conveyed to the lower end of the liner. The cement retainer prevents cement in the outer annulus from flowing back up the string of conduit. The operator manipulates the conduit to set the packer.

Method of liner drilling and cementing utilizing a concentric inner string

A bottom hole assembly in a casing-while-drilling operation is retrieved by reducing the density of the fluid in the casing string above the bottom hole assembly, creating an upward force on the bottom hole assembly. As the bottom hole assembly moves upward in the casing string, fluid is pumped into the upper end of the annulus and displaced fluid flows out of the upper end of the casing string. The flow rate of the fluid flowing into the upper end of the annulus and the flow rate of the displaced fluid flowing out of the casing string are monitored and compared.

Monitoring flow rates while retrieving bottom hole assembly during casing while drilling operations

A casing-while-drilling bottom hole assembly is releasably connected with a casing string. A retrieval tool is run into the casing string and latched to the bottom hole assembly. Slips are mounted to the retrieval tool, the slips being retracted during running in. Differential pressure moves the retrieval tool and bottom hole assembly upward, and the slips engage the casing string to prevent downward movement if the pressure differential drops too low. A flow passage extends through the retrieval tool and the bottom hole assembly. A check valve in the retrieval tool allows downward flow through the flow passage but prevents upward flow, so that fluid may be circulated through the retrieval tool and bottom hole assembly while suspended with the slips.

Retrieval tool with slips for retrieving bottom hole assembly during casing while drilling operations

During casing-while-drilling, drilling fluid is pumped through a conduit leading to a flow passage a casing string gripper and down the casing string. A bottom hole assembly is mounted at a lower end of the casing string for drilling a wellbore. The bottom hole assembly is retrieved by mounting a circulation sub to the casing string below the casing string gripper, the circulation sub having a lateral outlet. A return flow line is connected from the outlet to the circulation system. The operator flows fluid downward in an annulus of the casing string and back up the casing string, causing the bottom hole assembly to move upward. The fluid flowing back up the casing string is diverted through the outlet in the circulation sub to the circulation system without passing through the flow passage in the casing string gripper.

Growing community of inventors

Calgary, Canada

Erik Peter Eriksen