Ulterra Drilling Technologies, L.p.

Jason C Maw

Beau St Pierre

Thomas A Damian

Christopher M Casad

Nikolai Kummer

Matthew B Roseman

Carl Aron Deen

Andrew David Murdock

Craig Knull

Ryan Matthews

Benjamin Chrest

Nathan Andrew Brooks

Man Kang Ng Moreira

The present disclosure relates to coupler for connecting a drill pipe to a drill bit as well as methods for manufacturing the same. In particular, the present disclosure describes a coupler which includes a housing including a first connecting portion at a first end for connecting to a drill pipe, a base coupled to the housing and including a second connecting portion at a second end for connecting to a drill bit, and an intermediate component disposed between the base and the housing, wherein the coupler is configured for rotation about an axis during use, with the intermediate component allowing limited relative rotation between the housing and the base about the axis.

Drill coupler for mitigating torsional vibration

A nozzle for a drill bit such as may be used to drill for oil or natural gas. The nozzle includes a generally-cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end for insertion into a drill bit body, and a distal end opposite the proximal end. The nozzle body defines a longitudinal bore through the nozzle along the longitudinal axis. The nozzle further includes one or more lobes extending radially from the nozzle body near the distal end. Each of the lobes is displaced axially from the distal end such that a cylindrical portion of the nozzle body is disposed between the distal end and the lobe. The nozzle further includes a fitting in the distal end configured to engage a tool for imparting rotational torque to the nozzle about the longitudinal axis. Such a nozzle is preferably insertable into a drill bit body from outside the body.

Replaceable nozzle for drilling bit

A downhole tool for cyclically generating cyclical pressure waves in drilling fluids of sufficient magnitude to vibrate a drill string or coiled tubing to reduce friction between drill string or coiled tubing and a wall of an uncased or cased wellbore. A passageway through which drilling fluid flows through the tool is constricted to increase pressure of the drilling fluid while it continues to flow through the tool. A bypass around the constriction is cyclically opened by a rotary valve to increase the flow area through the tool for the drilling fluid while at the same time an axially shifting valve, shifted by a pair of rotating cams, opens to allow drilling fluid to vent to an annulus formed by the drill string or coiled tubing and a wall of the wellbore.

Downhole vibration tool for drill string

A universal joint assembled to a drill string transfers torque between two components where rotation of the components may not be completely aligned. The universal joint includes upper and lower longitudinal members each connected to opposite sides of a bearing element. The elements are connected to the bearing element at spaced radial positions. As the joint rotates the bearing element flexes between the connections to accommodate misalignment of the elements. Axial force can be transferred through the bearing element as well as torque.

Universal joint

A rotating bit with cutters used in drilling operations to advance a borehole in the earth. The bit includes column cutters in the bit body in a recessed central area. The column cutters contact a column of borehole material that is formed during operation. The column cutters are oriented to fracture the column, producing larger cuttings or chips, and to exert a force on the column to limit lateral movement of the bit during operation.

Drill bit

A universal joint for use in a downhole drill string includes a planetary gear to convert eccentric rotation in the drill string to axial rotation.

A rotary impact tool assembled in a drill string transfers torque and axial force between two components. The rotary impact tool includes an anvil and a hammer axially aligned with engaging faces. At a threshold torque, the hammer disengages from the anvil and rotates freely until a biasing element displaces the hammer to reengage the anvil. Kinetic energy stored in the hammer is transferred to the anvil when the faces of the hammer and anvil reengage. This provides an impact to the anvil and any attached component. The tool can accommodate misalignment of the attached components.

Rotary impact tool

Cutters mounted on bits for advancing boreholes are subject to extreme forces that can separate the cutter from the bit. A cutter backing element with a rearward extending lug and forward face can provide support to the cutter. The backing element is attached to the back face of the cutter and the lug of the backing element is received in a recess of the bit. The backing element can be brazed to the bit and the cutter. The lug is offset from a longitudinal axis of the backing element. Forces applied to the front of the cutter during drilling operations are transferred through the cutter to the backing element and to the bit through the offset lug.

Cutter support element

A universal joint assembled to a drill string transfers torque and axial force between two components along a longitudinal axis where the shafts of the components are not completely aligned. The universal joint includes axially spaced members joined by transversely spaced links. As the joint rotates the links move to accommodate misalignment between the drill string components and the connected members.

A universal joint assembled in a drill string transfers torque between two components where the shafts of the components are not completely aligned. The universal joint includes two members each with pin connections on one end and axially extending arms on the other end. The axially extending arms intermesh when the members are assembled defining a closed cavity between the arms. The cavity retains a ball bearing held between two seats. The universal joint when assembled to portions of the drill string at the pins on each end transfer torque by intermeshing of the teeth. Axial force is transferred through the seats holding the ball bearing.

A rotary drag bit has one or more fixed composite cutting structures formed from a plurality of discrete prefabricated cutters that abut each other along complementary side surfaces, the composite cutting structure being placed and oriented on the cutting face of the rotating body so that the composite cutting structure presents a cutting profile that does not expose any portion of the cutting face that is between or behind the composite cutting structure, with respect to the direction of travel of the composite cutting structure during boring, to the uncut earth formation as the body is rotated during boring.

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Beaumont, Canada

Jason C Maw