Smith International, Inc.

Navish Makkar

Tommy Laird

Dwayne P Terracina

Charles H Dewey

Manoj D Mahajan

Brian Cruickshank

Sameer Bhoite

Wei Tang

Gordon Whipple

Gail Nelson

Sujian Huang

Michael George Azar

Tommy Gene Ray

Jimykumar Prajapati

Michael James Rodgers

Robert Patrick Moore

A secondary cutting structure for use in a drilling assembly includes a tubular body, and a block, extendable from the tubular body, the block including a first arrangement of cutting elements disposed on a first blade, a first stabilization section disposed proximate the first arrangement of cutting elements, a second arrangement of cutting elements disposed on the first blade, and a second stabilization section disposed proximate the second arrangement of cutting elements. A method of drilling includes disposing a drilling assembly in a wellbore, the drilling assembly including a secondary cutting structure having a tubular body and a block, extendable from the body, the block including at least three blades, actuating the secondary cutting structure, wherein the actuating includes extending the block from the tubular body, and drilling formation with the extended block.

Apparatuses and methods for stabilizing downhole tools

The expandable tools disclosed herein may be used as an underreamer to enlarge a borehole, or may be used to stabilize a drilling system in a previously underreamed borehole or in a borehole that is being underreamed while drilling progresses. At least one moveable arm, which translates between a collapsed and expanded position in response to a differential pressure between the axial flowbore and the wellbore, includes a borehole-engaging surface with cutting elements and at least one nozzle to direct a fluid across the borehole-engaging surface. Flow directing elements on the external surface of the tool may be used to decrease the flow area in an annulus between the tool and the wellbore and directs fluid flow in the annulus toward the borehole-engaging surface.

Jet arrangement on an expandable downhole tool

A drilling tool including a tool body and a cutter pocket formed in the tool body, the cutter pocket including a front planar surface, a back planar surface opposite the front planar surface, a first side surface between the front and back planar surfaces, and a second side surface opposite the first side surface and between the front and back planar surfaces is disclosed herein. A method of manufacturing a drilling tool including machining a tool body having a cutter pocket in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein, disposing a cutting element in the cutter pocket, and brazing the cutting element in the cutter pocket is disclosed.

Cutter pocket design

A method for designing a secondary cutting structure for use in a bottom hole assembly, the method including defining initial design parameters for the secondary cutting structure and analyzing forces acting on the secondary cutting structure. Additionally, the method includes modifying at least one design element of the secondary cutting structure and simulating an effect of the modifying on both the secondary cutting structure and a primary cutting structure to determine if an improved condition is met. Also, a method for designing a drilling tool assembly, the method including defining initial drilling tool assembly design parameters including a primary cutting structure and a secondary cutting structure, and simulating a dynamic response of the drilling tool assembly. Additionally, the method includes adjusting at least one design element of the secondary cutting structure based on the dynamic response of the drilling tool assembly, determining if the adjusted design element improved a condition of the drilling, and repeating the simulating and adjusting until the condition is optimized.

Methods for designing secondary cutting structures for a bottom hole assembly

In one aspect, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a secondary cutting structure for use in a drilling assembly, the second cutting structure including a tubular body and a cutter block, extendable from the tubular body, the block including at least three rows of cutting elements. In another aspect, embodiments disclosed herein relate to drilling a borehole, the method including disposing a drilling tool assembly in the borehole, wherein the drilling tool assembly includes a primary cutting structure and a secondary cutting structure, and wherein the secondary cutting structure ahs a cutter block having at least three rows of cutting elements. The method also includes actuating the primary cutting structure, drilling a first portion of the borehole with the primary cutting structure, actuating the secondary cutting structure, and drilling a second portion of the borehole with both the primary and secondary cutting structures.

Secondary cutting structure

A cutting structure for use with a reamer in enlarging a borehole in a subterranean formation includes a plurality of cutter blocks, radially extendable from a reamer body away from a central axis of the reamer body, each of the plurality of cutter blocks comprising at least one cutter blade thereon, wherein an angular spacing about the central axis of the reamer body between the at least one cutter blade on each of the plurality of cutter blocks is unequal.

Downhole reamer asymmetric cutting structures

A method for forming a borehole enlargement tool that includes providing a steel body structure, forming at least one rib structure from a matrix material and abrasive particles, affixing the at least one rib structure to the body structure, and affixing the steel body structure to an elongated tubular body is disclosed.

Expandable earth boring apparatus using impregnated and matrix materials for enlarging a borehole

A tool for enlarging a borehole that includes an elongated tubular body; at least one movable arm affixed to the tubular body, the at least one movable arm comprising an outer surface formed of at least one of a matrix material and an abrasive material; and at least one actuating member for expanding at least one movable arm from the collapsed state to an expanded state is disclosed.

A secondary cutting structure for sure in a drilling assembly, the secondary cutting structure including a tubular body and a block, extendable from the tubular body, the block including a first arrangement of cutting elements disposed on a first blade and a second arrangement of cutting elements disposed on a second blade, wherein the second arrangement is a modified redundant arrangement. Also, a secondary cutting structure for use in a drilling assembly, the secondary cutting structure including a leading blade disposed on a first block and a trailing blade disposed on the first block adjacent the leading blade. Additionally, the secondary cutting structure includes a unique blade disposed on a second block, wherein a gage portion of at least one of the blades has a length between 30% and 45% of a total blade length.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Navish Makkar