Drilling tool with near-bit electronics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10584534-B2
Application number	US-201515571309-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2015
Priority date	Jun 3, 2015
Publication date	Mar 10, 2020
Grant date	Mar 10, 2020

Abstract

A drilling system comprising a drill string defined between an upper end and a lower end. The drill string comprises a drill pipe, a motor disposed between the drill pipe and the lower end, a drill bit disposed between the motor and the lower end, and an electronics assembly disposed within the motor or between the motor and the lower end. The electronics assembly comprises at least one sensing device.

First claim

We claim:

1. A drilling system, comprising:
a drilling motor comprising: a housing;
a power unit disposed within the housing; and
a drive shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end coupled to the power unit; a
drill bit coupled to the distal end of the drive shaft; and an electronics assembly disposed within an internal orifice of the drilling motor extending at least partially past the distal end of the drive shaft into the drill bit without being directly connected to or supported by the drill bit, wherein the electronics assembly comprises a sensing device at least partially disposed within a housing.

2. The drilling system of claim 1 , wherein the electronics assembly is disposed within the drive shaft.

3. The drilling system of claim 1 , wherein the electronics assembly is coupled to the distal end of the drive shaft.

4. The drilling system of claim 2 , wherein the electronics assembly comprises one or more stabilizers extending from the electronics assembly and configured to stabilize the electronics assembly within the drive shaft.

5. The drilling system of claim 1 , wherein the electronics assembly further comprises:
a connector formed at one end of the electronics housing, the connector configured to mechanically and electrically couple the electronics assembly to a conductive path within the drilling motor.

6. The drilling system of claim 5 , wherein the conductive path provides power transmission and data communication.

7. The drilling system of claim 5 , wherein the connector comprises a threaded connector.

8. The drilling tool of claim 5 , wherein the connector includes a stab-in electronics connector.

9. The drilling system of claim 1 , further comprising a measurement while drilling or logging while drilling tool disposed up-hole of the drilling motor, wherein the electronics assembly is communicatively coupled to the measurement while drilling or logging while drilling tool.

10. The drilling system of claim 1 , wherein the sensing device is configured to sense at least one of a drilling condition, drilling tool condition, formation data, and location data.

11. A drilling system, comprising:
a drilling motor comprising:
a housing;
a power unit disposed within the housing; and
a drive shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end coupled to the power unit;
a conductive path traversing at least a portion the drilling motor; and an electronics assembly disposed within an internal orifice of the drilling motor extending at least partially past the distal end of the drive shaft into the drill bit without being directly connected to or supported by the drill bit, the electronics assembly comprising a sensing device at least partially disposed within a housing.

12. The drilling system of claim 11 , wherein the electronics assembly is located at least partially within the drive shaft.

13. The drilling system of claim 11 , further comprising a mounting sub coupled to the distal end of the drive shaft, wherein the electronics assembly is coupled to the mounting sub.

14. A drilling system, comprising:
a drill string defined between an upper end and a lower end, the drill string comprising: a drill pipe;
a bottom hole assembly disposed between the drill pipe and the lower end;
a drill bit disposed between the bottom hole assembly and the lower end; and
an electronics assembly disposed within an internal orifice of the bottom hole assembly and extending at least partially past a distal end of the drive drill pipe into the drill bit without being directly connected to or supported by the drill bit, wherein the electronics assembly comprises a sensing device at least partially disposed within a housing.

15. The drilling system of claim 14 , further comprising a drive shaft extending from the bottom hole assembly to the drill bit, the electronics assembly disposed at least partially within the bottom hole assembly, the drive shaft, or both.

16. The drilling system of claim 14 , further comprising a rotary steerable system (RSS) disposed within the bottom hole assembly or between the bottom hole assembly and the bit.

17. The drilling system of claim 16 , further comprising a drive shaft extending from the RSS to the drill bit, the electronics assembly disposed at least partially within the RSS, drive shaft, or both.

18. The drilling system of claim 14 , further comprising a conductive path traversing at least a portion of the bottom hole assembly, the electronics assembly electrically coupled to the conductive path.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Hagar Everett P
• Zacharko Jonathan Peter

Classifications

• E21B4/02 Primary

  Fluid rotary type drives · CPC title

• E21B7/064

  specially adapted drill bits therefor · CPC title

• E21B47/01

  Devices for supporting measuring instruments on drill bits, pipes, rods or wirelines; Protecting measuring instruments in boreholes against heat, shock, pressure or the like · CPC title

• E21B4/00 Primary

  Drives for drilling, used in the borehole · CPC title

• E21B7/04

  Directional drilling · CPC title