Underreamer for increasing a wellbore diameter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10947787-B2
Application number	US-201916244221-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2019
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

An underreamer for increasing a diameter of a wellbore. The underreamer may include a body having an axial bore extending at least partially therethrough. An electromagnetic activation system may be disposed at least partially within the bore of the body. A valve may be disposed within the bore of the body and coupled to the electromagnetic activation system. The valve may include a mobile element and a static element. The mobile element may be coupled to the electromagnetic activation system and move from a first position where the mobile element obstructs fluid flow through the valve to a second position where the mobile element permits fluid flow through the valve. A cutter block may be movably coupled to the body and move radially-outward as the mobile element moves from the first position to the second position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An underreamer for increasing a diameter of a wellbore, comprising:
a body having an axial bore;
an electrical motor at least partially within the body;
a valve within the axial bore and coupled to the electrical motor, the valve including a rotor with a first opening therethrough and a stator with a second opening therethrough, the rotor being coupled to the electrical motor and configured to move from a first position where fluid flow from outside the valve and through the first opening to a flow tube is obstructed by the stator to a second position where the first and second openings are aligned and flow from outside the valve and through the first opening to the flow tube is permitted; and
a cutting element movably coupled to the body and configured to move radially as the rotor moves between the first and second positions.

2. The underreamer of claim 1 , the rotor and the stator each being annular, and the first and second openings being radial openings.

3. The underreamer of claim 1 , the first and second openings being axial openings.

4. The underreamer of claim 1 , the first opening including a plurality of circumferentially offset openings.

5. The underreamer of claim 1 , the rotor being configured to rotate when a flow rate of fluid through the axial bore is less than a predetermined level, and the rotor being prevented from rotating when the flow rate is greater than the predetermined level.

6. The underreamer of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fluid pressure-activated locking mechanism configured to prevent the movement of the rotor relative to the stator.

7. The underreamer of claim 6 , the locking mechanism preventing the rotor from rotating when a pressure of a fluid in the bore is greater than a pressure of a fluid in an annulus radially-outward from the body.

8. The underreamer of claim 1 , comprising an electromagnetic activation system having the electrical motor and a solenoid with a mobile element, the rotor being in the first position when a poppet of the mobile element coupled to the solenoid is seated against a valve seat, and the rotor being in the second position when the poppet is not seated against the valve seat.

9. A downhole tool, comprising:
a body defining an axial bore;
a control unit within the axial bore, the control unit including:
a control system adapted to process a signal;
an activation system coupled to the control system and adapted to move in response to the control system processing the signal; and
a valve within the axial bore and coupled to the activation system, the valve having a first configuration obstructing fluid flow through the valve and a second configuration allowing fluid flow through the valve; and

a flow tube coupled to the valve and adapted to have fluid flow therethrough when the valve is in the second configuration, the fluid flowing along a radially inward path from the axial bore, through the valve, and into the flow tube.

10. The downhole tool of claim 9 , further comprising:
a cutting tool movably coupled to the body and configured to move from a radially inward position when the valve is in the first configuration to a radially extended position when the valve is in the second configuration.

11. The downhole tool of claim 9 , further comprising a sensor in communication with the control system and adapted to receive a wireless signal via flow variation or pressure variation in the body or an annulus around the body.

12. The downhole tool of claim 9 , further comprising:
a mandrel coupled to the flow tube, the mandrel having a first opening formed radially therethrough in fluid communication with the flow tube, the mandrel also having a second opening formed radially therethrough; and
a sleeve at least partially around the mandrel and adapted to move axially with respect to the mandrel from a first position to a second position when the fluid flows through the flow tube and the first opening in the mandrel, the sleeve blocking fluid flow through the second opening in the mandrel when in the first position, and the sleeve allowing fluid flow through the second opening in the mandrel when in the second position.

13. The downhole tool of claim 12 , the sleeve being configured to be in the first position when the valve is in the first configuration, and the sleeve being configured to move to the second position when the valve is in the second configuration.

14. A downhole tool, comprising:
a body;
a mandrel within the body, the mandrel having a port fluidly coupled to a channel;
a reciprocating body within the body of the downhole tool and configured to move axially between first and second positions with respect to the mandrel, the reciprocating body blocking fluid flow through the port when in the first position and the reciprocating body allowing fluid flow through the port when in the second position;
a piston within the body of the downhole tool and a chamber being defined between the piston and the mandrel, the piston including a port configured to align with the port of the mandrel when the reciprocating body is in the second position, the channel of the mandrel allowing a radially inward and axially downward flow a path of fluid communication to the chamber; and
a plurality of expandable elements movably coupled to the body and configured to move from a radially inward position when the reciprocating body is in the first position to a radially outward position when the reciprocating body is in the second position.

15. The downhole tool of claim 14 , the piston being configured to move the reciprocating body from the first position to the second position when the fluid flows radially inward and axially downward, then though the channel, and into the chamber.

16. The downhole tool of claim 14 , further comprising first and second seals between the piston and the mandrel, the chamber being axially between the first and second seals.

17. The downhole tool of claim 14 , further comprising first and second seals between the reciprocating body and the mandrel, the port of the mandrel being axially between the first and second seals when the reciprocating body is in the first position.

18. The downhole tool of claim 14 , the port of the mandrel including a plurality of radial ports that are circumferentially offset from one another.

19. The downhole tool of claim 14 , further comprising a spring between the mandrel and the body, the spring being compressed when the reciprocating body moves from the first position to the second position.

20. The downhole tool of claim 14 , further comprising an electrical or electromechanical control unit that controls movement of the reciprocating body based on wireless signals.

Assignees

• Smith International

Inventors

• Fuller Nathan E
• Marshall Jonathan D
• Englund Jordan D
• Orban Jacques
• Boswell R Craig

Classifications

• E21B10/322 Primary

  cutter shifted by fluid pressure (E21B10/345 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B44/00

  Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions · CPC title

• E21B34/066

  electrically actuated · CPC title

• E21B47/18

  through the well fluid {, e.g. mud pressure pulse telemetry} · CPC title

• E21B44/06

  in response to the flow or pressure of the motive fluid of the drive · CPC title