Fixed cutter drill bits including nozzles with end and side exits

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10954722-B2
Application number	US-201716065652-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2017
Priority date	Jan 21, 2016
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

A drill bit includes a bit body and an internal plenum in the bit body. In addition, the drill bit includes a first flow passage extending from the internal plenum to a bit face. Still further, the drill bit includes a nozzle assembly secured to the bit body at a downhole end of the flow passage. The nozzle assembly has a central axis and includes an outer sleeve and an inner nozzle extending axially through the outer sleeve. The inner nozzle has a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a radially inner surface extending axially from the first end to the second end. The radially inner surface defines a second flow passage. The inner nozzle also includes a choke disposed along the second flow passage and a side outlet extending radially from the outer surface to the inner surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drill bit for drilling a borehole in earthen formations, the bit having an uphole end and a downhole end, the bit comprising:
a bit body having a bit axis, a cutting direction of rotation about the bit axis, and bit face disposed at the downhole end, wherein the bit face includes a concave cone region extending radially outward from the bit axis, a convex shoulder region radially adjacent the concave cone region;
wherein the bit face comprises a cutting structure including a plurality of circumferentially-spaced blades and a plurality of cutter elements mounted to the blades in the cone region and the shoulder region, wherein each cutter element has a forward-facing cutting face;
an internal plenum extending from the uphole end into the bit body;
a first flow passage extending from the internal plenum to the bit face;
a nozzle assembly secured to the bit body at a downhole end of the first flow passage in the shoulder region of the bit face, wherein the nozzle assembly is configured to distribute drilling fluid about the shoulder region of the bit face;
wherein the nozzle assembly has a central axis and comprises:
an outer sleeve;
an inner nozzle extending axially through the outer sleeve, wherein the inner nozzle has a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a radially outer surface extending axially from the first end to the second end, and a radially inner surface extending axially from the first end to the second end;
wherein the radially inner surface defines a second flow passage extending axially from the first end to the second end, wherein the second flow passage has an inlet at the first end and an outlet at the second end;

wherein the inner nozzle comprises:
a choke disposed along the second flow passage;
a side outlet extending radially from the radially outer surface to the radially inner surface, and wherein the side outlet extends axially from the outlet at the second end of the inner nozzle;
wherein the second flow passage has a cross-sectional area measured perpendicular to a central axis of the flow passage, wherein the cross-sectional area of the second flow passage decreases moving axially, relative to the central axis of the flow passage, along the choke toward the outlet at the second end of the inner nozzle;
wherein the side outlet extends axially, relative to the central axis of the nozzle assembly, across at least a portion of the choke;

wherein the internal plenum and the first flow passage are configured to flow drilling fluid to the nozzle assembly, and wherein the inner nozzle of the nozzle assembly is oriented with the side outlet configured to direct a portion of the drilling fluid toward the cutting faces of the cutter elements in the shoulder region and the second flow passage configured to direct a portion of the drilling fluid toward a bottom of the borehole.

2. The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the side outlet has a downhole end at the second end of the inner nozzle and an uphole end distal the second end of the inner nozzle, and wherein the uphole end of the side outlet is positioned between the second end of the inner nozzle and the outer sleeve.

3. The drill bit of claim 2 , wherein the choke has a downhole end and an uphole end, wherein the downhole end of the choke is axially positioned, relative to the central axis of the nozzle assembly, between the second end of the inner nozzle and the uphole end of the side outlet.

4. The drill bit of claim 3 , wherein the downhole end of the choke and the uphole end of the choke are axially positioned, relative to the central axis of the nozzle assembly, between the second end of the inner nozzle and the uphole end of the side outlet.

5. The drill bit of claim 2 , wherein the uphole end of the side outlet is positioned between the choke and the outer sleeve.

6. The drill bit of claim 2 , wherein the uphole end of the side outlet is disposed at a distance D measured axially, relative to the central axis of the nozzle assembly, from the outer sleeve, wherein the distance D is at least 0.10 in.

7. The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the outer sleeve is threaded into a mating receptacle in the bit face, and wherein the first end of the inner nozzle abuts a shoulder in the receptacle.

8. The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the choke comprises a frustoconical surface along the radially inner surface of the inner nozzle proximal the outlet at the second end of the inner nozzle.

9. The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the side outlet is U-shaped.

10. The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the inner nozzle comprises a plurality of circumferentially-spaced side outlets, wherein each side outlet extends radially, relative to the central axis of the nozzle assembly, from the radially outer surface to the radially inner surface, and wherein each side outlet extends axially, relative to the central axis of the nozzle assembly, from the outlet at the second end of the inner nozzle.

11. The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the side outlet spans an angle β measured about the central axis of the nozzle assembly at the second end of the inner nozzle, wherein the angle β is less than 180°.

12. The drill bit of claim 11 , wherein the angle β is 90°.

13. A nozzle assembly for distributing drilling fluid from a drill bit, the nozzle assembly having a central axis and comprising:
a sleeve having a first end, a second end, a radially outer surface extending axially from the first end to the second end, and a radially inner surface extending axially from the first end to the second end, wherein the radially inner surface defines a throughbore extending axially through the sleeve;
a nozzle disposed in the throughbore of the sleeve, wherein the nozzle has a first end proximal the first end of the sleeve, a second end opposite the first end of the nozzle, a radially outer surface extending axially from the first end of the nozzle to the second end of the nozzle, and a radially inner surface extending axially from the first end of the nozzle to the second end of the nozzle;
wherein the radially inner surface of the nozzle defines a flow passage having a central axis and extending axially, relative to the central axis of the nozzle assembly, through the nozzle, wherein the flow passage has an inlet at the first end of the nozzle and an outlet at the second end of the nozzle;
wherein the flow passage includes a choke;
wherein the radially inner surface of the nozzle is disposed at a radius R measured radially from the central axis of the flow passage, wherein moving axially, relative to the central axis of the flow passage, from the first end of the nozzle toward the second end of the nozzle the radius R decreases along the inlet, is constant between the inlet and the choke, and decreases along the choke, wherein the radially inner surface of the nozzle includes a frustoconical surface defining the choke, wherein the frustoconical surface is oriented at an acute angle α relative to the central axis of the flow passage, wherein the acute angle α is between 0° and 20°;
wherein the nozzle includes a side outlet extending radially, relative to the central axis of the nozzle assembly, from the radially outer surface of the nozzle to the radially inner surface of the nozzle, and wherein the side outlet extends axially, relative to the central axis of the nozzle assembly, from the second end and is contiguous with the outlet at the second end of the nozzle;
wherein the choke at least partially overlaps with the side outlet and is configured to direct at least a portion of the drilling fluid flowing through the flow passage toward the side outlet.

14. The no

Assignees

• Nat Oilwell Dht Lp

Inventors

• Bradford Iii John Francis
• Omidvar Navid
• Rahmani Reza

Classifications

• E21B10/602 Primary

  the bit being a rotary drag type bit with blades · CPC title

• E21B41/0078

  Nozzles used in boreholes (drilling by liquid or gas jets E21B7/18; drill bits with nozzles E21B10/60; perforators using direct fluid action E21B43/114; obtaining a slurry of minerals using nozzles E21B43/29) · CPC title

• E21B10/43

  characterised by the arrangement of teeth or other cutting elements · CPC title