Drill pipe torque reducer and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11352840-B2
Application number	US-202016898099-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2020
Priority date	Aug 1, 2017
Publication date	Jun 7, 2022
Grant date	Jun 7, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus for reducing torque in a drill string includes a clamp assembly having a first clamp segment and a second clamp segment, the first and second clamp segments each including two circumferential ends, the two circumferential ends of the first clamp segment being configured to be connected to the two circumferential ends of the second clamp segment so as to secure the clamp assembly around an oilfield tubular and prevent the clamp assembly from rotating relative to the oilfield tubular. An outer diameter surface of each of the first and second clamp segments is generally continuous in an axial direction. The apparatus also includes an outer sleeve positioned around the clamp assembly, wherein the clamp assembly is configured to rotate with the oilfield tubular and with respect to the outer sleeve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for reducing torque in a drill string, comprising:
a clamp assembly comprising a first clamp segment and a second clamp segment, the first and second clamp segments each comprising two circumferential ends, the two circumferential ends of the first clamp segment being configured to be connected to the two circumferential ends of the second clamp segment so as to secure the clamp assembly around an oilfield tubular and prevent the clamp assembly from rotating relative to the oilfield tubular, wherein an outer diameter surface of each of the first and second clamp segments is generally continuous in an axial direction; and
an outer sleeve positioned around the clamp assembly, wherein the clamp assembly is configured to rotate with the oilfield tubular and with respect to the outer sleeve.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the circumferential ends of the first clamp segments is releasably coupled to at least one of the circumferential ends of the second clamp segment.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circumferential ends of the first clamp segment are releasably coupled to the circumferential ends of the second clamp segment.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising removable fasteners that releasably connect together the circumferential ends of the first and second clamp segments.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter surface of each of the first and second clamp segments is configured to slide against an inner diameter surface of the outer sleeve when the outer sleeve rotates relative to the clamp assembly.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein an outer diameter surface of the outer sleeve is configured to slide axially against a surrounding tubular or wellbore into which the oilfield tubular is deployed, and wherein the oilfield tubular is configured to rotate relative to the surrounding tubular or wellbore.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein an outer diameter surface of the outer sleeve is configured to slide axially against a steel casing into which the oilfield tubular is deployed, wherein the outer diameter surface of the outer sleeve has a lower hardness than the casing, and wherein an inner diameter surface of the outer sleeve has a lower hardness than the outer diameter surface of the clamp assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the outer diameter surface of each of the first and second clamp segments comprises a case-hardened layer, wherein the inner diameter surface of the outer sleeve comprises a case-hardened layer, the case-hardened layer of the first and second clamp segments being harder than the case-hardened layer of the outer sleeve.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the case-hardened layer of the first and second clamp segments comprises a borided, boronitrided, or boronized layer, and wherein the case-hardened layer of the outer sleeve comprises a plasma nitrided layer.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second clamp segments each comprise:
a central body;
a first extension extending axially from the central body in a first axial direction; and
a second extension extending from the central body in a second axial direction,
wherein the central body is radially thicker than the first extension and radially thicker than the second extension.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the outer sleeve defines:
a clamp-receiving region dimensioned to receive the central bodies of the first and second clamp segments;
a first extension-receiving region dimensioned to receive the first extensions of the first and second clamp segments; and
a second extension-receiving region dimensioned to receive the second extension of the first and second clamp segments.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein:
the outer sleeve defines a first shoulder where the first extension-receiving region meets the clamp-receiving region, and a second shoulder where the second extension-receiving region meets the clamp-receiving region;
the first and second clamp segments each define a first shoulder where the first extension thereof meets the central body thereof, and a second shoulder where the second extension thereof meets the central body thereof;
the first shoulder of the outer sleeve is configured to engage and slide against the first shoulder of the first and second clamp segments; and
the second shoulder of the outer sleeve is configured to engage and slide against the second shoulder of the first and second clamp segments.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an inner diameter surface of the first and second clamp segments is formed from an uncoated, bare steel or is coated with a friction-increasing material.

14. A method for installing an apparatus for reducing torque in a drill string, comprising:
positioning clamp segments around a tubular;
connecting together the clamp segments received around the tubular, so as to cause the clamp segments to apply a gripping force to the tubular such that the clamp segments are prevented from rotation and from axial translation with respect to the tubular; and
assembling an outer sleeve around the clamp segments, such that the clamp segments are received within the outer sleeve, wherein an inner diameter surface of the outer sleeve is configured to engage and slide against an outer diameter surface of the clamp segments, and wherein the outer sleeve is rotatable relative to the clamp segments.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein connecting together the clamp segments further comprises tightening a connection between two other circumferential ends of the clamp segments, wherein the clamp segments are not connected together until after receiving the clamp segments around the tubular.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein tightening the connection comprises tightening a fastener to draw the two ends of the clamp segments together.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising case-hardening the outer diameter surface of the clamp segments, and case hardening the inner diameter surface of the outer sleeve, wherein the inner diameter surface of the outer sleeve has a lower hardness than the outer diameter surface of the clamp assembly.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein case-hardening the outer diameter surface of the clamp segments comprises boriding, boronitriding, or boronizing the outer diameter surface of the clamp segments, and wherein case-hardening the inner diameter surface of the outer sleeve comprises plasma nitriding the inner diameter surface of the outer sleeve.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the clamp segments each include a central body, a first extension extending from the central body in a first axial direction, and a second extension extending from the central body in a second axial direction, the central body having a greater thickness than the first or second extensions,
the first extension and the central body define a first axially-facing shoulder therebetween,
the second extension and the central body define a second axially-facing shoulder therebetween, and
assembling the outer sleeve around the clamp segments comprises:
receiving the first extension into a first extension-receiving region of the outer sleeve;
receiving the second extension into a second extension-receiving region of the outer sleeve;
receiving the central body into a clamp-receiving region of the outer sleeve; and
slidingly engaging the first axially-facing shoulder with a first shoulder of the outer sleeve, and slidingly engaging the second axially-facing sh

Assignees

• Franks Int Llc

Inventors

• Smith Logan
• Daigle Jarret
• Lutgring Keith
• Weber Matthew
• Servaes Luk
• Simar Todd
• Pitre Dustin

Classifications

• E21B17/1085

  Wear protectors; Blast joints; Hard facing · CPC title

• E21B17/1064 Primary

  Pipes or rods with a relatively rotating sleeve · CPC title

• E21B17/16

  Drill collars · CPC title

• E21B17/1078

  Stabilisers or centralisers for casing, tubing or drill pipes (E21B17/1007 - E21B17/1064 take precedence) · CPC title