Method for drilling out a plug using a hybrid rotary cone drill bit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016153241-A1
Application number	US-201615018542-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 8, 2016
Priority date	Aug 23, 2013
Publication date	Jun 2, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for drilling out a plug includes directing a hybrid rotary cone drill bit having a plurality of rotary cones into a borehole lined with a casing. A body of the plug is drilled out using milled teeth formed in the hybrid rotary cone drill bit. A slip of the plug is drilled out using cutter inserts secured into the rotary cone where the slip contacts the casing. The drilled out plug is directed up the borehole using a drilling fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of drilling out a plug, comprising:
directing a hybrid rotary cone drill bit having a plurality of rotary cones into a borehole lined with a casing; drilling out a body of the plug using milled teeth formed in each one of the plurality of rotary cones; drilling out a slip of the plug using cutter inserts secured into each one of the plurality of rotary cones, the slip contacting the casing; and directing the drilled out plug up the borehole using a drilling fluid.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the drilling out the body and the drilling out the slip occur simultaneously.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the cutter inserts are tungsten carbide inserts.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the cutter inserts are selected from a group consisting of: polycrystalline diamond compact cutter inserts, impregnated diamond segment cutter inserts, polycrystalline cubic boron nitride compact cutter inserts, and ceramic cutter inserts.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the slip includes slip ridges formed of a hard material, the slip ridges gripping the casing.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the body of the plug comprises a material, the material having a hardness less than a hardness of a material of the slip.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the drilling out the slip includes breaking apart the slip using the cutter inserts.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the slip includes a plurality of slip inserts embedded into the casing and wherein the drilling out the slip includes dislodging the slip inserts from the casing using the cutter inserts.

9 . A method of drilling out a plug, comprising:
directing a hybrid rotary cone drill bit having three rotary cones into a borehole; drilling out a body of the plug using milled teeth formed in each one of the three rotary cones; drilling out a slip of the plug using cutter inserts secured into each one of the three rotary cones, the cutter inserts being disposed radially closer to a wall of a borehole than the milled teeth are disposed, a material of the slip being harder than a material of the body; and directing the drilled out plug up the borehole using a drilling fluid.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the drilling out the body occurs simultaneously with the drilling out the slip.

11 . The method of claim 9 wherein the material of the slip is selected from a group consisting of: cast iron, tungsten carbide, and a ceramic material.

12 . The method of claim 9 wherein the material of the body is a thermoplastic or brass.

13 . The method of claim 9 wherein the borehole is lined with a casing and the drilling out the slip further comprises dislodging a portion of the slip embedded in the casing.

14 . The method of claim 9 wherein the slip is disposed at an outer one inch diameter of the borehole.

15 . The method of claim 9 wherein the milled teeth are formed of steel.

16 . The method of claim 9 wherein a face of the rotary cone drill bit defines an outer diameter and wherein the cutter inserts are only disposed within an inch of the outer diameter and all other cutting structures of the rotary cone drill bit are milled teeth.

17 . A method of drilling out a plug, comprising:
directing a hybrid rotary cone drill bit having a plurality of rotary cones into a borehole lined with a casing; drilling out a body of the plug using milled teeth formed in each one of the plurality of rotary cones, the milled teeth being formed of steel; drilling out a slip of the plug using cutter inserts secured into each one of the plurality of rotary cones, the cutter inserts comprising tungsten carbide and being disposed radially closer to a wall of a borehole than the milled teeth are disposed, a material of the slip being harder than a material of the body; and directing the drilled out plug up the borehole using a drilling fluid.

18 . The method of claim 17 wherein a portion of the slip is embedded in the casing, and the drilling out the slip further comprises dislodging the portion of the slip from the casing.

19 . The method of claim 17 wherein the drilling out the body occurs simultaneously with the drilling out the slip.

20 . The method of claim 17 wherein the slip is disposed at an outer one inch diameter of the borehole.

Assignees

• Varel Int Ind Lp

Inventors

• Nobile Kyle
• Stroever Matt
• Harrington David Michel
• Rose Karl W

Classifications

• E21B10/16

  characterised by tooth form or arrangement · CPC title

• E21B29/002

  Cutting, e.g. milling, a pipe with a cutter rotating along the circumference of the pipe · CPC title

• E21B33/1204

  permanent; drillable · CPC title

• E21B29/00

  Cutting or destroying pipes, packers, plugs or wire lines, located in boreholes or wells, e.g. cutting of damaged pipes, of windows; Deforming of pipes in boreholes or wells; Reconditioning of well casings while in the ground · CPC title

• E21B10/52 Primary

  with chisel- or button-type inserts · CPC title