Clad Hardfacing Application on Downhole Cutting Tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016201416-A1
Application number	US-201314912155-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 30, 2013
Priority date	Sep 30, 2013
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A downhole milling tool for cutting non-geological materials in a well includes a body having an elongated and substantially cylindrical wall defining an inner passage extending through a portion of the body. The body includes a coupling end capable of being coupled to a working string to rotate the body. A plurality of blades extends radially outward from the body, and each blade extends along a length of the body. Each blade is oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the body or is arranged in a spiral or helical configuration on the body. A laser-deposited cladding material is coupled to the plurality of blades.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A downhole milling tool comprising:
a mill body; a plurality of mill blades radially extending from the mill body; and a cladding material coupled to at least one of the mill blades.

2 . The downhole milling tool of claim 1 , wherein the cladding material has a hardness of approximately 60 HRC.

3 . The downhole milling tool of claim 1 , wherein the coupling between the cladding material and the at least one of the mill blades includes a metallurgical bond.

4 . The downhole milling tool of claim 1 further comprising:
a plurality of cutting inserts coupled to the cladding material.

5 . The downhole milling tool of claim 4 , wherein the coupling between the plurality of cutting inserts and the cladding material includes a metallurgical bond.

6 . The downhole milling tool of claim 1 , wherein a hardness of the cutting inserts is greater than a hardness of the cladding material.

7 . The downhole milling tool of claim 1 , wherein the cutting inserts have a hardness of approximately 60 HRC.

8 . The downhole milling tool of claim 1 further comprising:
a plurality of cutting inserts coupled to the cladding material;
wherein each cutting insert is substantially cylindrical in shape and includes a scalloped cutting surface.

9 . The downhole milling tool of claim 1 further comprising:
a plurality of cutting inserts coupled to the cladding material;
wherein each cutting insert is substantially cylindrical in shape and includes a cutting surface; and
wherein the cutting surface of at least one of the cutting inserts is located a distance from the mill blade greater than a distance from the mill blade to an outer surface of the cladding material.

10 . The downhole milling tool of claim 1 further comprising:
a plurality of cutting inserts coupled to the cladding material;
wherein the cutting inserts are formed at least in part from tungsten carbide.

11 . The downhole milling tool of claim 1 further comprising:
a plurality of cutting inserts coupled to the cladding material;
wherein the cutting inserts include crushed carbide elements that are size-screened with a mesh size of about 3/16 inch to about ¼ inch.

12 . The downhole milling tool of claim 1 further comprising:
a plurality of cutting inserts coupled to the cladding material;
wherein the cutting inserts include crushed carbide elements that are size-screened to ensure that each crushed carbide element includes a dimension between a first amount and a second amount;
wherein the first amount is approximately 3/16 inch; and
wherein the second amount is approximately ¼ inch.

13 . A downhole milling tool for cutting non-geological materials in a well, the downhole milling tool comprising:
a body having an elongated and substantially cylindrical wall defining an inner passage extending through a portion of the body; the body having a coupling end capable of being coupled to a working string to rotate the body; a plurality of blades extending radially outward from the body, each blade extending along a length of the body and being oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the body or being arranged in a spiral or helical configuration on the body; and a laser-deposited cladding material coupled to the plurality of blades.

14 . The downhole milling tool of claim 13 , wherein the cladding material is deposited on each of the plurality of blades in a substantially uniform thickness.

15 . The downhole milling tool of claim 13 further comprising:
a plurality of cutting inserts coupled to the cladding material;
wherein each cutting insert is substantially cylindrical in shape; and
wherein the cladding material is deposited on each of the plurality of blades in a substantially uniform thickness.

16 . The downhole milling tool of claim 13 further comprising:
a plurality of cutting inserts coupled to the cladding material;
wherein the cutting inserts include crushed carbide elements;
wherein at least a portion of the cutting inserts extend outward from the cladding material; and
wherein the cladding material is deposited on the blades in a non-uniform thickness.

17 . The downhole milling tool of claim 1 , wherein the downhole milling tool is one of a window mill, a watermelon mill, and a lead mill.

18 . A method of improving the wear resistance of downhole milling tool, the method comprising:
coupling a cladding material to a blade of the downhole milling tool.

19 . The method of claim 18 further comprising:
coupling cutting inserts to the cladding material such that at least a portion of the cutting inserts protrude from the cladding material.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the coupling the cladding material to the blade and coupling the cutting inserts to the cladding material further comprises:
delivering the cladding material in a powder form adjacent the blade; and melting the powder using a laser.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Gendre Andrew Scott
• Renshaw William Shaun

Classifications

• B23P15/34

  milling cutters · CPC title

• E21B29/002 Primary

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