Drilling systems and fixed cutter bits with adjustable depth-of-cut to control torque-on-bit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9695641-B2
Application number	US-201314062006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2013
Priority date	Oct 25, 2012
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

A drill bit for drilling a borehole in an earthen formation includes a connection member having a pin end. In addition, the drill bit includes a bit body coupled to the connection member and configured to rotate relative to the connection member about a central axis of the bit. The bit body includes a bit face. Further, the drill bit includes a blade extending radially along the bit face. Still further, the drill bit includes a plurality of cutter elements mounted to a cutter-supporting surface of the blade. Moreover, the drill bit includes a depth-of-cut limiting structure slidably disposed in a bore extending axially from the cutter-supporting surface. The depth-of-cut limiting structure is configured to move axially relative to the bit body in response to rotation of the bit body relative to the connection member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drill bit for drilling a borehole in an earthen formation, the bit having a central axis and a cutting direction of rotation, the bit comprising:
a connection member having a pin end;
a bit body coupled to the connection member, wherein the bit body is configured to rotate with the connection member about the central axis under a first torque-on-bit and wherein the bit body is configured to rotate relative to the connection member about the axis under a second torque-on-bit that is greater than the first toque-on-bit, wherein the bit body includes a bit face and a blade extending radially along the bit face;
a plurality of cutter elements mounted to a cutter-supporting surface of the blade; and
a depth-of-cut limiting structure slidably disposed in a bore extending axially from the cutter-supporting surface;
wherein the depth-of-cut limiting structure is configured to move axially relative to the bit body in response to rotation of the bit body relative to the connection member.

2. The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the bore is disposed behind the cutter elements relative to a direction of rotation of the bit.

3. The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the depth-of-cut limiting structure is configured to extend axially from the cutter-supporting surface in response to an increase in torque-on-bit.

4. The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the bit face includes a cone region, a shoulder region, and a gage region;
wherein the blade extends radially from the cone region to the gage region;
wherein the bore intersects the cutter-supporting surface in the cone region.

5. The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the connection member includes a male insert portion disposed in a receptacle extending from an end of the bit body opposite the bit face.

6. The drill bit of claim 5 , wherein the bit body has an inner surface defining the receptacle, wherein the inner surface includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced splines extending radially inward from the first cylindrical surface;
wherein the male insert portion includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced splines;
wherein one spline of the male insert portion is positioned between each pair of circumferentially adjacent splines of the bit body.

7. The drill bit of claim 6 , wherein each spline of the connection member is circumferentially spaced from the adjacent spline of the bit body that leads the spline of the connection member relative to the direction of bit rotation.

8. The drill bit of claim 7 , wherein a resilient elastomeric material is disposed between each spline of the connection member and the circumferentially adjacent spline of the bit body that leads the spline of the connection member relative to the direction of bit rotation.

9. The drill bit of claim 6 , further comprising a torque control member comprising a base disposed in the receptacle axially between the male insert portion and the bit body, an arm extending radially outward from the base, and the depth-of-cut limiting structure extending axially from the arm.

10. The drill bit of claim 5 , further comprising a biasing member disposed about the male insert portion and an actuation sleeve disposed about the male insert portion;
wherein the biasing member is axially disposed between the actuation sleeve and an annular shoulder of the connection member;
wherein the actuation sleeve has an end comprising a plurality of circumferentially-spaced helical ramps;
wherein the bit body has an inner surface defining the receptacle, wherein the inner surface includes an annular shoulder comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced helical ramps;
wherein the biasing member is configured to bias the helical ramps of the actuation sleeve into sliding engagement with the helical ramps in the bit body.

11. The drill bit of claim 5 , further comprising a torsional biasing member disposed about the male insert portion;
wherein the torsional biasing member has a first end coupled to the connection member and a second end coupled to the bit body;
wherein the torsional biasing member is configured to resist the rotation of the bit body relative to the connection member.

12. A method for managing torque-on-bit while drilling a borehole in an earthen formation, the method comprising:
(a) engaging the formation with a fixed cutter bit, wherein the fixed cutter bit includes a connection member and a bit body coupled to the connection member;
(b) applying weight-on-bit;
(c) applying a first torque-on-bit to rotate the connection member and the bit body together about a central axis;
(d) increasing the torque-on-bit from the first torque-on-bit to a second torque-on-bit that is greater than the first torque-on-bit; and
(e) rotating the bit body relative to the connection member about the central axis to extend a depth-of-cut control structure axially from the bit body in response to the increase in the torque-on-bit.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
extending the depth-of-cut control structure to a first axial distance from a bit face of the fixed cutter bit during (e);
increasing the torque-on-bit from the second torque-on-bit to a third torque-on-bit that is greater than the second torque-on-bit after (d) and (e); and
extending the depth-of-cut control structure to a second axial distance from the bit face that is greater than the first axial distance in response to increasing the torque-on-bit from the second torque-on-bit to the third torque-on-bit.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein (e) comprises extending the depth-of-cut control structure axially into engagement with the formation.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein (e) further comprises decreasing the torque-on-bit from the second torque-on-bit to a third torque-on-bit that is less than the second torque-on-bit in response to engagement of the depth-of-cut control structure and the formation.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising (f) withdrawing the depth-of-cut control structure axially toward a bit face of the fixed cutter bit in response to the decrease in the torque-on-bit during (e).

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the depth-of-cut control structure is a rod moveably disposed in a bore in the bit body.

Assignees

• Nat Oilwell Dht Lp

Inventors

• Schen Aaron E
• Lanning Curtis Clifford
• Propes Christopher C
• Riddel Jacob D

Classifications

• E21B10/43

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

• E21B10/62

  characterised by parts, e.g. cutting elements, which are detachable or adjustable (E21B10/64 takes precedence; for roller bits E21B10/20; for augers E21B10/44) · CPC title

• E21B10/55 Primary

  with preformed cutting elements · CPC title