System and method for controlled slip connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9702200-B2
Application number	US-201414284183-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2014
Priority date	May 21, 2014
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

A controlled slip connection system is configured to be coupled between a drill pipe and a directional drilling assembly, and the slip connection system is configured to enable continual rotation of the drill pipe while providing a rotationally stationary surface for a mud motor of the directional drilling assembly to react against.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
a slip connection system configured to be coupled between a drill pipe and a directional drilling assembly, wherein the slip connection system comprises:
a closed loop hydraulic fluid circuit configured to flow a hydraulic fluid;
a hydraulic fluid valve disposed along the closed loop hydraulic fluid circuit, wherein the hydraulic fluid valve is configured to regulate a flow rate of the hydraulic fluid through the hydraulic fluid circuit; and
a heat exchanger disposed along the closed loop hydraulic fluid circuit within a central mud flow passage of the slip connection system, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to exchange heat between the hydraulic fluid and a mud flow,

wherein the slip connection system is configured to enable continual rotation of the drill pipe while providing a rotationally stationary surface for a mud motor of the directional drilling assembly to react against.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the slip connection system comprises:
a hydraulic pump configured to transfer energy from rotational movement of the drill pipe to the hydraulic fluid.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the slip connection system comprises:
a controller section configured to regulate operation of the hydraulic fluid valve.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the controller section comprises:
at least one sensor configured to measure or detect an operating parameter of the slip connection system; and
a controller configured to regulate operation of the hydraulic fluid valve based on the operating parameter.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the at least one sensor is an accelerometer, a gravitational sensor, an azimuth sensor, a gyroscope, or any combination thereof.

6. The device of claim 4 , wherein the operating parameter is a circular position of the slip connection system, an angular position of the slip connection system, a circumferential orientation of the slip connection system, or any combination thereof.

7. The device of claim 4 , wherein the controller section comprises a battery configured to supply power to the controller, and the mud motor comprises a generator coupled to the battery, wherein the generator is configured to generate supplemental power from a mud flow to recharge the battery.

8. The device of claim 2 , wherein the hydraulic pump comprises a rotor portion coupled to the drill pipe and a stator portion coupled to the mud motor.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the slip connection system comprises a hydraulic pump, a clutch disk system, an electrical generator comprising a variable resistance load, a vane motor, or any combination thereof to variably absorb torque from the drill pipe.

10. A controlled slip connection system, comprising:
a pump section configured to couple to a drill pipe, wherein the pump section comprises a hydraulic pump;
a hydraulic section coupled to the pump section, wherein the hydraulic section comprises a hydraulic fluid circuit configured to circulate a hydraulic fluid flow of the hydraulic pump; and
a controller section coupled to the hydraulic section, wherein the controller section is configured to couple to a mud motor of a directional drilling assembly,
wherein the controlled slip connection system is configured to slip at a rotational rate of the drill pipe, and wherein the controlled slip connection system is configured to couple axially between the mud motor of the directional drilling assembly and the drill pipe,
wherein the pump section, the hydraulic section, and the controller section cooperatively define a central mud flow passage configured to flow a drilling mud flow from the drill pipe to the mud motor, and
wherein heat is exchanged between the hydraulic fluid flow and the drilling mud flow with a heat exchanger disposed along the hydraulic fluid circuit and within the central mud flow passage.

11. The controlled slip connection system of claim 10 , wherein the hydraulic pump comprises a rotor portion configured to couple to the drill pipe and a stator section coupled to the hydraulic section.

12. The controlled slip connection system of claim 11 , wherein the hydraulic fluid circuit comprises a hydraulic fluid reservoir and an electronically controlled proportional metering valve.

13. The controlled slip connection system of claim 12 , wherein the controller section comprises:
a controller configured to regulate operation of the electronically controlled proportional metering valve;
a plurality of sensors configured to detect an angular orientation of the controlled slip connection system; and
a battery configured to provide power to the controller and the plurality of sensors,
wherein the controller is configured to regulate operation of the electronically controlled proportional metering valve based on the angular orientation of the controlled slip connection system.

14. A method of positioning a drill string within a wellbore comprising:
detecting an orientation of a controlled slip connection system coupled between a drill pipe and a mud motor of the drill string with at least one sensor;
rotating the drill pipe;
adjusting a flow rate of hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic fluid circuit in fluid communication with a hydraulic pump coupled to the drill pipe with a controller in order to adjust torque transfer between the drill pipe and the controlled slip connection system wherein adjusting torque transfer between the drill pipe and the controlled slip connection system adjusts the orientation of the controlled slip connection system;
pumping a drilling mud flow through the drill pipe and the controlled slip connection system to the mud motor via a central mud flow passage; and
exchanging heat between the hydraulic fluid and the drilling mud flow with a heat exchanger disposed along the hydraulic fluid circuit and within the central mud flow passage.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein detecting the orientation of the controlled slip connection system comprises detecting an angular position, a circumferential orientation, or a circular position of the controlled slip connection system with the at least one sensor.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein adjusting the flow rate of hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic fluid circuit comprises adjusting a position of an electronically controlled proportional metering valve disposed along the hydraulic fluid circuit with the controller.

17. The method of claim 14 , comprising flowing the drilling mud flow through a generator disposed in the mud motor to generate power for at least one component of the controlled slip connection system.

Assignees

• Tesco Corp

Inventors

• Bowley Ryan Thomas
• Yajure Edgar Fernando

Classifications

• E21B41/0085 Primary

  Adaptations of electric power generating means for use in boreholes · CPC title

• E21B47/022

  of the borehole, e.g. using geomagnetism · CPC title

• E21B7/062 Primary

  the tool shaft rotating inside a non-rotating guide travelling with the shaft (E21B7/067 and E21B7/068 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B7/067

  with means for locking sections of a pipe or of a guide for a shaft in angular relation, e.g. adjustable bent sub · CPC title

• E21B17/02 Primary

  Couplings; joints {(expandable couplings or joints E21B43/106)} · CPC title