Press type steering guider for ultra-short radius horizontal well

Abstract

The invention discloses an ultra-short radius horizontal well pressing type steering guider, and relates to the field of steering guiders, the ultra-short radius horizontal well pressing type steering guider comprises a well body, a drill rod is arranged in the well body, a drill bit is arranged at the bottom of the drill rod, a positioning sleeve is movably mounted at the bottom of one side of the outer surface of the drill rod, and an adjusting guide pipe is rotatably mounted on the lower bottom surface of the positioning sleeve through a bearing; a fixed inner cavity is formed in the positioning sleeve, a guide through groove is formed in the middle of the bottom end of the inner wall of the fixed inner cavity in a penetrating mode and penetrates through the adjusting guide pipe, and a reversing mechanism is arranged in the positioning sleeve. Through the design of a reversing mechanism and an adjusting guide pipe, the problem that direction adjustment of an existing drill rod lags behind is solved, a first driving part drives a driving gear to rotate, the adjusting guide pipe is driven to rotate through gear meshing, an L-shaped guide through groove synchronously drives the drill rod to change the radial angle, complex remote signal transmission is not needed, and response in a deep well is fast; the drilling position of the drill bit can be accurately adjusted, the drill rod is prevented from being repeatedly withdrawn, and the effective operation time of the drill rod is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to steering guide technology, specifically to a push-type steering guide for ultra-short radius horizontal wells. Background Technology

[0002] Horizontal well drilling rigs are specialized drilling equipment used in oil and gas extraction, geological exploration, and underground engineering construction for drilling horizontal or highly deviated wells. Their core function is to overcome the depth limitations of traditional vertical wells, extending horizontally underground via drill pipe to achieve efficient extraction of underground oil and gas reservoirs and mineral resources, or precise geological information detection. They mainly consist of the drilling rig body (providing power and support), drill pipe assembly (transmitting torque and propulsion), guiding mechanism (controlling the wellbore trajectory), power system (driving the drill pipe to rotate and advance), and monitoring system (providing real-time feedback on wellbore position and drill pipe status). Especially in ultra-short radius horizontal well construction, the need to adapt to trajectory turning requirements within confined spaces places even stricter demands on the drill pipe's guiding accuracy and operational flexibility. Therefore, they are key equipment for improving the efficiency of underground resource extraction and reducing engineering costs.

[0003] However, existing horizontal well drilling rigs face significant bottlenecks in drilling adjustment and directional control of drill pipes during ultra-short radius horizontal well construction due to the operating environment and guide mechanism design in deep wells. Since ultra-short radius horizontal wells typically exceed 1,000 meters in depth and have narrow internal spaces, traditional drill pipe guide mechanisms (such as hydraulic or mechanical guides) rely on complex downhole transmission components or remote control signals from the surface. Signal attenuation and pressure loss in deep wells lead to delayed operational response, making it difficult to quickly and accurately adjust drilling at different positions on the horizontal well wall. Furthermore, existing guide mechanisms lack flexibility in adjusting the drill pipe's forward direction. Ultra-short radius horizontal wells have small radii of curvature, requiring frequent changes in the drill pipe's forward direction (such as switching from vertical to horizontal or fine-tuning angles within a horizontal section). Traditional guides often achieve steering through multiple hydraulic cylinders or mechanical linkages. Wear and tear on components and oil sludge blockage in deep wells can cause directional adjustment to become stuck, even leading to the risk of drill pipe "jamming," making it impossible to smoothly control the drill pipe's forward trajectory. This results in a reduced percentage of effective drilling time and overall decreased efficiency, failing to meet the demands of efficient ultra-short radius horizontal well construction. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an ultra-short radius horizontal well push-to-turn steering guide to solve the problem that the drill pipe is inconvenient to adjust the borehole position when used in horizontal wells in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a push-button steering guide for ultra-short radius horizontal wells, comprising a well body, a drill pipe disposed inside the well body, a drill bit disposed at the bottom of the drill pipe, a positioning sleeve movably installed at the bottom of one side of the outer surface of the drill pipe, an adjusting guide tube rotatably mounted on the bottom surface of the positioning sleeve via a bearing, a fixed inner cavity opened inside the positioning sleeve, a guide groove passing through the adjusting guide tube at the middle of the bottom end of the inner wall of the fixed inner cavity, and a reversing mechanism disposed inside the positioning sleeve for adjusting the orientation of the bottom opening of the guide groove;

[0006] The reversing mechanism includes a first driven gear, which is disposed on the upper surface of the adjusting guide tube and extends into the interior of the fixed cavity. A first driving part is installed at the bottom of one side of the inner wall of the fixed cavity, and a driving gear is installed at the output end of the lower bottom surface of the first driving part.

[0007] A number of fixed inner grooves are provided on one side of the inner wall of the fixed inner cavity. A second driven gear is rotatably installed inside the fixed inner groove through a support shaft. The support shafts at the front and rear ends of the second driven gear extend to the outside of the positioning sleeve and are equipped with movable support plates. Connectors are provided at the top of the two symmetrically arranged movable support plates. Positioning inner support plates are fixedly installed on one side of the two vertically arranged connectors.

[0008] The fixed inner cavity is also equipped with a positioning structure for fixing the positioning inner support plate to the inner wall of the well body.

[0009] Furthermore, the positioning structure includes a fixing plate, which is symmetrically welded to the middle of both sides of the inner wall of the fixed cavity. A second driving part is provided on the upper surface of the fixing plate, and a connecting support ring is installed at the output end of the upper surface of the second driving part. Several active rack plates are fixedly installed on the outer surface of the connecting support ring.

[0010] Furthermore, the volume of the second driven gear is smaller than the internal volume of the fixed inner groove, and one side of the second driven gear extends to the outside of the opening of the fixed inner groove. The fixed inner groove and the second driven gear are interlocked.

[0011] Furthermore, the active rack plate is aligned with the opening at one end of the fixed inner groove, and a number of teeth are provided at one end of the active rack plate. The second driven gear and the active rack plate mesh with each other at the position of the teeth at one end of the active rack plate on one side of the outer surface of the second driven gear.

[0012] Furthermore, the outer diameter of the connecting support ring is smaller than the inner diameter of the fixed inner cavity, and the fixed inner cavity and the connecting support ring are mutually compatible.

[0013] Furthermore, the cross-section of the guide groove is L-shaped, and one side of the outer surface of the drill rod is located inside the guide groove, with the drill rod and the guide groove interlocking.

[0014] Furthermore, the driven gear and the driving gear are located on the same horizontal plane, and one side of the outer surface of the driving gear moves close to the outer surface of the driven gear, and the driven gear and the driving gear mesh with each other.

[0015] Furthermore, the number of the positioning inner support plates is six, the outer wall of the positioning inner support plate is an arc-shaped structure, and the outer surface of the positioning inner support plate abuts against the inner wall of the well body.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the push-to-turn steering tool for ultra-short radius horizontal wells provided by the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0017] 1. This invention solves the problem of lagging drill pipe direction adjustment in existing systems by using a “reversing mechanism + adjusting guide tube” design. The first drive unit drives the active gear to rotate, and the gear meshing drives the adjusting guide tube to rotate. The L-shaped guide groove synchronously drives the drill pipe to change its radial angle. No complex remote signal transmission is required, and the response in deep wells is fast. The drilling position of the drill bit can be precisely adjusted, avoiding repeated drill pipe withdrawal and increasing the effective working time of the drill pipe.

[0018] 2. This invention achieves stable fixation of the guide to the well body through the design of "positioning structure + six sets of positioning inner support plates". The second drive unit pushes the connecting support ring, and the active rack plate meshes with the second driven gear, which drives the movable support plate to swing, so that the arc-shaped positioning inner support plate is evenly pressed against the inner wall of the well body, which is firmly positioned and does not scratch the well wall. After fixing, it can stably support the rotation of the drill pipe, avoid the directional deviation caused by the shaking of the drill pipe in deep wells, and improve the guiding accuracy.

[0019] 3. This invention improves the operational flexibility and adaptability of the guide by using "gear meshing + modular structure". Both the reversing mechanism and the positioning structure adopt gear transmission, resulting in less wear and a lower failure rate in deep wells, and is suitable for the narrow space of ultra-short radius horizontal wells. The positioning casing can slide along the drill pipe to adapt to the drilling requirements of different depths. The overall structure is easy to disassemble and assemble, which facilitates maintenance in deep wells and further improves the efficiency of drill pipe use. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure provided for an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning sleeve structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the adjusting guide tube provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning inner support plate structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the connecting ring structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the second driven gear structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the first driven gear structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0029] 1. Well body; 2. Drill pipe; 3. Drill bit; 4. Positioning casing; 5. Adjusting guide tube; 6. Fixed inner cavity; 7. Guide groove; 8. Driven gear No. 1; 9. First drive unit; 10. Drive gear; 11. Fixed inner groove; 12. Driven gear No. 2; 13. Movable support plate; 14. Connecting piece; 15. Positioning inner support plate; 16. Fixed plate; 17. Second drive unit; 18. Connecting support ring; 19. Drive rack plate. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] As attached Figure 1 To be continued Figure 7 As shown:

[0032] Example 1:

[0033] This invention provides a push-type steering guide for ultra-short radius horizontal wells, including a well body 1, a drill pipe 2 inside the well body 1, a drill bit 3 at the bottom of the drill pipe 2, a positioning sleeve 4 movably installed at the bottom of one side of the outer surface of the drill pipe 2, an adjusting guide tube 5 rotatably installed on the bottom surface of the positioning sleeve 4 via a bearing, a fixed inner cavity 6 is opened inside the positioning sleeve 4, a guide groove 7 is opened through the adjusting guide tube 5 at the middle of the bottom end of the inner wall of the fixed inner cavity 6, and a reversing mechanism is provided inside the positioning sleeve 4 for adjusting the orientation of the bottom opening of the guide groove 7;

[0034] The cross-section of the guide groove 7 is L-shaped, and one side of the outer surface of the drill rod 2 is located inside the guide groove 7. The drill rod 2 and the guide groove 7 are interlocked.

[0035] The reversing mechanism includes a first driven gear 8, which is set on the upper surface of the adjusting guide tube 5 and extends into the fixed inner cavity 6. A first driving part 9 is installed on the bottom side of one side of the inner wall of the fixed inner cavity 6. The first driving part 9 is a self-locking servo motor (which can control the rotation angle of the adjusting guide tube 5). A driving gear 10 is installed at the output end of the bottom surface of the first driving part 9.

[0036] The driven gear 8 and the driving gear 10 are located on the same horizontal plane. One side of the outer surface of the driving gear 10 moves close to the outer surface of the driven gear 8, and the driven gear 8 and the driving gear 10 mesh with each other.

[0037] A number of fixed inner grooves 11 are provided on one side of the inner wall of the fixed inner cavity 6. A second driven gear 12 is rotatably installed inside the fixed inner groove 11 via a support shaft. The volume of the second driven gear 12 is smaller than the internal volume of the fixed inner groove 11. One side of the second driven gear 12 extends to the outside of the opening of the fixed inner groove 11. The fixed inner groove 11 and the second driven gear 12 are interlocked. The support shafts at the middle of the front and rear ends of the second driven gear 12 extend to the outside of the positioning sleeve 4 and are equipped with movable support plates 13. Connectors 14 are provided at the top of the two symmetrically arranged movable support plates 13. Positioning inner support plates 15 are fixedly installed on one side of the two vertically arranged connectors 14.

[0038] There are six positioning inner support plates 15. The outer wall of the positioning inner support plate 15 is an arc structure, and the outer surface of the positioning inner support plate 15 abuts against the inner wall of the well body 1.

[0039] The fixed inner cavity 6 is also equipped with a positioning structure for fixing the positioning inner support plate 15 to the inner wall of the well body 1.

[0040] Working principle: First, the staff completes the assembly and positioning of the guide assembly. On the ground, the staff assembles the reversing mechanism and the positioning sleeve 4 into place, ensuring that the first driven gear 8 and the adjusting guide tube 5 are coaxially welded, and that the driving gear 10 is fixed to the output shaft of the first drive unit 9 (self-locking servo motor), and that the two mesh precisely with the first driven gear 8. The assembled positioning sleeve 4 is movably fitted onto the bottom of the drill pipe 2 and lowered together with the drill pipe 2 to the target borehole position in the well body 1. The lowering is stopped after the position is confirmed to be correct by the ground monitoring system.

[0041] Next, the staff used the positioning structure to stabilize and fix the guide, then activated the positioning structure to drive the six positioning inner support plates 15 to move synchronously toward the inner wall of the well body 1. Because the outer wall of the positioning inner support plate 15 is arc-shaped, it can completely fit with the inner wall of the well body 1. Moreover, the six positioning inner support plates 15 are evenly distributed around the circumference of the positioning sleeve 4, which can balance the force on the positioning sleeve 4 and prevent radial displacement in the deep well. After the outer surface of the positioning inner support plate 15 is tightly pressed against the inner wall of the well body 1, the positioning structure is closed. At this time, the positioning sleeve 4 is firmly fixed, providing a stable reference for the subsequent adjustment of the drill pipe 2 direction.

[0042] Then, the staff precisely adjusts the direction of drill rod 2 through the reversing mechanism. According to the drilling requirements, the ground control system sends a signal to the first drive unit 9 (self-locking servo motor) to start the first drive unit 9. The output shaft of the first drive unit 9 drives the drive gear 10 to rotate. Since the drive gear 10 and the first driven gear 8 are on the same horizontal plane and mesh with each other, the power is stably transmitted to the first driven gear 8, which in turn drives the adjusting guide tube 5 to rotate around the axis of the positioning sleeve 4. The L-shaped guide groove 7 inside the adjusting guide tube 5 fits into the outer surface of the drill rod 2. As the adjusting guide tube 5 rotates, it synchronously drives the drill rod 2 to change its radial angle, and the drill bit 3 at the bottom of the drill rod 2 adjusts its orientation accordingly. The self-locking servo motor can precisely control the rotation angle of the adjusting guide tube 5 (such as rotating 30° or 90° as needed), and has a self-locking function after power failure, which can prevent the adjusting guide tube 5 from retracting due to the vibration of the well body 1, and ensure that the drill bit 3 is stably kept in the target drilling direction.

[0043] Finally, the staff carried out drilling operations and position switching. The drill rod 2 and drill bit 3 were started to drill. During the process, the positioning sleeve 4 was fixed without displacement due to the positioning inner support plate 15, and the drill rod 2 did not shake, resulting in high drilling accuracy. If the drilling position needs to be adjusted, the self-locking servo motor only needs to be started again and the guide tube 5 is rotated in the opposite direction. There is no need to withdraw the drill rod 2. After the single-position drilling is completed, the positioning inner support plate 15 is disengaged from the inner wall of the well body 1 through the positioning structure. The positioning sleeve 4 is slid along the drill rod 2 to the next target position. The above fixing and adjustment steps are repeated to improve the overall utilization efficiency of the drill rod 2.

[0044] Example 2:

[0045] This embodiment is basically the same as the previous embodiment, except that the positioning structure includes a fixing plate 16, which is symmetrically welded to the middle of both sides of the inner wall of the fixing cavity 6. A second driving part 17 is provided on the upper surface of the fixing plate 16. The second driving part 17 is an electric telescopic rod. A connecting support ring 18 is installed at the output end of the upper surface of the second driving part 17. Several active rack plates 19 are fixedly installed on the outer surface of the connecting support ring 18.

[0046] The active rack plate 19 is aligned with the opening at one end of the fixed inner groove 11. The active rack plate 19 has several teeth at one end. The second driven gear 12 is meshed with the active rack plate 19 at the position of the teeth at one end of the active rack plate 19 on one side of the outer surface of the second driven gear 12.

[0047] The outer diameter of the connecting support ring 18 is smaller than the inner diameter of the fixed inner cavity 6, and the fixed inner cavity 6 and the connecting support ring 18 are mutually compatible.

[0048] Working principle: First, the operator precisely fixes the guide using the positioning structure. After lowering the positioning sleeve 4 to the target position, the operator activates the second drive unit 17 (electric telescopic rod) via the ground control system. The output end of the electric telescopic rod extends upward, pushing the connecting support ring 18 to move axially along the fixed inner cavity 6 (because the outer diameter of the connecting support ring 18 is smaller than the inner diameter of the fixed inner cavity 6, there is no jamming during the movement). The active rack plate 19 on the outer surface of the connecting support ring 18 aligns with the opening of the fixed inner groove 11, and its teeth mesh with the teeth on the outer surface of the second driven gear 12, moving along with the connecting support ring. 18 moves upward, and the active rack plate 19 drives the second driven gear 12 to rotate clockwise around the support shaft; the support shaft of the second driven gear 12 extends to the outside of the positioning sleeve 4, and simultaneously drives the movable support plate 13 to swing. The movable support plate 13 pushes the positioning inner support plate 15 closer to the inner wall of the well body 1 through the connector 14; the electric telescopic rod can precisely control the telescopic amount, thereby adjusting the moving distance of the active rack plate 19, ensuring that the positioning inner support plate 15 is pressed against the inner wall of the well body 1 with appropriate force (neither loosening nor damaging the well wall), the six positioning inner support plates 15 are evenly stressed, and the positioning sleeve 4 is stably fixed;

[0049] Next, the operator adjusts the direction of drill rod 2 using the reversing mechanism and starts the first drive unit 9 (self-locking servo motor). Its output shaft drives the drive gear 10 to rotate, which in turn drives the first driven gear 8 to rotate synchronously with the adjusting guide tube 5. The L-shaped guide groove 7 inside the adjusting guide tube 5 drives the fitted drill rod 2 to change its radial angle, and the drill bit 3 is adjusted to the target direction accordingly. The self-locking servo motor locks the angle of the adjusting guide tube 5 to prevent directional deviation during drilling. During this process, the positioning sleeve 4 is kept stable at all times, providing reliable support for the adjustment of the drill rod 2's direction.

[0050] Then, the workers complete the drilling and positioning structure adjustment, start the drill rod 2 and drill bit 3 to carry out drilling operations. If the drilling position needs to be finely adjusted, it is only necessary to control the self-locking servo motor to adjust the adjusting guide tube 5. If the guide needs to be moved to a new position, the electric telescopic rod is retracted through the ground system, which drives the connecting support ring 18 to move down. The active rack plate 19 drives the second driven gear 12 to rotate in the opposite direction, and the movable support plate 13 pulls the positioning inner support plate 15 away from the inner wall of the well body 1. After sliding the positioning sleeve 4 along the drill rod 2 to the new position, the electric telescopic rod is started again to make the positioning inner support plate 15 press tightly, and the drilling process is repeated.

[0051] Finally, the staff utilizes the characteristics of the positioning structure to improve maintenance efficiency: if the clamping force of the positioning inner support plate 15 needs to be adjusted in the deep well, only the extension amount needs to be finely adjusted by the electric telescopic rod, without disassembling the parts; the transmission structure of the drive gear 10 and the drive rack plate 19 has low wear, is suitable for the harsh environment in the deep well, reduces the frequency of maintenance, and further ensures the continuity and efficiency of the drill pipe 2 operation.

[0052] The foregoing has only described certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention by way of illustration. Undoubtedly, those skilled in the art can modify the described embodiments in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the foregoing drawings and descriptions are illustrative in nature and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A push-button steering guide for ultra-short radius horizontal wells, comprising a well body (1), wherein a drill pipe (2) is disposed inside the well body (1), and a drill bit (3) is disposed at the bottom of the drill pipe (2), characterized in that, A positioning sleeve (4) is movably installed at the bottom of one side of the outer surface of the drill rod (2). An adjusting guide tube (5) is rotatably installed on the bottom surface of the positioning sleeve (4) through a bearing. A fixed inner cavity (6) is opened inside the positioning sleeve (4). A guide groove (7) is opened through the adjusting guide tube (5) at the middle of the bottom end of the inner wall of the fixed inner cavity (6). A reversing mechanism is provided inside the positioning sleeve (4) to adjust the orientation of the bottom opening of the guide groove (7). The reversing mechanism includes a first driven gear (8), which is disposed on the upper surface of the adjusting guide tube (5) and extends into the fixed inner cavity (6). A first driving part (9) is installed at the bottom of one side of the inner wall of the fixed inner cavity (6), and a driving gear (10) is installed at the output end of the bottom surface of the first driving part (9). The inner wall of the fixed inner cavity (6) is provided with several fixed inner grooves (11). The fixed inner grooves (11) are rotatably installed with a second driven gear (12) through a support shaft. The support shafts at the front and rear ends of the second driven gear (12) extend to the outside of the positioning sleeve (4) and are installed with movable support plates (13). The top of the two symmetrically arranged movable support plates (13) are provided with connectors (14). The two connectors (14) arranged vertically are fixedly installed with a positioning inner support plate (15) on one side. The fixed inner cavity (6) is also provided with a positioning structure for fixing the positioning inner support plate (15) to the inner wall of the well body (1).

2. The push-to-turn steering tool for ultra-short radius horizontal wells according to claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning structure includes a fixing plate (16), which is symmetrically welded to the middle of both sides of the inner wall of the fixing cavity (6). A second driving part (17) is provided on the upper surface of the fixing plate (16), and a connecting support ring (18) is installed at the output end of the upper surface of the second driving part (17). Several active rack plates (19) are fixedly installed on the outer surface of the connecting support ring (18).

3. The push-to-turn steering system for ultra-short radius horizontal wells according to claim 1, characterized in that, The volume of the second driven gear (12) is smaller than the internal volume of the fixed inner groove (11). One side of the second driven gear (12) extends to the outside of the opening of the fixed inner groove (11). The fixed inner groove (11) and the second driven gear (12) are interlocked.

4. The push-to-turn steering tool for ultra-short radius horizontal wells according to claim 2, characterized in that, The active rack plate (19) is aligned with the opening of one end of the fixed inner groove (11). One end of the active rack plate (19) is provided with a number of teeth. The second driven gear (12) is located on one side of its outer surface near the position of the teeth at one end of the active rack plate (19). The second driven gear (12) and the active rack plate (19) mesh with each other.

5. A push-button steering guide for ultra-short radius horizontal wells according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outer diameter of the connecting ring (18) is smaller than the inner diameter of the fixed inner cavity (6), and the fixed inner cavity (6) and the connecting ring (18) are adapted to each other.

6. The push-to-turn steering system for ultra-short radius horizontal wells according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide groove (7) has an L-shaped cross-section, and one side of the outer surface of the drill rod (2) is located inside the guide groove (7). The drill rod (2) and the guide groove (7) are interlocked.

7. The push-to-turn steering system for ultra-short radius horizontal wells according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driven gear (8) and the driving gear (10) are located on the same horizontal plane. The outer surface of the driving gear (10) moves closer to the outer surface of the driven gear (8), and the driven gear (8) and the driving gear (10) mesh with each other.

8. A push-button steering guide for ultra-short radius horizontal wells according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of the positioning inner support plates (15) is six. The outer wall of the positioning inner support plate (15) is an arc-shaped structure. The outer surface of the positioning inner support plate (15) abuts against the inner wall of the well body (1).

Images