Adjustable Diameter Reamer for One-Trip Hole Enlargement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drilling operations face inefficiencies due to the need for separate drill-outs to remove obstructions within casing strings, which increases time and expense, and often require suboptimal reamer sizes that reduce drilling stability and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A drilling assembly comprising a drill bit, an adjustable diameter reamer, and a hole opener, where the reamer is actuated from a first to a larger diameter after passing through the casing, allowing for simultaneous hole enlargement and stabilization, reducing vibrations and enabling reuse of drill bits and BHA tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate dedicated drill-out is used to remove obstructions in the first casing, then the obstructions are removed, but additional time and expense are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the reaming operation and the drill-out operation into a single integrated tool assembly. The reamer with adjustable diameter blades can both ream the borehole and remove obstructions in the casing during the same trip, eliminating the need for a separate dedicated drill-out operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The reamer is designed with multi-functionality to perform both reaming and obstruction removal. By incorporating adjustable diameter blades that can be configured to match the casing inner diameter, the tool serves dual purposes: enlarging the borehole and clearing obstructions, thereby reducing operational time and cost.
2Adaptability or versatility
If less than optimally-sized reamers are employed, then obstructions can be removed, but the stability of the drilling assembly is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The reamer features adjustable diameter blades that can be dynamically configured. The blades can be positioned to match the inner diameter of the casing, providing optimal stability during passage through the casing, and then adjusted to a larger diameter for effective obstruction removal and borehole enlargement, maintaining stability throughout the operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The reamer allows change in its effective diameter parameter by adjusting the blade positions. This parameter change enables the reamer to adapt to different operational phases: matching casing diameter for stable passage, then expanding to larger diameter for obstruction removal, thereby maintaining drilling assembly stability while achieving versatility.
3Productivity
If optimally-sized reamers are used, then borehole enlargement is effective, but they cannot be used until they have passed through the first cased section
Solution Approach 1:
The reamer is segmented into adjustable diameter blades that can be independently positioned. This segmentation allows the reamer to first pass through the cased section in a compact configuration matching the casing diameter, then expand the blades to the optimal larger diameter for efficient borehole enlargement, combining both requirements in one tool.
Solution Approach 2:
The reamer is configured to first perform the preliminary action of passing through the cased section with adjusted blades matching the casing inner diameter. Once through the casing, the blades are then actuated to the optimal larger diameter for borehole enlargement, ensuring both successful casing passage and effective enlargement in sequence.
4Manufacturing precision
If multiple drill strings are used for hole enlargement, then the borehole can be enlarged, but time and equipment resources are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The drilling assembly is designed with multi-functionality to perform both drilling and hole enlargement operations with a single drill string. The adjustable diameter reamer can be configured to match the casing diameter for passage, then expanded to the larger optimal diameter for enlargement, eliminating the need for multiple drill strings and reducing equipment complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The single drill string incorporates a dynamically adjustable reamer that changes its effective diameter during the operation. This dynamic adjustment allows one drill string to replace multiple static drill strings, maintaining the ability to perform both casing passage and borehole enlargement while reducing overall device complexity and resource requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A drilling assembly for simultaneous hole enlargement operations comprises a drill bit, an adjustable diameter reamer, and a hole opener. The reamer is coupled with, and positioned uphole from the drill bit. The reamer is adjustable between a first diameter and a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter. The hole opener is coupled with, and positioned uphole from the reamer.