Concealed Nozzle Drill Bit for Dynamic Flow Area Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drill bits have a fixed total flow area, leading to increased frictional forces and pressure losses as well depth increases, necessitating higher surface pump pressures, which can reduce drilling efficiency and increase the risk of wellbore cleaning inefficiencies and drill string sticking due to accumulated cuttings.
Innovation Solution
The drill bit design includes embedded blocked nozzles with removable end disks that can be opened to increase the flow area by removing the disks when pump pressure becomes limiting, allowing additional fluid flow paths and reducing pressure drop across the bit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the drill bit operates at increased depth with a fixed nozzle flow area, then the structural integrity and cleaning efficiency are maintained, but the frictional forces and pressure losses increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the nozzle flow area adjustable rather than fixed. Blocked nozzles with removable plugs allow the total flow area to be dynamically increased when operating at greater depths or higher pump rates, reducing pressure losses while maintaining the ability to restore original flow characteristics if needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by modifying the total flow area parameter of the drill bit. By removing plugs from blocked nozzles, the flow area parameter is increased to compensate for frictional pressure losses at increased depths, allowing maintenance of optimal pump rates and annular velocities for wellbore cleaning.
2Productivity
If the surface pump pressure is increased to compensate for friction losses, then the pump rate can be maintained, but the risk of drill string sticking and wellbore cleaning inefficiency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by enabling dynamic adjustment of the nozzle flow area to match operating conditions. When operating at increased depths, the flow area is increased by opening blocked nozzles, which reduces the pressure required to maintain optimal pump rates, thereby reducing the harmful effect of drill string sticking risk while maintaining productivity.
3Stress or pressure
If the pump rate is reduced to decrease friction pressure loss, then the pumping pressure is reduced, but the annular velocity and wellbore cleaning efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements parameter changes by increasing the total flow area parameter when operating at greater depths. This allows the system to maintain high pump rates and annular velocities required for effective wellbore cleaning while experiencing reduced friction pressure losses due to the larger flow area, thus avoiding the need to reduce pump rate.
4Stress or pressure
If additional nozzles are activated downhole, then the pressure drop across the drill bit is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the drill bit into multiple nozzle sections, some of which are blocked and can be selectively activated. This segmentation allows flexible adjustment of the total flow area by opening individual blocked nozzles with removable plugs, enabling pressure drop management without requiring a completely different nozzle configuration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution maintains high pump rates and wellbore cleaning efficiency by dynamically adjusting the flow area of the drill bit without pulling it from the wellbore, reducing the risk of cuttings accumulation and strain on surface equipment.
Implementation Method 1
the pressure drop across the drill bit
Implementation Method 2
the frictional forces on the fluid flow inside the tubular and in the annulus increase
Implementation Method 3
to provide hydraulic energy to aid in the rock cutting and removal process
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for drilling a subterranean well with a drill bit include a drill bit body with a central bore. A plurality of ports extend through the nose end of the drill bit body from the central bore to an outside of the drill bit body. A blocked nozzle is located within one of the plurality of ports. The blocked nozzle has a nozzle bore end and a nozzle nose end opposite the nozzle bore end. A bore end disk is located at the nozzle bore end of the blocked nozzle, preventing a flow of fluids through the blocked nozzle past the bore end disk. A nose end disk is located at the nozzle nose end of the blocked nozzle, preventing the flow of fluids through the blocked nozzle past the nose end disk. The nose end disk and the bore end disk are removable.