Flexible Whipstocking Drill for Ultra-Short-Radius Wells
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In petroleum and coal mine exploration, drilling horizontal or inclined wells often results in damaged sidewalls and long whipstocking lengths with large turning radii, which complicates the drilling process and reduces accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A whipstocking drill system comprising flexible drill rods connected end-to-end with a length compensation device and guide sleeves, featuring a ball seat with a swinging ball head and polygonal mating structures for torque transmission, and a telescopic transmission mandrel to manage length differences and reduce curvature, along with guide sleeves for protection and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional drill rods are used for horizontal or inclined well drilling, then drilling operations can be performed, but the sidewalls of rod bodies are damaged and the whipstocking length is long with large turning radius
Solution Approach 1:
The drill rod system is divided into multiple flexible drill rod segments connected by universal joints. Each segment can independently flex and rotate, allowing the overall system to bend smoothly around curves rather than forcing a large-radius whipstocking path. This segmentation enables ultra-short-radius drilling while reducing sidewall damage from rigid rod interactions.
Solution Approach 2:
The drill rod system transitions from a rigid structure to a dynamic flexible structure. The universal joints and spherical connections allow each rod segment to dynamically adjust its orientation in real-time during drilling, enabling the system to adapt to tight curvature requirements and eliminate the need for long whipstocking sections.
2Strength
If rigid drill rods are used for drilling, then structural strength is maintained, but the turning radius is too large and whipstocking length is excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The drill string is segmented into multiple rigid rod sections connected by flexible universal joints. Each individual rod segment maintains high structural strength, while the connections between segments provide the necessary flexibility to achieve tight turning radii without requiring excessive whipstocking length.
Solution Approach 2:
Universal joints with spherical geometry are used to connect drill rod segments. The spherical design allows for multi-directional rotation and flexible angular adjustment, enabling the rigid segmented rods to follow curved paths with small turning radii while maintaining the strength benefits of rigid construction.
3Productivity
If long whipstocking sections are used, then drilling can proceed, but the turning radius is large and drilling accuracy is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible drill rod system with universal joints dynamically adapts its configuration during drilling operations. This allows the system to achieve precise directional control and maintain small turning radii without requiring long whipstocking sections, thereby improving both drilling efficiency and accuracy simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the flexibility parameter of the drill string by introducing universal joints between rigid rod segments. This parameter change enables the drill string to achieve tight curvature (small turning radius) configurations, eliminating the need for long whipstocking sections and improving drilling precision.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention belongs to the technical field of drills for petroleum, coal mines and exploration, and provides a whipstocking drill for an ultra-short-radius well. The whipstocking drill comprises several flexible drill rods which are sequentially connected end to end, wherein the flexible drill rod at an end portion is connected with a length compensation device, and the flexible drill rods are externally sleeved with several guide sleeves which are movably connected. The invention solves the technical problems of a long whipstocking length and an excessively large turning radius of curvature during whipstocking.