Extended-Reach Downhole Tool With Hydraulic Oscillation for Tubing Friction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drilling tools face significant frictional forces when reaching deep wellbores, often leading to locking issues that conventional snubbing forces cannot overcome, necessitating improved methods to facilitate deeper penetration.
Innovation Solution
A downhole tool with a fluid flow control valve that cycles between open and closed positions, driven by fluid pressure, generating axial oscillations and vibrations to overcome friction, utilizing a mud motor or alternative rotational drives to assist in lowering and retrieving drill strings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If conventional snubbing force is applied to lower tubing into the well, then the tubing can be inserted to a certain depth, but frictional forces between the tubing and casing or formation wall cause the tubing to lock up and prevent reaching required depth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a downhole tool that generates mechanical vibrations and axial oscillations to reduce frictional forces between the tubing and wellbore wall. The vibrations create dynamic conditions that prevent the tubing from locking up due to static friction, enabling continuous descent to greater depths.
Solution Approach 2:
The downhole tool cycles between open and closed positions periodically, creating rhythmic pressure changes and axial oscillations. This periodic action maintains dynamic conditions that reduce frictional resistance, allowing the tubing to overcome static friction and reach required depths that would otherwise be inaccessible.
2Length of moving object
If extended reach tools are used to overcome frictional forces, then deeper wellbore penetration is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The downhole tool utilizes fluid pressure differentials between upper and lower chambers to drive the oscillating mechanism. By employing hydraulic principles, the tool achieves complex periodic motion and vibration generation without requiring complex mechanical actuation systems, thus reducing overall device complexity while enabling extended reach.
Data Source
AI summary
A downhole tool comprises a tool housing defining a flow passage therethrough from a first to a second end thereof. A poppet is axially movable on a poppet mandrel positioned in the tool housing. The poppet mandrel has at least one outlet port defined therein. A pilot valve is rotatable about the poppet mandrel. Rotation of the pilot valve opens and closes the at least one outlet port in the poppet mandrel to permit and block flow therethrough, and wherein the opening and closing of the at least one outlet port moves the poppet axially on the poppet mandrel.