Jet Drilling Lance for Zero-Radius Lateral Wells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mechanical drilling faces challenges in applying high torque and thrust through tight radius curves, making it difficult to effectively perform zero-radius lateral drilling in oil and gas wells, particularly in thin, low-pressure formations.
Innovation Solution
A jet drilling lance assembly that includes a flexible jet lance with a high-pressure fluid supply and a tensioner system to maintain face contact and prevent buckling, allowing for the application of sufficient thrust and stiffness to drill a straight lateral trajectory while passing through a deflection shoe.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If conventional mechanical drilling is used, then high torque and thrust can be applied, but the system cannot effectively navigate tight radius curves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical drilling with a rotary jet drill that uses high-pressure fluid jets to erode and remove formation material. This substitution eliminates the mechanical torque and thrust transmission problems associated with conventional drilling, allowing the drill to navigate tight radius curves while maintaining effective cutting capability through hydraulic rather than mechanical means.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a rotary jet drill powered by high-pressure fluid (hydraulic or pneumatic) that rotates to generate eroding jets against the formation. This hydraulic/pneumatic system replaces mechanical drive systems, enabling the drill to apply sufficient cutting force through fluid pressure while easily accommodating curved trajectories without the torque limitations of mechanical systems.
2Ease of operation
If a flexible lance is used to drill lateral wells, then the drill can navigate curves, but the lance may buckle and divert from a straight lateral trajectory
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different structural characteristics to different portions of the lance. The lance is designed with enhanced rigidity in specific sections to prevent buckling and maintain straight lateral trajectory, while other portions remain flexible to accommodate the curved path through the deflection shoe. This localized differentiation of mechanical properties allows the lance to simultaneously achieve curve navigation and trajectory stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The lance system incorporates dynamic elements that allow it to adapt its configuration during operation. The flexible portions can dynamically adjust to navigate curves through the deflection shoe, while the reinforced sections maintain their shape to prevent buckling. This dynamic behavior enables the lance to transition between flexible curve-following mode and rigid trajectory-maintenance mode as needed.
3Force
If the rotary jet drill is used, then low thrust load is required, but insufficient thrust cannot be applied through tight curves
Solution Approach 1:
The lance is segmented into multiple functional sections with different mechanical properties. The flexible segments allow the drill to navigate tight curves with minimal thrust, while the rigid segments provide the necessary structural support to maintain trajectory and apply thrust effectively. This segmentation enables the system to overcome the limitation of low thrust load by distributing the mechanical function across segments with different characteristics.
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
Enables efficient drilling of zero-radius lateral wells with minimal buckling and instability, allowing for substantial new oil production from previously uneconomic formations by maintaining contact with the rock face and applying necessary torque and thrust through tight curves.
Implementation Method 1
capable of providing high-pressure fluid to power a rotary jet drill
Implementation Method 2
The rotary jet drill includes a reaction-turbine jet rotor that spins a pair of forward facing jets that erode the formation
Data Source
AI summary
A jet drill coupled to a distal end of a flexible jet lance is lowered into a well casing and advanced through a curved passage formed in a deflection shoe oriented to direct the jet drill through an orifice milled in the well casing. The jet drill is actuated with a pressurized fluid produced by a pump on the surface that is conveyed through a high pressure hose that runs through the flexible jet lance. Force transmitted through a thrust liner of the jet lance advances the jet drill while the lateral bore is being drilled. The thrust liner comprises helical coils of steel wire providing a high elastic modulus and buckling resistance, even while passing through the curved passage. Tension cables in the jet lance maintain tension on the thrust liner and enable the assembly to be pulled from the lateral bore and well.