Lateral Drilling System with Orientation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current lateral drilling methods, particularly fracturing, are inefficient and imprecise, leading to hydrocarbon loss and requiring significant fluid and high-pressure equipment, with the potential for fractures to penetrate undesirable areas.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus for drilling lateral bores with a casing and lateral tubes, where the tubes are initially prevented from rotating to achieve orientation, then free to rotate for straight hole drilling, using swellable packers to seal the annulus and ensure precise placement and efficient hydrocarbon production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If fracturing is used to penetrate the reservoir, then production can be achieved, but the method is imprecise and can result in fractures penetrating undesirable areas causing loss of hydrocarbons
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional fracturing method (which uses high-pressure fluid injection to create fractures) with a mechanical drilling system. A lateral tube with a drill bit is deployed through the casing aperture, and a drilling fluid is circulated to rotate the bit and advance it through the formation. This mechanical drilling approach provides precise control over the lateral bore trajectory, ensuring penetration occurs only in desired areas and preventing hydrocarbon loss to undesirable zones.
2Productivity
If fracturing techniques are used for stimulation, then production can be enhanced, but significant quantities of fluids and large high pressure pumping equipment are required at surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the drilling and stimulation functionality from the surface, placing it directly downhole within the lateral tube. The drill bit and drilling fluid circulation system are contained within the deployed lateral tube, eliminating the need for large high-pressure pumping equipment and significant fluid volumes at surface. The drilling fluid is circulated through the lateral tube itself, providing both drilling and stimulation functions in a compact downhole configuration.
3Productivity
If lateral tubes are deployed to drill lateral bores, then speed and efficiency of production are enhanced, but control over lateral orientation and rotation during drilling is challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a rotation prevention mechanism within the lateral tube that is activated during the initial deployment phase. This mechanism prevents the lateral tube from rotating as it is being deployed through the casing aperture and as the drill bit initially engages the formation, ensuring proper orientation is maintained. Once deployment is complete and the desired orientation is achieved, the rotation prevention mechanism is disengaged, allowing the lateral tube to rotate freely for efficient drilling of the lateral bore.
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 method enhances the speed, efficiency, and production of hydrocarbons by creating holes of known size, depth, and distribution, reducing hydrocarbon loss and improving the management of lateral bores, allowing for controlled and precise reservoir penetration.
Implementation Method 1
the lateral tube is prevented from rotating while entering the formation for a first time period until a predetermined or desired orientation between the lateral and main bore has been achieved
Implementation Method 2
swellable packers to seal the annulus
Data Source
AI summary
A drilling apparatus for drilling a lateral bore to main bore, comprises a casing in the main bore, having at least one window, at least one lateral tube, including a bit or other soil penetrator, the lateral tube which engages with an aperture in the casing, the outer diameter of lateral tube flush with aperture, such that the lateral tube is forced through the casing aperture into the formation when a sufficient pressure differential between the inside of the casing and the outside of the casing and a plurality of packers disposed at intervals along the outside of the casing, capable of sealing the annulus to the passage of fluids.