Moveable Arms for Precise Downhole Material Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
In hydrocarbon production, lost circulation during drilling poses serious safety and economic risks due to fluid loss into geological formations, leading to potential blowouts and costly damage to wellbores and equipment, as existing methods lack precision in delivering materials to specific downhole locations.
Innovation Solution
The development of tools with moveable, articulated arms that can be individually controlled to deliver materials, such as lost circulation materials, to precise points of interest in the wellbore, including fractures and cracks, using a system that includes a drill string sub with multiple arms providing fluid paths and adjustable mechanisms for precise placement and manipulation of materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional drilling methods are used without moveable arms, then the device structure remains simple, but the precision of material delivery to specific downhole locations is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by implementing moveable arms with multiple degrees of freedom that can be individually controlled to extend and position materials at specific downhole locations. The arms transition from a static drill string structure to a dynamic positioning system, enabling precise material delivery while maintaining structural adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The drill string is segmented into multiple functional components including the main body, moveable arms, and individual material delivery channels. Each arm can be independently controlled and positioned, allowing selective material delivery to specific locations without affecting the entire drilling system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If moveable arms with individual control are implemented, then operational flexibility is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The moveable arms are designed with multi-functionality to perform various operations including material delivery, positioning, and potential wellbore remediation tasks. Each arm can be independently controlled to address different downhole conditions, providing universal applicability across various drilling scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The arms incorporate dynamic positioning capabilities with multiple degrees of freedom, allowing them to adapt to different wellbore geometries and target locations. This dynamic design enables operational flexibility while the modular structure helps manage system complexity.
3Reliability
If materials are delivered precisely to specific locations using moveable arms, then lost circulation risk is reduced, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by delivering materials precisely to specific downhole locations where lost circulation problems occur, rather than treating the entire wellbore uniformly. This targeted approach improves lost circulation control efficiency while minimizing unnecessary material usage and associated energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The moveable arms enable partial action by selectively positioning materials only at the specific locations where needed, rather than distributing materials throughout the entire wellbore. This reduces the total amount of material required and consequently lowers the energy consumption associated with material delivery.
Data Source
AI summary
A downhole drilling tool and methods for using the tool include a body with a wall that defines an internal volume, and at least one arm attached to the wall, the at least one arm comprising a channel within a body of each arm. The at least one arm provides fluid paths connecting the internal volume to outside the wall, and the at least one arm is displaceable relative to the wall.