Two-Axis Adjustable Mud Pipe Joint for Slant-Well Drilling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing mud tank systems in drilling operations are inflexible and require significant downtime and effort to reposition for multiple boreholes, as they need to be moved and reattached multiple times, leading to inefficiencies in drilling processes.
Innovation Solution
The development of wide-bore adjustable pipes with two-degree freedom joints and telescoping features that allow the mud pipe to swivel and extend, maintaining mud flow integrity without needing to move the mud tank, enabling the drilling rig to be moved between boreholes without disrupting the mud flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If mud tank is moved and reattached for each borehole, then drilling can proceed to multiple boreholes, but downtime and operational effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The mud handling system is segmented into multiple components: a stationary mud tank, a telescoping mud pipe with adjustable length, and a drilling rig on tracks. This segmentation allows the mud tank to remain fixed while the rig and pipe move independently to serve multiple boreholes, eliminating the need to move and reattach the entire mud tank system for each borehole.
Solution Approach 2:
The mud pipe incorporates telescoping sections that allow dynamic adjustment of pipe length as the drilling rig moves between boreholes at different distances from the stationary mud tank. This dynamic adaptability maintains continuous mud flow without requiring manual intervention to reconfigure the system, reducing downtime significantly.
2Adaptability or versatility
If mud pipe is detached and moved to new location, then drilling can continue at new borehole, but operational complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The telescoping mud pipe is designed as a universal component that can serve multiple boreholes without modification. The pipe's adjustable length and rigid construction allow it to connect the stationary mud tank to any borehole location within its range, eliminating the need for custom configurations or multiple pipe assemblies for different borehole positions.
3Productivity
If drilling rig moves between boreholes, then multiple boreholes can be drilled, but mud flow continuity is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The telescoping mud pipe incorporates dynamic length adjustment capability that allows the pipe to maintain optimal connection between the stationary mud tank and the moving drilling rig throughout the drilling operation. This dynamic adaptation ensures continuous, uninterrupted mud flow even as the rig relocates between boreholes, maintaining system reliability while enabling high productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A pipe having a cylindrical inner wall, a rig end, the rig end having an inner wall having an inside diameter and a remote end. The remote end further comprises a first hemispheric extension that extends from the remote end to at least an outer diameter. A second hemispheric extension connects a surface at an outer cylindrical surface to a pipe exterior wall, wherein the first hemispheric extension and second hemispheric extension form a partial sphere through which, a cavity defined by the inner wall extends.