Reactive Torque Control for Directional Drilling Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drilling technologies face challenges in controlling reactive torque during directional drilling, which can cause undesired changes in toolface orientation and impose stresses on the drilling string, making it difficult to maintain a desired drilling path.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with an upper and lower assembly connected by an orientable rotatable connection, featuring a reactive torque control device and an orientation sensing system, uses a feedback control system to adjust the relative rotation between the assemblies to achieve and maintain a target toolface orientation, thereby controlling reactive torque and facilitating directional drilling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If directional drilling is performed using a bend in the drilling string, then toolface orientation can be controlled during sliding drilling, but the orientation cannot be maintained during rotary drilling due to constant rotation of the bend
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a feedback control system that continuously monitors the actual toolface orientation and adjusts the reactive torque control device to maintain the desired orientation. This closed-loop feedback mechanism compensates for the constant rotation issue during rotary drilling by actively correcting orientation deviations, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability of toolface orientation control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the drilling system by introducing a reactive torque control device that can dynamically adjust the torque parameters. This allows the system to transition between different drilling modes (sliding and rotary) while maintaining stable toolface orientation through parameter adjustment, rather than being constrained by the fixed orientation issues of bend-based steering during rotation.
2Device complexity
If reactive torque is not controlled during drilling, then drilling operations can proceed without additional control mechanisms, but undesired changes in toolface orientation occur and stresses are imposed on the drilling string
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback control system continuously monitors toolface orientation and automatically adjusts the reactive torque control device to maintain desired orientation. This eliminates the need for manual intervention and provides stable, reliable orientation control without requiring complex manual control mechanisms, thus resolving the contradiction between device complexity and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The reactive torque control device operates autonomously based on feedback signals, automatically adjusting torque to maintain toolface orientation without requiring external control inputs. This self-regulating mechanism provides reliable orientation stability while keeping the control system relatively simple, as the device serves itself through automatic feedback-based adjustment.
3Productivity
If the entire drill string is rotated for rotary drilling, then drilling can proceed efficiently, but the orientation of bend-based steering tools cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback control system enables rotary drilling to proceed efficiently by continuously monitoring and correcting toolface orientation deviations caused by string rotation. This allows the benefits of rotary drilling (high productivity) to be realized while maintaining precise orientation control through automatic feedback-based adjustments, resolving the contradiction between productivity and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The reactive torque control device dynamically adjusts torque parameters during rotary drilling to maintain stable toolface orientation despite string rotation. This parameter adjustment enables the system to operate in high-productivity rotary mode while preserving the orientation control capabilities typically associated with sliding drilling, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and ease of operation.
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
The apparatus effectively manages reactive torque, stabilizes toolface orientation, and reduces stress on the drilling string, enabling more precise and efficient directional drilling operations.
Implementation Method 1
a hydraulic pump, the hydraulic pump being arranged such that relative rotation between the lower assembly and the upper assembly causes the hydraulic pump to pump hydraulic fluid around a loop
Implementation Method 2
a hydraulic resistance, the hydraulic resistance loading the hydraulic pump and providing reactive torque
Implementation Method 3
a feedback control system, the feedback control system being arranged to actuate the reactive torque control device in response to the sensed actual orientation of the lower assembly so as to achieve a target orientation of the lower assembly
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A drilling apparatus includes an upper drill string (22), a lower drill string (28) including a rotary drilling motor (30), an orientable rotatable connection (36) between the drill strings, a reactive torque control device associated with the orientable rotatable connection, an orientation sensing device (40) for providing a sensed actual orientation of the lower drill string, and a feedback control system (42) configured to actuate the control device in response to the sensed actual orientation to achieve a target orientation of the lower drill string. A drilling method includes actuating the control device to prevent relative rotation of the drill strings, providing a sensed actual orientation of the lower drill string, comparing the sensed actual orientation with a target orientation of the lower drill string, actuating the control device to allow the lower drill string to rotate to provide the target orientation, and actuating the control device to prevent relative rotation of the drill strings.