Steerable Boring Assembly Flow Tube Static Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drilling systems face challenges in efficiently steering a drill bit through subterranean formations, particularly in forming non-vertical or deviated wellbores, as existing technologies often require complex mechanisms or fixed orientations, limiting flexibility and fluid management during the drilling process.
Innovation Solution
A steerable earth boring assembly featuring an annular collar, a pivotable drive shaft with a static seal, and a splined coupling that allows for rotational force transfer and fluid communication, enabling the drill bit to be oriented obliquely and swiveled while maintaining a static seal, thus allowing for precise directional control and fluid flow management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a pivotable drive shaft is used to enable directional control of the drill bit, then steering flexibility is improved, but maintaining a reliable static seal becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The drive shaft is designed to be pivotable relative to the flow tube, allowing dynamic adjustment of the drill bit orientation while maintaining a static seal through the tapered bore geometry that accommodates angular movement without compromising seal integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The tapered bore provides a localized sealing interface with varying clearance - tighter at the small end for reliable sealing and wider at the large end to accommodate pivot movement, creating different geometric properties at different locations of the same component
2Adaptability or versatility
If the drive shaft is made pivotable to allow oblique orientation, then directional drilling capability is improved, but fluid flow management becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
An elastomeric O-ring seal is used to create a flexible yet reliable barrier that maintains fluid pressure differentials while accommodating the pivot movement of the drive shaft, simplifying fluid management compared to rigid sealing mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The flow tube is disposed within the collar with the drive shaft pivotably mounted within the flow tube, creating a nested configuration where the tapered bore of the flow tube provides both structural support and sealing functionality
Data Source
AI summary
A steerable earth boring assembly which includes an annular collar and a drive shaft with a drill bit, where the shaft pivots with respect to the collar. An upstream portion of the shaft inserts into an orientation sleeve which resides in the collar. An axial bore is obliquely formed through the sleeve, and in which the upstream portion inserts. Rotating the sleeve causes precession of the upstream portion, thereby pivoting the drill bit obliquely to the collar. Selective rotation of the sleeve orients the drill bit into a designated orientation for forming a deviated wellbore. Included in the assembly is a flow tube with an end in sealing contact with the drive shall.