Vibrational Tool with Rotating Engagement Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional and coiled tubing drilling rigs face challenges in advancing tubing further into a wellbore due to frictional forces, especially in deviated or horizontal wells, where the weight of the drill string is insufficient to overcome drag, and coiled tubing is prone to sticking and lodgment.
Innovation Solution
A vibrational tool with rotating engagement surfaces and a symmetrical mass that produces vibrations through a camming action, utilizing drilling fluid flow to create axial vibrations and a stabilizing gyroscopic effect, which helps overcome friction and stabilize the tubing within the wellbore.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If coiled tubing is used instead of conventional drill pipe, then setup time and cost are reduced, but frictional resistance and sticking problems increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a vibratory tool that generates mechanical vibrations along the coiled tubing string. These vibrations create oscillatory motion that reduces static friction and prevents the tubing from sticking to the wellbore wall, enabling continued advancement despite the inherently higher frictional resistance of flexible coiled tubing compared to rigid drill pipe
Solution Approach 2:
The vibratory tool produces periodic oscillations along the tubing string, creating cyclical variations in contact pressure and friction forces. This periodic action prevents continuous adhesion between the tubing and wellbore, allowing the tubing to advance through the wellbore more effectively
2Adaptability or versatility
If coiled tubing is used instead of conventional drill pipe, then operational flexibility is improved, but ability to overcome wellbore friction deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The vibratory tool generates mechanical oscillations that propagate along the coiled tubing string, creating dynamic motion that overcomes static friction forces. This enables the tubing to advance through deviated and horizontal well sections where its flexibility would otherwise cause it to stick to the wellbore wall
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful sticking effect caused by coiled tubing flexibility into a beneficial effect by using vibrations to create controlled oscillatory motion. The same flexibility that causes sticking is utilized to transmit vibrational energy along the tubing string, converting a disadvantage into an advantage for overcoming friction
3Force
If weight of drill string is increased to overcome friction, then downward movement is improved, but equipment complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the weight of the drill string, the patent introduces a vibratory tool that generates oscillatory forces. These vibrations create dynamic loading conditions that reduce the effective friction between the tubing and wellbore, achieving the same effect as increased weight without the associated increase in equipment complexity and cost
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of increasing drill string weight with a vibrational mechanism. The vibratory tool converts rotational energy from the surface into longitudinal oscillations along the tubing, substituting a complex heavy-weight system with a more efficient vibration-based force generation system
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 tool effectively reduces drag and enhances the downward movement of coiled tubing by generating efficient vibrations and a stabilizing gyroscopic effect, improving drilling efficiency in challenging wellbore conditions.
Implementation Method 1
A spring mounted within the housing urges the first variable shaped engagement surface and the second variable shaped engagement surface together
Implementation Method 2
a first pair of variable shaped engagement surfaces which produce vibrations when the rotatable mass rotates with respect to the housing thereby causing relative reciprocal motion of between the first variable shaped engagement surface and the second variable shaped engagement surface
Implementation Method 3
a fluid flow path through the housing which engages the mass to urge the rotation of the mass
Implementation Method 4
provide a stabilizing gyroscopic effect due to rotation of a symmetrical mass around the axis of the tool
Data Source
AI summary
A vibrational tool and method is disclosed, which may be utilized to assist in lowering a drill string into a wellbore. In one embodiment, a reciprocating member and a symmetrical rotating member are mounted within a vibrational tool housing. The reciprocating member is urged in one embodiment by a spring assembly toward the rotating member whereby engagement surfaces on the reciprocating member and rotating member encounter each other. As the rotating member rotates, variable surfaces on the engagement surface cause the reciprocating member to reciprocate as the variable surfaces follow or cam with respect to each other during rotation. The resistance to rotation by engagement surfaces and spring assembly, and mass of the rotating member, result in vibrational forces, when drilling fluid flows through the vibration tool housing.