DE2017938A1 - Safety drill pipe float - Google Patents

Description

PATENT LAWYERS

ing. H. NEGENDANK · bipl.-ing. H. HAUCK bipl-phys. W. SCHMITZ

HAMBURG-MUNICH

DELIVERY ADDRESS: HAMBURG 86 · NEW WAII «

TEL. 36 74 88 AND 3β 41 15

IElEGH. NBGEDAPATBNT HAMBURG MUNICH 15 MOZARTSTR. 23

TB L. 5 38 03 80

TBLEQH. NBGBDAPATENT MUNICH Hamburg, H, April 1970

Byron Jackson, Inc.,

6505 North Paramount Boulevard,

Long Beach, Caliph. 90805

(V. St. A.)

Safety drill pipe float.

It is used to drill some petroleum and / or natural gas wells Common to use air as the "drilling fluid" through the drill string down and through the Bohrmeißel.in the outside the drill pipe located annulus is pumped to promote the drilling debris to the surface. In a . Such a hole can cause a fire if the hole encounters flammable gas or oil. If the fire is not detected it is fanned by the continuous pumping of air, and combustion is promoted so that serious consequences can arise.

Inside the drill string there is usually a so-called Drill string float used, which consists of a valve that is activated when the drill string is retracted into the borehole

009847 / 1Q $ 9

- ρ -

is normally closed and prevents air and drilling debris from escaping up into the drill pipe, however, is kept open during the drilling process by the downward flow of drilling fluid. if however, the circulation of drilling fluid is interrupted, the valve closes automatically and prevents the backflow of Drilling fluid through the drill bit into the drill pipe. t If a fire is detected in the borehole, the Drilling air circulation must be blocked so that the fire does not have any air is supplied, at the same time the valve closes automatically.

However, up to now there has been no satisfactory process to automatically shut off the air supply to the borehole if a fire breaks out.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a drill pipe float valve to create that can close automatically in the presence of a fire inside the borehole.

According to the invention, a Drill rod float used, which is modified in such a way that a valve sleeve from a normal position in a second position in engagement . with the float valve head. For this purpose there is a cuff, which has the usual float valve seat

- 3 009847/1069

has, by a heat responsive and the cuff releasing agent set in an initial position, so that the cuff by fluid pressure in a second position into engagement with the valve head is displaced while the latter is in the open position, whereby the air supply into the borehole blocked by the drill pipe, the pumping pressure of the air increased on the surface and displayed to the drill master becomes that a fire has broken out inside the borehole.

Other features as well as the advantages of the invention will be explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment in conjunction with the drawings.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the drill pipe float in a normally closed position.
FIG. 2 is a representation corresponding to FIG. 1,

however, the valve is open. Figure 3 is a cross section taken along line 3-3

of Fig. 1.
Fig. ¹ J "is a cross section taken along the line 4- ² J

of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section showing the valve in Emergency closing status.

As can be seen from the drawings, a valve device V is in a drill pipe or a pipe connector D.

00984771069 " ⁴ "

which extends to the top of the borehole and through which "drilling fluid" is pumped down while the drill string is rotated to rotate a drill bit at its lower end and labeled B. The valve V can be located at any suitable location along the length of the drill string D and, in the embodiment shown here, is located in a short drill collar assembly 10 which is normally located immediately above the drill bit B. The drill collar unit 10 has a wider bore 11 which forms a cylindrical wall and a lower radial shoulder 12. For the purpose of illustration, the unit 10 has a lower plug-in thread 13 which is screwed into the upper threaded sleeve I ¹ I of the drill bit B. The upper end of the unit 10 consists of a threaded _{sleeve 15 3} which is connected to the lower plug-in end 16 of the adjoining drill rod or the adjoining rod section 17. The lower shoulder 12 and the lower end 18 of the rod or of the rod section 17 form axially spaced stops, between which the valve device V described below is located.

The valve device V has a valve body 20, the can be fitted into the bore 11 of the unit 10, the length of the body 20 being slightly less than the distance between the shoulders 12 and 18. In the case of the

0098A7 / 1Q6Q

- 5 ' - ■■. "■■. ■■

Embodiment, the body 20 has an upper cylindrical portion 21 with an annular seal such as 25.B. one O-ring 22 which is in Abdientengriff with the bore 11 stands and prevents liquid or fluid can get past the outside of the body and lead to wear and tear due to erosion.

At its lower end, the body has a lower cylindrical section 23, which also enters the bore 11 can be fitted. Otherwise, the body 20 has one smaller diameter than hole 11.

In its interior, the body has a valve chamber 24 an upwardly tapering conical surface 25 which forms a valve seat which has a throughflow channel 26 which extends between the upper end of the body 20 and the valve chamber 24. Inside the valve chamber 24, a valve head 27 is displaceable back and forth guided and centered a valve stem 28 and is resiliently 'acted upon in a closed position (Pig. 1) by means of a Helical compression spring 29 'which rests at its upper end on an inner shoulder 30 of the head 27 and on its lower end End rests on a spider-shaped support disk 31. .. '. »

The disc 3V is attached to the lower end of the valve body 2p. held by a bore 32 , with a downwardly facing shoulder 32 in engagement with the disc 31,

009847/1069 " ⁶ "

while a snap ring 34 or other fastening device is used to hold the disk 31. The valve stem 27 is formed in one piece with the disk 31 and stands up from this in a narrowed cavity 35 in front, the one on the underside of the valve head 27 is formed. A coat 36 stands off the shoulder downwards, surrounds the spring 29 and protects the spring 29 and the in the open position of the valve (FIG. 2) Shaft 28 against the corrosive effect of the valve head past and through several formed in the disk 31 Openings 37 therethrough downward flowing drilling fluid. The upper end of the valve head 27 is designed in the form of a cone 38 which corresponds to the seat cone 25 and serves to properly seal the valve in the closed position against an upward flow of liquid.

The construction described is very durable as the head 27 is separate from the shaft 28 and consists of a single part. The shaft 28 is very durable because it is in one Piece is formed with the disc 31 and is protected by the jacket 36 from excessive wear.

3 shows the greatest advantage of the device, namely that the cavity 35 is not circular, within the valve head 27, but of square design in cross section

009847/108 $,

^ .201793a

and. likewise the upper end portion 28a of the shaft 28 accordingly not circular, but in cross section is square, so that the valve head can not rotate on the shaft 28, which would be the case with a round pin. Hence the connection between the Valve head 27 and the stem do not wear out quickly due to mutual movement in one conveying environment during the drilling process.

In operation, the valve is during the insertion of the drill string normally closed in the borehole so that the entry of drilling fluid along with that from it entrained abrasion in the drill pipe prevents and the risk of clogging of the drill bit openings through the Abrasion is significantly reduced. However, when the circulation of drilling fluid is resumed, the valve will opened, but due to the non-circular engagement between the shaft and head on a rotation of the Head prevented, with the stem and the valve spring against the corrosive or erosive effect of the drilling fluid are protected.

The valve of the embodiment shown here is a combined ring and slide valve in that it has an upwardly protruding bushing or a cylindrical section Άθ above the conical section 38 of the valve head 27. This socket section kO protrudes over a distance,

which is greater than the total possible displacement of the valve head 27 downwards into the flow channel 26 and serves as a guide for the upper end of the valve head 27 3 by which vibrations of the head due to the drilling fluid or air flowing past at high speed are prevented.

To in the open position of the valve (Figures 2 and 4) a to allow downward flow of drilling fluid or air through the valve device, the Socket 40 has a central bore 4l and several radial and on openings 42 spaced around the circumference. Preferably the total flow area is all Openings equal to or larger than the flow cross-section through the valve without the bushing 40 and the openings '42, see above that this does not cause any restriction of the flow.

As already stated, the valve according to the invention can close automatically when caused by an emerging in the borehole Fire generates heat. For this purpose, the valve body consists of an assembled unit and has an inner sleeve 43 that extends within a upper bore 44 is located, forms the aforementioned flow channel 26 and at its lower end the conical valve seat 25 has. The cuff 43 has a lower flange

009847/1069 _M0BQINAL

45 provided, which protrudes outward in the radial direction and an upwardly facing shoulder 46 which is in engagement with a downwardly facing shoulder 47 of the Valve body is brought to prevent within the body 20 a displacement of the sleeve 43 upwards. Thus, the cuff 43 in the closed state of the valve withstand a very large upward force.

The cuff 43 is held in the upper position, in which the shoulders 46 and 47 are in mutual engagement, by means which release the cuff 43 when it is very warm so that it can execute a downward movement. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, these means consist of a binding agent layer 48 which is located between or at the interface between the cuff 43 and the wall of the body bore 44. The binding agent can consist of lead solder, bearing weld metal or another thermoplastic material with a suitable melting point, which is liquefied by a fire inside the borehole and releases the cuff 43 so that it can move into the emergency closed position shown in FIG , in which the sleeve 43 is shifted so far down that it touches the valve head 27, blocks the openings 42 and is in engagement with the seat 25 on the surface 38 of the valve head.

- 10 -

009847/1066)

- ίο -

Under these circumstances, a further, downward flow of the drilling fluid or air is prevented and the Pressure in the air pumping system increased, from which the drill master can see that the valve is closed. As the air supply is turned off, further combustion within the borehole is not caused by additional air supply to the fire supports.

It is easily possible to change the structural details without departing from the scope of the invention.

- patent claims -

- 11 -

0098A7 / 1Q69

Claims (1)

- 11 claims : ν Situated 1. Bohrgestangeschwimmer, comprising a valve body having portions which are insertable into the bore of a drill collar unit, one within the body, the tapered valve seat, -the of through-flow - ·, a view in the valve body LAT _ an engaging position with the valve seat and an open position displaced downwardly relative to the seat, a valve stem guiding the valve head, and a spring device acting on the head and urging it into engagement with the seat, characterized in that the valve body (20) has a Flow channel (26) and the valve seat (25) containing sleeve (43) which is displaceable between an upper position in which it can come into engagement with the valve head (27) and a lower engagement position with the valve head, and heat responsive means (48) is provided for releasing the cuff to hold r in the first position. 2. drill pipe float according to claim 1, characterized in that that the heat-responsive means (48) consists of a heat-fusible material. 3 drill rod float according to claim 2, characterized in that that the substance is a metal. 009847/1069 " ¹² " -IZ- Ji. Bohrgeetängeichwimmer naoh Anepruch 2, characterized in that the material is a solder. 5. Drill rod float according to Anepruch 2, characterized in that the material consists of white bearing metal. 6. drill rod float according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that the sleeve (43) has a lower Splash (45), which forms an upwardly pointing shoulder (46), and the valve body (20) has a downwardly pointing shoulder (47), and these shoulders are in mutual engagement in the first position. 7. drill rod float according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that the valve head (27) has an upwardly projecting one located inside the sleeve (43) cylindrical section (40) with a bore (41) serving for control and one with the valve open for Has fluid passage serving radial opening (42). BATH ORIGINAL 009847/10 69 «I. Le · r ·· ι te