US1621569A

US1621569A - Drilling wells

Info

Publication number: US1621569A
Application number: US642733A
Authority: US
Inventors: Louis H Wellensiek
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1923-06-01
Filing date: 1923-06-01
Publication date: 1927-03-22
Anticipated expiration: 1944-03-22

Description

. I L'GZISGQ March 1927 L. H. WELLENSIEK DRILLING wELL Filed June 1, 1923 e Sheets-Sheet 1 March 22, 19

I 1 Li WELLENSIEK DRILLING WELLS Fiiedi June 1, 192

6 Sheets-sh t 3 March 22, 1927. 1,621,569

L. H. WELLENSIEK DRILLING WELLS Filed June 1, 192:5 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 22,1927.

L. H. WELLENSIEK DRILLING WELLS Fild June 1. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 -7 W' IW W 1 MW i Swvanboz 1 WM- 1521369 March 1927' L. H. WELLENSIEK- DRILLING WELLS I I Filed June 1, 1 923 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 WNW W March 22, 192?, $621559 L. H. WELLENSI EK DRILLING WELLS Filed June 1, 1923 I 6 Sheets-Sheet Patented. ar. 22,1927;

uNirEo 's'ra'rrzs PATENT tonsi wmmnsm or nous'roiv, TEXAS nnunrue' WELLS.

- Application filed June'l 1923 Serial n 642,733.

'10 oil and gas wells, is the presence of high gas pressure which frequently becomes so I great as to blow the drilling structure out of the bore of the well. Another impediment to the drilling operation often encountered is the presence of shifting formations whichtend to cave in about the drilling apparatus and stop the drilling.

The primary object of the present invention is to overcome these difficulties and to '20 provide a drillingsyst'em, in which drilling may be conducted regardless of high gas pressures or shifting formations. The invention contemplates va method of drilling in which the drill stem and an outer protective casing are simultaneously rotated while'fluid is forced under pressure about the exterior of the protective casing thus tending to hold back the shifting formations and'preventing them from packingin about-the protective casing. i The presence of the fluid under pressure about theouter casing: also serves to hold back the gas and preveiit it from being exerted to the detriment of the drilling'operation.

For the purpose'of giving a detailed description of the invention reference will now 'be had to the accompanying drawings illustrating hydraulic rotary drilling apparatus wherein: v

Figure 1 is an elevation partially in section of an apparatus constructedin accord-' ance with the invention and constituting an embodiment thereof, v

Figure 2 is a preferred form of apparatus which may be employed. 7

Figure 3 is a plan view of same.

Figure 4 is an elevation partially in sec tion drawn to a larger scale than Figure 2 and showingthe mechanism attached to the outer or protective handling" same.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5-, 5

of Figure 4. I

Figure 61s a detailed elevation showing casing for rotating and the top of an auxiliary derrick and' illustrat ing the rotary for the drill stem.

' Figure 7 is a sectional view of -a: casing,

head employed.

Figure 8 ,is; a section talperi on"the line 88 of Figure 7. I p Referring now particularly to Figure 1 it will be seen that a'drill stem 10 provided 4 with a drill ;11, which preferably, includes under-reaming blades 12, is positioned withina'depth casing or outer protectivecasing 13; The depth casin'g'1 3 is positioned within a casing 14 which constitutes the surface casing and which extends usually only a 'comparatively short distance-within the well, for example, to cap rock or to some point above thestrata ofshifting formation orarea of high gas pressure which it is desired to penetrate. a i I A pipe 15 communicates with the-surface casing 14, or vwith a collar attached thereto and serves to supply fluid under pressure to the surface casing. The fluid, whieh is usually water, may be supplied by means of a pump 16 or by other suitable source. f

In the example .of the invention thus illustrated in Figu're 1 the protective casing I as will be more fully described hereinafter,

13 and drill stem 10 are arranged-to beoperated by the same means. Thus the'casing13 is attached toa rotary table l'Z'which may bedriven by means of a pinion'18. and bevel gear 19. The rotary movement imparted to the casing 13 by the rotary 17 isj be rotated simultaneously by-gt l e same means.

The casing 20 may be provided with suitable pipe gripping means (not shown) adapted v to grlp the drill stem 10. The pipe gripping means may, for example, be similar to those shown in my Patent-1,517,880 dated,

December 1924,- or other. suitable means may be provided for accomplishing the de- 1 sired result, the particular method mentioned being simply illustrative of one mannerof connecting the pipes. ,The member 20- is preferably equipped with onei'or more eon- 'necti0ns21 ada ted to be connected to a flexemployed in thehydraulic drilling opera tion. Indrilling a Well the drill stem-10 and-protective casing 13 are simultaneously rotated while fluid is introduced j into the drill stem. *The fluid operates to wash away the cuttings from the drill bit after which'it passes upwardly through the casing 13 and is discharged through the outlet 21. If desired, the reverse return method of drilling may be employed in which case the fluid is introduced through the connection 21 into the casing 13 and is returned to the surface through-the drill stem '10.

Althoughthe apparatus thus illustrated.

in Figure 1 is well adapted for ca'rryingout the present invention I prefer to employ in the practice of my invention drilling .ap-

I paratus .of such t pe, for example, as that sity of any stoppage of the rotation of that casing during'the drilling operation. Apparatus of. this type is shown in Figures 2 to 6 mclusive reference to which will now be had for the purpose of setting forth in detail the method of carrying out the pres ent invention when employing this general type of mechanism.

T In the apparatus-tlmsv illustrated there is a derrick 22 which maybe of the usual form and constnuctioncommonly used in drilling wells. An auxiliary derrick 23 is also pro- "wv'ided being arranged within the derrick22 "land of lessheight than the outer derrick.

The auxiliary .derrickis preferablyfconstructed of such height that it" may conveniently be usedin handling joints or secblock carrying a'cable '56 by which the drill tions of pipe ofcustomary length.

The depth casin' 13 is rotated by means of a rotary 24 whidhis mounted on the'floor of the derrick andfisfoperated in any suitableinanner, as by means of a bevel gear 25 carried on a shaft 26. The rotary 24 in cludesa platform 27 which. is of such diameter that it vwill accommodate themen em-,

.ployed inattaching new joints to-the depth casing. Gripping mechanism 28 adapted tto hold the' -casmg 13 in operative "connection with the rotary is mounted thereon.

The"depthcasing13 is: provided with .a

a swivel mechanism suchas thegswivel'casing 29 which is-supported by means-of'cables 30 carried on crown. blocks 31 positioned iiithe upper part of theyiauxiliary derrick. the

arrangemex'itillusfrated each cable 30 carries a traveling-block 32 to" which an extension .3301 the'swivel'ra'sing 29 is-connectedby means of pivotallyv mounted suspension arms 33'. The casing '29 constitutes a housing for I I pipe 13, as by means of the wedge slips 37.

bearing.

plates

34 and 35 and be'arings 36, and is attached to the swivel member 29. The hopper 38 has a cen- 1 tral opening 40 through which the casing 13 is adapted to pass, the hopper being"- provided with an. internal, wall 41 which extends upwardly about the casing 13 for a distance suflicient to give the hopper ad equate capacity to accommodatethe fluid received from the casing.-' The upper part I ofv the wall 41 is preferably flared outward-1y from the pipe 13; as is illustrated. The top joint of the, casing 13 is provided with a bell nipple 42 having its edge sufficiently flared to prevent any substantial amount-of fluid from flowing down the pipe ;13.and insuring the discharge ofth'eifluid into the hopper. An outlet pipe 43 is provided for discharging the contents may be desired.

of the hopper as .The-drill stem 10 is driven by arotary 44 mounted on the top of the auxiliary. derrick. The rotary is operated by any suitable mechanism, such as a shaft 45 geared to the 1 rotary and carrying a sprocket wheel 46 by which power -may be transmitted to the shaft, as by means'of a chain belt-47. The belt 47 extends; to a. sprocket wheel 48- mounted on a shaft 49 to which power. is

supplied by means of a drive chaincarried on the sprocket wheel 50.. It will: 'be observed thatthe shaft- 49 also serves to supply power to a drum '51 b means of chain belts 52 and sprocket w eels 53 and 5.4. The drum 51 carries a Cl5l8ik55 which extends to a crown block locatedatrthe top of the derrick 22 (not shown)*,-the crown carries a drum .63 which is preferably formed of two equal parts .each of which carries a cable 64. Each cable 64 to one of the crown blocks 31. r

. As clearly shown in Figures 7 and .8 an

extends expansible collar member such as that illustrated in my Patent 1,448,172, dated March 13, 1923, is mounted upon the upper joint of the surface casing 14 and arranged to permit the depth casing 13 to descend into the bore of the well and yet maintain a relativel'y-tightclosure about this casing so as to prevent leakage between the depth and surface "c asings and prevent the pressure fluid w thin the surface casing from being discharged to the surface of the ground.

The several joints of the casing 13 are com monly connected by external couplings '6-5 and means must be provided for permitting these couplings to descend. In the apparatus thus illustrated a collar or casinghead member 66 is shown as being supported on the upper joint of the casing 14, as by being threadedly attached thereto. The tubular member-66 is formed with one. or more sections as 66 and 66 which flare downwardly; A plur'alit of rings 68 are slidably mounted within t e tubular member 66 and are adapted to form a closure between the-wall of the casinghead 66 and pipe- 13. Preferably there are one or more rings 68 mounted within each'fiaring section as, 66 and 66"." As clearly shown in Figure 8 the rings 68 are formed in arcuate sections so that they may be expansible. Eacharcuate section is formed with a groove 69 adapted to co-' operate with one of a pldrality of ribs or lugs 7O formed on the inner walls of the

V flaring sections

66 and 66". A number of I springs or-resilient members 71 are suitably mounted in thejmembers 66 to exert pressure against the .underside of'the several lugs 70.v

' Set screws 73 may be provided for regulating the tension of the resilient members 71. The upper-surface of the arcuate rings surfaces 7 4.

68 is preferably chamferedor beveled to form a suitable surface 74a'dapted to be en'- gaged by'the collars 65. The rings 68 may be equipped withpacking rings 76.

As the casing 13 descends in the .bore of the-well during the drilling operation the collars 65 engage successively the; several The pressure .thusexerted against the rings 68 operates to move them downwardly against the tension of the resilient members 71, It is apparent that by reasonof the flared portions, as 66 and 669,. encoiin'tered by the rings in their downward travel, the rings will be expanded so as to permit the collars to pass through. The tension on the resilient members 71 operates to force the rings 68 upward after The tubular member 66 is shown as being equipped with a .port or opening at 77 in communication with the pipe 15 by which the pressure fluid is supplied to the surface casing 14. I

If desired, a stuffing box may be mounted upon the tubular member -66 in order to prevent the leakage of-any fluid that may have passed through the expansible rings 68.

Thus a ring 7 8, formed, for example, in two arcuate sections, may be positioned at the upper end of the casinghead 66. This ring constitutes a support for packing material 79 which is held in position by means of a gland'ESO, which is preferably formed in two arcuatesections. The gland is secured in any suitable maiinerfas by bolts 81. The stufling box may readily be removed vwhen other than necessary to allow the passage of the col-.,

lars 65.

In the preferred manner of carrying out the invention the drill stem 10 and its protective casing 13 are kept in constant rota tion during the time that the difiicult strata is' being penetrated- 'With the apparatus shown in Figure 1 the fluid-used in drilling is passed downwardly through the stem 10 v and returns to the surface through the depth casing13 from which it is discharged by the hose connection 21, or if it be desired to operate by the reverse return method of drilling the'fluid is admitted through the hose. connection 21, passes downwardly through the depth casing 13 and returns through the drill stem 10. With the type of apparatus shown inFigures 2 and 4 the fluid is pumped through the hose 58 to the drill stem 10, returns to. the surface through the depth casing 13 from which itis discharged into the hopper 38 and thus removed by the pipe 43. Concurrently with the, rotation of the drill stem and protective casing water or other fluid under pressure is forced through the pipe 15 and down through the surface casing 14. The fluid passing downvents the packing of shifting deposits about the rotating pipe p -Apparatus of preferred form and construction has been illustrated and described for the purpose of showing a way in which this invention maybe used but'the inventive thought upon which-the application is based is broader than the illustrative e bodiment thereof and I therefore intend no imitations those imposed by the appended claims. v

WhatIelaimis: 1. In well drilling apparatus, a casing collar formed with a plurality of flared sections, expansible rings mounted in said.

flared sections, resilient means tending to hold said rlngs 1n unexpanded position and means, for admitting fluid to said casing collar. v

2. In well drilling apparatus, a casing col- Ila-r formed'with a flared section, expansible rings mounted in said flared section, resilient means tending to hold, Said rings innuenpanded position and means, for admitting fluid to said casing collar.

'3. In well drilling apparatus, a casing col- -1ar formed with a plurality of flared: sections, expansible rings mounted in said flared sections and means tending to hold said rings in unexpa'nded position.

ilo'

4:; In well'drilling apparatus, aj-casing head formed with a flared section, expansible rings mounted therein and adapted to engage with a tubular member within said casing head, resilient means tending to hold said rings in unexpanded position, and a stnfiing box for said tubular member mounted on said casing head.

5. In- Well drilling apparatus, a casing head formed with a flared section, expansi- .ble rings mounted therein and adapted to en gage with a tubular member within saidcasing head, resilient means tending to hold 10 sald rings m nnexpanded posit on, a stuffing box. for said tubular member mounted on said casing head and ineans for admitting fluid to the casing head.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my 15 hand this 2nd day of April, 1923.

LOUIS H1 WELLENSIEK.