US20210317706A1 - Mule shoe with internal flow control - Google Patents
Mule shoe with internal flow control Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20210317706A1 US20210317706A1 US16/847,977 US202016847977A US2021317706A1 US 20210317706 A1 US20210317706 A1 US 20210317706A1 US 202016847977 A US202016847977 A US 202016847977A US 2021317706 A1 US2021317706 A1 US 2021317706A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- mule shoe
- fluid flow
- sub
- flow control
- internal
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B7/00—Special methods or apparatus for drilling
- E21B7/04—Directional drilling
- E21B7/06—Deflecting the direction of boreholes
- E21B7/065—Deflecting the direction of boreholes using oriented fluid jets
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B17/00—Drilling rods or pipes; Flexible drill strings; Kellies; Drill collars; Sucker rods; Cables; Casings; Tubings
- E21B17/18—Pipes provided with plural fluid passages
Definitions
- This invention relates to downhole well tools, and in particular, to a mule shoe or Universal Bottom Hole Orientation (UBHO) sub having an internally rifled interior surface to improve fluid flow.
- UBHO Universal Bottom Hole Orientation
- the Universal Bottom Hole Orientation (UBHO) Sub is used in a directional drilling BHA.
- the UBHO is often referred to as a mule shoe sub.
- This tool is typically run directly below a drill collar and contains a landing sleeve for directional survey equipment.
- the UBHO is designed and used to establish the “high side of the tool”, which is essential for knowing the tools orientation in the wellbore.
- the mule shoe aligns or orients a member being lowered into a well bore with respect to a key member extending radially inwardly with respect to the bore casing.
- U.S. Pat. No. 2,207,505 (Bremner) U.S. Pat. No. 2,246,417 (Smith)
- the mule shoe sub is essentially a length of pipe situated between a stationary drill pipe and the top of the motor in the downhole end of a drill used to extract gas or oil from shale rock formations. Its function is to allow the operator to change direction of the wellbore without having to withdraw the entire apparatus in order to replace the whipstock.
- a problem that often occurs with mule shoes is that the bottom pin, which is situated at the outlet of the mule shoe, is often washed out due to uncontrolled fluid flow through the sub. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a mule shoe that can control fluid flow therethrough.
- a mule shoe or UBHO sub with internal flow control is provided.
- the device has a fluid flow controlling interior surface feature which produces a predictable fluid flow.
- the device which is an elongated hollow cylinder, has internal “rifling” to produce a swirling flow pattern within the device. This flow pattern reduces turbulence within the sub, and prevents washing out of the pin during heavy fluid flow.
- FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the mule shoe device of the present invention.
- FIG. 2 shows a side perspective, partly in section.
- FIG. 3 shows a plan view of one end of the device.
- FIG. 4 shows a side sectional view of the device.
- the device 10 is an elongated hollow cylinder or conduit, commonly known as a mule shoe and sometimes referred to as a sub.
- This device 10 is typically run directly below a drill collar and contains a landing sleeve for directional survey equipment.
- This sub 10 is used to establish the “high side of the tool”, which is essential for knowing the tools orientation in the wellbore.
- the inner surface 16 of the device 10 are shown.
- the inner surface 16 is rifled, that is, has a series of lands 18 and grooves 20 extending lengthwise.
- the rifling creates channels which create a swirling fluid flow.
- the swirling fluid flow is preferable because it reduces turbulence within the device 10 while also promoting more predictable fluid flow within the device 10 .
Abstract
A mule shoe or UBHO sub with internal flow control is provided. The device has a fluid flow controlling interior surface feature which produces a predictable fluid flow. Specifically, the device, which is an elongated hollow cylinder, has internal “rifling” to produce a swirling flow pattern within the device. This flow pattern reduces turbulence within the sub, and prevents washing out of the pin during heavy fluid flow.
Description
- This invention relates to downhole well tools, and in particular, to a mule shoe or Universal Bottom Hole Orientation (UBHO) sub having an internally rifled interior surface to improve fluid flow.
- The Universal Bottom Hole Orientation (UBHO) Sub is used in a directional drilling BHA. The UBHO is often referred to as a mule shoe sub. This tool is typically run directly below a drill collar and contains a landing sleeve for directional survey equipment. The UBHO is designed and used to establish the “high side of the tool”, which is essential for knowing the tools orientation in the wellbore. The mule shoe aligns or orients a member being lowered into a well bore with respect to a key member extending radially inwardly with respect to the bore casing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,207,505 (Bremner), U.S. Pat. No. 2,246,417 (Smith), U.S. Pat. No. 1,851,319 (McCoy), U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,194 (Hering), U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,703 (Shewmake), U.S. Pat. No. 3,052,309 (Eastman), disclose mule shoe devices.
- The mule shoe sub is essentially a length of pipe situated between a stationary drill pipe and the top of the motor in the downhole end of a drill used to extract gas or oil from shale rock formations. Its function is to allow the operator to change direction of the wellbore without having to withdraw the entire apparatus in order to replace the whipstock.
- A problem that often occurs with mule shoes is that the bottom pin, which is situated at the outlet of the mule shoe, is often washed out due to uncontrolled fluid flow through the sub. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a mule shoe that can control fluid flow therethrough.
- A mule shoe or UBHO sub with internal flow control is provided. The device has a fluid flow controlling interior surface feature which produces a predictable fluid flow. Specifically, the device, which is an elongated hollow cylinder, has internal “rifling” to produce a swirling flow pattern within the device. This flow pattern reduces turbulence within the sub, and prevents washing out of the pin during heavy fluid flow.
- It is a major object of the invention to provide an improved mule shoe sub.
- It is another object of the invention to provide a mule shoe sub having internal flow control.
- It is another object of the invention to provide a mule shoe sub with internal rifling.
-
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the mule shoe device of the present invention. -
FIG. 2 shows a side perspective, partly in section. -
FIG. 3 shows a plan view of one end of the device. -
FIG. 4 shows a side sectional view of the device. - Referring now to
FIGS. 1-4 , the device of the invention is shown. It can be seen that the device, generally indicated by thenumeral 10, is an elongated hollow cylinder or conduit, commonly known as a mule shoe and sometimes referred to as a sub. Thisdevice 10 is typically run directly below a drill collar and contains a landing sleeve for directional survey equipment. Thissub 10 is used to establish the “high side of the tool”, which is essential for knowing the tools orientation in the wellbore. - When in use, fluid flows through the tool string (not shown) and into and through the
device 10, which is positioned at the end of the tool string. As fluid flow becomes heavy, it will tend to wash out thepin 14, which will cause thedevice 10 to fail. Accordingly, it is desirable to control the fluid flow so that fluid turbulence does not affect thedevice 10. It should be noted here that this invention can be used with any downhole tool which uses a narrowing pin, as in all cases there is an issue with turbulence affecting the tool. - Referring now particularly to
FIGS. 2 and 3 , theinner surface 16 of thedevice 10 are shown. Theinner surface 16 is rifled, that is, has a series oflands 18 andgrooves 20 extending lengthwise. The rifling creates channels which create a swirling fluid flow. The swirling fluid flow is preferable because it reduces turbulence within thedevice 10 while also promoting more predictable fluid flow within thedevice 10. - It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims:
Claims (2)
1. A mule shoe for connection to a tool string in a drilling operation comprising:
an elongated hollow cylindrical main body having opposing ends;
said main body having exterior and interior surfaces, said interior surface having a series of lands and grooves extending lengthwise;
whereby fluid flow through said mule shoe is affected by said land and grooves.
2. A device for connection to a tool string in a drilling operation comprising:
an elongated hollow cylindrical main body having opposing ends;
said main body having exterior and interior surfaces, said interior surface having a series of lands and grooves extending lengthwise;
whereby fluid flow through said mule shoe is affected by said land and grooves.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US16/847,977 US20210317706A1 (en) | 2020-04-14 | 2020-04-14 | Mule shoe with internal flow control |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US16/847,977 US20210317706A1 (en) | 2020-04-14 | 2020-04-14 | Mule shoe with internal flow control |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20210317706A1 true US20210317706A1 (en) | 2021-10-14 |
Family
ID=78005761
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US16/847,977 Abandoned US20210317706A1 (en) | 2020-04-14 | 2020-04-14 | Mule shoe with internal flow control |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20210317706A1 (en) |
-
2020
- 2020-04-14 US US16/847,977 patent/US20210317706A1/en not_active Abandoned
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: NON FINAL ACTION MAILED |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |