US2330564A

US2330564A - Mud ejection control

Info

Publication number: US2330564A
Application number: US393103A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clinton C Dyer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1941-05-12
Filing date: 1941-05-12
Publication date: 1943-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 1960-09-28

Description

Sept. 28, 1943.

c. c. DYER l MUD EJECTION coNTRo'LV Filed. May 12. 1941 f .y mw,

Patented Sept. 28, 1943 UNITED- ,sTAT-,EQS' VPATE,

" anotar'v NT vOF MUu'EJEoTioN'ooNTR-OL oiin'tondpyer, Bakersfield, Calif;v Y Application May 12, 1941seria1vN0.v393,1o3 f 6 claims. (01.255- 2si duction of asimple and efficient dissolvable iow' bean which is adapted to be `fitted between the sections of the drill rstem as the drill 'stem is being assembled' and lowered into the hole of the well, to check and' prevent the sudden eX- pelling of mud out through the topof the drill stem, the ow bean being adapted to bedissolved after the 'stemis in is applied to the well. y y l Another object of this invention is'the production of a simple and efficient method of con` trolling the ejection of mud or vother fluid from the upper end of a drill stern as the stem is being vassembled and lowered, and at the same time providing for a free, unobstructed passage when pressure is applied to the well.

-Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims.

VIn the drawing: i j' Figurey 1 is a vertical vsectionalview through a conventional well showing a plurality of sections connected to form the stem: Figure 2 is a side elevational View partly in section of one form oi?v dissolvable iiow bean used in connection with'the present invention; Y

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2; v l l Figure `4 is a sideelevational viewvlpartly in section of -a further `type of ow bean: l v.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectionaly Viewy through a portion of the stem showing a still lfurther modified type of `iiow bean; andv Figure 6` is an enlarged topplan view of the type of :dow bean shown in Figure 5.

To form abasis fora proper understanding of the present invention attention iscalled'to the following description ofthe assembly and operation of Adevices of a general character to which the invention relates.

Modern oil well drilling is preferably donewith rotary equipment;` The drill bity generally' a sh-tail, rotates in muchit'he( same manner as a carpenters -auger or a dentistsdrill. The

ystem upon `which the bit operates isv hollow and is .made ofsections o'r jointsof heavysteel pipe,

position andwhen pressure -sa'nd feet without the rne'ces'sityI of` As the drill vis lowered into the well,`rnew joints or drillV pipe are added and'no metal 'casing is .used inthe hole or'wellexceptfor a short distanc'ebelow lthefsurface, 'one type of casing being' 4indicatedat A invFig'ure 1.` This casing A preferably comprses a large pipe having'afared collar B at "its Iupper end which extends above V'the surface C of thek ground and carries a'mud discharge pipe D' leading to a lmud pit; The upper 'end of the casingA preferably extends 'above the surface C of the ground to prevent surface caving and `ralso to prevent the entrance of surface water into the hole E. Quite ofteny the hole `is drilled several `thouprovidingl a casing, and inI order `'tovprevent caving of the walls the hole` is viilled with heavy mud. The upper joint of the Idrill is 'conventionally termed lkelly andfis' square morose-section instead yof.

round,` but is hollow. The purpose ofmaking `thefupper joints squareis to facilitate the attachment thereof to the rotary machinery which I'bores the hole. A heavy-pressure reinforced rubber hose is 'attached to the top-"of the kelly,

andthe mud is pumped into the drin' pipe, iri- :di-'catd generallyatF in Figure 1, through -this hose from-heavy mud pumps conveniently-located. IThe mud is pumped'down through' the .hollowdrill stem orpipe F to thebc'ttom of the hole through an orifice in lthe conventional drill bit, and this mud work'sits way "up through rthe open holesurrounding the hollow drill bit `and runs out through the pipe D at the surface. This continuous pumping of mud isconventi'onf ally referred to 'in the trade as circulationr As'lthe -bit becomes dulled wand wornQf-the bit -is *pulled from the hole and the hollow drill stem, quite often thousands of feet in-` length, -is fastened together at intervals with heavy 'threaded-joints`r` known toV the trade as tool joints. 'Whenthe stem 4is removed from the hole', these jointsv are detached and stand Ain the derrick'inV sections. "Afterthe bit has 'been vrernovedfrom the hole E, the bit is'replacedby a new one, andthen the drill pipe is lowered by adding a section at a time until the bit yiinally reaches' the' bottom of the hole at which time therotary drilling operation'begins.` g Y vDuring the drilling operation, the rotary mud whichV has been circulated in the Well or hole mud, quite often the mud is expelled violently through the open upper end of the drill stem F, thereby filling the derrick door G with mud and covering the drilling machinery and clothing, as well as the drillers, with mud, and occasionally causing serious injury to the eyes of employees located nearby.

It should be borne in mind that While the drill stem F is being lowered, the Kelly joint is detached so that the top round joint of the drill pipe is open. The hollow in the drill'stern in actual practice is from three to ve inches in diameter so that a large quantity of mud or drilling uid can be expelled as the heavy pipe descends into the hole. l Y

With the above general description in mind, the essential features of the present invention should be quite apparent, and reference is now made to the detail features which are embodied in my invention.

By referring to the drawing, and particularly to Figure 1, it will be seen that II) designates the fish-tail bit which is secured-,to the lower end of the lower section of the tool joint or drill collar II, and a second tool joint or drill collar I2 is threaded upon the upper end of the joint II. A drill pipe section I3 is connected to the joint I2 by threaded engagement and a second drill pipe section I4 is connected to the pipe section I3 by means of a coupling I5. Other sections may be added until the desired length of drill stem or pipe F is provided as a complete assembly. U

`A dissolvable flow bean I6 is placed between the bit I and the tool joint II and a dissolvable flow bean l1 is placed between the tool joint sections II and I2. A dissolvable flow bean I8 is placed between the drill pipe section I3 and the -tool joint section I2, anda dissolvable flow bean I 9 is placed between the drill pipe sections I3 and I4, suitable flow beans being similarly placed between each of the sections making Aup the drill `stem F.

It is not contemplated that the application or use of all of these flow beans may be necessary in any one descent of the drill bit and drill pipe into the well, At the outset, now beans I6, I1 or I8. or any two of them, or all three of them, may be used as occasion necessitates. If, after partial descent into the hole, these preliminary flow beans should become partially dissolved, allowing too much mud to be ejected through the top of the drill pipe then additional flow beans I9 may be added to the tool joints or connections in the drillpipe as becomes necessary.

These dissolvable flow beans are' also adaptable to the lowering of other well pipe or tubing into the well.

The flow-bean I8 is illustrated in detail in Figure 2, and the flow bean I8 comprises' an annular collar 28 having a reduced neck 2| and a restricted central bore 22 extends longitudinally of the flow bean I8 and is preferably located inthe longitudinal center of the bean I8, the bore 22 being of a relatively small diameterfThe flow bean I8 is preferably formed of soft material such as lime, plaster, stucco. wood stone, plastic wood, unburned clay, low grade Portland cement, or any other similar material which will gradually dissolve in water, or is gradually dissipated by abrasion. The flow bean I8 isv preferably vreinforced by means of longitudinally extending metal reinforcing rods 23 of a suitable shape to conform to the contour of the bean. These flow beans illustrated and described may be inset either in the drill collar, the drill joint or in the tool joint of the drill pipe throughout the length of the stem F, and by being inset at various places in the drilling mechanism the orifice in the drill pipe or stem F will be greatly reduced at these points from the original size to about 5/8 of an inch, and this structure will permit the pipe to be lowered into the well without reducing the time required for the lowering process and at the same time provide a check to prevent the sudden overflow or gushing of the mud from the upper end of the well.

In Figure 4, there is shown a slightly modified form of the invention wherein the flow bean Cal comprises a central annular collar 24 having oppositely extending reduced

necks

25 and 26, and a reduced central bore 2l projecting longitudinally of the bean. Suitable reinforcing wires or rods 28 are provided to retain the contour of the bean under normal conditions.

In Figures 5 and 6 there is shown a further modified type of the dissolvable bean and in this type the bean comprises an annular disc 29 having a plurality of reduced apertures 30 formed therein, the bean 29 being clamped between the sections 3l and 32 of the stem F.

' In assembling the device, as shown in Figure l,

the collar of the bean I6 is preferably clamped between the threaded end 33 of the bit I0 and the shoulder 34 of the tool joint Il, the neck portion of the bean I6 extending up into the bore of the section I I. The annular collar of the bean I'I is preferably clamped between the threaded extension 35 of the section Il and the shoulder 36 of the section I2. The neck portion of the bean Il extends upwardly into the bore of the section I2. The bean I8 is reversed relative to the position of the bean I'I and the annular collar of the bean I8 is clamped between the lower end of the section I3 and the shoulder 31 of the section I2, the neck 2| of the bean I8 extending downwardly into the bore of the section I2.

For the purpose of convenience the bean illustrated in detail in Figure 4 is preferably placed between the drill pipe sections I3 and III,` the central annular collar 24 of the bean I9V is fitted between the abutting ends of the sections I3 and I4, and the oppositely extending

necks

25 and 26 extend into the respective bores of the sections I3 and ,|4. The threaded coupling I5 connects these sections I3 and I4 together, as shown. It should be borne inlmind that the dissolvable beans may be constructed as to shape to fit the assembly required, and to conform to the contour in the best possible manner to anchor the beans in position and at the same time permit the beans to dissolve or to become disintegrated under the action of pressure.

It should be borne in mind that as the stern F ls being assembled and lowered into the well, the beans located between vthe sections remain intact. but as soon as the fKelly joint is attached with its pressure hose and pressure is applied by means of a powerful mud pump or pumps, the mud is pumped down through the drill stem F as the bit rotates in the bottom of the hole. This pressure is generally tremendous and may reach 2500 pounds, with the pumping of fifty barrels of mud per minute, and under this pressure the beans located between the sections and which have been inserted between the sections are cut to pieces and dissipated, thereby rendering the central bore through the structure uniform and restoring the bore to its original-dimensions. These beans illustrated and described constitute a temporary bushing which will dissipate after the drilling bit has been lowered to the bottom of the hole or well and it is quite important that these beans be located at various places throughout the length of the drilling equipment. These beans should remain intact until the pressure of the pump is applied, at which time the beans will be dissipated.

It should be understood that certain detail changes in the mechanical construction may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, so long as such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Any dissolvable material comes within the claim and purpose of this invention, and any reinforcement, whether metal, brous or otherwise, that temporarily supports the integrity of the bean, also comes within the claim and `purpose of the invention.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A mud ejection control for well drilling apparatus comprising a stem formed of a plurality of sections, and a dissolvable bean carried in the stem, said bean having a restricted bore to permit the gradual flow of liquid up through the stem as the stem is being lowered into position within the well, and to cause erosion of the bean and the washing out of the bean as fluid continues to flow through the sections of the stem.

2. A dissolvable ow bean of the class described comprising a dissolvable body adapted to be disintegrated under pressure, the body being shaped to be carried within a drill stem, and reinforcing means for maintaining the shape of the body under normal pressure.

3. A ilow bean of the class described comprising a disc vadapted to be carried within a drill stem, said disc having a plurality of restricted flow apertures, the disc beingadapted to retain its formation while the stem is being lowered into a well under normal pressure, and the apertures in the bean being adapted to facilitate erosion as liquid ows through the disc to restore the diameter of the bore of the stem to normal size.

4. A method of the class described comprising assembling a string of pipes out of a plurality ofv pipe sections having at least one dissolvable choke, lowering the string of pipes into a Well, the lowering being rapid enough to cause the string of pipes to be partially supported by liquid in the well due to restricted ilow through the choke, and then Washing out the dissolvable choke to form a fluid passage through the string of pipes of substantially enlarged minimum cross section.

5. A throttling device for tubular drill pipe, comprising an annular body of abradable material, means for anchoring said body Within said pipe, the axial perforation through said body hav-` ing a diameter substantially smaller than that of said pipe.

pipe.

CLINTON C. DYER.