US2605083A

US2605083A - Apparatus for drilling wells

Info

Publication number: US2605083A
Application number: US669309A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel W Collins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-05-13
Filing date: 1946-05-13
Publication date: 1952-07-29
Anticipated expiration: 1969-07-29

Description

July 29,l 1952 Fl'iled May 13, 1946 s. w. COLLINS 2,605,083

APPARATUS FORDRILLING WELLS 5 sheets-'sheet 1 AH 513.3. 3 4 5 A l 36 j.;

62 55* az 4 am m W nl 48 @5 :gung/"S M e7 .Nf

a Si] $27 l" ,Ag y \4 sa' y 1 I t BY Samuel W. Col/ins l g M01/*WMM 1 Arrange-s,

A mi

July 1952 I s. wjcoLLlNs l '2,605,083 u APPARATUS FOR DRLLING WELLS Filed May l5,v 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. amue/ W Co//f/.

Patented .ul'y 29, 1,952-

UNITED@ PAT-ENT APPRATUSCFoR DRIILEINGWE samuetwebnins, 'rulsnoklav Application-May v13; 1946, serial No: 669,309#

aolaimsi- (01.255-24-1; l

This invention .relatesvto apparatus fordrilling:

Wells and particular-ly# drilling: in'. andi deepenin'gf Wells in producing"formationsLand-:fon cleaning@ out-existing wells;-

The presentstandard processofr'rotary dri-llirre'i involves high-lpressure circulation of` drillingzfluid:

ofi the borehole toprevent eavngs-:and inltra+ tionzof fluids 4from permeablei'formations, Sueli higlr pressurelzV circulationr isdesirablei and: prac; tical Jforf drilling deepzwellsf-upbto athe vproducing:

formation, butiwhen; high ;circulatiornpressurefis: v usedv .in drillingtl'i e1 producing for-mation; theshighr pressureorcesf the. drilling' fluiminto- 'th'epro-.A

(inningformatiorrand; shutss, outl inflow off. the formationx fluids... 'llxus'i desirable; -loW pressureproducing-...formationsfare aptztogbapassed; or) the.

ultimate production' res'trictedn byA blockage ofi permeationsazimthe:.formationfbyf the'smudxladen drilling. fluid.'4 'Ifo' avoid this;diiieulty;v it isaa-,l

practio'ertoz'suspendrotaryydrilling :When-the p ro-l ducirrg formation is. reached? andqto proceed withcable;toolsybutrthisz involves; setting .yu1gfof come plet'elyf; diierent.: drilling equipment" andresultsA inxlosstofsrtime; greateriinvestment in: equip mentf 25 .,of theg'above surface portion ofr heappa andi, is noti` the i- GOrreotfsOIu'tiQn-t to" the drilling;- Y

problerrr.4

Various/low pressure.: methodsahaver-been con-` ing, operation ando-remove the cuttings bymeans.

of afbailerf. Other.wse; the. aecumulated'cuttings.

interferefwith. cutting-action of` thebiti.

It isltheprinclpal-.obj eet lofethepresentdriven byf-Drovidingeforfremoval ofthe Vcuttings ,.simullf taneouslynwitn drilling-jan@- maintain lowibottom hole-, circulation.pressure which-' isinsufcient to stop in ow of formationfiuidsf It vl@ lslalso .t anrobieetfoff fthe .invention itozmaintainiA any; predetermined bottom.. hole.V pressure f: relativeatoftheformation@ pressure y.' lfor-fexample,v

the'bottomzhole:pressure'maybe hiel-ien or.Y lower than-.the formation pressure :While assuringl :posia A tive removaltloi-the cuttingsi- Imcarrying out thefinventiong.,

an:improvedzdrillingapparatus illuetraftediin ithef accompanyingdrawingsimherein: .1

Figi." :11 is Ja; vertical :section zthroughzawellvsdrilled from the earths surface down to a produeingggK-The mud pump is aesubstantiallyheavnandex formation' and illustrating: my;Y improveizlz:appa-fi4 ratus=for1maintaining'- 10W:c bottom .hole pressures andl'for removing the' lcuttings whilefthe bitproi 1 gressesthroughlthefproduoingffo1'nation;.. Figi. 2. is;A an:A enlarged Vertical section through? thee lower'A end offthea. drill pipa..partioularlygillusw. trating .f the f drill bit A and pump.; fori` maintainingA the desired pressurearid removal-of thercutting-s;

Whileitghe bitis rotated.4 I5

`FigiV 3f istat. detail vertcalsection illustragtingi the? method: of'v oc'inp'lngy and.: uncoupling sucker:ro'ds'sfrom the'roclreoiprofoatingr moto v Fie".v 4 is'. an.enlarged;vertical@seetionythroug the-r above:A surface portionf of: thedril1ing a-p.f

Figi; 51. isf afhO ofrFigal'. .Y w. Fie. Gris-ay horizontal-Sectionfthroweh:themme.; on-.thecline GL-f-B'O Fig-2 4f 1 l y' Fig; y' 7- isf horizontal section;y through? the,l launderr" which. receives);thel dril-lingf. flu-id chargedlfrom theA drill pipLeythefseetionbifn taken on-fthelineel-T-"of-Fg-f4f v Fig.. 8.is an elevation off-amodiiedemb rizontafh sectionf. on thee line.t

lteferrin-gA more rin detail to the fdr-'rawy gs l ldesignates..adoore .holey that liasbee from. the surface- 2 ythroivighthe lvar fus eart formationsf- 3.. to.: a. producing. formation 4;; f

\ examplefb-y a.standard:rotary1 drillfi'nga u involving the.' use ofa high pressuredfrilv that is cireulated undern pump pressure? don wardl'y th'roiigh'Y the. drilling string', 5`to b'e., d1 charged; through the bit-'Bandreturnedfupwai c above theirproducngffrmatior andls'a-'asin f head l -on ftheuppen endlloavirigliatealoiil 'v tional-si j The --circulatinge pump'. for :the Y. drilling known lasA a =mudpump;v is not illustratedin .the drawings? but is-v located-atithe;r Sudario-and oonneotedwwith theuppwend ofmtlieldil string f througha yswivel f head1 i also notV s 'h'o pensive unit requiring substantial motive power to establish suicient pressure in the well to return the drilling iuid to the top of the ground through the casing. When the hydrostatic head of drilling iiuid returning to the pump acts upon a low pressure formation, it is greatly in excess ofthe pressure tending to icw the formation into the well'. Consequently, the drilling fluid ows into the permeations of the producing formations and shuts 01T flow into the bore hole, thereby reducing the output of the iinished well. Therefore, I have provided a lowV bottom hole pressure method of circulating the drilling fluid for removing the cuttings during progress of the drill.

In continuing the drilling operation, in accordance with the present invention, I utilize substantially the same drilling equipment and which may include the standard drill pipe above described or tubing used as drill pipe in which is connected a pump I'I at a point above the bit 6 together with a special swivel head assembly I8. The assembly I8 includes a motor I9 for actuating a string of sucker rods 23 to operateV the pump. The swivel head also carries a launder 2l for receiving the'fluids discharged by the pump and Ywhich flow to a settling tank 22 for return to the well if desired.

The pump I7 may be of any standard type such as now used in pumping oil wells and which is designed to operate satisfactorily when handling abrasive-fluids.' In the illustrated instance, the pumpv includes a working barrel 23 having threaded upper and lower ends V24 and 25 for connection with couplings 26 and 2l. The upper coupling 2B carries' internal tool joint threads 28 by which it is threadedly connected with Vthe pin 29 of the next upper section of drill pipe. The lower coupling 2l connects by similar threads with the lower section of drill pipe 30 to carry the pump at a desired height above the drill bit 6, that is, so that the head of liquid to be maintained in the bore hole will cause flow upwardly through the customary ports 3| of the drill bit and through the lower section of the drill pipe into the pump. The coupling 21 carries a standing valve 32 having a tapered inlet end 33 engaging in a tapered seat 34 of the coupling. `The inlet port 35 of the standing valve is encircled by a seat 36 for a valving member 3l that is retained in position by a cage 3B. The cage 38 has a threaded pin 39 adapted to be engaged in a threaded socket 40 of the pump piston 4I wherebythe standing valve may be removed upon withdrawal of the piston through the drill pipe. The piston 4I carries a traveling valve 42 which includes a cage 43 connected with the string of sucker rods that extends upwardly through the drill pipe to the top of the bore hole. The cagev 43 of the traveling valve contains a valving meme berV 44y for controlling flow through an axial port 45 ofthe piston.

The upper end of the drilling string connects with the kelly 46 that extends through a drive bushing 41 carried by the turntable. The upper end of the kelly 46 is connected with a discharge head 48 rotatable within a central passageway 49 of the launder 2| and which is formed by an, annular wall 50 cooperating with abottom I and an outer wall 52 for providing an annularl passageway. The head 48 haslateral 'spouts 53 discharging into the passageway of the launder. The head 48 is connected with the motor' I9 ment 54 of the swivel head I8.

The swivel head I8 includes a bail 55 connected with the hook 55 of the traveling block I I whereby the entire string of drill pipe is adapted to be supported within the bore hole as in conventional rotary drilling practice.

The launder is carried in proper position with respect tothe spouts 53 by straps 57 attached at their lower ends to the sides of the launder and at their upper ends to the trunnions 58 which carry the'bail 55 of theswiveljhead assembly.

The string of sucker rods is also composed of a series of sections secured together by threaded pin and box connections 6l! and SI whereby the sections of rods may be connected and disconnected when running in and pulling drill pipe. The uppermost drill rod is connected by a slide swivel 62 with a reciprocating rod 63 of the motor I9. The slide swivel includes a head 54 on the upper section of pump rod and which is slidably engaged in a yoke-shaped member 55 fixed to the reciprocating rod of the motor. The motor I9 may be of any type suitable for rotation with the drill pipe and capable of reciprocating the pump rods. In the illustrated instance, the motor is of a fluid pressure type, for example, a compressed air operated motor and includes a cylinder 66 having a piston chamber 61 Vof a length to accommodate travel ofa piston 53 that is xed to the reciprocatory rod 63. The rod 53 'extends upwardly through a head 69 of the piston-chamber and carries a valve actuating knob 'I0 reciprocable within a valve chamber 1I formed as an upper continuation of the cylinder. Slidable in the valve cham-V ber is a sleeve-type valve I2 correspondingl inV length to the travel of the piston and which has l, inwardly extending lugs I3 and 14 at its respec tive ends to be engaged by the actuating knob I0 to shift the sleeve into opening and closing relation with respect to ports 'I5 formed in the upper side walls of the valve chamber and which are connected by channels 'I6 leading to portsV 'I'I opening into the lower end of the piston chamber. The cylinder also has exhaust ports 78' located in the wall thereof about the length of piston below the top of the piston chamber. vThe pressure fluid is supplied from a compressor 'I8 which connects with the stationary member I9 of the swivel head by a flexible conduit 80.

The rotary member 54 is provided withV an axial port 8l that connects the stationary member 'I9 with the valve chamber 'II as best shown in Fig. 4. The fluid emptying into the launder is discharged through a flexible duct 82 leading Y to the settling tank 22. The settling tank 22 is preferably divided by transverse partition 83 dividing the tank into a settling chamber 84 and a clear fluid chamber 85; however, the partition terminates short of the level of liquid to be maintained so that the liquid relieved of solid material such as the cuttings, ows across the top of the partition into the clear fluid cham'- ber from where it may be discharged through a connection 86 with a discharge duct 81 or returned to the bore hole through a discharge duct 88 that connects with the casing head I5. Flow throughthe ducts 8l and 88 iis controlled by`

valves

89 and 90 respectively. The precipitating Y head through a duct 94 having a control valve 95 therein. A..

ases-,ose

III` order; to facilitate centering oi' the. discharge' After thebore hole has been drilled downito the producing formationin vaccordance withthezconventional rotaryY drillingl practices, the4 drill.- ing-is continued in accordance with the present invention'. The", drill pipe is. withdrawn; andA the" borehole isv pumped out to the level ofliquid for establishing the desiredbottom; hole; pres,- sure;. The drill` pipe: or. ordinary tubingif. de.-Y siredis run. into the well with thepump I'Iv con` nectedtherein atla heightv above. the drill bitto maintain, a, predetermined head of fluid in the bottom of thev bore hole when the pump is in' operation as later described. The string of drill pipe; is run into the bore hole by. inserting sections of pipe in accordance with the usualpractice until the bit nears the bottom .of thebore hole where the pipe is supported ofi bottom by slips 99,Y carried in the turntable. rIfhe` standing valve; may then be connected with the; pump piston. and inserted through the end ofv the drill pipe projecting through the turntable. The

standingvalve and piston are loweredthroughthe` drill `pipe by applying: sections of sucker' rod until thestanding valve reaches its seatin the. bottom of the L nrimp-ba/rrel.A The sucker rods. are then-@rotated in reverse direction relative tothe; couplings. thereof for freeing the pistonfrom the standing valve. The swivel head assembly` carryev ingfthe motor [9, 4laundver4 2l, head 48- and the upperI sucker rod section having the slide swivel 62. is attachedtothe; hook 56 of theA traveling block.. lBy reasonnof thevsliding swivel connectionbetween thesuckerrod; section and pump rody` the'sucker rod coupling projects from the lower end; of the kelly 46; as shownin Figj so. that it may be connectedv to the upper end of the sucker rodA that, projects, from the drill pipe. The sections may then be readily connected by the ordinary wrenches llland IIJI applied to the wrench engaging. portions of the sucker rod joints. 'The Kelly rod by reasonof the sleeve swivel can then be lowered over the sucker rod connection andcoupled with'the drill pipe that is thenbeing carried by the slips in the turntable.- The4 slips 89. are then removed so; that theKelly. rod may be lowered to engage the drive;

bushing: with its seatv inthe turntable and to lower` the bitintdcontact,with thebottom otthe i borehole.` The pump may then; be operatedgto maintain the, uidleyelin. the bo'reglioley toJ that required A.for eectingthe, desiredv pressure..

It'there is not suiiicientv iiuidf in .the bore;v hole.. to;y .make the; desiredv head otheniluid may`r be.

added through the.. topof.. yth,ewe1l;from the sup.-

tween the drill pipe and'casingv if the well is cased or between the drill pipe and-wall of the bore holeif'thewell'isnotvcased. The volume of fluid admitted is regulated by the valve`95 to admit the amount to be used. The drill bit is then placed in operation by rotating the turntable. The pump is simultaneously operated by supplying pressure fluid to the pump motor. When the ports 15 are open pressure fluid flows through thechannels 16 and through the ports 11 to the underside of the piston 68 to raise the piston upwardly in the cylinder until it passes the ldrill pipe in the well.

ports'. T8?.` By.' thisl time, the. knob.v 1w is! eng'agedi 1v by: the upper. lug. 'UlV to shift thevalve 'lzupwardely and. close:` the inlet` ports 15', shutting.; offffthe:

supply of pressure fluid to the' piston. Upon re ,lease of pressure through the` ports` 18?', the pis:

ton is=^fthen free to v move downwardly inthe:

cylinder under weightv of the rods` until ther knob 1.0. engages the lug 'l3-v to shift the sleeve valve for again uncovering.: the-l ports l5 `Aso that another charge of pressure iluidis:l admitted under the pistonV to continue reciprocation ot" I iluid isfdrawny from thefbore hole through the ports 3ll in the center of the bit and upwardlythrough the standingvalvewhen the piston" isI moved' upwardly in the'- working barrel. ,The

cuttings being made by the bit` are sweptby movement of" the drilling fluid'to the center of' thel bit for flow with theldrillingfluid into the pump barrel. Thus,Y the cuttings are kept fromv the Wall of the bore hole, and there is no possi-Y bility of plastering--thewall of the bore hole with v the cuttings. When the pump piston reaches the top ofy its strokes and starts downward-ly, the standing valve seats"` andv the' traveling valve opens to allow transfer 'oftrappedfluid- Yand cuttings to flow through the ypiston tothe upper end of the 4working barrel. Onl the upstroke of the piston the column of fluid andv cuttingsare lifted in the drillpipe andanotherl charge isjdrawn y in below the piston. When the drillj pipe is lled, the licluid'carryingv the. cuttings.overflows* through the spouts of' the discharge-head. and into;the.launder.` f

Itis thusobvious that as the drillingjprogresses the liquidlevel is, maintainedthrough operation of the pump so as to carry the predeterminedlow pressure on thev sides of the bore hole. During advancement of theA bit, the Kelly'rod, lowers through the turntable until it is necessaryA tov apply another stand` of.' sucker rods and drillV pipe. This is readily eiTected by. supporting the drill pipey by the slips,A uncoupling the lower end of the Kelly rod andi raising the Kelly rod so that' the upper joint of the sucker rod is exposed' so that it can be uncoupled upon application of the wrenches. Another stand. of sucked. rod and drill'pipeA are connectedwith the kelly 4E' and'l reciprocatory rod 63 and the sucker rodsA and' The drill pipe is then lifted so that the slips may be removedland lowered to again engagethe drive bushing of the Kelly rod into seatedposition in thev turntable for continuingA the drilling operation.

In the event that liquid is produced in the formation being drilled, the supply of added liquid may be regulated` to maintain the desired. head of liquidland, pressure on the walls of the bore hole. If oil is produced, theoil is settled outinthe tank 22 and'is discharged-from.. the tank through the duct 8l to storage tanks 'shown in Fig. 1.while the cuttingsand other materials are discharged through the duct BI. If the oil producedis not suicientto car-ry the cuttings. to

the pump, additional liquid separated in the tank' 84 may be used to add to the fluid in the well by gravity flow upon opening of the valve 9U.

If oil is produced from the formation in sufficient quantity to carry the cuttings, the pumping action may actually lower the fluid level in the well so that there is less back pressure on the formation than the formation rock pressure. This will allow for free flow into the bore hole lated to suit conditions while drilling proceeds. I'I creates a suctionA The circulating pump at the axis of rotation, thus sucking the cuttings into the drill pipe and away from the outside of the drill bit and walls ofthe producing formalev Y tion to avoid plastering of the walls and towkeepl thecuttings clear of the cutting teeth of the bit, In case ythe bit should stick, the standing, valve can be pulled Yand back flow of uidrin the drill pipe will clean-the bit.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig.

s, the Kelly rod and drilling stringl are supported by hydraulic jacks |92 for controlling weight on the bit when the drilling pipe is rotated. The

The string o1" sucker rods is reciprocated simultaneously with operation of the drill pipe by an apparatus H0 equivalent toV a spudding device and which includes a jackpost mounting a walking beam l l2 and which carries on one Vend a pulley I I3 engaging a cable l. The cable H4 is wound on a drum H5 andl extends over a crown pulley H on the derrickv to be connectedxby a swivel connection HT with the string yof sucker rods H8. The suckerrods H8 n extend through a suitable packing box H9 on a duct |20 into the settling tank |2l'similar to' .the settling tank previously described. The walking beam l|2 is actuated by a crank and pitman mechanism |22 so thatwhen the'brake is applied to, the'drum H5 and the walking beam Vset in motion, the rocking action of the walking beam eiects reciprocation of the pump rods to actuate the pump While the drilling is in progress. SuclzerrodsV may be lowered' by releasing the brake drum as drilling progresses. Also, more sucker rods can be added as they are needed when drill pipe 4is lowered. t Y

It isralso Yobvious that the above described method of drilling can be used to start and complete a wellV if low presure fluid circulation is desired. Any type ofbit may be used such as Y pivotally a core bit, a standard drill bit, reamer, or combination. Thepresent method also has the advantage that a production test can be made at l.

any stage of drilling in, by stopping the rotation of the drill and continuing operation of the pump.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have It isalso obvious thatthe ow is toward the,

center of the bitto carry .the cuttings away from the vwall ,of the borehole and eliminate plastering of the cuttingsv overthe permeable formation being drilled.

What I, claim and desire to secure by iLetters Patent ls: Y

l. An apparatus for drilling bore holes into earthY formations `including a drill pipe, a pump connected with the drillpipaa drill bit connected with the drill pipe andhaving a ow channel connected withA the` pump, means including a swivel'head for supportingthe drill pipe, sucker rods,l connected with the pump and extending upwardly through the drill pipe, sucker rod. actuating means carried by the swivel head and having connection with the sucker rods, a launder surroundingY the upper end ofV the drill pipe and. carriedbyr theswivel head for receiving drilling uid lifted by the pump through the drill pipe, duct means connecting with the launder for discharging the liquid from the launder, a settling vessel connected with the duct means, duct means connecting the settling Vessel with the upper end of the bore hole for emptying liquid into the bore hole, and means in said duct means for regulating the amount of liquid returned to the bore hole.

a Kelly rod connected with the upper end of the drill pipe, a discharge head connected with the upper end of the Kelly rod, sucker rods connected with the pump and extending upwardly through l' the drill pipe, sucker rod actuating means havingconnection with the discharge head, a swivelv head 1 connected with the sucker rod actuating means,

a launder surrounding the upper end of the drill Y Vpipe and carried by the swivel head for receiving drilling fluid being lifted by the pump, ductmeans connected with the launder for discharging liquid from the launder, and a sliding swivel connection between the sucker rods and the sucker rod actuating means.

l SAMUEL W. COLLINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file Yof this patent: j

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date f 682,939 Ivens Sept 17, 1901 1,247,092 Dodds NOV. 20, 1917 1,348,815 Lewis Aug. 3, 1920 1,380,203 Glick May 31, 1921 1,621,569 Wellensek Mar. 22, 1927 1,772,369 She1d0n' Aug. 5, 1930 1,867,833 Hill July 19, 1932v 1,909,659 Clapp May 16, 1933 2,266,344 Staerker Dec. 16, 1941 2,363,142` Reed NOV. 21, 19441- FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 417,816 Great Britain oct. 12, 19344