WO2015191522A1 - Casing and liner drilling casing clutch and swivel sub - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of drilling and cementing a wellbore, wherein the method provides a tool with a bit on a drillstring, drilling the drillstring into a geological stratum with the bit, at a total depth of the wellbore, unlocking a sub in the drillstring and pumping and placing a cementitious material into the drillstring and through a cement port in the drillstring while rotating at least a portion of the drill string, wherein a shoe of the drill string remains static.

Description

CASING AND LINER DRILLING CASING CLUTCH AND SWIVEL SUB

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present disclosure claims priority to United States Provisional Application,

62/009,679, dated June 9, 2014, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Aspects relate to casing drilling systems and methods. More specifically, aspects disclosed relate to apparatus and methods for casing drilling systems and/or liner drilling systems used in conjunction with depleted geological zones.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0003] Drilling into geological formations that have a depleted zone can be quite problematic for oil field operators and service companies. Depleted zones, when penetrated, have a void or voids that allow fluids to enter the depleted zone. These depleted zones can accept materials such as, for example, hydrocarbon gases, oils, water or cement in large volumes. Often times, these depleted zones can occur below areas that contain hydrocarbon layers. As a result, puncturing the depleted zone can allow fluids to drain from a higher concentration area into the depleted zone, thus losing the potential for recovery.

[0004] The acceptance of large volumes of material into depleted zones is troublesome for engineers and operators as the lost volumes can be quite expensive from an operational standpoint. Lost volumes of hydrocarbon streams can significantly affect the overall economic viability of the operation and are thus to be avoided. The avoidance of the depleted zones, however, is difficult as oil is often found in or below areas that have depleted zones.

[0005] When operators and engineers are initially drilling into depleted zones, operations such as cementing can also be troublesome. Drilling and pipe installation operations allow for creation of a pathway from a desired "pay zone" up to the surface so that hydrocarbons, for example, may be recovered. Cementing operations create a barrier between the pipe and geological strata to prevent both uncontrolled flow on the outside of the pipe and intermixing between geological stratum, thus directing hydrocarbons to the inside portion of the pipe where they can be controlled for production. In the instance of a depleted zone, large volumes of cementitious materials may be lost in the depleted zone, which may require large replacement volumes or multiple remedial operations to complete cementing operations. The amounts lost and/or remedial operations can also lead to significant time loss for the operator, again affecting the overall profitability of the project.

[0006] Liner drilling solutions can offer some relief from difficult subsurface conditions such as depleted zones. While liner or casing drilling offers significant benefits to mitigate or prevent both the escape of hydrocarbon resources or fluid losses into a depleted zone during the drilling process, and also help with preventing intermixing of fluids from different geological stratum, cementing operations remain a challenge for liner and casing drilling solutions when a depleted zone is discovered.

[0007] Setting an annular barrier at the bottom of the string and cementing above the barrier removes the hydrostatic force on weaker formations that otherwise may break down if subjected to the force created by either the ECDs generated while cementing or the column of cement after it has been fully displaced into the annulus.

SUMMARY

[0008] The following summary provided is but one example disclosed in the detailed description and should not be considered limiting to the overall disclosure and the appended claims. In one example embodiment, an apparatus is disclosed comprising a tieback receptacle, with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to attach to a drill string and the second end is configured with a connection joint, a liner top packer with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the liner top packer is connected to the second end of the tieback receptacle, a liner hanger with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the liner hanger is connected to the second end of the liner top packer, a liner with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the liner is connected to the second end of the liner hanger and at least one of a swivel/extending joint, a cement port collar, a casing annulus packer and a landing collar attached to the second end of the liner and a drill bit connected to the at least one of the swivel/extending joint, the cement port collar (also known as a stage tool), the casing annulus packer (or similar annular barrier including swell packers, solid expandable tubulars, etc.) and the landing collar, the drill bit configured to create a wellbore in a geological stratum.

[0009] In another example embodiment, a method of drilling and cementing a wellbore is disclosed to provide a tool with a bit on a drillstring, drilling the drillstring into a geological stratum with the bit, at a total depth of the wellbore, unlocking a sub in the drillstring and pumping and placing a cementitious material into the drillstring and through a cement port in the drillstring while rotating the drill string, wherein a shoe of the drill string remains static.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIG. 1 is an example configuration of one aspect described for casing and liner drilling with an external packer and a casing clutch and swivel sub.

[0011] FIG. 2 is an expanded view of a section between the cement port collar and the casing annulus packer.

[0012] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of a casing clutch and swivel sub used in casing drilling performing operations in a geological formation.

[0013] FIG. 4 is an example method for casing drilling into a depleted zone. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] Referring to FIG. 1, a system 10, with a casing clutch and swivel sub 22, for casing drilling with external packer capabilities is illustrated. Near the top of the system 10, a tieback receptacle 12 is provided. The tieback receptacle 12 is configured with a bore and is placed above a liner hanger 16 that permits landing, sealing and extending additional liner to a point further up a wellbore or to the surface. Underneath the tieback receptacle 12, a liner top packer 14 is positioned. The liner top packer 14 may be set or expanded, upon operator command or through closed loop control, to prevent fluids and pressure from being transported uphole. A system liner hanger 16 is positioned underneath the liner top packer 14 with the purpose of providing a hanger support for further sections of liner 18 described later. Suspended from the liner hanger 16 is a liner 18 or several sections of liner 18. cement port collar 20 is positioned next along with a swivel/extending joint 22. The cement port collar 20 is configured to accept cementitious material pumped from uphole and eject the materials into the surrounds of the liner system.

[0015] A casing annulus packer 24 or other annular barrier is placed next to the swivel/extending joint 22, followed by a landing collar 26. At the end of the string, a drillable bit 28 is positioned. The casing annulus packer 24 may be expanded to extend to the wellbore wall, thus preventing a flow of materials into undesirable areas along the system 10. In this example embodiment, the casing annulus packer is inflated above a depleted zone, thereby preventing cementitious materials from entering the depleted zone.

[0016] In the illustrated embodiment, a liner drilling/casing drilling solution is present that allows an operator to drill a liner into a depleted zone then immediately commence cementing operations. Drilling into a depleted zone often makes cementing difficult for conventional operations as a large portion or all of the cement is inadvertently pumped into the depleted zone and may compromise the successful cementing of the liner.

[0017] The configuration presented in FIG. 1 provides a casing annular packer 24 to isolate a depleted zone a few joints above the shoe. A cement port collar 20 is then opened to establish a circulation path from the standpipe, thru the drillstring through the liner 18 then out the port collar 20 and into the annulus. The return path is between the annulus and the liner outer diameter (above the casing annulus packer 24), around the liner top and finally to the drill pipe/parent casing annulus back to the surface. The casing annulus packer 24 and cement port collar 20 are configured such that cement and cement materials do not harm the operations of the collar 20 and the packer 24.

[0018] In the configuration provided in FIG. 1, a liner 18 may be situated at +/- 90 degrees. In the illustrated embodiment, cement placement is required around the entire liner 18. The placement of cement is difficult to accomplish as the cement is heaver and more viscous than the mud that the cement is displacing, thus the cement tends to settle towards the low side of the hole.

[0019] Rotation of the liner 18 while cementing helps/aids in mixing the mud and cement as the cement is displaced This action aids in displacing the cement around the entire liner 18, especially in deviated applications. Rotation of the liner 18, however may be difficult to achieve in the situation with the set casing annular packer 24 inflated into the open hole. If the liner 18 is attempted to be rotated, the casing annular packer 24 may be torn, losing integrity and allowing the cement to flow into the depleted zone below the casing annular packer 24.

[0020] One solution to the above concern of tearing is to install a casing or liner swivel 22 into the liner string. This swivel 22 acts as a solid piece of casing during the running/drilling process such that rotation from the surface is transmitted to the bit 28, or reactive torque from a motor will not cause the shoe to rotate independently from the liner 18. The configuration also provides a seal so that fluid is routed to the bit 28 and does not allow for axial movement across the sub. Once total depth is reached, the hole may be conditioned. Before, during or after this process, the casing annular packer 24 may be inflated to isolate the shoe and the cement port collar 20 opened to create a flow path above the casing annular packer 24. Before it is desired to start rotating the liner, the casing clutch and swivel sub is mechanically or hydraulically activated to declutch the upper and lower ends of the tool, allowing them to rotate independently from one another. This allows the liner 18 to be rotated from the surface while pumping cement. The liner shoe and casing annular packer 24 remain static (its rotation is arrested by the casing annular packer) as the cement is pumped and liner 18 rotated, protecting the casing annular packer 24 from damage.

[0021] Pumping different temperature fluids down a drill pipe and liner 18 causes the drill pipe and casing/liner to expand or contract. To prevent high axial loads from reaching the casing annular packer 24 and potentially tearing the packer rubber/steel element or compromising another type of annular barrier installed in the wellbore, the casing clutch and swivel sub 22 may also have an extension feature to allow the tool to act as an expansion joint. This is performed by allowing an upper and lower mandrel to move axially within each other. The stroke length of the casing clutch and swivel sub 10 may be such that either axial movement at the rig floor or pipe expansion or contraction due to thermal effects will not be sufficient enough to cause the tool to expand or contract enough for the upper and lower mandrels to contact one another. If this were to occur, the mandrels may bind, causing the shoe to start rotating with the liner. An added prevention to this would be to incorporate bearings between the load surfaces to prevent the tool from binding and rotating the shoe, however, axial loads would still be transmitted. It is possible/ desirable to package these required features into the same tool or alternatively may be packaged into separate tools. It is also possible to combine these tools with (or operate independently from) the cement port collar and/or the casing annular packer.

[0023] Referring to FIG. 3, the system 10 of FIG. 1 is illustrated drilling into a series of geological stratum. The system 10 is continually drilling and casing along the trajectory of the wellbore. The casing clutch and swivel sub 22 is configured to allow rotation and weight on bit to be transferred to the bit 28 while drilling. At total depth of the wellbore, the casing clutch and swivel sub 22 is unlocked, rotationally disengaging the liner from the shoe track. The casing/liner may then be rotated while cementing while the shoe remains static. The system 10 is designed such that axial movement is accounted for during operations, as the casing clutch and swivel sub 22 is configured to rotationally disengage and reengage upon selective operator commands.

[0024] Referring to FIG. 2, an expanded view of a section of the casing and liner drilling casing clutch and swivel sub is illustrated. The expanded view, near the cement port collar 20 of FIG. 1, presents a configuration wherein the liner 18 is configured to rotate and the thermal effects of pumping mud, cement and displacement fluid are compensated. Activation of the swivel/extending joint of the sub 22 may be through pressure application, causing a mechanical shear, or it may be activated in other ways such as a mechanical activation, RFID, etc. The swivel/extending joint of the sub 22 may be mechanically configured such that inadvertent re- engagement is prevented after shear.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 4, a method 400 of drilling and cementing a wellbore is disclosed. In 402, a tool is provided with a bit on a drillstring. In 404, the drill string is used to drill the bit into the geological stratum. In 406, at a total depth of the wellbore, a sub in the drillstring is unlocked. In 408, materials, such as cementitious materials, are pumped and placed into the drillstring and through a cement port in the drillstring while rotating at least a portion of the drill string, wherein a shoe of the drill string remains static.

[0026] In one non-limiting example embodiment, an apparatus is disclosed, comprising a tieback receptacle, with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to attach to a drill string and the second end is configured with a connection joint, a liner top packer with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the liner top packer is connected to the second end of the tieback receptacle, a liner hanger with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the liner hanger is connected to the second end of the liner top packer, a liner with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the liner is connected to the second end of the liner hanger; at least one of a swivel/extending joint, a cement port collar, a casing annulus packer and a landing collar attached to the second end of the liner; and a drill bit connected to the at least one of the swivel/extending joint, the cement port collar, the casing annulus packer and the landing collar, the drill bit configured to create a wellbore in a geological stratum.

[0027] In another example embodiment, the apparatus may be configured wherein the apparatus contains all of the swivel/extending joint, the cement port collar, the casing annulus packer and the landing collar.

[0028] In another example embodiment, a method of drilling and cementing a wellbore is disclosed comprising providing a tool with a bit on a drillstring, drilling the drillstring into a geological stratum with the bit, at a total depth of the wellbore, unlocking a sub in the drillstring and pumping and placing a cementitious material into the drillstring and through a cement port in the drillstring while rotating at least a portion of the drill string, wherein a shoe of the drill string remains static.

[0029] In another example embodiment, the method may be provided wherein a swivel joint is positioned in the drill string to allow rotation of at least a portion of the drillstring during the pumping and placing of the cementitious material.

[0030] In another example embodiment, the method may be provided wherein the sub in the drillstring is unlocked through pressure actuation.

[0031] In another example embodiment, the method may be provided wherein the sub in the drillstring includes a swivel.

[0032] In another example embodiment, the method may be provided further comprising expanding at least one packer in the drill string prior to pumping and placing the cementitious material. [0033] In another example embodiment, the method may be provided further comprising expanding at least two packers in the drill string prior to pumping and placing the cementitious material.

[0034] In another example embodiment, the method may be provided wherein the sub in the drillstring is unlocked through mechanical actuation.

[0035] In another example embodiment, the method may be provided wherein the sub in the drillstring is unlocked through hydraulic actuation.

[0036] In another example embodiment, the method may be provided wherein the sub in the drillstring is unlocked through RFID actuation.

[0037] In another example embodiment, an apparatus, comprising a liner with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the liner is connected to the second end of the liner hanger; at least one of a swivel/extending joint, a cement port collar, a casing annulus packer and a landing collar attached to the second end of the liner; and a drill bit connected to the at least one of the swivel/extending joint, the cement port collar, the casing annulus packer and the landing collar, the drill bit configured to create a wellbore in a geological stratum is provided.

[0038] As used herein, the terms "inner" and "outer;" "up" and "down;" "upper" and "lower;" "upward" and "downward;" "above" and "below;" "inward" and "outward;" and other like terms as used herein refer to relative positions to one another and are not intended to denote a particular direction or spatial orientation. The terms "couple," "coupled," "connect," "connection," "connected," "in connection with," and "connecting" refer to "in direct connection with" or "in connection with via one or more intermediate elements or members."

[0039] While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. [0040] Although example systems and methods are described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as exemplary forms of implementing the claimed systems, methods, and structures.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a tieback receptacle, with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to attach to a drill string and the second end is configured with a connection joint;

a liner top packer with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the liner top packer is connected to the second end of the tieback receptacle;

a liner hanger with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the liner hanger is connected to the second end of the liner top packer;

a liner with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the liner is connected to the second end of the liner hanger;

at least one of a swivel/extending joint, a cement port collar, a casing annulus packer and a landing collar attached to the second end of the liner; and

a drill bit connected to the at least one of the swivel/extending joint, the cement port collar, the casing annulus packer and the landing collar, the drill bit configured to create a wellbore in a geological stratum.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus contains all of the

swivel/extending joint, the cement port collar, the casing annulus packer and the landing collar.

3. A method of drilling and cementing a wellbore, comprising:

providing a tool with a bit on a drillstring;

drilling the drillstring into a geological stratum with the bit;

at a total depth of the wellbore, unlocking a sub in the drillstring; and pumping and placing a cementitious material into the drillstring and through a cement port in the drillstring while rotating at least a portion of the drill string, wherein a shoe of the drill string remains static.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein a swivel joint is positioned in the drill string to allow rotation of at least a portion of the drillstring during the pumping and placing of the cementitious material.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the sub in the drillstring is unlocked through pressure actuation.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the sub in the drillstring includes a swivel.

7. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

expanding at least one packer in the drill string prior to pumping and placing the cementitious material.

8. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

expanding at least two packers in the drill string prior to pumping and placing the cementitious material.

9. The method according to claim 3, wherein the sub in the drillstring is unlocked through mechanical actuation.

10. The method according to claim 3, wherein the sub in the drillstring is unlocked through hydraulic actuation.

11. The method according to claim 3, wherein the sub in the drillstring is unlocked through RFID actuation.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a liner with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the liner is connected to the second end of the liner hanger; and

at least one of a swivel/extending joint, a cement port collar, a casing annulus packer and a landing collar attached to the second end of the liner; and

a drill bit connected to the at least one of the swivel/extending joint, the cement port collar, the casing annulus packer and the landing collar, the drill bit configured to create a wellbore in a geological stratum.