RU2235179C2 - Method of inclined and horizontal wells boring - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: well boring, particularly for well directional survey during boring thereof.

SUBSTANCE: method involves boring vertical well borehole by means of cracker including square kelly for rotor drilling and a number of seriously connected well tubes provided with bit on ends thereof; taking cracker out of well; mounting downhole motor and kick sub with lender means on cracker; putting cracker into well; putting inclinometer into cracker and fixing inclinometer on lender means; increasing cracker by seriously connected well tubes up to reacting well bottom by bit; arranging lower pipe sub with the first electronic information transmitter arranged inside thereof on cracker so that inclinometer is connected by logging cable with the first electronic information transmitter which in turn is linked by wireless information transmission elements with control and indicator unit; inserting connected well tubes in lower pipe sub; arranging intermediate pipe subs on both ends of each well tube with each intermediate pipe sub having wireless information transmission elements connected to one end thereof and at least two electrical connections located on another end thereof; linking electrical connectors of pipe subs with the use of cable segments provided with electrical connectors, wherein each cable segment is arranged inside corresponding well tube and electrically connected with corresponding electrical connectors of intermediate pipe sub; installing ball cock; arranging upper pipe sub on top of ball cock; locating the second electronic information transmitter connected with the first electronic information transmitter and with control and indicator unit through removable means installed on rotary swivel in upper pipe sub; switching on rotor drive for drilling linear inclined or horizontal well part after reaching predetermined well profile angle; performing control of well profile by drilling direction and well inclination angle with the use of data obtained from control and indicator unit and inclinometer.

EFFECT: increased reliability if signal transmission.

9 cl, 11 dwg

Description

The present invention relates to the drilling of wells, and more specifically to a method of drilling deviated and horizontal wells, in which they measure the current coordinates of the bottom hole of deviated and horizontal wells during drilling.

A known method of drilling deviated and horizontal wells (see, for example, Telecom Oilfield Services Inc., 1990), in which a vertical wellbore is drilled, is installed in the drilling assembly from the depth of the set of curvature of the curve, a subhole motor and a profile measuring system wells while drilling, the so-called inclinometer MWD systems (measurement while drilling - measure while drilling), drill the inclined and horizontal parts of the well by alternately using rotary drilling and downhole drilling engine and control the current coordinates of the bottom of the well according to the readings of the inclinometer of the MWD system, transmitted using a hydraulic communication channel.

In this method, the information transfer rate is 6-8 s per one parameter transmission, which is clearly not enough when drilling modern wells, while it is difficult to transmit information from great depths. It is not possible to carry out work under the conditions of using aerated drilling fluids. It is impossible to transmit information from great depths.

There is also known a method of drilling deviated and horizontal wells (see, for example, RF patent 2078921), which consists in drilling a vertical wellbore, installing a downhole motor and a curve sub in the drilling assembly from a depth of curvature, and lowering it into the assembly using a geophysical cable inclinometer and fix it in the lower part of the drilling assembly. Drill the inclined and horizontal parts of the well alternately using rotary drilling and downhole motor drilling and control the current coordinates of the well according to the readings of the inclinometer.

In this method, there is a need to output the geophysical cable into the annulus through the cable sub from the level of the set of the curvature of the well, which creates a danger of violating the integrity and rupture of the cable. The presence of a cable in the annulus does not allow for rotary drilling, and also does not allow reliable sealing of the well with the help of preventers in case of an accidental release of gas or oil.

The closest technical solution is a method of drilling deviated and horizontal wells, which consists in drilling a vertical wellbore by means of a drilling arrangement comprising a plurality of drill pipes connected in series with each other, provided with a bit at the end. Then, the inclined and horizontal parts of the well are drilled, for which the drilling assembly is removed from the well, the downhole motor and a curve sub with a landing device are mounted in it and lowered into the well. An inclinometer is lowered by means of a geophysical cable into the drilling assembly and fixed on a landing device.

Then, the drilling arrangement is increased by series-connected pipes until the bit reaches the bottom of the well. The lower pipe sub is installed on the drilling assembly, in which the first electronic information transfer unit is located. In this case, the inclinometer is connected via a geophysical cable to the first electronic information transmission unit, which is electrically connected via elements of the cableless information transmission system to the control and indication unit.

A drill pipe assembly and ball valve are installed on the lower pipe sub, which are used as elements of a cableless information transmission system. An upper pipe sub is installed on the ball valve, in which a second electronic information transmission unit is placed, electrically connected by means of a cableless information transmission system to the first electronic information transmission unit. A square for rotary drilling of an inclined or horizontal wellbore is installed on the upper pipe sub, and a swivel is mounted on which a removable device, for example sliding contacts, is electrically connected to the control and indication unit, which, in turn, is electrically connected to the second electronic information transmission unit . A piece of cable with connectors is passed inside the square, one of which is connected to the second electronic information transfer unit, and the second to the removable device. Then carry out drilling downhole motor.

Upon reaching the design angle of the well profile, in addition to the downhole motor, the rotary engine is turned on, and the well profile is controlled in azimuth and incline according to the readings of the control unit and inclinometer (see, for example, RF patent 2140537).

According to the specified method, special drill pipes with throttles and a wire laid along the body of the pipes are used in the drilling arrangement. This has a number of disadvantages. Firstly, these pipes are expensive. The pipes are very heavy. Since the drilling of modern wells is often carried out in wetlands or from water, the need to transport such pipes to the rig requires the use of special vehicles. This affects the mobility and efficiency of the work of teams of specialists providing drilling of deviated and horizontal wells.

The longitudinal groove in the body of the pipe for laying wires connecting the elements of information transfer reduces the strength of the pipes.

The basis of the present invention is the task of creating a method of drilling deviated and horizontal wells, in which the use of pipe sub with means of cableless transmission of information allows to obtain increased reliability of the transmission of signals characterizing the parameters of the well, eliminates the need for special drill pipes with chokes and wires, which reduces the cost of drilling equipment and improves the mobility of teams of specialists providing directional and horizontal wells.

The problem is solved in that in the method of drilling deviated and horizontal wells, which consists in drilling a vertical wellbore by means of a drilling arrangement containing a square for rotary drilling, a plurality of drill pipes connected in series with each other, provided at the end with a bit, then drilling the inclined and horizontal parts of the well, for which the drilling assembly is removed from the well, the downhole motor and a curve sub with a landing device are mounted in it and lowered into the borehole, lowered the inclinometer by means of a geophysical cable into the drilling assembly and fixed it on the landing device, then expanded the drilling assembly into successively connected drill pipes until the drill bit reaches the bottom of the well, and the lower pipe sub, in which the first electronic data transmission unit is placed, is mounted on the drilling assembly wherein the inclinometer is connected via a geophysical cable to the first electronic information transmission unit, which is electrically connected to by means of elements of a cableless information transmission system with a control and indication unit, an assembly of drill pipes and a ball valve, which are used as elements of a cableless information transmission system, are installed on the lower pipe sub, and an upper pipe sub is installed on the ball crane, in which a second electronic unit is placed information transmission, electrically connected to the first electronic information transmission unit and to the control and indication unit, upon reaching the design angle of the well profile In addition to the downhole motor, a rotary motor is turned on for drilling a straight section of the inclined or horizontal part of the well, while monitoring the well profile in azimuth and inclination angle according to the testimony of the control unit and inclinometer according to the invention, before installing the drill pipes in the drilling assembly above the lower pipe sub on both ends of each drill pipe are installed intermediate pipe sub, each of which contains means for wireless transmission of information, placed on one th end, and at least two connectors placed on the other end of the specified intermediate pipe sub, use a plurality of cable segments equipped with connectors, according to the number of drill pipes to connect the connectors located on the pipe pipe sub adapters, each of the cable sections being placed inside the corresponding drill pipe and are electrically connected to the corresponding connectors of the intermediate pipe sub.

It is advisable that an electric choke be used in each intermediate pipe sub as a means of cableless transmission of information.

It is useful that before installing the square, intermediate pipe sub with throttles and connectors are installed at its ends, and a piece of cable connected to the connector pins of these intermediate pipe sub is placed inside the square, while the upper pipe sub is installed above the square.

It is useful that in order to continue drilling and set the curvature, the drilling assembly is partially lifted from the well, the swivel, square and ball valve removed, at least one additional drill pipe equipped with intermediate pipe sub and cable section is installed, and then the ball valve is re-installed, square and swivel.

Advantageously, at least one of the lengths of cable installed inside the drill pipe comprises an intermediate repeater.

It is useful for the repeater to contain a power source, an amplifier, and logic blocks to separate the electrical signal from the inclinometer to ground equipment and from ground equipment to the inclinometer.

It is also useful that at least one of the plurality of pipe sub has an intermediate repeater.

It is advisable that the intermediate repeater contains a power source, amplifier, and logic blocks for separating signals from the inclinometer and ground equipment.

The invention is further explained in the description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 depicts a drilling arrangement for drilling a vertical wellbore according to the invention;

figure 2 depicts the lower part of the drilling layout for drilling horizontal and inclined parts of the well according to the invention;

figure 3 depicts the middle part of the drilling assembly according to the invention;

figure 4 depicts the upper part of the drilling assembly according to the invention;

5 depicts drill pipes with intermediate pipe subs installed on them according to the invention;

Fig.6 depicts a drill pipe in the upper and lower intermediate pipe sub-disassembled (longitudinal section) according to the invention;

Fig.7 depicts a General view of the upper intermediate pipe sub (partial section) according to the invention;

Fig.8 depicts a General view of the lower intermediate pipe sub (partial section), according to the invention;

Fig.9 depicts a length of cable with connectors and a relay according to the invention;

figure 10 depicts a second embodiment of the upper part of the drilling assembly according to the invention;

11 depicts a General view of the lower intermediate pipe sub with a repeater (partial section) according to the invention;

The method of drilling deviated and horizontal wells is as follows.

A vertical wellbore is drilled by means of a drilling assembly 1 (Fig. 1) comprising a plurality of drill pipes 2 connected in series with each other, provided at the end with a chisel 3, and a chisel drive (not shown). Either a turbo-drill (not shown) or a rotary drive can be used as a bit drive.

Upon reaching the required penetration depth, the inclined and horizontal parts of the well are drilled. To do this, the drilling assembly 1 is removed from the well and mounted in it by a curve sub 4 (FIG. 2) with the landing gear 5 and the downhole motor 6 with a chisel 3 and the bearing 7 and the drilling assembly 1 is lowered into the well.

By means of a geophysical cable 8, an inclinometer 9 is lowered into the drilling assembly 1 and fixed to the landing device 5.

Then, the drilling assembly 1 is increased by series-connected drill pipes 2 until the bit 3 reaches the bottom of the well to which vertical drilling has been carried out.

Install the lower pipe sub 10 (Fig. 3) on the lower part of the drilling assembly 1, in which the first electronic information transmission unit 11 is placed. The inclinometer 9 is connected via a geophysical cable 8 to the first electronic information transmission unit 11, which, in turn, is electrically connected via elements of a cableless information transmission system to the control and indication unit 12 (not shown in FIG. 3).

Install on the lower pipe sub 10 an assembly 13 (Fig. 4) of drill pipes 2, onto which a ball valve 14 is installed, which are used as elements of a cableless information transmission system. Ball valve 14, if necessary, locks the well.

In the first embodiment, an upper tube sub 15 is installed on the ball valve 14, in which a second electronic information transmission unit 16 is placed, electrically connected to the first electronic information transmission unit 10 and to the control and indication unit 12 via a removable device 17.

A square 18 is installed on the upper pipe sub 15 to effect rotary drilling of an inclined or horizontal wellbore. A swivel 19 is installed above the square 18. A removable device 17 is placed on the swivel 19, which is electrically connected to the control and indication unit 12. The removable device 17 has a fixed part 17 and a movable part 17. Inside the square 18, a length of cable 20 with connectors is passed, one of which is connected to the second electronic data transmission unit 16, and the second to the removable device 17.

The downhole motor 6 is turned on and the curvilinear section of the well is drilled by the downhole motor.

Upon reaching the design angle of the well profile in addition to the downhole motor 6 include a rotary engine (not shown). The control of the well profile is carried out in azimuth and inclination according to the readings of the control and indication unit 12.

Before installing the drill pipe 2 in the drilling assembly 1, at both ends of each drill pipe 2 (FIG. 5), intermediate pipe adapters 21, 22 are installed on the threads 23, 24 (FIG. 6).

Each intermediate pipe sub 21, 22 contains means 25 for wireless transmission of information located on one end, and at least two connectors 26, 27 and 28, 29, respectively, located on the other end. As a means of 25 cableless information transfer using an electric inductor 34.

The intermediate pipe sub 22 (Fig. 7), mounted on the thread 24 at the upper end of the drill pipe 2, comprises a housing 30, in an annular groove 31 of which, made at the end 32 of the sleeve 33, an electric inductor 34 is placed. The groove 31 is filled with a compound 35 The wires 36 from the throttle 34 pass inside the holes 37 drilled in the body of the housing 30, filled with a compound 35 and plugged with a screw plug 38. The wires 36 are connected to a sealed connector 29, mounted on the partition 39. In the partition 39, holes 40 are made for the passage of the drilling astvora.

The intermediate pipe sub 21 (Fig. 8) mounted on the lower end of the drill pipe 2 contains the same elements as the sub 22, but in the case 30 of the intermediate pipe sub 21, the annular groove 31 for the throttle 34 is made at the end 41 from the side of the nipple 42 and changed the orientation of the connector.

Use a lot of segments 43 (Fig.9) of the cable, equipped with connectors 44, 45, the number of drill pipes 2 to connect the connectors 27, 28, placed on adjacent intermediate pipe sub 21, 22 of the drill pipe 2. Each of the segments 43 of the cable is placed inside the corresponding drill pipe 2 and is electrically connected to the respective connectors 27, 28.

In the second embodiment of the drilling assembly 1 (Fig. 10), before installing the square 18, intermediate pipe transformers 21, 22 are installed at its ends, and a cable section 46 is placed inside the square 18 that is connected to the contacts of the connectors 27, 28. The upper pipe sub 15 with the second the electronic information transmission unit 16 is mounted above the square 18 and connected to the removable device 17 on the swivel 19.

To continue drilling and set the curvature, the drilling assembly 1 is partially lifted from the well, the swivel 19, square 18, ball valve 14 are removed, at least one additional drill pipe 2 is installed, equipped with intermediate pipe subs 21, 22 and a cable section 43, and then re-install the ball valve 14, square 18 and the swivel 19. Usually install three additional drill pipe 2.

At least one of the segments 43 of the cable installed inside the drill pipe 2 contains an intermediate relay 47 (Fig.9).

The relay 47 in the described embodiment contains a power source (not shown), for example a lithium battery, an amplifier (not shown), a logic unit (not shown) for separating the electrical signal from the inclinometer 9 to the ground equipment, and the signal from the control unit and indications for inclinometer 9 (not shown).

At least one of the intermediate pipe sub 21, 22 comprises an intermediate repeater 48 (FIG. 11). The intermediate relay 48 is made similar to that described above.

Prepared for screwing the drill pipe 2 further comprises two intermediate pipe sub 21, 22, cable section 43. After assembly and installation in the drilling assembly 1, the pipe 2 with the intermediate pipe adapters 21, 22 and the cable section 43 ensures reliable signal transmission.

The proposed method for drilling inclined and horizontal wells, which uses intermediate pipe sub with means of cableless transmission of information, allows to obtain increased reliability of the transmission of signals characterizing the parameters of the well, eliminates the need for special drill pipes with chokes and wires, which reduces the cost of drilling equipment and improves the mobility of groups specialists providing wiring of deviated and horizontal wells.

The present invention will improve the reliability of drilling deviated and horizontal wells, reduce the cost of drilling equipment. In the proposed method there is no need to use special drill pipes, the strength of which is reduced due to the presence of a longitudinal groove with a wire.

Claims (9)

1. The method of drilling inclined and horizontal wells, which consists in drilling a vertical wellbore by means of a drilling arrangement comprising a square for rotary drilling and a plurality of drill pipes connected in series with each other, provided at the end with a bit, then drilling the inclined and horizontal parts wells, for which the drilling assembly is removed from the well, the downhole motor and a curve sub with a landing device are mounted in it and lowered into the well, lowered in the middle Using a geophysical cable inside the drilling assembly, the inclinometer is fixed and fixed on the landing device, then the drilling assembly is extended with the drill pipes connected in series until the drill bit reaches the bottom of the well, the lower pipe sub is placed on the drilling assembly, in which the first electronic data transmission unit is placed, and the inclinometer is connected by geophysical cable with the first electronic information transfer unit, which is electrically connected through elements of the beskabe system To transmit information with a control and indication unit, an assembly of drill pipes and a ball valve, which are used as elements of a cableless information transmission system, are installed on the lower pipe sub, and an upper pipe sub is installed on the ball valve, in which a second electronic information transfer unit is placed, electrically connected to the first electronic information transmission unit and through a removable device mounted on a swivel, with a control and indication unit, when the design angle of the squared profile is reached In addition to the downhole motor, they include a rotary motor for drilling a straight section of the inclined or horizontal part of the well, while monitoring the well profile in azimuth and incline according to the testimony of the control unit and inclinometer, characterized in that before installing the drill pipe in the drilling assembly above the lower pipe at both ends of each drill pipe, intermediate pipe sub-adapters are installed, each of which contains means for transmitting information wirelessly, once placed at one end, and at least two connectors located on the other end of the specified intermediate pipe sub, use a plurality of cable sections equipped with connectors, the number of drill pipes to connect the connectors located on the pipe pipe sub adapters, each of the cable sections being placed inside the corresponding drill pipe and is electrically connected to the corresponding connectors of the intermediate pipe sub. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the square is installed on the upper pipe sub for rotary drilling of an inclined or horizontal wellbore, a swivel is installed above the square, on which a removable device is placed, one connector of which is electrically connected through a cable passed inside the square with a second electronic information transfer unit, and the second connector with a control and indication unit, and they drill a downhole motor of a curved section of the well. 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that an electric inductor is used in each intermediate pipe sub as a means of cableless information transmission. 4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that before installing the square on its ends install intermediate pipe sub with chokes and connectors, and inside the square place a piece of cable equipped with connectors connected to the connector pins of the intermediate pipe sub, with the upper pipe sub with a second electronic information transfer unit, they are mounted above the square and connected to a removable device. 5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that in order to continue drilling and set the curvature, the drilling assembly is partially lifted from the well, a swivel, a square and a ball valve are removed, at least one additional drill pipe is equipped with intermediate pipe adapters and a length of cable and then re-install the ball valve, square and swivel. 6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the cable pieces installed inside the drill pipe contains an intermediate repeater. 7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the repeater comprises a power source, an amplifier and logic blocks for separating the electrical signal from the inclinometer to the control and display unit and from the control and display unit to the inclinometer. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least one of the plurality of pipe sub is an intermediate repeater. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the intermediate repeater comprises a power source, an amplifier, and logic blocks for separating signals from the inclinometer and from the control and display unit.

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