US4789032A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Orienting and circulating sub
Assignee: BECHTEL INVESTMENTS Inc A CORP OF
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Filing: 1987-09-25
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Granted: 1988-12-06
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Expires: 2007-09-25
Abstract
Abstract An orienting and circulating sub is disclosed for connection in an apparatus for angular drilling in the earth. The drilling apparatus comprises a drill string extending into a substantially vertical well bore in the earth supporting a fluid operated motor and drill bit at its lower end. The drill bit is supported for angular drilling by either using a bent sub for supporting the drilling motor or be using a drilling motor with a bent housing. A surveying tool is connected above the motor for determining and controlling the direction of drilling. A mule shoe keying sub is connected to the surveying tool for orienting the position of the motor in relation to said surveying tool. The orienting sub comprises a tubular housing formed in two sections threaded together with one end connected to the surveying tool by the mule shoe keying sub and the other end connected to the bent sub or to the bent motor housing. The orienting sub has a sleeve mounted in the end of the lower housing section with a key for receiving the mule shoe for locating the sub in relation to the surveying tool. The sleeve is oriented in the housing by a system of fine grooves and splines on the sub section and on the sleeve which permit fine angular adjustment. A modified Baker float valve is positioned in the lower end of the tool with a flapper check valve. A piston valve with shear pin is provided to open a bypass valve for draining the drill string during lifting.
Inventors
- 👤 William A. Rehm
- 👤 William J. McDonald
- 👤 William C. Maurer
- 👤 Curtis E. Leitko, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 20:33
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B47/00; E21B47/02; E21B47/024; E21B21/00; E21B21/10; E21B21/103; E21B34/00; E21B34/06; E21B34/14; E21B34/142; E21B7/00; E21B7/04; E21B7/06; E21B7/068; E21B2200/00; E21B2200/05
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
177 words
An apparatus for angular drilling in the earth comprising a drill string extending into a substantially vertical well bore in the earth, a fluid operated motor and drill bit operated thereby secured on the bottom end of said drill string, means supporting at least a part of said motor and drill bit at a substantial angle to said substantially vertical well bore for continuing the drilling of said well bore at an angle to the substantially vertical portion thereof, a surveying tool connected in said drill string above said motor for determining and controlling the direction of drilling, a mule shoe keying sub connected to said surveying tool for orienting the position of said motor in relation to said surveying tool, and an orienting sub connected to said mule shoe keying sub at one end and connected at the other end to said means supporting said motor at an angle, and including means to orient angularly the point of connection to said mule shoe keying sub in relation to said means supporting said motor at an angle.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
177 words
An apparatus for angular drilling in the earth comprising a drill string extending into a substantially vertical well bore in the earth, a fluid operated motor and drill bit operated thereby secured on the bottom end of said drill string, means supporting at least a part of said motor and drill bit at a substantial angle to said substantially vertical well bore for continuing the drilling of said well bore at an angle to the substantially vertical portion thereof, a surveying tool connected in said drill string above said motor for determining and controlling the direction of drilling, a mule shoe keying sub connected to said surveying tool for orienting the position of said motor in relation to said surveying tool, and an orienting sub connected to said mule shoe keying sub at one end and connected at the other end to said means supporting said motor at an angle, and including means to orient angularly the point of connection to said mule shoe keying sub in relation to said means supporting said motor at an angle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
An apparatus for angular drilling in the earth according to claim 1 in which said motor is connected to said drill string by a bent sub, and said angular adjusting means being operable to adjust the orientation of the point of connection to said mule shoe keying sub in relation to the bend in said bent sub.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
72 words
An apparatus for angular drilling in the earth according to claim 1 in which said motor is connected to said drill string by a bent sub, and said angular adjusting means being operable to adjust the orientation of the point of connection to said mule shoe keying sub in relation to the bend in said bent sub to position said motor and drill bit in the same plane as said surveying tool.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus for angular drilling in the earth according to claim 1 in which said motor has a bent housing, and said angular adjusting means being operable to adjust the orientation of the point of connection to said mule shoe keying sub in relation to the bend in said motor housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
An apparatus for angular drilling in the earth according to claim 1 in which said motor has a bent housing, and said angular adjusting means being operable to adjust the orientation of the point of connection to said mule shoe keying sub in relation to the bend in said motor housing to position said motor and drill bit in the same plane as said surveying tool.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
An apparatus for angular drilling in the earth according to claim 1 in which said orienting sub includes means connecting the same, and to said mule sub said mule sub connecting means comprising a key member cooperable with said orienting sub and means to adjust the same to a predetermined position in relation to said mule sub and said surveying tool.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus for angular drilling in the earth according to claim 6 in which said adjusting means comprises means to adjust the orientation of said key member angularly in said orienting sub.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus for angular drilling in the earth according to claim 7 in which said orienting sub comprises a tubular housing, including a tubular sleeve fitted therein to support said key member, and said adjusting means comprises means to adjust the angular orientation of said sleeve in said housing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
94 words
An apparatus for angular drilling in the earth according to claim 8 in which said tubular housing has a plurality of internal, longitudinally extending grooves and splines at one end thereof and equally spaced circumferentially therein, said tubular sleeve has a plurality of external, longitudinally extending grooves and splines at one end thereof sized and spaced to fit said grooves and splines in said housing, and said splines and grooves in said housing and said sleeve cooperating to comprise said angular adjusting means for adjusting the angular orientation of said sleeve in said housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
82 words
An apparatus for angular drilling in the earth according to claim 9 in which said housing is formed in two sections secured together by a threaded connection formed by male threads on one section threaded into female threads in the other section, said internal grooves and splines in said housing being in the end of said female threaded section, and said sleeve being abutted and secured in place by the end of said male threaded section when said sections are threaded together.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
195 words
An orienting and circulating sub for connection in an apparatus for angular drilling in the earth comprising a drill string extending into a substantially vertical well bore in the earth, a fluid operated motor and drill bit operated thereby secured on the bottom end of said drill string, means supporting at least a part of said motor and drill bit at a substantial angle to said substantially vertical well bore for continuing the drilling of said well bore at an angle to the substantially vertical portion thereof, a surveying tool connected in said drill string above said motor for determining and controlling the direction of drilling, a mule shoe keying sub connected to said surveying tool for orienting the position of said motor in relation to said surveying tool, said orienting and circulating sub comprising a housing adapted to be connected to said mule shoe keying sub at one end and adapted to be connected at the other end to said means supporting said motor at an angle, and including means to orient angularly the point of connection to said mule shoe keying sub in relation to said means supporting said motor at an angle.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
195 words
An orienting and circulating sub for connection in an apparatus for angular drilling in the earth comprising a drill string extending into a substantially vertical well bore in the earth, a fluid operated motor and drill bit operated thereby secured on the bottom end of said drill string, means supporting at least a part of said motor and drill bit at a substantial angle to said substantially vertical well bore for continuing the drilling of said well bore at an angle to the substantially vertical portion thereof, a surveying tool connected in said drill string above said motor for determining and controlling the direction of drilling, a mule shoe keying sub connected to said surveying tool for orienting the position of said motor in relation to said surveying tool, said orienting and circulating sub comprising a housing adapted to be connected to said mule shoe keying sub at one end and adapted to be connected at the other end to said means supporting said motor at an angle, and including means to orient angularly the point of connection to said mule shoe keying sub in relation to said means supporting said motor at an angle.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
An orienting and circulating sub according to claim 11 in which said motor is connected to said drill string by a bent sub, and said angular adjusting means being operable to adjust to orientation of the point of connection to said mule shoe keying sub in relation to the bend in said bent sub.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
69 words
An orienting and circulating sub according to claim 11 in which said motor is connected to said drill string by a bent sub, and said angular adjusting means being operable to adjust the orientation of the point of connection to said mule shoe keying sub in relation to the bend in said bent sub to position said motor and drill bit in the same plane as said surveying tool.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
An orienting and circulating sub according to claim 11 in which said motor has a bent housing, and said angular adjusting means being operable to adjust the orientation of the point of connection to said mule shoe keying sub in relation to the bend in said motor housing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
63 words
An orienting and circulating sub according to claim 11 in which said motor has a bent housing, and said angular adjusting means being operable to adjust the orientation of the point of connection to said mule shoe keying sub in relation to the bend in said motor housing to position said motor and drill bit in the same plane as said surveying tool.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
58 words
An orienting and circulating sub according to claim 11 in which said orienting sub includes means connecting the same, and to said mule sub said mule sub connecting means comprising a key member cooperable with said orienting sub and means to adjust the same to a predetermined position in relation to said mule sub and said surveying tool.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
An orienting and circulating sub according to claim 16 in which said adjusting means comprises means to adjust the orientation of said key member angularly in said orienting sub.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
46 words
An orienting and circulating sub according to claim 17 in which said orienting sub comprises a tubular housing, including a tubular sleeve fitted therein to support said key member, and said adjusting means comprises means to adjust the angular orientation of said sleeve in said housing.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
89 words
An orienting and circulating sub according to claim 18 in which said tubular housing has a plurality of internal, longitudinally extending grooves and splines at one end thereof and equally spaced circumferentially therein, said tubular sleeve has a plurality of external, longitudinally extending grooves and splines at one end thereof sized and spaced to fit said grooves and splines in said housing, and said splines and grooves in said housing and said sleeve cooperating to comprise said means for adjusting the angular orientation of said sleeve in said housing.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
79 words
An orienting and circulating sub according to claim 19 in which said housing is formed in two sections secured together by a threaded connection formed by male threads on one section threaded into female threads in the other section, said internal grooves and splines in said housing being in the end of said female threaded section, and said sleeve being abutted and secured in place by the end of said male threaded section when said sections are threaded together.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
An orienting and circulating sub according to claim 11 additionally including a float valve with a flapper type check valve positioned in said housing below said angular orienting means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
86 words
An orienting and circulating sub according to claim 11 in which said housing has an inlet and an outlet end, the outlet end of said housing having side ports for discharge of drilling fluid, a sleeve valve normally closing said side ports and including a shear pin holding the same closed, said sleeve valve being operable to be opened by dropping a ball through the ball string to lodge therein and applying pressure to shear said pin and move said sleeve valve to an open position.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
111 words
An orienting and circulating sub according to claim 11 additionally including a float valve with a flapper type check valve positioned in said housing below said angular orienting means, and in which the outlet end of said housing has side ports for discharge of drilling fluid, a sleeve valve normally closing said side ports and including a shear pin holding the same closed, said sleeve valve being operable to be opened by dropping a ball through the drill string to lodge therein and applying pressure to shear said pin and move said sleeve valve to an open position, said ball being of a size for passing through said flapper check valve.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
162 words
An orienting and circulating sub comprising a housing for connection between a surveying tool and a bent sub for a down hole motor used for angular drilling, an orienting sleeve positioned in said housing having a key for receiving a mule shoe supported on the surveying tool for positioning the surveying tool accurately, means for adjusting the position of said orienting sleeve angularly, a float valve with a flapper type check valve positioned in said housing below said orienting sleeve and in which the outlet end of said housing has side ports for discharge of drilling fluid, a sleeve valve normally closing said side ports and including a shear pin holding the same closed, said sleeve valve being operable to be opened by dropping a ball through the drill string to lodge therein and applying pressure to shear said pin and move said sleeve valve to an open position, said ball being of a size for passing through said flapper check valve.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
162 words
An orienting and circulating sub comprising a housing for connection between a surveying tool and a bent sub for a down hole motor used for angular drilling, an orienting sleeve positioned in said housing having a key for receiving a mule shoe supported on the surveying tool for positioning the surveying tool accurately, means for adjusting the position of said orienting sleeve angularly, a float valve with a flapper type check valve positioned in said housing below said orienting sleeve and in which the outlet end of said housing has side ports for discharge of drilling fluid, a sleeve valve normally closing said side ports and including a shear pin holding the same closed, said sleeve valve being operable to be opened by dropping a ball through the drill string to lodge therein and applying pressure to shear said pin and move said sleeve valve to an open position, said ball being of a size for passing through said flapper check valve.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-12-06 | 1992-06-06 | 1992-12-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-12-06 | 1996-06-06 | 1996-12-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-12-06 | 2000-06-06 | 2000-12-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |