Boring or penetrating the earth – With means movable relative to tool or shaft to control... – Valve prevents upward flow
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-20
2001-07-24
Tsay, Frank (Department: 3672)
Boring or penetrating the earth
With means movable relative to tool or shaft to control...
Valve prevents upward flow
C166S285000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06263987
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The field of invention relates to apparatus that uses the steel drill string attached to a drilling bit during drilling operations used to drill oil and gas wells for a second purpose as the casing that is cemented in place during typical oil and gas well completions. The field of invention further relates to methods of operation of said apparatus that provides for the efficient installation of a cemented steel cased well during one single pass down into the earth of the steel drill string. The field of invention further relates to methods of operation of the apparatus that uses the typical mud passages already present in a typical drill bit, including any watercourses in a “regular bit”, or mud jets in a “jet bit”, that allow mud to circulate during typical drilling operations for the second independent, and the distinctly separate, purpose of passing cement into the annulus between the casing and the well while cementing the drill string into place during one single drilling pass into the earth. The field of invention further relates to apparatus and methods of operation that provides the pumping of cement down the drill string, through the mud passages in the drill bit, and into the annulus between the formation and the drill string for the purpose of cementing the drill string and the drill bit into place during one single drilling pass into the formation. The field of invention further relates to a one-way cement valve and related devices installed near the drill bit of the drill string that allows the cement to set up efficiently while the drill string and drill bit are cemented into place during one single drilling pass into the formation. The field of invention further relates to the use of slurry material instead of cement to complete wells, where the term “slurry material” may be any one, or more, of at least the following substances: cement, gravel, water, “cement clinker”, a “cement and copolymer mixture”, a “blast furnace slag mixture”, and/or any mixture thereof; or any known substance that flows under sufficient pressure. The field of invention further relates to the use of slurry materials for the following type of generic well completions: open-hole well completions; typical cemented well completions having perforated casings; gravel well completions having perforated casings; and for any other related well completions. And finally, the field of invention relates to using slurry materials to complete extended reach wellbores and extended reach lateral wellbores from offshore platforms.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At the time of the filing of the application herein, the applicant is unaware of any prior art that is particularly relevant to the invention other than that cited by the USPTO during the prosecution of the parent applications (Ser. No. 08/323,152 and Ser. No. 08/708,396).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Apparatus and methods of operation of that apparatus are disclosed that allow for cementation of a drill string with attached drill bit into place during one single drilling pass into a geological formation. The process of drilling the well and installing the casing becomes one single process that saves installation time and reduces costs during oil and gas well completion procedures. Apparatus and methods of operation of the apparatus are disclosed that use the typical mud passages already present in a typical rotary drill bit, including any watercourses in a “regular bit”, or mud jets in a “jet bit”, for the second independent purpose of passing cement into the annulus between the casing and the well while cementing the drill string in place. This is a crucial step that allows a “Typical Drilling Process” involving some 14 steps to be compressed into the “New Drilling Process” that involves only 7 separate steps as described in the Description of the Preferred Embodiments below. The New Drilling Process is now possible because of “Several Recent Changes in the Industry” also described in the Description of the Preferred Embodiments below. In addition, the New Drilling Process also requires new apparatus to properly allow the cement to cure under ambient hydrostatic conditions. That new apparatus includes a Latching Subassembly, a Latching Float Collar Valve Assembly, the Bottom Wiper Plug, and the Top Wiper Plug. Suitable methods of operation are disclosed for the use of the new apparatus. Methods are further disclosed wherein different types of slurry materials are used for well completion that include at least cement, gravel, water, a “cement clinker”, and any “blast furnace slag mixture”. Methods are further disclosed using a slurry material to complete wells including at least the following: open-hole well completions; cemented well completions having a perforated casing; gravel well completions having perforated casings; extended reach wellbores; and extended reach lateral wellbores as typically completed from offshore drilling platforms.
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Smart Drilling and Completion, Inc.
Tsay Frank
LandOfFree
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