Pipes and tubular conduits – Structure
Utility Patent
1999-04-22
2001-01-02
Hook, James (Department: 3752)
Pipes and tubular conduits
Structure
C138S178000, C138SDIG001, C175S377000, C175S406000
Utility Patent
active
06167917
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to drill pipe and, in particular, drill pipe for use in drilling boreholes, such as oil and/or gas wells.
Modern drilling techniques in the exploration of oil and gas permit the drilling of boreholes which have a large angle of deviation from the vertical, and in some cases boreholes may be horizontal or close to the horizontal. Such boreholes are known as lateral wells. However, during drilling of a lateral well, the drill cuttings tend to accumulate on the lower side of the hole and it is difficult to flush the drill cuttings out of a lateral well with the normal drilling fluid flow between the drill string and the inside surface of the borehole.
Accordingly, in recent years proposals have been made for enhancing the agitation of the drill cuttings within lateral wells to help prevent accumulation of the drill cuttings on the lower side of the borehole.
Some of these proposals include forming upsets on the drill pipe and putting spiral formations on the surface of the upsets to agitate the drill cuttings in the lower section of the well as the drill pipe is rotated. However, this type of drill pipe has the disadvantage that it can tend to cut into the side wall of the bore hole as it rotates.
In accordance with present invention, a drill pipe comprises a length of conduit having a first diameter, a first and a second end portion, each end portion having a second diameter greater than the first diameter, and an enlarged portion located between and spaced from the first and second end portions, the enlarged portion comprising a central section having a third diameter greater than the first diameter and the central section having a substantially smooth external surface, and two end sections, one end section at either end of the central section, which vary in diameter between the first and the third diameter, and one of the end sections having a spiral formation thereon.
Preferably, the spiral formation is located between the central section and the upper end of the drill pipe.
Preferably, the external surface of the central section is a substantially cylindrical surface.
Typically, three of said enlarged portions may be provided on the drill pipe.
Preferably, the other end section may comprise a curved surface which may be convex and is typically radiused.
Alternatively, the other end section may typically comprise a linearly sloping surface.
Preferably, the spiral formations are deeper and/or wider adjacent the central section.
Preferably, the end section in which the spiral formations are formed has a concave shape.
Alternatively, the end section in which the spiral formations are formed may comprise a curved surface which may be convex and is typically radiused.
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patent: 138603 (1985-04-01), None
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patent: 94/27024 (1994-11-01), None
Hook James
Ratner & Prestia
Schoeller Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment Limited
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