Bearing system for a downhole motor. [Bearings and drill fluid circulation systems]

Patent · Tue Mar 25 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5848099

Aumann, J T

This patent describes a bearing means for the driven shaft of a rotating tool in an oil well or the like. The driven shaft is hollow to convey drilling fluid flowing down the drill string to a drill bit. There is a motor adapted to rotate the driven shaft and wherein the drilling fluid is forced down the drill string under pressure to flow through and then out of the drill bit to clear debris from around the drill bit and flush the debris out of the well. The shaft has relatively stationary tubular means supported from the lower end of the drill string having an interior wall forming a chamber. The driven shaft extends downwardly through the chamber and has its outer wall spaced from the interior wall of the tubular means. The shaft supports the drill bit on its lower end and is rotatably supported within the chamber with the tool extending beyond the lower end of the tubular means. Main bearing means within the chamber rotatably supports the driven shaft. Oil seal means in the chamber are disposed above and below the main bearing means, one of the sealing means includes a piston that is longitudinally slidable in the chamber. Oil for lubricating the bearing means is confined between the seals within the chamber. The oil seal is exposed to the pressure of the fluid flowing down through the hollow shaft to the tool before the fluid enters the well being drilled, and a restricted passage to allow drilling fluid to flow outwardly from between and to the outside of the driven shaft. The tubular means into the well is a restricted passage serving to maintain internal fluid pressure against the piston. There is substantially no pressure drop across the lubricant chamber seals and all of the radial thrusts of the driven shaft are taken up by the main bearing means.

• Assignee: Norton Christenson, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT
• Patent Number(s): US 4577704
• OSTI ID: 5848099
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
BEARINGS
DRILL BITS
DRILL PIPES
DRILLING
DRILLING EQUIPMENT
DRILLING FLUIDS
EQUIPMENT
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
LUBRICANTS
LUBRICATING OILS
MOTION
MOTORS
OIL WELLS
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PIPES
PISTONS
PRESSURIZING
ROTATION
SEALS
WELL DRILLING
WELLS