skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Method for improving cuttings transport during the rotary drilling of a wellbore

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6818549

A method is described for increasing the cuttings transport efficiency during the rotary drilling of a wellbore with a drill string formed of a plurality of sections of drill pipe interconnected at tool joints and having a drill bit at the lower end thereof, comprising: (a) circulating a drilling fluid down the drill string and returning the fluid from the wellbore up the annulus formed between the drill string and the wellbore wall, (b) flowing the drilling fluid through a plurality of annulus reducers successively varying in diameter and located at spaced apart positions along the drill string and (c) axially reciprocating the drill string a distance at least equal to the axial spacing of the variable diameter annulus reducers along the drill string during drilling while continuously maintaining drilling bit weight so as to provide a cyclical pumping action to the flow of drilling fluids in the axial direction of the wellbore which enhances the transport of drill cuttings up the annulus of the wellbore.

Assignee:
Mobil Oil Corp., New York, NY
Patent Number(s):
US 4754819
OSTI ID:
6818549
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: Filed date 11 Mar 1987
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English