Method and apparatus for improving drilling efficiency by application of a traveling wave to drilling fluid
US5950736A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 26, 1997 |
| Grant date | Sep 14, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 26, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE21B7/18
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A drilling apparatus includes a drill string, a drilling head located at a first end of the drill string, a drilling fluid pump located at a second end of the drill string, wherein the drilling fluid pump pumps a drilling fluid along the length of the drill string to the drilling head, and a traveling wave generator coupled to the drill string at a location downstream of the drilling fluid pump, wherein the traveling wave generator generates a series of ramped pressure pulses that are applied to the drilling fluid. The ramped pressure pulses are compressed by a reduction of the cross-sectional area of the drill string, and further by time compression caused by varying propagation rates of different portions of the pressure pulses pressure pulse if substantially formed at a surface of a drilling substrate. A shock wave associated with the compressed pressure pulse is generated substantially at the location of a surface of a drilling substrate. The traveling wave generator includes a gas chamber, a heating element located in the gas chamber, and a control unit for controlling the operation of the heating element to generate the ramped pressure pulses. A drilling rate detection mechan…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.