Subsea wellbore drilling system for reducing bottom hole pressure
US6415877B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 14, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jul 9, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 14, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE21B21/085
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
The present invention provides drilling systems for drilling subsea wellbores. The drilling system includes a tubing that passes through a sea bottom wellhead and carries a drill bit. A drilling fluid system continuously supplies drilling fluid into the tubing, which discharges at the drill bit bottom and returns to the wellhead through an annulus between the tubing and the wellbore carrying the drill cuttings. A fluid return line extending from the wellhead equipment to the drilling vessel transports the returning fluid to the surface. In a riserless arrangement, the return fluid line is separate and spaced apart from the tubing. In a system using a riser, the return fluid line may be the riser or a separate line carried by the riser. The tubing may be coiled tubing with a drilling motor in the bottom hole assembly driving the drill bit. A suction pump coupled to the annulus is used to control the bottom hole pressure during drilling operations, making it possible to use heavier drilling muds and drill to greater depths than would be possible without the suction pump. An optional delivery system continuously injects a flowable material, whose fluid density is less than the density…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.