Downhole drilling force assembly and method of using same

Abstract

A drilling assembly, drilling system and method is provided. The drilling system includes a drilling rig with a drill string deployable therefrom and drivable thereby. The drill string has a bottom hole assembly with a drill bit at a lower end thereof advanceable into a subterranean formation to form a wellbore. The drilling assembly includes at least one mandrel operatively connectable to the drill string, at least one sleeve positionable about the mandrel (the sleeve having an offset stabilizer on an outer surface thereof selectively positionable in contact with a wall of the wellbore), and an orienter with a receptacle on an interior of the sleeve and a socket on an exterior of the mandrel. The socket is interlockingly engageable with the receptacle whereby the sleeve is orientable about the drill string. The one mandrel and the sleeve have a mass offset from the drill string whereby rotation of the drill string is affected during drilling.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drilling assembly of a drilling system comprising a drilling rig with a drill string deployable therefrom and drivable thereby, the drill string having a bottom hole assembly with a drill bit at a lower end thereof advanceable into a subterranean formation to form a wellbore, the drilling assembly comprising:
 at least one mandrel operatively connectable to the drill string;   at least one sleeve positionable about the at least one mandrel, the at least one sleeve having an offset stabilizer on an outer surface thereof selectively positionable in contact with a wall of the wellbore; and   an orienter comprising a receptacle on an interior of the at least one sleeve and a socket on an exterior of the at least one mandrel, the socket interlockingly engageable with the receptacle whereby the at least one sleeve is orientable about the drill string;   wherein the at least one mandrel and the at least one sleeve have a mass offset from the drill string whereby rotation of the drill string is affected during drilling.   
     
     
         2 . The drilling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one mandrel comprises a plurality of mandrels threadedly connected together. 
     
     
         3 . The drilling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sleeve is threadedly connectable to the at least one mandrel. 
     
     
         4 . The drilling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sleeve has threads at an inner surface thereof at an end thereof mated with threads along the outer surface of the at least one mandrel. 
     
     
         5 . The drilling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sleeve comprises a modular sleeve having a plurality of sleeve portions. 
     
     
         6 . The drilling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sleeve has a window therethrough. 
     
     
         7 . The drilling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the orienter comprises a polygonal interface. 
     
     
         8 . The drilling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the orienter comprises a splined interface comprising a plurality of splines. 
     
     
         9 . The drilling assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a locking assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The drilling assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the locking assembly comprises a pin extendable through the locking sleeve and into the at least one mandrel. 
     
     
         11 . The drilling assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the locking assembly comprises a washer positionable between a locking sleeve and the at least one mandrel. 
     
     
         12 . The drilling assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the locking assembly comprises a threaded locking sleeve. 
     
     
         13 . The drilling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one mandrel comprises a threaded connector connectable to the drill string. 
     
     
         14 . The drilling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sleeve has an axis offset from an axis of the drill string. 
     
     
         15 . The drilling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sleeve is orientable via the orienter to one of another sleeve, a reamer, the drill bit, another drilling assembly, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . A drilling system for drilling a wellbore into a subterranean formation, the drilling system comprising:
 a drill string deployable from a drilling rig and drivable thereby, the drill string having a bottom hole assembly and a drill bit at a lower end thereof;   at least one drilling assembly, comprising:
 at least one mandrel operatively connectable to the drill string; 
 at least one sleeve positionable about the at least one mandrel, the at least one sleeve having an offset stabilizer on an outer surface thereof selectively positionable in contact with a wall of the wellbore; and 
 an orienter comprising a receptacle on an interior of the at least one sleeve and a socket on an exterior of the at least one mandrel, the socket interlockingly engageable with the receptacle whereby the at least one sleeve is orientable about the drill string; 
 wherein the at least one mandrel and the at least one sleeve have a mass offset from the drill string whereby rotation of the drill string is affected during drilling. 
   
     
     
         17 . The drilling system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one drilling assembly comprises a plurality of drilling assemblies with at least one spacer therebetween. 
     
     
         18 . The drilling system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one drilling assembly comprises at least one drilling assembly and at least one drilling component. 
     
     
         19 . The drilling system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one drilling component comprises a reamer. 
     
     
         20 . The drilling system of  claim 16 , wherein the bottom hole assembly comprises a driver. 
     
     
         21 . The drilling assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one drilling assembly comprises a plurality of drilling assemblies alignable about the drill string. 
     
     
         22 . The drilling system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one drilling assembly comprises a plurality of drilling assemblies oriented via the orienter. 
     
     
         23 . The drilling assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one drilling assembly is oriented relative to one of another at least one drilling assembly, a reamer, a drill bit, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         24 . A method of assembling a downhole drilling tool for drilling a wellbore into a subterranean formation, the method comprising:
 operatively connecting at least one drilling assembly to a drill string having a bottom hole assembly and a drill bit at a lower end thereof, the at least one drilling assembly comprising:
 at least one mandrel operatively connectable to the drill string; 
 at least one sleeve positionable about the at least one mandrel, the at least one sleeve having an offset stabilizer on an outer surface thereof selectively positionable in contact with a wall of the wellbore; and 
 an orienter comprising a receptacle on an interior of the at least one sleeve and a socket on an exterior of the at least one mandrel, the socket interlockingly engageable with the receptacle whereby the at least one sleeve is orientable about the drill string; 
 wherein the at least one mandrel and the at least one sleeve have a mass offset from the drill string whereby rotation of the drill string is affected during drilling; and 
   orienting the at least one drilling assembly with the orienter.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising encouraging forward synchronous whirl with the mass offset during rotation of the drill string. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the operatively connecting comprises:
 running a first portion of the drill string with the drill bit thereon into the wellbore;   operatively connecting the at least one mandrel to the first portion of the drill string;   operatively connecting the at least one sleeve about the at least one mandrel; and   operatively connecting a second portion of the drill string to the at least one mandrel.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the operatively connecting comprises:
 operatively connecting the at least one mandrel to a downhole portion of the drill string, the at least one mandrel having a plurality of mandrel splines on an outer surface thereof;   positioning the at least one sleeve about the at least one mandrel, the at least one sleeve having at least one radial extension on an outer surface thereof and a plurality of sleeve splines on an inner surface thereof, the at least one radial extension offset about an axis of the drill string;   orienting the at least one sleeve about the drill string by engaging the plurality of sleeve splines with the plurality of mandrel splines; and   connecting an uphole end of the drill string to the at least one mandrel.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the operatively connecting comprises operatively connecting a plurality of the at least one drilling assemblies in alignment along the drill string. 
     
     
         29 . A method of drilling a wellbore into a subterranean formation, the method comprising:
 providing a drill string having a bottom hole assembly and a drill bit at a lower end thereof with at least one drilling assembly comprising:
 at least one mandrel operatively connectable to the drill string; 
 at least one sleeve positionable about the at least one mandrel, the at least one sleeve having an offset stabilizer on an outer surface thereof, the offset stabilizer having a mass offset about an axis of the at least one mandrel and selectively positionable in contact with a wall of the wellbore; and 
 an orienter comprising a receptacle on an interior of the at least one sleeve and a socket on an exterior of the at least one mandrel, the socket interlockingly engageable with the receptacle; 
 wherein the at least one drilling assembly has a mass offset from the drill string whereby rotation of the drill string is affected during drilling; and 
   orienting the at least one drilling assembly with the orienter; and   advancing the at least one drilling assembly into the subterranean formation.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising affecting whirl of the drill string by engaging a wall of the wellbore with the at least one sleeve during the drilling. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising rotating the drill string at a speed sufficient to create a forward synchronous whirl. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising offsetting an axis of the at least one drilling assembly from an axis of the drill string such that whirl is affected during drilling. 
     
     
         33 . A drilling assembly of a drilling system comprising a drilling rig with a drill string deployable therefrom and drivable thereby, the drill string having a bottom hole assembly with a drill bit at a lower end thereof advanceable into a subterranean formation to form a wellbore, the drilling assembly comprising:
 at least one mandrel operatively connectable to the drill string; and   a removable sleeve positionable about the at least one mandrel, the at least one sleeve having an offset stabilizer on an outer surface thereof, the at least one sleeve being selectively positionable in contact with a wall of the wellbore;   wherein the at least one mandrel and the removable sleeve have a mass offset from a mass of the drill string whereby forward synchronous whirl of the drill string is encouraged during drilling.   
     
     
         34 . The drilling assembly of  claim 33 , wherein the removable sleeve is reversibly positionable along the at least one mandrel. 
     
     
         35 . The drilling assembly of  claim 33 , further comprising an orienter for positioning the removable sleeve about the at least one mandrel.