Drill string with aluminum drill pipes, bent housing, and motor

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses include drilling a bore hole in a horizontal direction with a drill bit, a bent housing portion, and a mud motor by rotating the drill bit, the bent housing portion, and the mud motor with drill pipe comprising an aluminum pipe section. The methods and apparatuses also include stopping rotation of the drill pipe and performing a slide by rotating the drill bit with the mud motor to advance the drill bit, the bent housing portion, the mud motor, and the drill pipe in the borehole so that the aluminum pipe section moves axially along the bore hole in the horizontal direction. The methods and apparatuses also include continuing to drill the bore hole by rotating the drill bit, the bent housing portion, and the mud motor with the drill pipe.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a drill bit configured to penetrate a subterranean formation;   a bent housing portion disposed proximal the drill bit, the bent housing having a first housing section and a second housing section, the second housing section offsetting the drill bit from the first housing section;   a mud motor disposed proximal of the drill bit and configured to rotate the drill bit independent of rotation of the bent housing;   a drill pipe extending in a well bore, the drill pipe extending from a surface of the well bore toward the first housing section of the bent portion and being rotatable to rotate the drill bit, the bent housing portion, and the mud motor, the drill pipe comprising a horizontally disposed section in the well bore, the horizontally disposed section comprising an aluminum pipe section.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum pipe section in the horizontally disposed section has a length greater than 4000 feet. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the drill pipe comprises a vertically disposed portion formed of a steel pipe section. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the drill pipe comprises a steel pipe section disposed proximal of the aluminum pipe section. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the drill pipe comprises a section having a first buoyancy and a second section having a second buoyancy, the first buoyancy being greater than the second buoyancy. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the drill pipe comprises a section formed of a material having a first mass and a second section formed of a material having a second mass, the first mass being greater than the second mass. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bent housing portion comprises multiple components fixed in an angled arrangement. 
     
     
         8 . A method, comprising:
 drilling a bore hole in a horizontal direction with a drill bit, a bent housing portion, and a mud motor by rotating the drill bit, the bent housing portion, and the mud motor with drill pipe comprising an aluminum pipe section;   stopping rotation of the drill pipe;   performing a slide by rotating the drill bit with the mud motor to advance the drill bit, the bent housing portion, the mud motor, and the drill pipe in the borehole, so that the aluminum pipe section moves axially along the bore hole in the horizontal direction without rotating; and   continuing to drill the bore hole by rotating the drill bit, the bent housing portion, and the mud motor with the drill pipe.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising:
 building a leading portion of the drill pipe with the aluminum pipe section; and   building a trailing portion of the drill pipe with a steel pipe section.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein building a leading portion the drill pipe with the aluminum pipe section comprises building at least 4000 feet of the drill pipe with the aluminum pipe section. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein building a trailing portion of the drill pipe with the steel pipe section comprises building at least 4000 feet of the drill pipe with the steel pipe section. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising rotating the drill pipe with a top drive. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising rotating the aluminum pipe section with a portion of the drill pipe formed of a steel pipe section. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the steel pipe section is disposed in a vertical portion of the well bore. 
     
     
         15 . A method, comprising:
 forming a horizontal segment of a well bore by rotating a bottom hole assembly with aluminum drill pipe, the bottom hole assembly comprising a drill bit and a bent housing portion;   directionally steering the bottom hole assembly by rotating the drill bit independent of the bent housing portion and axially sliding the aluminum drill pipe along the horizontal segment of the well bore without rotating the aluminum drill pipe; and   continuing to drill well bore by rotating the bottom hole assembly with the aluminum drill pipe.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein forming the horizontal segment includes forming the horizontal segment at least 4000 feet in length with at least 4000 feet of aluminum drill pipe. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising:
 building a leading portion of a drill pipe with the aluminum drill pipe; and   building a trailing potion of the drill pipe with steel drill pipe.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein building a leading portion the drill pipe with the aluminum drill pipe comprises building at least 4000 feet of the drill pipe with the aluminum drill pipe. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein building a trailing potion of the drill pipe with the steel drill pipe comprises building at least 4000 feet of the drill pipe with the steel drill pipe. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising rotating the aluminum drill pipe with a top drive. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising rotating the aluminum drill pipe with a steel drill pipe. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the steel drill pipe is disposed in a vertical portion of the well bore.