High Annular Area Low Friction Stabilizer Design

Abstract

A low friction stabilizer having a body and a plurality of small contact pads configured to function with the effectiveness of a single, larger contact pad is described. The assemblage and configuration of the small contact pads enable the performance of stabilization while reducing rotational drag and while allowing high annular flow around the stabilizer.

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         5 . A rotary drill string stabilizer for use in drilling a bore hole comprising:
 a tubular structure having means adapted to secure the structure in a bottom hole apparatus,   an axial flow passageway formed through said stabilizer through which drilling fluid can flow toward the drill bit of the bottom hole apparatus;   the tubular structure being smaller in diameter than the bore hole being drilled and on which are disposed a plurality of positioned contact pads,   said plurality of positioned contact pads being in frictional contact with the inner diameter of the bore hole being drilled   the plurality of said contact pads being positioned in a lesser plurality of intersticed circumferential helical blades along the tubular structure and further   the placement of contact pads on the tubular structure resulting in linear junk slots through the intersticed circumferential helical blades.   
     
     
         6 . The rotary drill string stabilizer of  claim 5  in which the contact pads are disposed on the tubular structure pair-wise. 
     
     
         7 . The rotary drill string stabilizer of  claim 5  in which a smaller number of larger contact pads are disposed in a plurality of circumferential helical blades. 
     
     
         8 . The rotary drill string stabilizer of  claim 6  in which a larger number of smaller contact are disposed in a plurality of generally helical blades. 
     
     
         9 . The rotary drill string stabilizer of  claim 5  in which the intersticed contact pads create reduced frictional loss during operation. 
     
     
         10 . The rotary drill string stabilizer of  claim 6  in which the intersticed contact pads create reduced frictional loss during operation. 
     
     
         11 . The rotary drill string stabilizer of  claim 5  in which intersticed contact pads create a large annular junk slot volume. 
     
     
         12 . The rotary drill string stabilizer of  claim 6  in which the intersticed contact pads create a large annular junk slot volume. 
     
     
         13 . The rotary drill string stabilizer of  claim 5  in which a shorter length of the intersticed circumferential helical blades along the longitudinal axis of the tubular structure allows increased drill string flexibility. 
     
     
         14 . The rotary drill string stabilizer of  claim 5  in which a longer length of the intersticed circumferential helical blades along the longitudinal axis of the tubular structure allows decreased drill string flexibility. 
     
     
         15 . The rotary drill string stabilizer of  claim 6  in which a shorter length of the intersticed circumferential helical blades along the longitudinal axis of the tubular structure allows increased drill string flexibility. 
     
     
         16 . The rotary drill string stabilizer of  claim 6  in which a longer length of the intersticed circumferential blades along the longitudinal axis of the tubular structure allows decreased drill string flexibility. 
     
     
         17 . A rotary drill string stabilizer comprising a tubular structure on which are disposed contact pads in a plurality of helical blades approximating the size and shape of a solid helical blades and in which
 junk slots are formed between the contact pads parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular structure, which junk slots are approximately linear along the longitudinal axis of the tubular structure.   
     
     
         18 . The rotary drill string stabilizer of  claim 17  in which a smaller number of larger contact pads are disposed in a plurality of circumferential helical blades. 
     
     
         19 . The rotary drill string stabilizer of  claim 17  in which a larger number of smaller contact pads are disposed in a plurality of circumferential helical blades. 
     
     
         20 . The rotary drill string stabilizer of  claim 17  in which the use of intersticed contact pads result in reduced frictional loss with no loss of drill string stability. 
     
     
         21 . The rotary drill string stabilizer of  claim 17  in which the intersticed contact pads create a large annular junk slot volume. 
     
     
         22 . The rotary drill string stabilizer of  claim 17  in which the contact pads are disposed on the tubular structure pair-wise. 
     
     
         23 . A rotary drill string stabilizer for use in drilling a bore hole comprising:
 a tubular structure having means adapted to secure the structure in a bottom hole apparatus,   the generally tubular structure being smaller in diameter than the bore hole being drilled and on which are disposed a plurality of positioned contact pads,   said plurality of positioned contact pads being sufficiently radially sized to be in frictional contact with the inner diameter of the bore hole being drilled   a sufficient number of said contact pads being positioned in a lesser plurality of intersticed circumferential helical blades along the tubular structure and further   linear junk slots between contact pads which allow tripping of the drill string with reduced fouling, balling or packing off.