Systems and methods for running tubulars into subterranean wellbores

Abstract

A guide assembly for running a liner through a borehole extending through a subterranean formation, the guide assembly having a central axis, a first end configured to be coupled to the liner, and a second end opposite the first end. The guide assembly includes a guide shoe disposed at the second end, a drive assembly including a radially outer housing, and a rotor concentrically disposed in the housing. The rotor has a first end distal the guide shoe and a second end fixably coupled to the guide shoe, and is configured to rotate about the central axis relative to the housing about the central axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A guide assembly for running a liner through a borehole extending through a subterranean formation, the guide assembly having a central axis, a first end configured to be coupled to the liner, and a second end opposite the first end, the guide assembly comprising:
 a guide shoe disposed at the second end;   a drive assembly including a radially outer housing and a rotor concentrically disposed in the housing, wherein the rotor is configured to rotate about the central axis relative to the housing about the central axis;   wherein the rotor has a first end distal the guide shoe and a second end fixably coupled to the guide shoe.   
     
     
         2 . The guide assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor includes a plurality of circumferentially-spaced parallel helical flights. 
     
     
         3 . The guide assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of helical flights of the rotor are radially spaced from the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The guide assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising an inlet guide including a plurality of circumferentially-spaced parallel helical flights. 
     
     
         5 . The guide assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the rotor is configured to rotate relative to the inlet guide. 
     
     
         6 . The guide assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of helical flights of the inlet guide statically engage a cylindrical inner surface of the outer housing. 
     
     
         7 . The guide assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of helical flights of the inlet guide spiral about the central axis in a first direction and the helical flights of the rotor spiral about the central axis in a second direction that is opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         8 . The guide assembly of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of helical flights of the rotor are oriented at a flight angle A relative to a reference plane oriented perpendicular to the central axis and each of the plurality of helical flights of the inlet guide are oriented at a flight angle B relative to the reference plane, and wherein the sum of angle A and angle B is between 0° and 180°. 
     
     
         9 . The guide assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the drive assembly includes a first radial bearing, a second radial bearing, an first thrust bearing, and a second thrust bearing;
 wherein the first radial bearing is radially positioned between the rotor and the inlet guide and the second radial bearing is radially positioned between the rotor and the housing;   wherein the first thrust bearing is axially positioned between a spacer and the inlet guide and the second thrust bearing is axially positioned between the housing and the guide shoe.   
     
     
         10 . The guide assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor includes a bore extending axially from the second end of the rotor and a port extending radially from an outer surface of the rotor to the bore. 
     
     
         11 . The guide assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the guide shoe includes an inner fluid cavity in fluid communication with the bore of the rotor and a plurality of ports extending from the inner fluid cavity to an outer surface of the guide shoe. 
     
     
         12 . A guide assembly for running a liner through a borehole extending through a subterranean formation, the guide assembly having a central axis, a first end configured to be coupled to the tubular, and a second end opposite the first end, the guide assembly comprising:
 a guide shoe disposed at the second end;   a drive assembly including a radially outer housing and a rotor rotatably disposed in the housing, wherein the rotor has a first end distal the guide shoe, a second end fixably coupled to the guide shoe, and an outer surface extending from the first end of the rotor to the second end of the rotor, wherein the outer surface of the rotor includes a plurality of circumferentially-spaced parallel helical flights;   an inlet guide disposed about the rotor and axially positioned between the first end of the rotor and the plurality of helical flights of the rotor, wherein the inlet guide has an outer surface including a plurality of circumferentially-spaced parallel helical flights;   wherein each of the helical flights of the rotor spiral about the central axis in a first direction and the plurality of helical flights of the inlet guide spiral about the central axis in a second direction that is opposite the first direction.   
     
     
         13 . The guide assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the rotor is coaxially disposed in the outer housing. 
     
     
         14 . The guide assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the rotor is configured to rotate relative to the inlet guide. 
     
     
         15 . The guide assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of circumferentially-spaced parallel helical flights of the inlet guide statically engage the outer housing. 
     
     
         16 . The guide assembly of  claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of helical flights of the rotor are oriented at a flight angle A relative to a reference plane oriented perpendicular to the central axis and each of the plurality of helical flights of the inlet guide are oriented at a flight angle B relative to the reference plane, and wherein the sum of angle A and angle B is between 0° and 180°. 
     
     
         17 . The guide assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the rotor includes a bore extending axially from the second end of the rotor and a plurality of circumferentially-spaced ports extending radially from an outer surface of the rotor to the bore. 
     
     
         18 . The guide assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the guide shoe includes an inner fluid cavity in fluid communication with the bore of the rotor and a plurality of ports extending from the inner fluid cavity to an outer surface of the guide shoe. 
     
     
         19 . A guide assembly for running a tubular through a borehole extending through a formation, the guide assembly having a central axis, a first end configured to be coupled to the tubular, and a second end opposite the first end, the guide assembly comprising:
 a guide shoe disposed at the second end; and   a drive assembly configured to drive the rotation of the guide shoe about the central axis, wherein the drive assembly includes a radially outer tubular housing and a rotor rotatably disposed within the housing, wherein the rotor has a first end distal the guide shoe and a second end fixably coupled to the guide shoe, wherein the rotor includes a bore extending axially from the second end of the rotor and a port extending radially from an outer surface of the rotor to the bore;   wherein the guide shoe includes an inner fluid cavity in fluid communication with the bore of the rotor and a port extending from the inner fluid cavity to an outer surface of the guide shoe.   
     
     
         20 . The guide assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the rotor includes a plurality of circumferentially-spaced parallel helical flights. 
     
     
         21 . The guide assembly of  claim 20 , further comprising an inlet guide including a plurality of circumferentially-spaced parallel helical flights, wherein the rotor is configured to rotate relative to the inlet guide. 
     
     
         22 . The guide assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of helical flights of the inlet guide statically engage the outer housing. 
     
     
         23 . The guide assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of helical flights of the rotor spiral about the central axis in a first direction; and
 wherein the plurality of helical flights of the inlet guide spiral about the central axis in a second direction that is opposite the first direction.   
     
     
         24 . The guide assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the guide shoe has an eccentric geometry and is eccentrically weighted. 
     
     
         25 . The guide assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the rotor has an eccentric geometry and is eccentrically weighted. 
     
     
         26 . The guide assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the guide shoe and the rotor have an eccentric geometry and are eccentrically weighted.