Selectable hole trimmer and methods thereof

Abstract

This disclosure presents a downhole device configured as a selectable hole trimmer. The selectable hole trimmer comprises an upper sleeve affixed inside a body via a stop. A charge sleeve is slidable inside the upper sleeve to provide a pressure to a pressurized volume. A catch sleeve is slidable inside the charge sleeve to align a bypass port and a return port with a drilling mud volume. An actuator is fluidly connected to the pressurized volume via a port. The actuator is configured to provide a pressure to a selectable hole cutter of the body via an actuation port in the transfer sleeve and actuate the selectable hole cutter piston of the selectable hole cutter to move relative to the body, wherein the cutter piston comprises one or more cutters. A manual controller configured to operate the actuator in response to a dropped activation ball.

1 . A device for bypassing drill fluids around a drill bit, the device comprising:
 a sleeve sealingly slidable inside a body, the sleeve having a port alignable with a nozzle of the body and an activation port alignable with a selectable hole cutter of the body;   a resilient member biasing the sleeve against the body;   an actuator configured to provide a pressure to the sleeve and actuate the sleeve to move relative to the body; and   a controller configured to operate the actuator in response to a change of a monitored operation condition.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient member comprises a spring providing a biasing force corresponding to a threshold trigger pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is configured to direct drill fluids to the drill bit when the port is not aligned with the nozzle of the body and is configured to direct a portion of the drill fluids to the drill bit when the port becomes at least partially aligned with the nozzle of the body such that another portion of the drill fluids bypasses the drill bit. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is configured to direct drill fluids to the drill bit when the port is not aligned with the nozzle of the body and the activation port is not aligned with the selectable hole cutter of the body; and
 wherein the sleeve is configured to direct a portion of the drill fluids to the drill bit when the port becomes at least partially aligned with the nozzle of the body and the activation port is at least partially aligned with the selectable hole cutter such that another portion of the drill fluids bypasses the drill bit and activates the selectable hole cutter.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a lock ring setting a movement limit to the sleeve. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises an internal tube housing the sleeve and at least one radial compartment housing at least one of an oil accumulator, a motor pump, a battery, the actuator, or the controller. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a three-way control valve. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes an oil accumulator, a pressure compensator, or both. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the actuator in response to an internal drill string pressure variation measured in a pressure transducer, wherein the internal drill string pressure variation satisfies a trigger condition. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises helical carved structures distributed radially on an external surface of the body. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the helical carved structures are oriented in an axial direction of the body and are configured to facilitate flow of the drill fluids bypassed the drill bit. 
     
     
         12 . A method for controlling drilling fluids in a drill string to bypass a drill bit, the method comprising:
 providing the drill bit a flow of drilling fluids in the drill string, wherein the flow of drilling fluids returns in an annulus;   determining whether a trigger condition has been satisfied;   upon determining the trigger condition has been satisfied, actuating a sleeve to move relative to a body sealingly housing the sleeve, and at least partially aligning a port in the sleeve to a nozzle of the body and an activation port in the sleeve to a selectable hole cutter of the body; and   directing a portion of the flow of drilling fluids through the port to the nozzle to bypass the drill bit and through the activation port to the selectable hole cutter to activate a cutter piston of the selectable hole cutter.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein determining the trigger condition being satisfied comprises measuring a value related to a rotation speed of the downhole drill bit or a pressure of the drilling fluids and comparing the measured value to a reference value. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein determining the satisfaction of the trigger condition comprises receiving a control signal from a controller, wherein the control signal is provided in response to a rotation protocol. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein determining the trigger condition being satisfied comprises comparing a pressure of the drilling fluids inside the drill string and a pressure of the drilling fluids in the annulus outside the drill string to ascertain a pressure difference and wherein actuating the sleeve to move relative to the body comprises actuating a three-way valve in response to the pressure difference between the drilling fluids inside the drill string and the drilling fluids in the annulus. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein comparing the pressure of the drill fluids inside the drill string and the pressure of the drilling fluids in the annulus outside the drill string comprises receiving the drilling fluids inside the drill string in an accumulator or pressure compensator and receiving the drilling fluids in the annulus in another accumulator or pressure compensator. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising biasing the sleeve against the body to close the port from the nozzle and the activation port from the selectable hole cutter upon determining the trigger condition has not been satisfied. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein biasing the sleeve against the body to close the port from the nozzle and the activating port from the selectable hole cutter comprises offsetting the port from the nozzle and the activation port from the selectable hole cutter using a spring. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein actuating the sleeve to move relative to the body comprises sliding the sleeve inside the body or rotating the sleeve inside the body or both. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising regulating the portion of the flow of drilling fluids bypassed the drill bit using helical carved structures to facilitate fluid flow in the annulus. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein directing a portion of the flow of drilling fluids through the port and the nozzle to bypass the drill bit comprises actuating the sleeve to move relative to the body to align an opening in the sleeve to an outlet of the body, wherein actuating the sleeve includes providing a high pressure oil flow, using a motor driven pump, to move the sleeve. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein directing a portion of the flow of drilling fluids through the activation port to the selectable hole cutter to activate the selectable hole cutter comprises:
 actuating the sleeve to move relative to a body to align an opening in the sleeve to an outlet of the body, wherein actuating the sleeve includes providing a high pressure oil flow, using a motor driven pump, to move the sleeve; and   actuating the sleeve to move relative to the body to align the activation port to the selectable hole cutter.   
     
     
         23 . A device for bypassing drill fluids around a drill bit, the device comprising:
 a sleeve sealingly slidable inside a body, the sleeve having a port alignable with a nozzle and an activation port alignable with a selectable hole cutter of the body;   a resilient member biasing the sleeve against the body, wherein the resilient member comprises a spring providing a biasing force corresponding to a threshold trigger pressure;   an actuator configured to provide a pressure to the sleeve and actuate the sleeve to move relative to the body; and   a controller configured to operate the actuator in response to a change of a monitored operation condition.   
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the sleeve is configured to direct drill fluids to the drill bit when the port is not aligned with the nozzle of the body and is configured to direct a portion of the drill fluids to the drill bit when the port becomes at least partially aligned with the nozzle of the body such that another portion of the drill fluids bypasses the drill bit. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the sleeve is configured to direct drill fluids to the drill bit when the port is not aligned with the nozzle of the body and the activation port is not aligned with the selectable hole cutter of the body; and
 wherein the sleeve is configured to direct a portion of the drill fluids to the drill bit when the port becomes at least partially aligned with the nozzle of the body and the activation port is at least partially aligned with the selectable hole cutter such that another portion of the drill fluids bypasses the drill bit and activates the selectable hole cutter.   
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 23 , further comprising a lock ring setting a movement limit to the sleeve. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the body comprises an internal tube housing the sleeve and at least one radial compartment housing at least one of an oil accumulator, a motor pump, a battery, the actuator, or the controller. 
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the actuator includes a three-way control valve. 
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the actuator includes an accumulator, a pressure compensator, or both. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the actuator in response to an internal drill string pressure variation measured in a pressure transducer, wherein the internal drill string pressure variation satisfies a trigger condition. 
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the body comprises helical carved structures distributed radially on an external surface of the body. 
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 31 , wherein the helical carved structures are oriented in an axial direction of the body and are configured to facilitate flow of the drill fluids bypassed the drill bit. 
     
     
         33 . A method for controlling drilling fluids in a drill string to bypass a drill bit, the method comprising:
 providing the drill bit a flow of drilling fluids in the drill string, wherein the flow of drilling fluids returns in an annulus, wherein a resilient member comprises a spring providing a biasing force corresponding to a threshold trigger pressure;   determining whether a trigger condition has been satisfied;   upon determining the trigger condition has been satisfied, actuating a sleeve to move relative to a body sealingly housing the sleeve, and at least partially aligning a port in the sleeve to a nozzle and an activation port with a selectable hole cutter of the body; and   directing a portion of the flow of drilling fluids through the port and the nozzle to bypass the drill bit and through the activation port to the selectable hole cutter to activate the selectable hole cutter.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein determining the trigger condition being satisfied comprises measuring a value related to a rotation speed of the downhole drill bit or a pressure of the drilling fluids and comparing the measured value to a reference value. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein determining the satisfaction of the trigger condition comprises receiving a control signal from a controller, wherein the control signal is provided in response to a rotation protocol. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein determining the trigger condition being satisfied comprises comparing a pressure of the drilling fluids inside the drill string and a pressure of the drilling fluids in the annulus outside the drill string to ascertain a pressure difference and wherein actuating the sleeve to move relative to the body comprises actuating a three-way valve in response to the pressure difference between the drilling fluids inside the drill string and the drilling fluids in the annulus. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein comparing the pressure of the drill fluids inside the drill string and the pressure of the drilling fluids in the annulus outside the drill string comprises receiving the drilling fluids inside the drill string in an accumulator or pressure compensator and receiving the drilling fluids in the annulus in another accumulator or pressure compensator. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising biasing the sleeve against the body to close the port from the nozzle and the activation port from the selectable hole cutter upon determining the trigger condition has not been satisfied. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein biasing the sleeve against the body to close the port from the nozzle and the activation port from the selectable hole cutter comprises offsetting the port from the nozzle and the activation port from selectable hole cutter using a coil spring. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein actuating the sleeve to move relative to the body comprises sliding the sleeve inside the body or rotating the sleeve inside the body or both. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising regulating the portion of the flow of drilling fluids bypassed the drill bit using helical carved structures to facilitate fluid flow in the annulus. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein directing a portion of the flow of drilling fluids through the port and the nozzle to bypass the drill bit comprises actuating the sleeve to move relative to a body to align an opening in the sleeve to an outlet of the body, wherein actuating the sleeve includes providing a high pressure oil flow, using a motor driven pump, to move the sleeve. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein directing a portion of the flow of drilling fluids through the activation port to the selectable hole cutter to activate the selectable hole cutter comprises:
 actuating the sleeve to move relative to a body to align an opening in the sleeve to an outlet of the body, wherein actuating the sleeve includes providing a high pressure oil flow, using a motor driven pump, to move the sleeve; and   actuating the sleeve to move relative to the body to align the activation port to the selectable hole cutter.   
     
     
         44 . A method of making a device for bypassing fluids around a drill bit, the method comprising:
 providing a lower sleeve, an upper sleeve and a resilient member;   assembling the lower sleeve, the upper sleeve and the resilient member to form a sleeve;   assembling a body and the sleeve to form the device for bypassing drill fluids around the drill bit, wherein the sleeve is sealingly slidable inside the body and wherein the sleeve has a port alignable with a nozzle of the body and an activation port alignable with a selectable hole cutter of the body.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the resilient member comprises a spring providing a biasing force corresponding to a threshold trigger pressure. 
     
     
         46 - 120 . (canceled)