Motor housing assembly connections using radially disposed anti-rotation fasteners in well systems

Inventors: Philip Ekins (Frimley, GB); Michael Rimmer (Frimley, GB); Hassan Mansir (Frimley, GB)

Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.

H02K5/132 E21B43/128

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12689258
App. No.: 19/033,711
Granted: Jul 21, 2026
Kind: B1

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Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for implementing a downhole motor assembly in a well system. The downhole motor assembly may include a first tubular housing configured to house a first portion of the downhole motor assembly, and a second tubular housing configured to house a second portion of the downhole motor assembly. The second tubular housing may be configured to axially join with the first tubular housing. One or more radially disposed fasteners may be coupled with the first tubular housing and the second tubular housing. The one or more radially disposed fasteners may be configured to secure a joint between the first tubular housing and the second tubular housing. Each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners may include a threaded portion and a cylindrical portion.

Claims (33)

1 . A downhole motor assembly for a well system, comprising:

a first tubular housing configured to directly house a first portion of the downhole motor assembly;

a second tubular housing configured to directly house a second portion of the downhole motor assembly and configured to axially join with the first tubular housing; and

one or more radially disposed fasteners coupled with the first tubular housing and the second tubular housing and configured to secure a joint between the first tubular housing and the second tubular housing, each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners including a threaded portion and a cylindrical portion.

2 . The downhole motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the downhole motor assembly is an electric submersible pump (ESP) motor assembly of the well system, and the one or more one or more radially disposed fasteners are one or more shoulder bolts.

3 . The downhole motor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising one or more fastener retainment mechanisms, wherein each of the one or more fastener retainment mechanisms is coupled with a corresponding one of the one or more radially disposed fasteners, and each of the one or more fastener retainment mechanisms is configured to retain in place the corresponding one of the one or more radially disposed fasteners to further secure the joint between the first tubular housing and the second tubular housing.

4 . The downhole motor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising one or more lock washers, wherein the one or more radially disposed fasteners are one or more shoulder bolts, wherein each of the one or more lock washers is coupled with a corresponding one of the one or more shoulder bolts.

5 . The downhole motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the threaded portion of each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners is located at a bottom portion of the radially disposed fastener, and the cylindrical portion of each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners is located at a top portion of the radially disposed fastener, wherein the cylindrical portion is a cylindrical shoulder portion having a larger diameter than the threaded portion.

6 . The downhole motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical portion of each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners is located at a bottom portion of the radially disposed fastener, and the threaded portion of each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners is located at a top portion of the radially disposed fastener, wherein the threaded portion has a larger diameter than the cylindrical portion.

7 . The downhole motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners include a drive feature for driving and tightening the radially disposed fastener into a corresponding milled fastener hole at the joint of the first tubular housing and the second tubular housing and for removing the radially disposed fastener when disassembling the first tubular housing and the second tubular housing.

8 . The downhole motor assembly of claim 7 , wherein each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners or an area of either the first tubular housing or the second tubular housing that surrounds each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners after being inserted into the corresponding milled fastener holes includes a peened feature to further retain each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners at the joint between the first tubular housing and the second tubular housing.

9 . The downhole motor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more radially disposed fasteners are configured to secure the joint between the first tubular housing and the second tubular housing by constraining axial and rotational movements of the first tubular housing and the second tubular housing.

10 . A well system, comprising:

a well tubing; and

a downhole motor assembly coupled with the well tubing, the downhole motor assembly including:

a first tubular housing configured to directly house a first portion of the downhole motor assembly;

a second tubular housing configured to directly house a second portion of the downhole motor assembly and configured to axially join with the first tubular housing; and

11 . The well system of claim 10 , wherein the downhole motor assembly is an electric submersible pump (ESP) motor assembly of the well system, and the one or more one or more radially disposed fasteners are one or more shoulder bolts.

12 . The well system of claim 10 , wherein the downhole motor assembly further includes one or more fastener retainment mechanisms, wherein each of the one or more fastener retainment mechanisms is coupled with a corresponding one of the one or more radially disposed fasteners, and each of the one or more fastener retainment mechanisms is configured to retain in place the corresponding one of the one or more radially disposed fasteners to further secure the joint between the first tubular housing and the second tubular housing.

13 . The well system of claim 10 , further comprising one or more lock washers, wherein the one or more radially disposed fasteners are one or more shoulder bolts, wherein each of the one or more lock washers is coupled with a corresponding one of the one or more shoulder bolts.

14 . The well system of claim 10 , wherein the threaded portion of each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners is located at a bottom portion of the radially disposed fastener, and the cylindrical portion of each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners is located at a top portion of the radially disposed fastener, wherein the cylindrical portion is a cylindrical shoulder portion having a larger diameter than the threaded portion.

15 . The well system of claim 10 , wherein the cylindrical portion of each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners is located at a bottom portion of the radially disposed fastener, and the threaded portion of each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners is located at a top portion of the radially disposed fastener, wherein the threaded portion has a larger diameter than the cylindrical portion.

16 . The well system of claim 10 , wherein each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners include a drive feature for driving and tightening the radially disposed fastener into a corresponding milled fastener hole at the joint of the first tubular housing and the second tubular housing and for removing the radially disposed fastener when disassembling the first tubular housing and the second tubular housing.

17 . The well system of claim 16 , wherein each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners or an area of either the first tubular housing or the second tubular housing that surrounds each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners after being inserted into the corresponding milled fastener holes includes a peened feature to further retain each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners at the joint between the first tubular housing and the second tubular housing.

18 . A method for using a downhole motor assembly in a well system, comprising:

positioning the downhole motor assembly downhole in a wellbore of the well system, the downhole motor assembly including:

a first tubular housing configured to directly house a first portion of the downhole motor assembly,

a second tubular housing configured to directly house a second portion of the downhole motor assembly and configured to axially join with the first tubular housing, and

performing one or more well operations in the wellbore using the downhole motor assembly.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the threaded portion of each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners is located at a bottom portion of the radially disposed fastener, and the cylindrical portion of each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners is located at a top portion of the radially disposed fastener, wherein the cylindrical portion is a cylindrical shoulder portion having a larger diameter than the threaded portion.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the cylindrical portion of each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners is located at a bottom portion of the radially disposed fastener, and the threaded portion of each of the one or more radially disposed fasteners is located at a top portion of the radially disposed fastener, wherein the threaded portion has a larger diameter than the cylindrical portion.