High productivity core drilling system
View Patent ↗High productivity core drilling systems include a drill string, an inner core barrel assembly, an outer core barrel assembly, and a retrieval tool that connects the inner core barrel assembly to a wireline cable and hoist. The drill string comprises multiple variable geometry drill rods. The inner core barrel assembly comprises a non-dragging latching mechanism, such as a fluid-driven latching mechanism that contains a detent mechanism that retains the latches in either an engaged or a retracted position. The inner core barrel assembly also comprised high efficiency fluid porting.
1. A downhole tool assembly configured to be tripped through a drill string, comprising:
a core barrel head assembly comprising an outer sleeve;
a non-dragging latching mechanism configured to be tripped into a drill string without dragging against an interior surface of the drill string, wherein the latching mechanism is configured to selectively move between an engaged position and a retracted position, wherein when in said engaged position, at least a portion of said latching mechanism extends outward of said outer sleeve; and
a detent mechanism configured to selectively lock said latching mechanism in said retracted position as said core barrel head assembly is tripped into the drill string, wherein said detent mechanism comprises:
a first pair of opposed recesses extending into an inner surface of said outer sleeve;
a second pair of opposed recesses extending into said inner surface of said outer sleeve, wherein said second pair of opposed recesses is spaced distally with respect to said first pair of opposed recesses;
a pair of balls configured to be selectively biasably received within said first pair of opposed recesses when said latching mechanism is in said retracted position and within said second pair of opposed recesses when said latching mechanism is in said engaged position; and
a spring positioned therebetween said pair of balls and configured to selectively bias said pair of balls outwardly toward the one pair of the respective said first or second pairs of opposed recesses.
2. The downhole tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein said latching mechanism comprises a fluid-driven latching mechanism.
3. The downhole tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein said detent mechanism is configured to selectively retain said latching mechanism in said engaged position.
4. The downhole tool assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a retrieval portion coupled to said core barrel head assembly.
5. The downhole tool assembly of claim 4 , wherein said latching mechanism is configured to be moved into said engaged position by fluid pressure and configured to be moved to said retracted position by a force on a retrieval portion.
6. The downhole tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein said core barrel head assembly further comprises an inner member moveably coupled to said outer sleeve.
7. The downhole tool assembly of claim 6 , wherein said detent mechanism is configured to selectively prevent movement of said outer sleeve relative to said inner member.
8. The downhole tool assembly of claim 7 , wherein said outer sleeve has a longitudinal axis, and wherein said first pair of opposed recesses is spaced longitudinally with respect the said second pair of opposed recesses.
9. The downhole tool assembly of claim 8 , wherein said spring is positioned substantially transverse to said longitudinal axis of said outer sleeve.
10. The downhole tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein said latching mechanism comprises:
a latch arm; and
a pin;
wherein axial movement of said pin causes said latch arm to pivot between said engaged position and said retracted position.
11. The downhole tool assembly of claim 1 , wherein said latching mechanism comprises one of latch arms, latch balls, latch rollers, or multi-component linkages.
12. A core barrel head assembly configured to be tripped through a drill string to an outer core barrel having a landing ring, comprising:
an inner member;
an outer sleeve moveably coupled to the inner member, the outer sleeve having an outer diameter,
a latching mechanism configured to selectively move between an engaged position and a retracted position as the outer sleeve moves relative to the inner member, wherein, when in the engaged position, at least a portion of the latching mechanism extends outward of the outer sleeve, and wherein, when in the retracted position, the latching mechanism is constrained within the outer diameter of the outer sleeve; and
a detent mechanism configured to selectively prevent movement of the outer sleeve relative to the inner member and thus selectively lock the latching mechanism in the retracted position until the distal end of the outer sleeve of the core barrel head assembly is positioned proximate the landing ring whereupon the inner member is forced to move axially and distally a predetermined distance relative to the outer sleeve to selectively lock the latching mechanism in the engaged position.
13. The core barrel head assembly as recited in claim 12 , wherein the detent mechanism comprises:
at least one recess extending into an inner surface of the outer sleeve; and
at least one feature adapted to extend from the inner member into the at least one recess of the outer sleeve.
14. The core barrel head assembly as recited in claim 13 , wherein the detent mechanism further comprises a spring that biases the at least one feature radially outward toward the at least one recess.
15. The core barrel head assembly as recited in claim 14 , wherein the at least one feature comprises a ball.
16. The core barrel head assembly as recited in claim 15 , wherein the latching mechanism further comprises a latch pin coupled to the latch arm, the latch pin being configured to pivot the latch arm between the retracted position and the engaged position as the outer sleeve moves relative to the inner member.
17. The core barrel head assembly as recited in claim 13 , wherein the detent mechanism further comprises at least a second recess extending into the inner surface of the outer sleeve, the second recess being axially spaced from the at least one recess.
18. The core barrel head assembly as recited in claim 12 , wherein the latching mechanism comprises a latch arm adapted to pivot from between the retracted position and the engaged position.
19. The core barrel head assembly as recited in claim 12 , wherein the detent mechanism comprises:
a first pair of opposed recesses extending into an inner surface of the outer sleeve;
a second pair of opposed recesses extending into said inner surface of the outer sleeve, wherein the second pair of opposed recesses is spaced distally with respect to the first pair of opposed recesses; and
a pair of balls configured to be selectively biasably received within the first pair of opposed recesses when the latching mechanism is in the retracted position and within the second pair of opposed recesses when the latching mechanism is in the engaged position.
20. The core barrel head assembly as recited in claim 19 , wherein the detent mechanism further comprises a spring a spring mounted therein the inner member and configured to selectively bias the pair of balls outwardly toward the one pair of the respective first or second pairs of opposed recesses.
21. A drilling system for interfacing with a drill string having an outer core barrel defining a landing ring, the drilling system comprising:
a core barrel head assembly configured to be tripped to be tripped through the drill string to the outer core barrel, comprising:
an outer sleeve having a distal end and an outer diameter;
a non-dragging latching mechanism configured to be tripped into the drill string without dragging against an interior surface of the drill string, wherein the latching mechanism is configured to selectively move between an engaged position and a retracted position, wherein when in the engaged position, at least a portion of the latching mechanism extends outward of the outer diameter of the outer sleeve, and wherein, when in the retracted position, the latching mechanism is constrained within the outer diameter of the outer sleeve;
a retrieval portion coupled to the outer sleeve and configured to be connected to a wireline cable; and
a detent mechanism configured to selectively lock the latching mechanism in the retracted position until the distal end of the outer sleeve of the core barrel head assembly is positioned proximate the landing ring.
22. The drilling system as recited in claim 21 , wherein the retrieval portion comprises a spearhead that is moveably coupled to the outer sleeve.
23. The drilling system as recited in claim 21 , further comprising
at least one drill rod adapted to be coupled to the outer core barrel;
wherein the at least one drill rod has a varying inner diameter and a uniform outer diameter.
24. The drilling system as recited in claim 21 , further comprising:
a core sample tube; and
an inner channel extending from the core barrel head assembly to the core sample tube.
25. The drilling system of claim 24 , where in the inner channel comprises a check valve that is configured to allow fluid to pass from the core sample tube to the inner channel but not from the inner channel into the core sample tube.
26. The inner drilling system of claim 24 , wherein the core barrel head assembly comprises ports that are hydraulically connected to the inner channel and configured to permit fluid to pass from the inner channel to the exterior of the core barrel head assembly.
27. The drilling system as recited in claim 24 , further comprising:
an inner member moveably coupled to the outer sleeve; and
wherein the detent mechanism is configured to selectively prevent movement of the outer sleeve relative to the inner member and thus selectively lock the latching mechanism in the retracted position until the inner member is forced to move axially and distally a predetermined distance relative to the outer sleeve whereupon the latching mechanism is selectively locked in the engaged position.
28. The drilling system as recited in claim 27 , wherein the detent mechanism comprises:
at least one recess extending into an inner surface of the outer sleeve; and
at least one feature adapted to extend from the inner member into the at least one recess of the outer sleeve and prevent relative movement between the inner member and the outer sleeve.
29. The drilling system as recited in claim 27 , wherein the detent mechanism comprises:
a first pair of opposed recesses extending into an inner surface of the outer sleeve;
a second pair of opposed recesses extending into the inner surface of the outer sleeve, wherein the second pair of opposed recesses is spaced distally with respect to the first pair of opposed recesses; and
a pair of balls configured to be selectively biasably received within the first pair of opposed recesses when the latching mechanism is in the retracted position and within the second pair of opposed recesses when the latching mechanism is in the engaged position.
30. The drilling system as recited in claim 29 , wherein the detent mechanism further comprises a spring mounted therein the inner member and configured to selectively bias the pair of balls outwardly toward the one pair of the respective first or second pairs of opposed recesses.
31. The drilling system as recited in claim 21 , wherein the detent mechanism is configured to selectively lock the latching mechanism in the retracted position irrespective of a position of the retrieval portion relative to the outer sleeve.
32. The drilling system as recited in claim 21 , wherein, when in the retracted position, the latching mechanism is constrained within the outer diameter of the outer sleeve.