IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,312,869
Granted Patent B2
US 12,312,869 · App. 18/083,826 · Granted May 27, 2025

Two-part drilling and running tool

Inventor: Borisa Lajesic (Stavanger, NO)
Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
E21B10/64E21B7/061E21B10/602E21B10/62E21B41/0035
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,312,869
App. No.
18/083,826
Granted
May 27, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a two part drilling and running tool, a well system, and a method for forming a well system. The two part drilling and running tool, in one aspect, includes a conveyance, and a smaller assembly coupled to an end of the conveyance. The two part drilling and running tool, in accordance with this aspect, further includes a larger bit assembly slidably coupled to the conveyance, the smaller assembly and larger bit assembly configured to slidingly engage one another downhole to form a combined bit assembly.

Claims (53)

1. A two part drilling and running tool, comprising:

a conveyance;

a smaller assembly coupled to an end of the conveyance, wherein the smaller assembly is a smaller bit assembly including one or more blades and one or more cutting features along a nose thereof; and

a larger bit assembly slidably coupled to the conveyance, the smaller assembly and larger bit assembly configured to slidingly engage one another downhole to form a combined bit assembly.

2. The two part drilling and running tool as recited in claim 1 , wherein the smaller bit assembly is configured to have a run-in-hole position that has the smaller bit assembly spaced apart from the larger bit assembly by a distance (D 0 ) of at least 2 meters.

3. The two part drilling and running tool as recited in claim 1 , wherein the smaller bit assembly is configured to have a run-in-hole position that has the smaller bit assembly spaced apart from the larger bit assembly by a distance (D 0 ) of at least 4 meters.

4. The two part drilling and running tool as recited in claim 1 , wherein the smaller bit assembly includes one or more first profiles and the larger bit assembly includes one or more second profiles, and further wherein the one or more first profiles are configured to engage with the one or more second profiles to rotationally fix the smaller bit assembly with the larger bit assembly when the two are slidingly engaged together.

5. The two part drilling and running tool as recited in claim 4 , wherein the one or more first profiles are one or more external profiles and the one or more second profiles are one or more internal profiles.

6. The two part drilling and running tool as recited in claim 1 , wherein the smaller bit assembly includes one of a lock ring profile or a lock ring, and the larger bit assembly includes an other of the lock ring or the lock ring profile, the lock ring profile and lock ring configured to engage with one another to slidingly fix the smaller bit assembly with the larger bit assembly when the two are slidingly engaged together.

7. The two part drilling and running tool as recited in claim 6 , wherein the smaller bit assembly includes the lock ring profile and the larger bit assembly includes the lock ring.

8. The two part drilling and running tool as recited in claim 1 , wherein the smaller bit assembly includes one or more shear profiles, the one or more shear profiles configured to house one or more shear features configured to removably couple the smaller bit assembly to a whipstock assembly.

9. The two part drilling and running tool as recited in claim 1 , wherein the smaller bit assembly includes one or more fluid ports, the one or more fluid ports configured to provide fluid access downhole of the smaller bit assembly.

10. A well system, comprising:

a main wellbore located within a subterranean formation;

a whipstock assembly positioned within the subterranean formation; and

a two part drilling and running tool positioned within the main wellbore, the two part drilling and running tool including:

a conveyance;

a smaller assembly coupled to an end of the conveyance, wherein the smaller assembly is a smaller bit assembly including one or more blades and one or more cutting features along a nose thereof; and

a larger bit assembly slidably coupled to the conveyance, the smaller assembly and larger bit assembly configured to slidingly engage one another downhole to form a combined bit assembly.

11. The well system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the smaller bit assembly is configured to have a run-in-hole position that has the smaller bit assembly spaced apart from the larger bit assembly by a distance (D 0 ) of at least 2 meters.

12. The well system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the smaller bit assembly is configured to have a run-in-hole position that has the smaller bit assembly spaced apart from the larger bit assembly by a distance (D 0 ) of at least 4 meters.

13. The well system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the smaller bit assembly includes one or more first profiles and the larger bit assembly includes one or more second profiles, and further wherein the one or more first profiles are configured to engage with the one or more second profiles to rotationally fix the smaller bit assembly with the larger bit assembly when the two are slidingly engaged together.

14. The well system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the one or more first profiles are one or more external profiles and the one or more second profiles are one or more internal profiles.

15. The well system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the smaller bit assembly includes one of a lock ring profile or a lock ring, and the larger bit assembly includes an other of the lock ring or the lock ring profile, the lock ring profile and lock ring configured to engage with one another to slidingly fix the smaller bit assembly with the larger bit assembly when the two are slidingly engaged together.

16. The well system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the smaller bit assembly includes the lock ring profile and the larger bit assembly includes the lock ring.

17. The well system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the smaller bit assembly includes one or more shear profiles, the one or more shear profiles configured to house one or more shear features configured to removably couple the smaller bit assembly to a whipstock assembly.

18. The well system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the smaller bit assembly includes one or more fluid ports, the one or more fluid ports configured to provide fluid access downhole of the smaller bit assembly.

19. The well system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the whipstock assembly includes a through bore, and further wherein the smaller bit assembly extends into the through bore.

20. The well system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the smaller bit assembly is axially and rotationally coupled to the whipstock assembly.

21. The well system as recited in claim 20 , wherein the smaller bit assembly includes one or more first profiles and the whipstock assembly includes one or more second profiles, and further wherein the one or more first profiles are configured to engage with the one or more second profiles to fix the smaller bit assembly with the whipstock assembly.

22. The well system as recited in claim 21 , wherein the one or more first profiles are one or more external profiles and the one or more second profiles are one or more internal profiles.

23. The well system as recited in claim 22 , wherein the one or more external profiles and the one or more internal profiles axially and rotationally fix the smaller bit assembly and the whipstock assembly except when subjected to only one of compression, tension or torque.

24. A method for forming a well system, comprising:

forming a main wellbore within a subterranean formation; and

positioning a two part drilling and running tool within the main wellbore, the two part drilling and running tool coupled to a whipstock assembly using a coupling mechanism, the two part drilling and running tool including:

a conveyance;

a smaller assembly coupled to an end of the conveyance, wherein the smaller assembly is a smaller bit assembly including one or more blades and one or more cutting features along a nose thereof; and

a larger bit assembly slidably coupled to the conveyance, the smaller assembly and larger bit assembly configured to slidingly engage one another downhole to form a combined bit assembly.

25. The method as recited in claim 24 , wherein the smaller bit assembly is coupled to the whipstock assembly using the coupling mechanism.

26. The method as recited in claim 25 , further including applying force to the smaller bit assembly to shear the coupling mechanism, and then sliding the smaller bit assembly relative to the larger bit assembly to form a combined bit assembly.

27. The method as recited in claim 26 , wherein the smaller bit assembly and the whipstock assembly are coupled together such that only one of compression, tension or torque may be used to disengage the coupling mechanism.

28. The method as recited in claim 27 , wherein only torque may be used to disengage the coupling mechanism.

29. The method as recited in claim 26 , wherein the larger bit assembly is removably coupled to the whipstock assembly so that the smaller bit assembly may slide relative to the larger bit assembly to form the combined bit assembly after applying force.

30. The method as recited in claim 26 , further including milling casing located within the main wellbore using the combined bit assembly.

31. The method as recited in claim 26 , further including drilling a lateral wellbore off of the main wellbore using the combined bit assembly.

32. A two part drilling and running tool, comprising:

a conveyance;

a smaller assembly coupled to an end of the conveyance, wherein the smaller assembly is a smaller bit assembly including one or more shear profiles, the one or more shear profiles configured to house one or more shear features configured to removably couple the smaller bit assembly to a whipstock assembly; and

a larger bit assembly slidably coupled to the conveyance, the smaller assembly and larger bit assembly configured to slidingly engage one another downhole to form a combined bit assembly.

33. A two part drilling and running tool, comprising:

a conveyance;

a smaller assembly coupled to an end of the conveyance, wherein the smaller assembly is a smaller bit assembly including one or more fluid ports, the one or more fluid ports configured to provide fluid access downhole of the smaller bit assembly; and

a larger bit assembly slidably coupled to the conveyance, the smaller assembly and larger bit assembly configured to slidingly engage one another downhole to form a combined bit assembly.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 19, 2022
From: LAJESIC, BORISA
To: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 062140/0648 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63311493 · Feb 18, 2022
Related Publication 20230265719A1 · Aug 24, 2023
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