MX2011010233A

MX2011010233A - Methods for forming boring shoes for wellbore casing, and boring shoes and intermediate structures formed by such methods.

Info

Publication number: MX2011010233A
Application number: MX2011010233A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Angela High; Chris Beuerhausen; Adam Williams
Original assignee: Baker Hughes Inc
Priority date: 2009-04-01
Filing date: 2010-04-01
Publication date: 2011-10-11
Also published as: WO2010120567A3; US20100252331A1; GB2480957A; WO2010120567A4; WO2010120567A2; GB201116084D0; BRPI1010308A2; NO20111427A1

Abstract

Methods of attaching a crown of a boring shoe to a casing section include attaching an adaptable shank to a crown, and machining the adaptable shank to configure an end thereof for attachment to a casing section after attaching the adaptable shank to the crown. Additional methods include welding an end of an adaptable shank to a crown to form a boring shoe, selecting the adaptable shank to have an average wall thickness greater than about five percent (5%) of a maximum diameter of the crown, and configuring an opposite end of the adaptable shank for attachment to a particular type of casing section after welding the shank to the crown. Boring shoes have an adaptable shank attached to a crown, wherein the shank comprises a generally cylindrical wall having an average wall thickness greater than about five percent (5%) of a maximum diameter of the crown.

Description

METHODS FOR FORMING PERFORATION CAPS FOR DRILLING OF WELL DRILLING AND PERFORATION CAPS AND INTERMEDIATE STRUCTURES FORMED BY SUCH METHODS TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to ground boring bushes configured to be attached to a hole drilling tubing section, to methods for manufacturing such ground boring bushes, and to methods for adapting such ground boring bushes for attachment to an earthwell. hole drilling tubing section.

BACKGROUND Well drilling for oil and gas production conventionally employs longitudinally extending sections or so-called drill string "chains" to which, at one end, a drill bit of a larger diameter is secured. After a selected portion of the borehole has been drilled, the borehole is usually lined or tubed with a string or casing section. Such tubing or liner usually exhibits a larger diameter than the drill pipe and a diameter smaller than the drill bit. Therefore, drilling and tubing according to the conventional process typically requires sequentially drilling the borehole using a drill string with a drill bit attached to it, remove the drill string and drill bit from the drill hole, and dispose the tubing in the borehole. Also, often after a section of the casing hole is lined, which is usually cemented in place, additional drilling may be desired beyond the end of the casing.

Unfortunately, sequential drilling and tubing can be time consuming because, as can be seen, the considerable depths achieved during the production of oil and gas can be considerable the time required to implement complex recovery procedures to recover the drilling chain. In this way, such operations can be expensive as well, since, for example, the start of profitable production can be greatly delayed. On the other hand, it can be difficult to control the well during the period of time when the drill pipe is being removed and the tubing is being disposed in the borehole.

Some procedures have been developed to address the difficulties associated with conventional drilling and tubing operations. Of initial interest is an apparatus that is known as a reamer bush that has been used in conventional drilling operations. The Reamer bushes have become relatively recent available and are devices that are capable of drilling through slight obstructions within a previously drilled borehole. In addition, the reamer shell may include an inner section manufactured from a material that is pierceable by rotary drill bits. Therefore, when it is cemented in place, the reamer bush usually has no difficulty for a subsequent drill bit. For example, U.S. Patent No. 6,062,326 to Strong et al. Discloses a tubular cap or reamer bush in which the central portion thereof can be configured to be pierced through. In addition, US Pat. No. 6,062,326 to Strong et al. Discloses a casing cap that can -include diamond cutters on the entire face thereof, if it is not desired to drill through them. Such reamers which are configured to join a tubing chain are referred to hereinafter as "reamer bushings".

As an additional extension of the reamer bush concept, in order to address problems with sequential drilling and tubing, tubing drilling is gaining popularity as a method of initially drilling a borehole, where tubing It is used as the drilling conduit and, the tubing is cemented inside and remains inside the well bore to act as the borehole of the well bore. Cased drilling uses a drill bit that is configured to join the casing string instead of a drill string, so the drill bit works not only to drill the ground hole, but also to guide the casing inside the well drilling. This can be advantageous since the tubing is disposed in the borehole as if it will be formed by the drill bit, and therefore eliminates the need to recover the drill string and drill bit after reaching an objective depth where Cementation is desired. Such drill bits that are configured to join a casing string are hereinafter referred to as "drill bushes".

As used herein, the terms "ground boring bushing" and "drill bushing" mean and include any device that is configured to attach to one end of a tubing section and is used to at least drill a borehole. of well, reaming a previously drilled well bore, and guiding the tubing through a previously drilled well borehole, since the tubing section which the device joins is introduced into an underground formation. Grounding sleeves and drill sleeves include, for example, drill sleeves, reamer bushings, tubing sleeves, configured to merely guide the tubing through a well bore and ensure that the diameter of the well bore it remains as it is perforated (that is, it has not diminished as it sometimes happens in reactive or detachment formations), and the sockets that both perforate and ream according to the tubing to which they join are introduced into an underground formation.

Commercially available tubing sections are sold in a variety of different diameters and with a variety of different coupling configurations, as a result, when a ground drill bushing is manufactured for a particular consumer, a conventional drill sleeve must be manufactured to the particular diameter of tubing to which the drill sleeve is to be joined. Additionally, the drill sleeve must be provided with a connection portion that is configured (eg, with ropes) to be coupled in addition to the particular connection portion of the tubing string to which the drill sleeve is to be joined.

There is a need in the art for methods improved for coupling drill sleeves to tubing chains, and for improved methods for adapting the drill sleeves to join casing chains having different connection configurations.

DESCRIPTION In some embodiments, the present invention includes methods for attaching a crown of a drill sleeve to a tubing section. A first end of an adaptable shank can be attached to the crown of a piercing sleeve, and a second opposite end of the adaptable shank can be machined to form the second end of the shank adaptable to join a section of the tubing after joining the first stem end adaptable to the crown.

In further embodiments, the present invention includes methods for joining casings to tubing sections. A first end of an adaptable shank is attached to a crown to form a drill sleeve. The adaptable shank is selected to have an average wall thickness greater than about five percent (5%) of a maximum crown diameter. A second opposite end of the adaptive stem is configured to join a particular type of tubing section after welding the first end of the stem adaptable to the crown.

Still . additional modalities of this invention include drill sleeves having an adaptive stem attached to a crown, wherein the compliant shank comprises a generally cylindrical wall having an average wall thickness greater than about five percent (5%) of a maximum crown diameter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DIVERSE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS While the specification concludes with the claims that particularly indicate and distinctly claim that what is considered as the present invention, the advantages of the embodiments of this invention can be more readily evaluated from the following description of certain embodiments of the invention when they are read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a sleeve tool of the present invention that includes a crown attached to an adaptive stem; FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration showing the bushing tool of FIG. 1 attached to a tubing section and disposed within an underground formation; FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a bushing tool similar to that of FIG. 1 that includes a crown attached to an adaptable stem; FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an interface between the crown and the adaptive rod shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the bushing tool shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 after adapting the stem for connection to the tubing according to the modalities of the methods of the present invention; Y FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the bushing tool shown in FIG. 5, which illustrates a tubing section coupled to the stem of the sleeve tool.

MODE (S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The illustrations presented in this document are not intended to be real views of any particular device or system, but are merely idealized representations that are used to describe embodiments of the present invention. Additionally, the common elements of the figures may retain the same numerical designation.

One embodiment of a drill sleeve 10 of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The drill sleeve 10 shown in FIG. 1 is an intermediate structure that has not yet been adapted to join any particular section of the tubing. After the formation of the intermediate drill sleeve 10 shown in FIG. 1, the drill sleeve 10 can be adapted to join a particular tubing section, as described in further detail herein below.

The drill sleeve 10 shown in FIG. 1 can be a reamer bush or drill sleeve configured to join a tubing section for use in the formation of a well bore in an underground formation. As shown in FIG. 1, the drill sleeve 10 includes a crown 20 and an adaptable shank 30 which is attached to the crown 20.

In some embodiments, the crown 20 can be configured to drill a well bore in an underground formation. In other embodiments, the crown 20 can be configured to ream (ie, enlarge the diameter of) a precisely perforated well bore. In still other embodiments, the crown 20 can be configured to merely guide the tubing through a well bore and ensure that the diameter of the well bore remains as previously drilled and has not decreased as sometimes occurs in the formations Reactive or detachment In other words, the crown 20 can only ream sections of the wellbore having a smaller diameter due, for example, to the invasion of the forming material inside the well drilling.

The crown 20 includes a body 21 that can be formed of and comprises a metal or metal alloy (for example, steel, aluminum, brass or bronze), or a composite material that includes particles of a relatively harder material (for example, example, tungsten carbide), embedded within a relatively softer metal or metal alloy (e.g., steel, aluminum, brass, or bronze). The body material 21 can be selected to exhibit physical properties that allow the body 21 to be drilled through another drill bit after the drill sleeve 10 has been used to enter a tubing section attached thereto in a underground formation, as is known in the art.

The perforating and / or reaming structures may be provided on outer surfaces of the body 21 of the crown 20. For example, the crown 20 may comprise a plurality of blades 22 defining fluid courses 24 therebetween. The openings 25 can be formed through the crown 20 to allow fluid (eg, drilling fluid and / or cement) to be pumped through the interior of the drill sleeve 10, through the openings 25 in the crown 20, and in the annular space between the walls of the formation in which the wellbore is formed and the outer surfaces of the perforation cap 10 and the tubing sections to which the drill sleeve 10 can be attached. For example, the openings 25 may comprise passages of fluid extending through the body 21 of the crown 20. Optionally, nozzles (not shown) can be secured to the crown 20 within the fluid passages to selectively adapt to the characteristics hydraulic components of the perforation sleeve 10. Bags of cutting elements can be formed in the blades 22, and the cutting elements 26, such as, for example, polycrystalline diamond compact cutting elements (PDC), can be secured within the Cutting element bags.

Also, each of the blades 22 can include a 23 gauge region that define with the greatest diameter of the crown 20 and, thus, the diameter of any well bore formed using the crown 290 and the drill sleeve. 10. The 23-gauge regions may be longitudinal extensions of the blades 22. Shatter-resistant structures or materials may be provided over the 23-gauge regions. For example, tungsten carbide inserts, cutting elements, diamonds (e.g. natural or synthetic diamonds), or hard coating material can be provided over the 23 gauge regions of the crown 20.

In additional embodiments, the crown 20 may not include blades 22 and cutting elements 26, similar to those shown in FIG. 1. In such embodiments, the crown 20 may comprise other cutting structures and / or reamers such as, for example, deposits of hard coating material (not shown) on the outer surfaces of the crown 20. Such a hard coating material may comprising, for example, hard and abrasive particles (eg, diamond, boron nitride, silicon carbide, carbides or borides of titanium, tungsten or tantalum, etc.) embedded within a matrix material of metal or metal alloy (eg example, an iron-based metal alloy, based on cobalt or based on nickel). Such deposits of hard coating material can be formed into protruding, elongated structures on the outer surfaces of the crown 20.

FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic illustration showing the drill sleeve 10 attached to a tubing section 39 and disposed within a well bore that has been formed in an underground formation using the drill sleeve 10. As discussed previously, the tubing 39, with the drill sleeve 10 attached thereto, it can be rotated and introduced into the underground formation as the drilling fluid is pumped down through the interior of the tubing 39, outwardly through the openings 25 in the crown 20, and upwardly through the courses of the fluid 24 (FIG.1) and upwards through the annular space between the walls of the formation within the bore of well and the outer surfaces of tubing 39 to the surface of the formation.

Once the tubing 39 has been introduced to a desired location within the formation, the perforation with the drill sleeve 10 can be stopped, and the tubing 39 can be cemented in place. To cement the tubing 39 in place, the cement (not shown) or other curable material can be carried through the interior of the tubing 39, through the openings 25 in the crown 20, upwardly through the fluid courses 24 (FIG 1), and within the ring between the wall of the well bore and the outer surface of the tubing 39, where it can be allowed to harden. Of course, conventional flotation equipment can be used to control and supply the cement through the drill sleeve 10 and into the annulus between the wall of the well borehole and the tubing 39. The cementation of the tubing 39 in its place inside of the well drilling can stabilize the well drilling and seal the underground formations penetrated by the drill sleeve 10 and the casing 39.

In some cases, the size and placement of openings 25 that are used for drilling operations can not be desired particularly for cementing operations. Additionally, the openings 25 can be plugged or otherwise clogged during a drilling operation. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, at least one of the crown 20 and the shank 30 of the drill sleeve 10 can include one or more brittle regions 28 that can crack (eg, a metal disk that can fracture, puncture, break, remove, etc.) to form one or more additional openings that can be used to provide fluid communication between the inside and outside of the drill sleeve 10. The drilling fluid and / or cement can be made to flow through such regions brittle 28 after cracking thereof.

With reference again to FIG. 1, the drill sleeve 10 includes an adaptable shank 30 having a first end 31A attached to the crown 20 and a second end 31B which can be adapted and used to couple the drill sleeve 10 to a tubing section (not shown in FIG. FIG 1). The stem 30 may have a size and shape that allows it to be adapted, after attachment to the crown 20 to engage a wide variety of different tubing configurations as discussed in further detail herein below.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of another embodiment of an intermediate piercing sleeve 50 of the present invention. The intermediate drill sleeve 50 is similar to the drill sleeve 10 shown in FIG. 1, and includes a crown 40 having a body 41 that is attached to an adaptive stem 30, as previously described in connection with FIG. 1.

The adaptive stem 30 is a cylindrical structure having a length L. By way of example and not limitation, the length L of the adaptive stem 30 may be between about twenty-five (25) centimeters (approximately ten (10) inches) and about two hundred (200) centimeters (approximately seventy new (79) inches).

The compliant shank 30 has a wall thickness Tw that is half the difference between the OD outside diameter of the shank 30 and the inner diameter ID of the shank 30. The wall thickness Tw can vary, depending on the size (e.g. diameter) of the crown 40 which the rod 30 joins. The wall thickness Tw of the shank 30, however, can be large enough to allow the shank 30 to be adapted for use with a variety of different tubing sections having a variety of weights and coupling configurations that could be used with the particular size of the crown 40 to which the shank 30. Although the shank 30 of FIG. 3 is shown to have an outer diameter that is smaller than an outer diameter of the crown 40 to which the shank 30 is attached, in additional embodiments, the shank 30 may have an outer diameter that is larger than a diameter of the crown 40 to which the rod 30 is attached.

Table 1 below lists a variety of different diameters of crowns that are frequently used in the industry, together with the OD outside diameter, the ID inside diameter, and the wall thickness Tw of the examples of the adaptive rods 30 of the present invention that can be attached to such crowns. All dimensions in Table 1 are given in inches, and dimensions in centimeters are given in parentheses.

TABLE 1 Diameter OD Diameter Tw Twist ID of Stem Shank Stem Shank Crown Cased as Percentage of the Diameter of the Crown 15. 24 cm 11.43 cm 13.02 cm 9.21 cm 1.91 cm 12.5% (6.00 (4.50 (5.125 (3.625 (0.750 inches) inches) inches) inches) inches) 21. 59 cm 19.37 cm 21.91 cm 15.24 cm 3.34 cm 15.4% (8.50 (7.625 (8.625 (6.00 (1.313 inches) inches) inches) inches) inches) 31. 12 cm 24.45 cm 27.31 cm 21.11 cm 3.10 cm 10.0% (12.25 (9,625 (10,750 (8,310 (1,220 inches) inches) inches) inches) inches) 44. 5 cm 33.97 cm 36.83 cm 31.12 cm 2.86 cm 6.4% (17.50 (13.375 (14.500 (12.250 (1.125 inches) inches) inches) inches) inches) 60. 96 cm 50.80 cm 53.66 cm 47.24 cm 3.21 cm 5.3% (2 .00 (20.00 (21.125 (18.60 (1.263 inches) inches) inches) inches) inches) As shown in Table 1, in some embodiments of the present invention, the crown 40 may have a diameter that is approximately 31.12 cm (12.25 inches) or less, and the adaptable shank 30 may have a wall thickness that is approximately 10. % or more of the diameter of the crown 40, about 12% or more of the diameter of the crown 40, or even about 15% or more of the diameter of the crown 40. As a particular non-limiting example, the crown 40 can have a diameter of approximately 31.12 cm (12.25 inches), the shank 30 can have an outer diameter OD of approximately 27.31 cm 10.750 inches), an inner diameter ID of about 21.11 cm, 8.310 inches) or less, and a wall thickness Tw of approximately 3.10 cm, 1.220 inches) or more (ie, approximately 10.0% or more of the diameter of the crown 40). As another particular non-limiting example, the crown 40 may have a diameter of approximately 21.59 cm 8.50 inches), the shank 30 may have an outer diameter OD of approximately 21.91 cm 8.625 inches), an inner diameter ID of approximately 15.24 cm 6.00 inches) or less, and a wall thickness Tw of approximately 3.34 cm 1313 inches) or more (ie, approximately 15.4% or more of the diameter of the crown 40). As yet another particular non-limiting example, the crown 40 can have a diameter of approximately 15.24 cm (6.00 inches), the shank 30 can have an outer diameter OD of approximately 13.02 cm (5.125 inches), an inner diameter ID of about 9.21 cm (3.625 inches) or less, and a wall thickness Tw of about 1.91 cm (0.750 inches) or more (i.e., about 12.5% or more of the diameter of the crown 40). Other non-limiting examples of the embodiments of the invention are also set forth. in Table 1 in the above.

As shown in Table 1, in additional embodiments of the present invention, the crown 40 may have a diameter that is greater than about 12.25 inches (12.12 inches), and the adaptive stem 30 may have a wall thickness that is about 5% or more of the diameter of the crown 40, or even about 6% or more of the diameter of the crown 40. As a particular non-limiting example the crown 40 can have a diameter of about 44.45 cm (17.50) inches), the shank 30 can have an outer OD diameter of approximately 36.83 cm (14,500 inches), an inner diameter ID of approximately 31.12 cm (12,250 inches) or less, and a Tw wall thickness of approximately 2.86 cm (1.125 inches) or more (i.e., about 6.4% or more of the diameter of the crown 40). As another particular non-limiting example, the crown 40 may have a diameter of approximately 60.96 cm (24.00 inches), the shank 30 may have an outer diameter OD of approximately 53.66 cm (21125 inches), an inner diameter ID of approximately 47.24 cm ( 18.60 inches) or less, and a wall thickness Tw of approximately 3.21 cm (1.263 inches) or more (ie, approximately 5.3% or more of the diameter of the crown 40).

The adaptive stem 30 may be formed of and comprise a metal material such as, for example, an iron-based metal alloy (eg, a steel alloy). In some embodiments, the compliant shank 30 can be formed from and comprise a material exhibiting an elastic tensile strength of at least about 60,000 pounds per square inch (PSI), a at least approximately 90,000 pounds per square inch (PSI), or even at least approximately 120,000 PSI pounds per square inch (PSI). As mentioned previously, the adaptable stem 30 can be formed separately from the crown 40 and subsequently joined thereto.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an interface between the crown 40 and the adaptive rod 30 shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 4, the shank 30 can be attached to the crown 40 by abutting an end surface 34 of the shank 30 against an end surface 48 of the crown 40 and by welding an interface between the shank 30 and the crown 40. In other words, a welding material 60 (eg, one or more welding beads) can be provided around an outer surface of the intermediate piercing sleeve 50 along the interface between the crown 40 and the rod 30. In some embodiments, the stem 30 can have a frusto-conical, beveled surface 36 at the first longitudinal end 31? thereof, and the crown 40 may have a frusto-conical, complementary beveled surface 49. The frusto-conical surface 36 of the stem 30 and the frusto-conical surface 49 of the crown 40 may define a groove welded therebetween when the stem 30 abuts against the crown 40. A welding material 60 can be depositing in the form of one or more weld beads into the weld groove for welding the rod 30 and the crown 40 together. The stem 30 can be abutted against, and welded to, the crown 40 before the stem 30 is adapted for connection to a tubing section.

In further embodiments, complementary cords (not shown) can be provided on the crown 40 and the shank 30 to allow the crown 40 and the shank 30 to be threaded with a tight connection between the crown 40 and the shank 30 together. In such embodiments, a welding material 60 may also be provided along the interface between the crown 40 and the shank 30 to further secure the crown 40 and the shank 30 together.

With reference to FIG. 5, after joining the rod 30 and the crown 40 together, the rod 30 can be adapted for joining to a particular section of the tubing. The shank 30 can be adapted to be joined to a particular tubing section by, for example, making one or more of the following: reduce the length L of the shank 30, reduce the wall thickness Tw of the shank 30, and provide an o more features on the shank 30, and / or forming one or more surfaces of the shank 30, to be coupled to one end of a tubing section. The wall thickness Tw of the shank 30 can be reduced by reducing the outer diameter of the shank 30, by increasing the inner diameter of the shank 30. shank 30 or by reducing both the outer diameter and increasing the inner diameter of the shank 30.

The outer diameter of the shank 30 can be reduced, and the inner diameter of the shank 30 can be increased, as desirable, using, for example, conventional machining processes such as lathe processes, grinding processes and combinations of lathe processes and grinding To configure the shank 30 to be coupled to a tubing section, one or more features may be provided on the shank 30, and / or one or more surfaces of the shank 30 may be provided with a certain shape, as mentioned previously. For example, an inner surface 38A of the rod 30 can be formed to understand what is referred to in the art as a "threaded box".

To form a threaded box on the inner surface 38A of the shank 30, a section of the inner surface 38A of the shank at the second end 31B thereof can be formed to comprise a taper, such that the section of the inner surface 38A has a shape frustoconical having a diameter that is larger in the hole of the shank 30 at the second end 31B thereof, the diameter being progressively smaller that moves in the longitudinal direction towards the first end 31A of the shank 30. The angle of the taper Of the surface inside 38A of the stem 30 at the second end 31B can be selected to correspond to the angle of a taper on the outer surface of a tubing section to which the stem 30 is to be joined. Such tapering can also be formed on the inner surface 38A, using, for example, conventional machining processes such as lathe processes, grinding processes, and combinations of lathe and grinding processes.

Additionally, threads 37 can be formed on a section of the inner surface 38A of the shank 30 at the second end 31B (for example, in a tapered section of the inner surface 38A). The size (eg, dimensions) shape, and spacing (eg inclination) of the threads 37 can also be selected to correspond to the size (eg, dimensions), shape, and spacing (eg, tilt) of the complementary threads on a section of the tubing to which the rod 30 is to be joined. The threads 37 can also be formed on the inner surface 38A using, for example, conventional machining processes such as lathe processes, grinding processes, and combinations of lathe and milling processes. Threads can also be formed by encasing the surface that is threaded against a threading mold, as is known in the art, and such roll threading processes can also be employed in the present invention.

In some embodiments, the threads 37 may be formed on the inner surface 38A of the shank 30 at the second end 31B thereof without providing any taper on the inner surface 38A. In other words, the surface 38A may remain at least substantially cylindrical, and a section of the cylindrical interior surface may be screwed.

In further embodiments of the present invention, an outer surface 38.B of the stem 30 can be formed to comprise what is referred to in the art as a "threaded bolt", which is a male bolt member having threads on a surface outer thereof which is configured to be coupled with, and joined to, a female threaded box, as previously described herein.

With reference to FIG. 6, after adapting the rod 30 for connection to a particular section of the tubing 61, the rod 30 and the tubing section 61 can be coupled together in preparation for drilling and / or reaming with the intermediate drill sleeve 50 as tubing 61 and intermediate drill sleeve 50 are introduced into an underground formation.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, a threaded box is provided on the interior surface 38A of the rod 30 at the second end 31B thereof, and the tubing section 61 has a threaded pin 62 at one end 64 thereof which is complementary to, and configured to engage with a joint, the threaded box at the second end 31B of the shank 30 In further embodiments of the invention, however, the rod 30 may be formed to comprise a threaded pin and the tubing 61 may comprise a complementary threaded housing configured to engage with the threaded pin of the rod 30. In still further embodiments, each of the stem 30 and tubing 61 may comprise a threaded bolt, and a collar having a threaded case on both ends thereof may be used to couple the threaded bolt of stem 30 to the threaded bolt of tubing 61. These collars are commercially available and used frequently in the art.

Thus, according to some embodiments of the methods of the present invention, an adaptable shank may be attached to a crown of a piercing sleeve before identifying the type of tubing to which the piercing cap will ultimately be attached. As a result, a manufacturer does not need to manufacture a variety of different types of shanks for each size of drill sleeve, each type corresponding to the different types of tubing to which the drill sleeve could be link. In contrast, an individual, adaptable shank according to the embodiments of the present invention can be made for each size of drill sleeve, and the adaptive shank can be adapted, after joining it to a crown, for attachment to a type particular of tubing.

Additionally, according to some embodiments of the methods of the present invention, an adaptable shank can be attached to a crown of a piercing sleeve before identifying the type of tubing to which the piercing cap will ultimately be attached. The crown, with the adaptable stem attached to it, can be transported to a different location where the crown and the shank were joined together (for example, the location of a distributor, the location of a drilling site, etc.). medium of a vehicle (for example, a truck, airplane or boats). After the transportation of the crown, with the adaptable stem attached thereto, to another location, a particular type of tubing can be identified to which the crown and the adaptable stem are to be joined, and the adaptive stem can be adapted , as previously described herein, to join that particular type of tubing.

While the present invention has been described herein with respect to certain embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize and appreciate that it will not be limited. Rather, many additions, deletions and modifications to the modalities described herein may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed from now on. In addition, the characteristics of a modality may be combined with the characteristics of another modality as long as they are still encompassed within the scope of the invention as contemplated by the inventors.

Claims

1. A method for attaching a crown of a drill sleeve to a casing section, characterized in that it comprises: joining a first end of an adaptable rod comprising a generally cylindrical structure to the crown of the drill sleeve; Y machining a second opposite end of the adaptable stem to configure the second end of the stem adaptable to join the tubing section after attaching the first end of the stem adaptable to the crown.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises forming the adaptable shank comprising a metal alloy material exhibiting an elastic tensile strength of at least about 4,222 kilograms per square centimeter (60,000 pounds per square inch) .

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises forming the adaptable stem having a length of between about twenty-five (25) centimeters (approximately ten (10) inches) and approximately two hundred (200) centimeters (approximately seventy-nine ( 79) inches).

4. The method according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that in addition it comprises forming the adaptable shank having an average wall thickness greater than about five percent (5%) of a maximum crown diameter.

5. The method in accordance with the claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises forming the average wall thickness of the adaptable stem which is approximately 10% or more of the maximum diameter of the crown.

6. The method in accordance with the claim 5, characterized in that it further comprises forming the average wall thickness of the adaptable shank which is approximately 12.5% or more of the maximum diameter of the crown.

7. The method in accordance with the claim 6, characterized in that it further comprises forming the average wall thickness of the adaptable shank which is approximately 15% or more of the maximum diameter of the crown.

8. The method according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the connection to a first end of a rod adaptable to the crown of the drill bit comprises: adjoining a surface of the first end of the stem adaptable to a surface of the crown; Y weld an inferium between the surface of the crown and the abutting surface of the first end of the adaptive stem.

9. The method of compliance with any of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the machining of the second opposite end of the adaptable rod comprises machining threads on at least one of an inner surface and an outer surface of the adaptable stem.

10. The method according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it also comprises: joining the first end of the stem adaptable to the crown in a first geographical location; transporting the drill cap from the first geographic location to a second geographic location using a vehicle; Y configure the second opposite end of the adaptive stem to join the tubing section in the second geographic location.

11. A drill sleeve, characterized in that it comprises: a crown configured for at least one of drilling and reaming a well bore; Y an adaptable shank attached to the crown, the adaptable shank comprising a generally cylindrical wall having an average wall thickness greater than about five percent (5%) of a maximum crown diameter.

12. The drill sleeve according to claim 11, characterized in that the crown is solid to the adaptable stem.

13. The drill sleeve according to claim 11 or claim 12, characterized in that the average wall thickness of the generally cylindrical wall is greater than about 10% of the maximum diameter of the crown.

14. The drill sleeve according to claim 13, characterized in that the average wall thickness of the generally cylindrical wall is greater than about 12% of the maximum diameter of the crown.

15. The drill sleeve according to claim 18, characterized in that the average wall thickness of the generally cylindrical wall is greater than about 15% of the maximum diameter of the crown.

16. The drill sleeve according to claim 15, characterized in that the adaptable shank comprises a metal alloy material exhibiting an elastic tensile strength of at least about 4,222 kilograms per square centimeter (60,000 pounds per square inch).

17. The drill sleeve according to claim 11 or claim 12, characterized in that the adaptable shank comprises an alloy material of metal exhibiting an elastic tensile strength of at least about 4,222 kilograms per square centimeter (60,000 pounds per square inch).