Integrated Spiral Blade Collar

Abstract

An integrated spiral blade collar comprising: a collar comprising a wall defining a bore, the collar having a longitudinal axis extending from a proximal end to a distal end; the collar comprising a first engagement mechanism at the proximal end and a second engagement mechanism at the distal end; the collar comprising one or more integral blades extending radially outward from an outer surface and forming a spiral around the longitudinal axis of the collar from at or near the proximal end to at or near the distal end of the collar, the spiral being at an angle of from 1° to 89° relative to the longitudinal axis of the collar.

1 . An integrated spiral blade collar comprising:
 a collar comprising a wall defining a bore, the collar having a longitudinal axis extending from a proximal end to a distal end;   the collar comprising a first engagement mechanism at the proximal end and a second engagement mechanism at the distal end;   the collar comprising one or more integral blades extending radially outward from an outer surface and forming a spiral around the longitudinal axis of the collar from at or near the proximal end to at or near the distal end of the collar, the spiral being at an angle of from 1° to 89° relative to the longitudinal axis of the collar.   
   
   
       2 . The integrated spiral blade collar of  claim 1  wherein the angle is 45° relative to the longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       3 . The integrated spiral blade collar of  claim 1  wherein the collar comprises two or more integral blades extending radially outward from the outer surface separated by a plurality of substantially planar surfaces. 
   
   
       4 . The integrated spiral blade collar of  claim 2  wherein the collar comprises two or more integral blades extending radially outward from the outer surface separated by a plurality of substantially planar surfaces. 
   
   
       5 . The integrated spiral blade collar of  claim 1  wherein the collar comprises three or more integral blades extending radially outward from the outer surface separated by a plurality of substantially planar surfaces. 
   
   
       6 . The integrated spiral blade collar of  claim 1  wherein the collar comprises three or more integral blades extending radially outward from the outer surface separated by a plurality of substantially planar surfaces. 
   
   
       7 . The integrated spiral blade collar of  claim 1  the one or more integral blades comprise two or more spaced hardface pads comprising cobalt, tungsten carbide fragments. 
   
   
       8 . The integrated spiral blade collar of  claims 1  wherein the substantially planar surfaces comprise a concave surfaces extending between sharp blade edges. 
   
   
       9 . The integrated spiral blade collar of  claim 7  wherein the substantially planar surfaces comprise a concave surfaces extending between rounded blade edges. 
   
   
       10 . The integrated spiral blade collar of  claim 7  wherein the first and second engagement mechanisms comprise bores comprising internal threads. 
   
   
       11 . The integrated spiral blade collar of  claim 7  wherein the first engagement mechanism is a pin comprising external threads and the second engagement mechanism comprises a bore comprising internal threads. 
   
   
       12 . The integrated spiral blade collar of  claim 8  wherein the first and second engagement mechanisms comprise bores comprising internal threads. 
   
   
       13 . The integrated spiral blade collar of  claim 8  wherein the first engagement mechanism is a pin comprising external threads and the second engagement mechanism comprises a bore comprising internal threads. 
   
   
       14 . The integrated spiral blade collar of  claim 6  wherein:
 the collar comprises a proximal intervening segment comprising a wall defining a bore extending therethrough, the proximal intervening segment comprising a proximal end comprising a proximal pin comprising proximal exterior threads and a distal end;   the bore extending through the distal end of the proximal intervening segment and through a proximal end of a proximal segment having the longitudinal axis and a distal end, the proximal segment comprising a plurality of proximal substantially planar surfaces separating a plurality of proximal blades comprising a plurality of proximal spaced hardface pads comprising cobalt, tungsten carbide fragments;   the bore extending through the distal end of the proximal segment and through a proximal end of an intermediate intervening segment having a distal end, the intermediate intervening segment comprising three intermediate intervening substantially planar surfaces separating three intermediate intervening blades;   the bore extending through the distal end of the intermediate intervening segment and through a proximal end of an intermediate segment having a distal end, the intermediate segment comprising three intermediate substantially planar surfaces separating three intermediate blades comprising a plurality of intermediate spaced hardface pads comprising cobalt, tungsten carbide fragments;   the bore extending through the distal end of the intermediate segment and through a proximal end of a distal intervening segment having a distal end, the distal intervening segment comprising a plurality of distal intervening blades separating a plurality of distal intervening substantially planar surfaces;   the bore extending through the distal end of the distal intervening segment and through a proximal end of a distal segment comprising a distal end, the distal segment comprising a plurality of distal substantially planar surfaces separating a plurality of distal blades comprising a plurality of distal spaced hardface pads comprising cobalt, tungsten carbide fragments; and,   the bore extending through a distal end of the distal segment and through a proximal end of a distal extension to distal interior threads.   
   
   
       15 . The integrated spiral blade collar of  claim 14  wherein the bore extends through a proximal end of the proximal intervening segment and through a distal end of a box engaged with the proximal end of the proximal intervening segment, the box having a proximal end comprising box proximal interior threads, the box comprising a plurality of box substantially planar surfaces separating a plurality of box blades comprising a plurality of box spaced hardface pads comprising cobalt, tungsten carbide fragments. 
   
   
       16 . The integrated spiral blade collar of  claim 15  wherein the proximal pin of the proximal intervening segment is threadingly engaged with box distal interior threads of a separate integrated spiral blade collar. 
   
   
       17 . The integrated spiral blade collar of  claim 15  wherein the wall of the proximal segment is continuous with the wall of the box. 
   
   
       18 . A method of increasing performance during drilling operations, the method comprising:
 mechanically engaging a bottom hole assembly (BHA) with a proximal end or a distal end of an integrated spiral blade collar comprising a wall defining a bore comprising a first engagement mechanism at a proximal end, a second engagement mechanism at a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, the integrated spiral blade collar comprising one or more integral blades extending from an outer surface of the integrated spiral blade collar and spiraling around the longitudinal axis from at or near the proximal end to at or near the distal end, the spiral being at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis; and,   drilling through a formation to an improved final depth at which the integrated spiral blade collar must be replaced, the improved final depth being greater than the final depth to which a comparable straight blade collar or standard pack assembly drills through the same formation.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the improved final depth is two or more times the final depth to which a standard pack assembly drills through the same formation. 
   
   
       20 . A method of increasing performance during drilling operations, the method comprising:
 mechanically engaging a BHA with a proximal end or a distal end of an integrated spiral blade collar comprising a wall defining a bore comprising a first engagement mechanism at a proximal end, a second engagement mechanism at a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, the integrated spiral blade collar comprising one or more integral blades extending from an outer surface of the integrated spiral blade collar and spiraling around the longitudinal axis from at or near the proximal end to at or near the distal end, the spiral being at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis; and,   rotating the integrated spiral blade collar at a rotation rate, thereby producing an improved rate of penetration of 1.5 times or more greater than the rate of penetration achieved using a comparable straight blade collar or standard pack assembly drilling through the same formation.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the improved rate of penetration is 2 times or more greater than the rate of penetration achieved using a standard pack assembly drilling through the same formation.