Chip deflector on a blade of a downhole reamer and methods therefore

Abstract

An expandable reamer apparatus for drilling a subterranean formation includes a tubular body, one or more blades, each blade positionally coupled to a sloped track of the tubular body having a hardfacing material on a portion thereof, a push sleeve and a drilling fluid flow path extending through an inner bore of the tubular body for conducting drilling fluid therethrough.

1 . An expandable reamer apparatus for enlarging a borehole in a subterranean formation, comprising:
 a tubular body having a longitudinal axis, an inner bore, an outer surface, and at least one track within the tubular body between the inner bore and the outer surface, the track sloped upwardly and outwardly at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis;   a drilling fluid flow path extending through the inner bore;   one or more blades each having at least one cutting element configured to remove material from a subterranean formation during reaming, at least one blade slidably coupled to the at least one track of the tubular body, the at least one blade having hardfacing material thereon; and   a push sleeve disposed within the inner bore of the tubular body and coupled to the at least one blade, the push sleeve configured to move axially upward responsive to a pressure of drilling fluid passing through the drilling fluid flow path to extend the at least one blade along the at least one track and into an extended position.   
     
     
         2 . The expandable reamer apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one blade has a front surface having hardfacing material thereon. 
     
     
         3 . The expandable reamer apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the hardfacing material comprising a material having one of a curved surface, a substantially square cross-section, a substantially convex surface, and having two substantially convex surfaces. 
     
     
         4 . The expandable reamer apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the blades comprises a blade having a gage portion having hardfacing material located on a portion thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The expandable reamer apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the blades comprises a blade having a front surface having a channel located in a portion thereof, a portion of the channel containing hardfacing material therein. 
     
     
         6 . The expandable reamer apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the blades comprises a blade having an upper surface having at least one channel therein, at least a portion of at least one channel containing hardfacing material therein. 
     
     
         7 . The expandable reamer apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a biasing element disposed within the inner bore of the tubular body, in contact with the push sleeve and oriented to bias the push sleeve in an axial downward direction to retract the at least one blade along the at least one track and into a retracted position when the push sleeve is not subjected to force or pressure of drilling fluid. 
     
     
         8 . The expandable reamer apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one blade is directly coupled to the push sleeve by a linkage assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The expandable reamer apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a guide structure for positionally retaining and guiding the at least one blade within the at least one track. 
     
     
         10 . The expandable reamer apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a motion limiting member coupled between the tubular body and the push sleeve to limit the axial extent of the push sleeve. 
     
     
         11 . The expandable reamer apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising a traveling sleeve positioned within the inner bore of the tubular body and configured to selectively isolate the push sleeve and blades from exposure to force or pressure of drilling fluid, the traveling sleeve axially retained in an initial position by a shear assembly within the inner bore of the tubular body. 
     
     
         12 . The expandable reamer apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the push sleeve is axially retained in an initial position by a lowlock assembly coupled within the tubular body and comprising a lower end of the traveling sleeve, and the push sleeve is axially transitionable between the extended position and a retracted position after the traveling sleeve has axially transitioned sufficiently to release the push sleeve from the lowlock assembly. 
     
     
         13 . The expandable reamer apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising an uplock sleeve for axially retaining the traveling sleeve upon sufficient travel within the tubular body and upon exposing the push sleeve to exposure of force or pressure of drilling fluid within the flow path. 
     
     
         14 . The expandable reamer apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a measurement device for determining a diameter of the enlarged borehole. 
     
     
         15 . The expandable reamer apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising a stabilizer sleeve coupled to the inner bore of a lower end of the tubular body for receiving a lower end of the traveling sleeve. 
     
     
         16 . An expandable reamer apparatus for enlarging a borehole in a subterranean formation, comprising:
 a tubular body having a longitudinal axis, an inner bore, an outer surface, a plurality of upwardly and outwardly sloping tracks within the tubular body between the inner bore and the outer surface at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis;   a drilling fluid flow path extending through the tubular body for conducting drilling fluid therethrough;   a plurality of circumferentially spaced, generally radially and longitudinally extending blades, each blade slidably engaged with one of the plurality of tracks, carrying at least one cutting structure thereon and movable along its associated track between an extended position and a retracted position, each blade having hardfacing material thereon; and   actuation structure positioned within the tubular body and configured to directly effect movement of the blades in the tracks in opposing directions responsive to a pressure of drilling fluid within the flow path and an opposing force.   
     
     
         17 . An expandable reamer apparatus for enlarging a borehole in a subterranean formation, comprising:
 a tubular body having a longitudinal axis, an outer surface, and a track within the tubular body, the track sloped upwardly and outwardly at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis;   a drilling fluid flow path extending through an inner bore of the tubular body;   a blade having at least one cutting element configured to remove material from a subterranean formation during reaming and slidably coupled to the track, the blade having hardfacing material on a portion thereof;   a push sleeve disposed within the inner bore of the tubular body and directly coupled to the blade, the push sleeve configured to move axially upward responsive to a pressure of drilling fluid passing through the inner bore to extend the blade along the track; and   a traveling sleeve coupled to an inner bore of the push sleeve and configured to selectively allow communication of drilling fluid passing through the inner bore with the push sleeve to effect axial movement thereof and to secure the push sleeve in an initial position prior to movement thereof.   
     
     
         18 . An expandable reamer apparatus for enlarging a borehole in a subterranean formation, comprising:
 a tubular body having a longitudinal axis and at least one track within a wall of the tubular body sloped upwardly and outwardly at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis;   a drilling fluid flow path extending through an inner bore of the tubular body;   at least one blade having at least one cutting element configured to remove material from a subterranean formation during reaming, the at least one blade slidably coupled to the at least one track, the at least one blade having hardfacing material on a portion thereof;   a push sleeve disposed within the inner bore of the tubular body and directly coupled to the at least one blade, the push sleeve configured to move axially upward responsive to a pressure of drilling fluid passing through the inner bore to extend the at least one blade along the track;   a longitudinal biasing element disposed within the inner bore of the tubular body and in contact with the push sleeve; and   a motion limiting member coupled between the tubular body and the push sleeve to limit an extent of axial movement of the push sleeve responsive to the pressure.   
     
     
         19 . An expandable reamer apparatus for enlarging a borehole in a subterranean formation, comprising:
 a body having a longitudinal axis;   a drilling fluid flow path extending through the body for conducting drilling fluid therethrough;   a plurality of blades carried by the body at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis, each blade carrying at least one cutting structure thereon, at least one blade having hardfacing material on a portion thereof; and   an actuation means positioned within the body and configured to directly actuate the plurality of blades between an extended position and a retracted position in respective response to a pressure provided by the drilling fluid within the flow path and an opposing force.   
     
     
         20 . A method of activating a downhole apparatus within a borehole of a subterranean formation, comprising:
 disposing a downhole apparatus within the subterranean formation having a plurality of blades, at least one blade having hardfacing material on a portion thereof, the downhole apparatus including a restriction element trap configured for retentively receiving a restriction element and positioned within a bore of an actuation element, positioned for movement within a bore of the downhole apparatus and configured to selectively isolate an operable component from drilling fluid pressure within the downhole apparatus prior to the movement;   flowing drilling fluid through the downhole apparatus via a flow path;   disposing a restriction element into the drilling fluid;   receiving the restriction element in the restriction element trap carried by flowing drilling fluid through the flow path to occlude the flow path;   releasing the actuation element for movement during or after occlusion of the fluid flow path; and   effecting movement of the blades responsive to a pressure of drilling fluid within the flow path causing the plurality of blades to move outwardly in the borehole for the hardfacing material reducing wear of the at least one blade during operation of the downhole apparatus.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein receiving the restriction element in the restriction element trap is effected at a drilling fluid pressure substantially lower than a drilling fluid pressure required for releasing the actuation element. 
     
     
         22 . A method of engaging a borehole of a subterranean formation using a downhole apparatus, comprising:
 disposing a downhole apparatus within the subterranean formation having a plurality of blades, at least one blade having a cutting element thereon for engaging the borehole and chip breaking material on a portion thereof for deflecting material from the borehole removed by the cutting element;   flowing drilling fluid through the downhole apparatus via a flow path;   effecting movement of the blades responsive to a pressure of drilling fluid within the flow path causing the plurality of blades to move outwardly in the borehole for the cutting element to engage the borehole;   rotating the downhole apparatus for the cutting element to remove a portion of the subterranean formation; and   deflecting from the at least one blade at least a portion of the portion of subterranean formation removed by the cutting element using the chip breaking material on the at least one blade.   
     
     
         23 . A method of reducing wear on a blade of a downhole apparatus from the cuttings of a subterranean formation comprising:
 disposing a downhole apparatus within the subterranean formation having a plurality of blades, at least one blade having a cutting element thereon for engaging the borehole and chip breaking material on a portion thereof for deflecting material from the borehole removed by the cutting element;   effecting movement of the blades outwardly in the borehole for the cutting element to engage the borehole;   rotating the downhole apparatus for the cutting element to remove a portion of the subterranean formation; and   deflecting at least a portion of the subterranean formation removed by the cutting element using the chip breaking material on the at least one blade.