Drilling apparatus with wings

Abstract

A drilling apparatus such as an expandable drill bit or an inline underreamer includes a main body in communication with a drill string, and a plurality of wing assemblies with a plurality of wings that are actuatable between a collapsed position and an expanded position. The drilling apparatus has a first diameter defined by a plurality of blades of the main body when the plurality of wings is in the collapsed position, and a second, greater diameter defined by the plurality of wings when the plurality of wings is in the expanded position. The drilling apparatus is insertable into an existing wellbore that has a first interior diameter when the plurality of wings is in the collapsed position, and is able to increase the existing wellbore to a second, greater diameter when the plurality of wings is in the expanded position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drilling apparatus for drilling in a subterranean formation, comprising:
 a main body including a plurality of blades, each blade of the plurality of blades including at least a first cutting edge; and   a plurality of wing assemblies, each wing assembly of the plurality of wing assemblies comprising:
 a wing with a hinge portion and at least a second cutting edge; 
 a corresponding knuckle of the main body; and 
 a connector inserted into the hinge portion and the corresponding knuckle, 
 wherein a wing of a wing assembly of the plurality of wing assemblies is rotatable between a collapsed position and an expanded position, and 
   wherein the wing rotates from the collapsed position to the expanded position about a longitudinal axis of the connector in response to a rotation of the main body.   
     
     
         2 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the drilling apparatus has a first diameter when each wing of the plurality of wing assemblies is in the collapsed position, wherein the drilling apparatus has a second diameter when each wing of the plurality of wing assemblies is in the expanded position, and wherein the second diameter is greater than the first diameter. 
     
     
         3 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first diameter is defined at least in part by a width of a blade of the plurality of blades, and wherein the second diameter is defined at least in part by a width of a wing of the plurality of wing assemblies when the wing is in the expanded position. 
     
     
         4 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the width of the wing is greater than the width of the blade. 
     
     
         5 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the wing of each of the plurality of wing assemblies is a first wing with a first width, wherein the first wing is interchangeable with a second wing via removal of the connector inserted into the hinge portion of the first wing and the corresponding knuckle in each wing assembly,
 wherein the second wing has a second width that is different from the first width of the first wing,   wherein the drilling apparatus has a third diameter that includes the second width of the second wing when the second wing is in the expanded position, and   wherein the third diameter is different from the both the first diameter and the second diameter.   
     
     
         6 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein in the collapsed position a first surface of the wing is proximate to the main body, and wherein in the expanded position a second surface of the wing is proximate to a blade of the plurality of blades. 
     
     
         7 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the corresponding knuckle is positioned within a pocket defined between adjacent blades of the plurality of blades, and wherein the wing is proximate to the main body within the pocket when the wing is in the collapsed position. 
     
     
         8 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the drilling apparatus is an expandable drill bit with a distal end of the drilling apparatus substantially coming to a point. 
     
     
         9 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the drilling apparatus is an inline underreamer with a connector at a distal end of the drilling apparatus. 
     
     
         10 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal axis of the connector is substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the main body. 
     
     
         11 . A system for drilling in a subterranean formation, comprising:
 a drilling apparatus, comprising:
 a main body including a plurality of blades, each blade of the plurality of blades including at least a first cutting edge; and 
 a plurality of wing assemblies, each wing assembly of the plurality of wing assemblies comprising:
 a wing with a hinge portion and at least a second cutting edge; 
 a corresponding knuckle of the main body; and 
 a connector inserted into the hinge portion and the corresponding knuckle, 
 wherein a wing of a wing assembly of the plurality of wing assemblies is rotatable between a collapsed position and an expanded position; and 
 
   a drill string in communication with the main body,   wherein the wing rotates from the collapsed position to the expanded position about a longitudinal axis of the connector in response to a rotation of the main body via the drill string.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the main body comprises a channel configured to direct a fluid from the drill string radially away from a longitudinal axis of the main body and against one or more wings of the plurality of wing assemblies such that the one or more wings rotates between the collapsed position and the expanded position. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the main body is in communication with the drill string at a proximal end of the drilling apparatus, and wherein a distal end of the drilling apparatus includes a drill tip. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the drill string includes a first section and a second section, wherein the first section of the drill string is coupled to a first connector at a proximal end of the drilling apparatus, and wherein the second section of the drill string is coupled to a second connector at a distal end of the drilling apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the wing of the plurality of wing assemblies is a first wing with a first mass and a first centripetal force associated with the rotation of the main body via the drill string,
 wherein the first wing is interchangeable with a second wing via removal of the connector inserted into the hinge portion of the first wing and the corresponding knuckle, and insertion of the connector into a hinge portion of the second wing and the corresponding knuckle,   wherein the second wing has a second mass with a second centripetal force associated with the rotation of the main body, and wherein the second centripetal force is different than the first centripetal force.   
     
     
         16 . A method for drilling a subterranean formation, comprising:
 inserting a drilling apparatus into a wellbore that has a first diameter, the drilling apparatus including a main body and a plurality of wings, wherein each wing of the plurality of wings is coupled to the main body via a respective connector through a respective hinge portion of each wing and a corresponding knuckle of the main body;   extending the drilling apparatus through the wellbore;   actuating the plurality of wings of the drilling apparatus from a collapsed position to an expanded position;   performing a drilling process with the plurality of wings of the drilling apparatus in the expanded position;   retracting the drilling apparatus within the wellbore following the drilling process; and   collapsing the plurality of wings of the drilling apparatus for removal of the drilling apparatus from the wellbore.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the collapsing of the plurality of wings of the drilling apparatus for removal of the drilling apparatus from the wellbore comprises:
 engaging a bottom edge of the wellbore with the drilling apparatus with the plurality of wings when the plurality of wings of the drilling apparatus are in the expanded position.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the bottom edge of the wellbore is a bottom edge of existing casing within the wellbore. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the drilling apparatus has a first apparatus diameter that is no greater than a first wellbore diameter of the wellbore when the plurality of wings are in the collapsed position, wherein the drilling apparatus has a second apparatus diameter that is greater than the first wellbore diameter of the wellbore when the plurality of wings are in the expanded position, and wherein the drilling process increases the first wellbore diameter of the wellbore to a second wellbore diameter that is at least the second apparatus diameter of the drilling apparatus. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of wings is a first plurality of wings with a first expanded position, and wherein the method further comprises:
 removing the respective connector from the respective hinge portion of each wing of the first plurality of wings to uncouple the first plurality of wings from the corresponding knuckle of the main body;   interchanging the first plurality of wings with a second plurality of wings; and   inserting the respective connector into a respective hinge portion of each second wing of the second plurality of wings to couple the second plurality of wings to a corresponding knuckle of the main body,   wherein the drilling apparatus has a second apparatus diameter defined by the second plurality of wings in a second expanded position, and   wherein the second apparatus diameter is different from the first apparatus diameter defined by the first plurality of wings in the first expanded position.