US2257080A - Drill pipe cleaner - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 23, 1941. E. J. TURNER DRILL PIPE CLEANER Filed Oct. 10. 1939- EDGAR J.TUR v INVENT BY ATTOR NER a3, A EYS- Patented Sept. 23, 1941 mum. PIPE enema ad J. Turner, Sm. Paula, Calif... asslgn'or to The Texas Company, New York,

poration of Delaware N. Y., a cor- Application October 10, 1939, Serial No. 298,737

(01. ass-as) 1 Claim.

This invention relates to cleaning devices and more particularly to a device for cleaning mud or other drilling fluid from the inside or a string of drill pipe while the latter is being withdrawn from a bore hole.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a device of this kind which, when once inserted in the upper end of the pipe string, will remove all of the mud therefrom efiectively and without further attention. Another object is to provide means whereby further circulation of mud or other drilling fluid down through the pipe string may be effected without removing the cleaning device from the pipe. Y

In drilling bore holes by the rotary method, a fluid such as mud is circulated downwardly through the drill pipe string and out through the drill bit and upwardly to the surface through the annular space around the drill pipe. The mud fluid in returning to the'surface carries upwardly the cuttings made by the drill bit. When it is desired for any reason such as for the changing of the drill bit, to withdraw or pull the string of drill pipe from the hole, the mud contained within the string of pipe becomes a serious problem. When each section or stand of pipe is unscrewed the mud contained in that section will spill and flow outwardly on the derricl: floor and this obviously constitutes a definite hazard to the drilling crew by keepin the tools and derrick floor slippery. Furthermore, the drilling mud is often wasted and this --constitutes a considerable loss, particularly when using chemically treated mud and in locations where it is'difllcult to obtain supplies of the mud.

One method which has been tried in an efiort to prevent spilling and loss of the mud is to place a quantity of drilling fluid in the drill pipe,

which fluid is heavier than the mud already in the hole and drill pipe. Because of 'the greater weight of this added fluid it will :tend to force the mud contained in the pipe string downwardly so that there will be substantially no mud remaining in the pipe sections as they are unthreaded above the derrick floor. This method has several disadvantages among the more important of which are th high cost of the fluid weighting materials and the disturbing or the physical and chemical properties of the drilling flui'd. This method 'also requires considerable additional time. a

In accordance with the invention, the device or tool, which may be used in cleaning any string end of the pipe as soon as the kelly is removed on coming out of the hole. The tool engages the inner surface of the pipe and is of such weight that it will force the mud ahead, 1. e., downwardlyuntil it reaches some level below the derrick floor where the weight of the drilling fluid displaced from the pipe string equals the weight of thetool itself. The tool will then remain at approximately this level below the floor oi the derrick' while the drill pip is being pulled. It will eventually come to rest on the drill bit when all of the drill pipe has been removed. The tool is provided with means whereby it can be en gaged and removed from the pipe in case this should be necessary and-also has provision for permitting circulation downwardly through the pipe string without the necessity of removing I the tool from th pipe. Thus, the use of the tool does not interfere in any manner with drillin operations and the drilling crew is enabled to -keep the hole full of drilling fluid without the It. A quantity of drilling fluid or mud I6 is Y shown within the drill pipe and'in the annular space surrounding the drill pipe.

The cleaning tool comprises a body member having a plurality oi sections 18, 20, 2 and 24 secured together as by threaded co ections. The sections of the tool may be formed of any suitable heavy material -or metal such as iron. The upper section it comprises acylindrical portion having at its upper end a spear head 26 adapted to be engaged by a suitable overshot on a wire line or cable in case it is. desired to remove the tool from the pipe. The cylindrical portion of the section It is provided with a shoulder 28 and around the cylindrical portion directly below this shoulder is mounted a swab rubber 30. This swab is of such size as to engage the inner surface of the pipe Ill as the tool moves through the pipe. The section I8 is provided with a vertical fluid passage 32 having one or more upwardly projedz'lng branches 34.

of flush Joint drill pipe, is inserted in the upper end of the section I! is also provided with a cylindrical passage 36 in alignment with the' extending outwardly. The section 22 may be any desired length such as or III feet and any desired number of these sections 22 may be 'con-.

nected together depending on the weight which it is desired to give the tool. y

In operation, when it is desired to pull the string of drill pipe Ill from the hole the kelly is first removed and the cleaning tool is then inserted in the open end of the uppermost section of pipe as shown in the drawing. The tool will slide downwardly in the pipe forcing the drilling fluid ahead of it until, as has been explained hereinbefore, a level is reached such that the weight of the drilling fluid forced downwardly and out of the drill pipe will equal the weight oi the tool itself. The tool will naturally slide downwardly a distance depending on the weight of the tool and the nature and weight of the drilling fluid and the body member should be provided with a number of. weight sections 22 suflicient to cause the tool to remain at a level below the derrick floor. The upper section 01 the pipe Ill can then be unthreaded and removed and as the pipe string is again' raised the tool will tend to remain at its former level below the floor oi the derrick and the second and remainwardly through the pipe.

11 for any reason it is desired to circulate drill- 'ing fluid downwardly through thepipe while the cleaning tool is in the pipe, this can be done without removing the tool since the fluid will pass through passages 34, I2 and 34, pastthe check valve 42 and outwardlythrough passages 38. In case the tool isresting upon the drill bit the circulating fluid can pass inwardly and downwardly through the passages ii and 48 and,

sary. The cost of maintenance of the tool is extremely low since the only wearing part is the swab rubber which is inexpensive and can be easily replaced.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention as above-set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope theroi, and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated by the appended claim.

I claim:

A device for cleaning'the inside of a string of drill pipe having a drilllbit on the lower end thereof, comprising a body member adapted to slide downwardly through said pipe string, resilient means on said bodymember adapted to engage the inner surface oi said pipe, said body member being provided with a longitudinal fluid passage, a valve seat in said passage, a valve in said passage below. said seat, resilient spring means for forcing said valve upwardly toward said seat to close said passage, a nozzle shaped projection on the lower end of said body member adapted to engage said drill bit, and a second fluid passage extending from the outside of said body member downwardly through said projection, the arrangement being such that fluid circulated downwardly through said pipe will pass through said first mentioned passage past said valve, through said second passage and out through said projection.

' I EDGAR J. TURNER,

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