Drilling head with annular seal assembly

• Main Authors: Lev Ring, Vahidin Alajbegovic
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 16.10.2019
• Subjects: EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; MINING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

A drilling head can include an annular seal assembly releasably secured in an outer housing, the annular seal assembly including an annular seal and an actuator that pressurizes a lubricant for delivery to an interior of the annular seal. A method can include positioning an annular seal in a drilling head, the annular seal including an inner liner having openings formed through a sidewall of the inner liner, and flowing a lubricant into an opening while the inner liner sealingly engages a tubular. In another method, the annular seal can have a minimum inner diameter for sealing engagement with a tubular, and a lubricant passage extending through the annular seal and intersecting an interior of the annular seal at a location spaced apart from the minimum inner diameter. A lubricant is flowed through the lubricant passage to the interior of the annular seal.