DRILLING ASSEMBLY HAVING A TILTED OR OFFSET DRIVESHAFT

摘要

A drilling assembly includes a straight housing in which a mud motor assembly is mounted. The mud motor includes a rotor that rotates within a stator. The rotor has an axial centerline substantially parallel with the housing. A drivetrain is coupled between the rotor and a driveshaft. The driveshaft is coupled to a drill head. The driveshaft has a centerline that is non-coincident with (i.e., offset or angled) the axial centerline. The angle between the driveshaft centerline and the axial centerline may be fixed or variable. The angle may be variable in response to an axial force, imparted to the rotor, that is transferred to the driveshaft through the drivetrain. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.