US3894402A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for emplacing a conduit along an underground arcuate path
Assignee: SPIE GROUP Inc
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Filing: 1974-07-19
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Granted: 1975-07-15
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Expires: 1994-07-19
Abstract
Abstract A method for emplacing a production casing such as a pipeline or other conduit beneath a surface obstacle such as a water course is disclosed. A drill is provided which has a trailing drill string. A pilot hole is drilled along an inverted arcuate path beneath a surface obstacle from one side to the other side of the obstacle so that the drill string occupies the pilot hole. A reamer is provided which has a relatively smaller leading end and a larger trailing end. The leading end of the reamer is attached to one of the ends of the drill string, and an end of the production casing is attached to the trailing end of the reamer. The production casing is thrust into the pilot hole at one side of the surface obstacle to project the reamer with the production casing following into the pilot hole. As the production casing is thrust into the pilot hole at one side of the obstacle, the drill string exits the pilot hole at the opposite side of the obstacle. The reamer is operated by rotating the production casing or other method simultaneously with thrusting the production casing into the pilot hole to scarify and dislodge the earth circumscribing the pilot hole. The pilot hole is enlarged to a diameter slightly greater than the production casing to provide an annulus between the production casing and the reamed hole. Drilling mud is injected through the drill string to exit at the reamer where it entrains the dislodged earth. The drilling mud containing the dislodged earth is allowed to flow into the annulus surrounding the production casing.
Inventors
- 👤 Martin D Cherrington
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 04:16
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B7/00; E21B7/28; E21B21/00; E21B7/04; E21B7/046
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
231 words
A method for emplacing a production casing beneath a surface obstacle such as water course, said method comprising the steps of: providing a drill having a trailing drill string; drilling a pilot hole along an inverted arcuate path beneath the surface obstacle from a first side to a second opposite side of the obstacle with said drill so that the drill string occupies the pilot hole with the opposite ends of said drill string being on opposite sides of the obstacle; providing a reamer having a relatively smaller leading end and a relatively larger trailing end; attaching the relatively smaller leading end of the reamer to one of the ends of the drill string; attaching an end of the production casing non-rotatably to the relatively larger trailing end of the reamer; forcing the production casing into the pilot hole at one side of the surface obstacle to project the reamer with said production casing following into said pilot hole, the drill string exiting the pilot hole at the other opposite end of the obstacle; and rotating the production casing simultaneously with said thrusting step to operate the reamer to scarify and dislodge the earth around the pilot hole to enlarge the pilot hole to a diameter at least equal to the production casing so that said production casing is emplaced along the arcuate path as the pilot hole is being enlarged.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
231 words
A method for emplacing a production casing beneath a surface obstacle such as water course, said method comprising the steps of: providing a drill having a trailing drill string; drilling a pilot hole along an inverted arcuate path beneath the surface obstacle from a first side to a second opposite side of the obstacle with said drill so that the drill string occupies the pilot hole with the opposite ends of said drill string being on opposite sides of the obstacle; providing a reamer having a relatively smaller leading end and a relatively larger trailing end; attaching the relatively smaller leading end of the reamer to one of the ends of the drill string; attaching an end of the production casing non-rotatably to the relatively larger trailing end of the reamer; forcing the production casing into the pilot hole at one side of the surface obstacle to project the reamer with said production casing following into said pilot hole, the drill string exiting the pilot hole at the other opposite end of the obstacle; and rotating the production casing simultaneously with said thrusting step to operate the reamer to scarify and dislodge the earth around the pilot hole to enlarge the pilot hole to a diameter at least equal to the production casing so that said production casing is emplaced along the arcuate path as the pilot hole is being enlarged.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said forcing comprises thrusting the production casing at its trailing end.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
135 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein rotating the production casing to operate the reamer is adapted to enlarge the pilot hole to a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the production casing to provide a narrow annulus circumscribing said production casing, said method additionally comprising the steps of injecting drilling mud into the end of the drill string opposite from the end of the drill string attached to the leading end of the reamer so that said drilling mud flows through said drill string to exit at the reamer; entraining in said drilling mud the earth scarified and dislodged by the reamer; and allowing the drilling mud containing the scarified earth to flow into the annulus around the production casing to lubricate the casing as it is forced into the pilot hole.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
112 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein rotating the production casing to operate the reamer is adapted to enlarge the pilot hole to a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the production casing, said method additionally comprising the steps of providing an inlet pipe internal to the production casing, said inlet pipe having one end terminating adjacent the reamer; injecting drilling mud into the inlet pipe so that said drilling mud flows through said inlet pipe to exit at the reamer; entraining in said drilling mud the earth scarified by the reamer; and allowing the drilling mud containing the scarified earth to flow into the annulus around the production casing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein attaching the leading end of the reamer to one of the ends of the drill string comprises attaching the leading end of the reamer to the end of the drill string at said first side of the surface obstacle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said attaching the leading end of the reamer to one of the ends of the drill string comprises attaching the leading end of the reamer to the end of the drill string at said second side of the surface obstacle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said trailing drill string comprises a plurality of drill string segments, and additionally comprising the step of removing the segments individually from the drill string as said drill string segments Exit the pilot hole at the opposite end of the obstacle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
79 words
A method as recited in claim 1 and additionally comprising the step of providing an inclined drill rig at the first side of the surface obstacle, and wherein said drilling step additionally includes thrusting the drill string into the pilot hole with said drill rig, wherein said production casing forcing step additionally includes thrusting the production casing with said drilling rig, and wherein said production casing rotating step additionally includes rotating the production casing with said inclined drill rig.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method as recited in claim 1 and additionally comprising the steps of filling the emplaced production casing with a liquid, and inserting a plurality of product pipes in the filled production casing, the leading ends of said product pipes being sealed to provide buoyancy to said pipes as said pipes are inserted in the production casing.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
220 words
A method for emplacing a large diameter production casing beneath a surface obstacle such as a water course, said method comprising the steps of: providing a drill having a trailing drill string; drilling a pilot hole along an inverted arcuate path beneath the surface obstacle from one side to the other with said drill so that the trailing drill string occupies the pilot hole with the opposite ends of said drill string being on opposite sides of the obstacle; providing a reamer having a relatively smaller leading end and a relatively larger trailing end; attaching the leading end of the reamer to one of the ends of the drill string; attaching an end of the large diameter production casing to the trailing end of the reamer; providing means for rotating the reamer internal to the production casing; forcing the production casing into the pilot hole to project the reamer with said production casing following into said pilot hole; and rotating the reamer with said rotating means simultaneously with said forcing step to operate the reamer to scarify and dislodge the earth around the pilot hole to thereby enlarge the pilot hole to a diameter at least equal to the production casing so that the said production casing is emplaced along the arcuate path as the pilot hole is being enlarged.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
220 words
A method for emplacing a large diameter production casing beneath a surface obstacle such as a water course, said method comprising the steps of: providing a drill having a trailing drill string; drilling a pilot hole along an inverted arcuate path beneath the surface obstacle from one side to the other with said drill so that the trailing drill string occupies the pilot hole with the opposite ends of said drill string being on opposite sides of the obstacle; providing a reamer having a relatively smaller leading end and a relatively larger trailing end; attaching the leading end of the reamer to one of the ends of the drill string; attaching an end of the large diameter production casing to the trailing end of the reamer; providing means for rotating the reamer internal to the production casing; forcing the production casing into the pilot hole to project the reamer with said production casing following into said pilot hole; and rotating the reamer with said rotating means simultaneously with said forcing step to operate the reamer to scarify and dislodge the earth around the pilot hole to thereby enlarge the pilot hole to a diameter at least equal to the production casing so that the said production casing is emplaced along the arcuate path as the pilot hole is being enlarged.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
65 words
A method as recited in claim 10 wherein said providing means for rotating the reamer comprises the step of providing a drive shaft internal to the production casing, said drive shaft having a power output end attached to the reamer, and wherein said rotating the reamer step comprises rotating the reamer by rotating the drive shaft simultaneously with said forcing step to operate the reamer.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
248 words
A method for emplacing a production casing beneath a surface obstacle such as a water course, said method comprising the steps of: providing a drill having a trailing drill string; drilling a pilot hole along an inverted arcuate path beneath the surface obstacle from a first side to a second opposite side of the obstacle with said drill so that the trailing drill string occupies the pilot hole with the ends of said drill string being on opposite sides of the obstacle; providing a reamer having a relatively smallerleading end and a relatively larger trailing end; attaching the leading end of the reamer to one of the ends of the drill string; connecting an end of the production casing to the trailing end of the reamer; providing means for rotating the reamer; thrusting the production casing into the pilot hole to project the reamer with said production casing following into said pilot hole; rotating the reamer with rotating means simultaneously with said thrusting step to operate the reamer to scarify and dislodge the earth around the pilot hole; injecting drilling mud into the end of the drill string opposite from the end of the drill string attached to the leading end of the reamer so that said drilling mud flows through said drill string to exit at the reamer; and allowing the drilling mud containing the scarified earth to flow into The annulus around the production casing so that the production casing slips easily into the enlarged hole.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
248 words
A method for emplacing a production casing beneath a surface obstacle such as a water course, said method comprising the steps of: providing a drill having a trailing drill string; drilling a pilot hole along an inverted arcuate path beneath the surface obstacle from a first side to a second opposite side of the obstacle with said drill so that the trailing drill string occupies the pilot hole with the ends of said drill string being on opposite sides of the obstacle; providing a reamer having a relatively smallerleading end and a relatively larger trailing end; attaching the leading end of the reamer to one of the ends of the drill string; connecting an end of the production casing to the trailing end of the reamer; providing means for rotating the reamer; thrusting the production casing into the pilot hole to project the reamer with said production casing following into said pilot hole; rotating the reamer with rotating means simultaneously with said thrusting step to operate the reamer to scarify and dislodge the earth around the pilot hole; injecting drilling mud into the end of the drill string opposite from the end of the drill string attached to the leading end of the reamer so that said drilling mud flows through said drill string to exit at the reamer; and allowing the drilling mud containing the scarified earth to flow into The annulus around the production casing so that the production casing slips easily into the enlarged hole.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method as recited in claim 12 and additionally comprising the steps of providing a return pipe internal to the production casing; providing communication between said return pipe and the outer surface of the production casing; and allowing the drilling mud contained in the annulus around the production casing to flow out of the production casing through the return pipe.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the trailing end of the reamer is nonrotatably attached to the production casing, and wherein providing means for rotating the reamer comprises providing means for rotating the production casing to rotate the reamer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as recited in claim 12 wherein said providing means for rotating the reamer comprises providing a drive shaft internal to the production casing, said drive shaft being connected to the reamer so that rotation of the drive shaft rotates the reamer.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-07-14 | 1979-01-13 | 1979-07-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-14 | 1983-01-13 | 1983-07-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-14 | 1987-01-13 | 1987-07-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |