Devices and methods for dynamic boring procedure reconfiguration
First Claim
1. A method of switching horizontal directional drilling procedures during bore path turning, comprising:
- identifying a hierarchal arrangement of a plurality of different boring procedures utilizing different boring techniques, the hierarchy arrangement representing boring procedures of increasing ability to bore through harder soil while changing a trajectory of a boring tool;
boring a first leg of a curved bore path using a boring tool connected to a drill rig by a drill string, the first leg being bored using a first boring procedure of the plurality of different boring procedures;
monitoring a plurality of boring parameters during boring of the first leg, the plurality of boring parameters comprising;
torsional pressure of the drill string;
rotational travel of the drill string;
hydraulic pressure; and
axial displacement; and
switching from boring the first leg of the curved bore path using the first boring procedure to boring a second leg using a second boring procedure of the plurality of boring procedures, the switch based on one or more of the boring parameters deviating past a threshold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments are directed to a method of switching horizontal directional drilling procedures during bore path turning. Such methods can include identifying a hierarchal arrangement of a plurality of different boring procedures utilizing different boring techniques, the hierarchy arrangement representing boring procedures of increasing ability to bore through harder soil while changing a trajectory of a boring tool. Such methods can further include boring a first leg of a curved bore path using a boring tool connected to a drill rig by a drill string, the first leg being bored using a first boring procedure of the plurality of different boring procedures. Such methods can further include monitoring a plurality of boring parameters during boring of the first leg, the plurality of boring parameters comprising: torsional pressure of the drill string, rotational travel of the drill string, hydraulic pressure, and axial displacement. Such methods can further include switching from boring the first leg of the curved bore path using the first boring procedure to boring a second leg using a second boring procedure of the plurality of boring procedures, the switch based on one or more of the boring parameters deviating past a threshold.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of switching horizontal directional drilling procedures during bore path turning, comprising:
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identifying a hierarchal arrangement of a plurality of different boring procedures utilizing different boring techniques, the hierarchy arrangement representing boring procedures of increasing ability to bore through harder soil while changing a trajectory of a boring tool; boring a first leg of a curved bore path using a boring tool connected to a drill rig by a drill string, the first leg being bored using a first boring procedure of the plurality of different boring procedures; monitoring a plurality of boring parameters during boring of the first leg, the plurality of boring parameters comprising; torsional pressure of the drill string; rotational travel of the drill string; hydraulic pressure; and axial displacement; and switching from boring the first leg of the curved bore path using the first boring procedure to boring a second leg using a second boring procedure of the plurality of boring procedures, the switch based on one or more of the boring parameters deviating past a threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of switching horizontal directional drilling procedures, comprising:
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boring a curved bore path using a boring tool connected to a drill rig using a first boring procedure of a plurality of different boring procedures; monitoring a plurality of boring parameters; comparing at least one of the plurality of boring parameters to a parameter threshold; and switching from boring using the first boring procedure to boring using a second boring procedure of the plurality of boring procedures, the switch based on the parameter comparison. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A horizontal directional drilling machine, comprising:
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a boring tool; a drill string attached the to boring tool; a boring rig coupled to the drill string, the boring rig having one or more motors configured to manipulate the drill string to bore a curved underground path; one or more sensors configured to output one or more boring parameter signals containing boring parameter information; memory; and a controller configured to execute program instructions stored in the memory to cause the horizontal directional drilling machine to switch from boring a curved path using a first boring procedure of a plurality of different boring procedures to a second boring procedure of the plurality of different boring procedures based on the boring parameter information deviating past a parameter threshold, wherein each boring procedure of the plurality of boring procedures comprises a unique combination of boring actions that the drill rig is configured to implement. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for boring, the system comprising:
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means for mechanically boring a generally horizontal curved path through the ground using one of a plurality of boring procedures; means for monitoring one or more parameters while boring; and means for switching using one of the plurality of boring procedures to using a different one of the boring procedures when one or more of the monitored parameters deviates from a preestablished range. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification