Apparatus and Method for Supplying Electrical Power to an Electrocrushing Drill

• US 20120168177A1
• Filed: 01/09/2012
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SDG, LLC
• Original Assignee: SDG, LLC
• Inventors: Moeny, William M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,016,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/380
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/00 Drill bits specially adapted for deflecting the direction of boring E21B7/064; with means for collecting substances E21B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/15 of electrically generated heat
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 37/18 by electricity

Abstract

An apparatus and method for controlling power delivered to a pulsed power system which includes a command charge switch for controlling when power produced by a primary power system is fed into a cable. The command charge switch also controls the power delivered to the pulsed power system in a bottom hole assembly.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling power delivered to a down-hole pulsed power system in a bottom hole assembly comprising:

a cable for providing power from a surface to said pulsed power system;

a command charge switch disposed between an end of said cable and a prime power system on the surface; and

said command charge switch firing on command to control when power produced by said primary power system is fed into said cable and controlling power provided to said pulsed power system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bottom hole assembly comprises a non-rotating drill bit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said prime power system produces a medium voltage DC power to charge at least one capacitor of said prime power system, said capacitor connected by said command charge switch to said cable.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said command charge switch controls said medium voltage DC power on said prime power capacitor when switched on to said cable and transmitted to said pulsed power system.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said command charge switch controls a duration of a charge voltage on said pulsed power system in said bottom hole assembly.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said command charge switch controls a voltage waveform on said cable.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said prime power system dampens cable oscillations.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said prime power system comprises a diode-resistor set to dampen cable oscillations.

9. A method for controlling power delivered to a pulsed power system using a command control switch comprising:

disposing the pulsed power system in a bottom hole assembly;

providing power to the pulsed power system via a cable;

disposing a command charge switch between an end of the cable and a prime power system on the surface; and

firing the command charge switch thereby controlling when the power produced by the prime power system is fed into the cable and controlling the power delivered to the pulsed power system in the bottom hole assembly.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the bottom hole assembly comprises a non-rotating drill bit.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising the prime power system producing a medium voltage DC power to charge at least one prime power system capacitor that is connected to the cable by the command charge switch.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising controlling when the medium voltage DC power on the prime power capacitor is switched on to the cable.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising controlling a duration of charge voltage on the pulsed power system in the bottom hole assembly.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising controlling a voltage waveform on the cable.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising dampening cable oscillations.

16. An apparatus for conducting electric current from a top-hole environment to a down-hole pulsed power system in a bottom hole assembly comprising:

a drill pipe comprising first and second connectable sections;

each of said drill pipe connectable sections comprising a plurality of embedded conductors;

male contacts disposed on said embedded conductors of said first connectable section;

female contacts disposed on said embedded conductors of said second connectable section;

said male contacts and said female contacts capable of alignment;

at least one drill pipe connector for connecting said first connectable section to said second connectable section to form at least a portion of said drill pipe; and

said connector isolating said plurality of embedded conductors from each other.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising additional connectable sections alternating between embedded connectors comprising male contacts and embedded connectors comprising female contacts.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said drill pipe other than said embedded conductors is non-conductive.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said connector comprises a non-rotating connector.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said connector comprises a stab-type connector.

21. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said connector comprises a turnbuckle connector.

22. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said conductors comprise a conduction of current of at least about 1 amp average current.

23. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said conductors carry a high-voltage current.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said conductors carry said current at a voltage of at least about 1 kV.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising low-voltage conductors for carrying low-voltage data signals.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said low-voltage conductors carry current at a voltage of about 1 to 500 volts.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said low-voltage conductors are isolated from said high-voltage conductors.

28. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said connectors comprises a disconnect device.

29. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said connectors connect said drill pipe sections without relative rotation enabling alignment of said electrical conductors.

30. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said drill pipe further comprises a dielectric portion.

31. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said drill pipe further comprises a metallic portion.

32. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said drill pipe further comprises a combination of dielectric portions and metallic portions.

33. A method of conducting electric current from a top-hole environment to a down-hole pulsed power system in a bottom hole assembly comprising:

providing a drill pipe comprising first and second connectable sections and a plurality of embedded conductors;

disposing male contacts on the plurality of embedded conductors of a first connectable section;

disposing female contacts on the plurality of embedded conductors of a second connectable section;

aligning the male contacts with the female contacts;

connecting the connectable sections together using at least one drill pipe connector;

isolating the embedded conductors from each other; and

conducting electrical current from a top-hole environment to the down-hole pulsed power system in the bottom hole assembly.

34. The method of claim 33 comprising conducting current of about 1 amp average current.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising carrying high-voltage current in at least some of the plurality of embedded conductors.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising carrying current at a voltage of at least about 1 kV.

37. The method of claim 33 further comprising carrying low-voltage current in at least some of the plurality of embedded conductors.

38. The method of claim 33 further comprising insulating the embedded conductors.

39. The method of claim 33 comprising connecting the connectable sections together without relative rotation.

40. The method of claim 33 further comprising alternating between embedded connectors comprising male contacts and embedded connectors comprising female contacts.