Horizontal boring pipe penetration detection system and method

• US 5,457,995 A
• Filed: 05/19/1994
• Issued: 10/17/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Western Gas Resources Incorporated (Occidental Petroleum Corporation), Northern Pipeline Construction Co. (Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Northern Pipeline Const, Western Gas Resources Incorporated (Occidental Petroleum Corporation)
• Inventors: Peck, William O., Staton, Raymon R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US08/246,155
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 73/584, 73/592, 73/596, 73/594, 73/85, 73/78, 73/104, 73/152, 73/40.5 A, 181/108, 181/121, 181/177, 181/125
• US Class Current: 73/596
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/00 Cutting or destroying pipes, packers, plugs or wire lines, located in boreholes or wells, e.g. cutting of damaged pipes, of windows; Deforming of pipes in boreholes or wells; Reconditioning of well casings while in the ground
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/0224 using seismic or acoustic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 17/00 Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves, not provided for in the preceding groups see provisionally also G01H1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/00 Prospecting or detecting by methods combining techniques covered by two or more of main groups G01V1/00 - G01V9/00

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting pipe penetration by the bore head of horizontal boring machine utilizes acoustic and seismic sensors. A sensitive acoustic microphone is placed in the bottom of the nearest sewer manhole to the location of the bore head to detect acoustic signals transmitted through the ground by the bore head for producing a first output signal. A seismic pickup device is placed in the vicinity of the bore head to detect vibrations of the ground caused by the bore head, as it moves through the ground, to produce a second output signal. These first and second signals produced, respectively, by the microphone and the seismic pick-up device, then are supplied to a two-channel strip chart recorder, which provides an output indicia permitting simultaneous comparison of the two signals. Particular patterns of these detected signals are indicative of the penetration of a sewer pipe. In addition to these two signals, analysis of the pressure on the bore head by the boring machine also may be made and compared with the output signals produced by the microphone and seismic pick-up device, as a further input to determine whether penetration of a sewer pipe has been effected.

Claims

1. A method for detecting penetration of a pipe by a bore head of a boring machine including the steps of:

placing a microphone in a sewer manhole near the bore head to detect acoustic signals transmitted through said pipe by said bore head to produce a first output signal representative of the detected acoustic signals;

placing a seismic pick-up device to detect vibrations transmitted through the ground by said bore head to produce a second output signal representative of the detected vibrations of said ground; and

using said first signal from said microphone and said second signal from said seismic pick-up device to determine pipe penetration by said bore head.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of using said first and second signals comprises comparing said first and second signals.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein said comparing said first and second signals further includes supplying said first signal from said microphone and said second signal from said seismic pick-up device to a recorder for providing a visual comparison of said signals.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the step of placing said microphone in said sewer manhole comprises placing said microphone near the bottom of said sewer manhole.

5. The method according to claim 4 further including the steps of pushing said bore head through the ground, monitoring the pressure encountered by said bore head as said bore head is pushed through the ground, and using indicia of increased pressure encountered by said bore head along with said first signal from said microphone and said second signal from said seismic pick-up device to determine pipe penetration by said bore head.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of placing said microphone in said sewer manhole comprises placing said microphone near the bottom of said sewer manhole.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the step of using said first and second signals comprises comparing said first and second signals.

8. The method according to claim 1 further including the steps of pushing said bore head through the ground, monitoring the pressure encountered by said bore head as said bore head is pushed through the ground, and using indicia of increased pressure encountered by said bore head along with said first signal from said microphone and said second signal from said seismic pick-up device to determine pipe penetration by said bore head.

9. The method according to claim 1 further including the step of moving said seismic pick-up device to a position on the ground located substantially over said bore head at periodic intervals as said bore head moves through the ground.

10. A system for detecting penetration of a pipe by a bore head of a boring machine including in combination:

an audio microphone for placement in a sewer manhole near said bore head for detecting acoustic signals transmitted through said pipe by said bore head, and for producing a first output signal representative of the detected acoustic signals;

a seismic pick-up device to detect vibrations transmitted through the ground caused by said bore head as said bore head moves through the ground to produce a second output signal representative of the detected vibrations of said ground;

apparatus producing indicia representative of said first and second output signals; and

means for supplying said first and second output signals to said apparatus producing indicia representative of said first and second output signals to produce indicia of said signals as said bore head moves through said ground.

11. The combination according to claim 10 wherein said apparatus producing indicia comprises a two-channel strip chart recorder having first and second inputs, with said first output signal being supplied to the first input thereof and said second output signal being supplied to the second input thereof.

12. The combination according to claim 11 wherein said seismic pick-up device is a geophone.

13. The combination according to claim 12 further including a pressure gauge coupled with said boring machine for providing an indication of pressure encountered by said bore head as said bore head moves through said ground.

14. The combination according to claim 10 wherein said seismic pick-up device is a geophone.

15. The combination according to claim 14 further including a pressure gauge coupled with said boring machine for providing an indication of pressure encountered by said bore head as said bore head moves through said ground.