Auto-extending/retracting electrically isolated conductors in a segmented drill string
First Claim
1. In a system in which a boring tool is moved through the ground in a region, said system including a drill rig and a drill string which is connected between said boring tool and said drilling and is configured for extension and/or retraction from said drill rig such that, when said drill string is extended, the boring tool moves in a forward direction through the ground and, when the drill string is retracted, the boring tool moves in a reverse direction approaching the drill rig, said drill string being made up of a plurality of drill pipe sections, each of which includes a section length defining an innermost passage and all of which are configured for removable attachment with one another to facilitate the extension and retraction of the drill string by one section length at a time, the improvement comprising:
- an arrangement positioned within the innermost passage of each drill pipe section for providing part of at least one electrically conductive path along the section length of each drill pipe section, which electrically conductive path is electrically isolated from its associated drill pipe section and extends from the boring tool to the drilling rig such that the electrically conductive path is extended by said section length when the drill string is extended by attachment of an additional drill pipe section to the drill string at the drill rig and said electrically conductive path is shortened by said section length when the drill string is shortened by detaching the additional drill pipe section from the drill string at the drill rig.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Arrangements and associated methods are described for providing an isolated electrically conductive path in a system in which a boring tool is moved through the ground in a region. The system includes a drill rig and a drill string which is connected between a boring tool, or other in-ground device, and the drill. The drill string is made up of a plurality of electrically conductive drill pipe sections, each of which includes a section length and all of which are configured for removable attachment with one another to facilitate the extension and retraction of the drill string by one section length at a time. The arrangement associated with each drill pipe section provides part of at least one electrically conductive path along the section length of each drill pipe section, which electrically conductive path is electrically isolated from its associated drill pipe section and extends from the boring tool to the drill rig such that the electrically conductive path is extended by the section length when the drill string is extended by attachment of an additional drill pipe section to the drill string at the drill rig and the electrically conductive path is shortened by the section length when the drill string is shortened by detaching the additional drill pipe section from the drill string at the drill rig.
-
Citations
70 Claims
-
1. In a system in which a boring tool is moved through the ground in a region, said system including a drill rig and a drill string which is connected between said boring tool and said drilling and is configured for extension and/or retraction from said drill rig such that, when said drill string is extended, the boring tool moves in a forward direction through the ground and, when the drill string is retracted, the boring tool moves in a reverse direction approaching the drill rig, said drill string being made up of a plurality of drill pipe sections, each of which includes a section length defining an innermost passage and all of which are configured for removable attachment with one another to facilitate the extension and retraction of the drill string by one section length at a time, the improvement comprising:
an arrangement positioned within the innermost passage of each drill pipe section for providing part of at least one electrically conductive path along the section length of each drill pipe section, which electrically conductive path is electrically isolated from its associated drill pipe section and extends from the boring tool to the drilling rig such that the electrically conductive path is extended by said section length when the drill string is extended by attachment of an additional drill pipe section to the drill string at the drill rig and said electrically conductive path is shortened by said section length when the drill string is shortened by detaching the additional drill pipe section from the drill string at the drill rig. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
33. In a system in which a boring tool is moved through the ground in a region, said system including a drill rig and a drill string which is connected between said boring tool and said drill rig and is configured for extension and/or retraction from said drill rig such that, when said drill string is extended, the boring tool moves in a forward direction through the ground and, when the drill string is retracted, the boring tool moves in a reverse direction approaching the drill rig, said drill string being made up of a plurality of drill pipe sections, each of which includes a section length defining an innermost passage and all of which are configured for removable attachment with one another to facilitate the extension and retraction of the drill string by one section length at a time, in a method for providing at least one electrically conductive path which is electrically isolated from the drill pipe sections and which extends from the boring tool to the drill rig, the improvement comprising the step of:
configuring each drill pipe section having an associated arrangement within said innermost passage such that said electrically conductive path is extended by one section length through the innermost passage by removably attaching one drill pipe section to an above ground end of said drill string and said electrically conductive path is shortened by one section length by detaching said one drill pipe section from the above ground end of said drill string.
-
34. In a system in which a boring tool is moved through the ground in a region, said boring tool including an electronic package, said system including a drill rig and a drill string which is connected between said boring tool and said drill rig and is configured for extension and/or retraction from said drill rig such that when said drill string is extended, the boring tool moves in a forward direction through the ground and, when the drill string is retracted, the boring tool moves in a reverse direction approaching the drill rig, said drill string being made up of a plurality of drill pipe sections each of which includes a pipe body defining an innermost passage, each of which includes a section length and all of which are configured for removable attachment with one another to facilitate the extension and retraction of the drill string by one section length at a time, a method for operating said system said method comprising the steps of:
-
a) configuring each drill pipe section having an arrangement within said innermost passage to provide at least one electrically conductive path between opposing ends of each drill pipe section and electrically isolated from said pipe body;
b) attaching one end of an initial drill pipe section to said boring tool to form an initial portion of the drill string such that said electrically conductive path of the arrangement associated with the initial drill pipe section is in electrical communication with the electronic package in the boring tool; and
c) attaching one of the opposing ends of a second drill pipe section to the other, above ground end of the initial drill pipe section in a way which connects the electrically isolated conductive path of the arrangement associated with the second drill pipe section to the electrically isolated conductive path of the arrangement associated with the initial drill pipe section to form an overall electrically isolated conductive path extending between the other, above ground end of the overall conductive path at the drill rig and the boring tool through the innermost passage of each drill pipe section. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
d) advancing the boring tool using the drill string made up of the second drill pipe section and the initial drill pipe section.
-
-
36. The method of claim 35 including the step of electrically energizing said overall isolated electrically conductive path as the boring tool is advanced.
-
37. The method of claim 36 wherein said overall isolated electrically conductive path is electrically energized to provide electrical power to said electronic package.
-
38. The method of claim 36 wherein said overall isolated electrically conductive path is electrically energized to carry a data signal from said electronic package to the drill rig.
-
39. The method of claim 35 including the steps of:
-
e) attaching one of the opposing ends of an additional drill pipe section configured with said arrangement to the above ground end of the drill string in a way extends the drill string and which connects the electrically isolated conductive path defined within the innermost passage of the additional drill pipe section to the overall isolated electrically conductive path such that, as the additional drill pipe section is attached to the drill string, the overall electrically conductive path is extended by one section length; and
f) further advancing the boring tool using the extended drill string.
-
-
40. The method of claim 39 including the step of successively repeating steps (e) and (f) until such time that the boring tool has been advanced by a desired amount.
-
41. The method of claim 39 including the step of:
g) electrically energizing the overall electrically conductive path as the boring tool is advanced using the drill string.
-
42. The method of claim 41 including the step of repeating steps (e) through (g), in sequence, until such time that the boring tool has been advanced by a desired amount.
-
43. In a system in which a boring tool is moved through the ground in a region using a drill rig, said system including a drill rig and a drill string which is connected between said boring tool and said drill rig and is made up of a plurality of drill pipe sections such that the drill string can be advanced or retracted from said drill rig to move the boring tool in a forward direction or in a reverse direction, respectively, through the ground, each drill pipe section comprising:
-
a) first and second opposing ends and an elongated body having a length between said opposing ends and defining a through hole along said length, the opposing ends being configured for removable attachment with the opposing ends of other drill pipe sections within the drill string; and
b) an arrangement for providing at least one electrically conductive path along said length between said opposing ends which electrically conductive path is electrically isolated from said elongated body and which arrangement is configured for electrical connection to the electrically conductive path of another one of the drill pipe sections such that attaching one of the first or second opposing ends of a first drill pipe section to the other one of the first or second opposing ends of a second drill pipe section electrically interconnects the electrically conductive paths of the first and second drill pipe sections. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
-
-
59. In a system in which a boring tool is moved through the ground in a region, said system including a drill rig and a drill string which is connected between said boring tool and said drill rig and is configured for extension and/or retraction from said drill rig such that, when said drill string is extended, the boring tool moves in a forward direction through the ground and, when the drill string is retracted, the boring tool moves in a reverse direction approaching the drill rig, said drill string being made up of a plurality of drill pipe sections having opposing first and second ends and a section length defining an interior passage therebetween and all of which are configured for removable attachment with one another by physically connecting the first end of one drill pipe section with the second end of another drill pipe section to facilitate the extension and retraction of the drill string by one section length at a time, an arrangement for use with each one of the drill pipe sections, said arrangement comprising:
-
a) opposing first and second electrically conductive connectors adapted for connection with the first and second ends, respectively, of an associated one of said drill pipe sections in an electrically isolated manner, said first and second electrically conductive connectors being configured to be positioned within said innermost passage and to electrically connect with cooperating second and first electrically conductive connectors respectively associated with another one of the drill pipe sections; and
b) an electrically conductive wire located in the innermost passage extending between and electrically connected to said first and second electrically conductive connectors of each drill pipe section so as to provide an electrically conductive path interconnecting the first and second connectors and electrically isolated from each drill pipe section such that physical connection of one drill pipe section with another drill pipe section forms at least one continuous electrical path including the electrically conductive wires of the physically connected drill pipe sections and the first and second electrically conductive connectors therebetween whereby, when a series of drill pipe sections are connected together in a drill string, an overall continuous electrically conductive path is provided by the cooperation of said arrangement in each of the connected drill pipe sections which make up the drill string. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
-
Specification