Automated bore planning method and apparatus for horizontal directional drilling

• US 6,749,029 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2003
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Delonti, Fred G., Cartwright, Paul A., Rettig, Christopher Dean, Alft, Kevin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): McElheny, Jr., Donald E.
• Application Number:
  US10/409,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20030173113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: 702/6, 702/7, 702/9, 333/04, 333/13, 175/24, 175/45
• US Class Current: 175/24
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/00 Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/0232 at least one of the energy sources or one of the detectors being located on or above the ground surface
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/04 Directional drilling
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/40 specially adapted for well-logging
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/18 specially adapted for well-logging

Abstract

A system and method provide for electronic development of a bore plan for use in connection with an underground boring machine. Electronically developing a bore plan involves providing topographical information representative of topography of the bore site and providing bore path information representative of an intended bore path for the bore site. The bore path information includes at least two target points through which the intended bore path is to pass. The intended bore path can define a pilot bore path or a backream path. The target points comprise an entry point and an exit point, and each of the target points is defined by at least a distance value, lateral value, and a depth value.

Claims

1. A method for electronically developing a bore plan of a bore site for use in connection with an underground boring system, comprising

providing topographical information representative of topography of the bore site;

providing bore path information representative of an intended bore path for the bore site, the bore path information comprising at least two target points through which the intended bore path is to pass, the at least two target points comprising an entry point and an exit point, each of the target points defined by at least a distance value, lateral value, and a depth value; and

generating bore plan data using the topographical and bore path information, the bore plan data comprising data representative of an intended bore defined generally along the intended bore path and with respect to the representative topography of the bore site.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing utility information representative of one or more utilities situated at the bore site, wherein generating the bore plan data further comprises generating the bore plan data using the topographical, bore path, and utility information.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generated bore plan data further comprises an indication of an entry location at which the intended bore path enters the ground, and an exit location at which the intended bore path exits the ground.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the entry point defines a first target point of the at least two target points, and the exit point defines a last target point of the at least two target points.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the entry point defines a first target point at which the intended bore is at a first depth and a first pitch, and the exit point defines a last target point at which the intended bore is at a last depth and a last pitch.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the target points are further defined by one or both of a pitch value and an azimuth value.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing one or both of the topographical and bore path information comprises manually providing one or both of the topographical and bore path information.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the intended bore path defines a pilot bore path or a backream path.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing elevation information, wherein generating the bore plan data further comprises generating the bore plan data using the topographical, bore path, and the elevation information.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising modifying one or more of the target points, and generating modified bore plan data using the one or more modified target points.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying all or selected elements of the generated bore plan data.

12. A method for electronically developing a bore plan of a bore site for use in connection with an underground boring system, comprising

providing topographical information representative of topography of the bore site;

providing utility information representative of one or more utilities situated at the bore site;

providing bore path information representative of an intended bore path for the bore site, the bore path information comprising a plurality of target points through which the intended bore path is to pass, each of the target points defined by at least a distance value, lateral value, and a depth value; and

generating bore plan data using the topographical, utility, and bore path information, the bore plan data comprising data representative of an intended bore.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the generated bore plan data comprises only two target points.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the generated bore plan data further comprises an indication of an entry location at which the intended bore path enters the ground, and an exit location at which the intended bore path exits the ground.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein generating the bore plan data further comprises computing an exit point representative of a last target point of the plurality of target points.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein generating the bore plan data further comprises computing an entry point representative of a first target point of the plurality of target points.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of target points comprises an entry point at which the intended bore is at a first depth and a first pitch, and an exit point at which the intended bore is at a last depth and a last pitch.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein one or more of the plurality of target points is further defined by one or both of a pitch value and an azimuth value.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein providing one or more of the topographical, utility, and bore path information comprises manually providing one or more of the topographical, utility, and bore path information.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein the intended bore path defines a pilot bore path or a backream path.

21. The method according to claim 12, further comprising modifying one or more of the plurality of target points, and generating modified bore plan data using the modified target points.

22. The method according to claim 12, further comprising displaying all or selected elements of the generated bore plan data.

23. A method for electronically developing a bore plan of a bore site for use in connection with an underground boring system, comprising

providing topographical information representative of topography of the bore site;

providing bore path information representative of an intended bore path for the bore site, the bore path information comprising a plurality of target points through which the intended bore path is to pass;

providing information defining one or more mechanical properties of the boring system; and

generating, using the topographical and bore path information, bore plan data that ensures that limitations associated with the mechanical properties are not violated.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the mechanical properties of the boring system comprise one or both of drill rod diameter and drill rod length.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the mechanical properties of the boring system comprise one or both of product diameter and product length.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the mechanical properties of the boring system comprise maximum allowable bend radius of a drill string of the boring system.

27. The method according to claim 23, wherein the mechanical properties of the boring system comprise maximum allowable bend radius of product to be installed at the bore site.

28. The method according to claim 23, wherein the mechanical properties of the boring system comprise one or more performance properties of a drilling machine of the boring system.

29. The method according to claim 23, wherein the generated bore plan data comprises an indication of an entry location at which the intended bore path enters the ground, and an exit location at which the intended bore path exits the ground.

30. The method according to claim 23, wherein the plurality of target points comprises an entry point at which the intended bore is at a first depth and a first pitch, and an exit point at which the intended bore is at a last depth and a last pitch.

31. A system for electronically developing a bore plan of a bore site for use in connection with an underground boring system, comprising:

a processor;

memory coupled to the processor;

an input interface, coupled to the processor, for inputting bore path information representative of an intended bore path at the bore site and topographical information representative of topography of the bore site, the bore path information comprising at least two target points through which the intended bore path is to pass, each of the at least two target points defined by a distance value, lateral value, and a depth value; and

a display device coupled to the processor, the processor computing bore plan data using the topographical and bore path information, the bore plan data presented on the display in one or both of textual and graphical form.

32. The system according to claim 31, wherein the input interface is operable to receive utility information representative of one or more utilities situated at the bore site, the processor computing the bore plan data using the topographic, bore path, and utility information.

33. The system according to claim 31, wherein the input interface is operable by a user.

34. The system according to claim 31, wherein the input interface comprises a communications interface.

35. The system according to claim 31, wherein the input interface is operable for receiving product information representative of one or more of a diameter, allowable bend radius, and quantity of product to be installed at the bore site, the processor computing the bore plan data using the topographic, bore path, and product information.

36. The system according to claim 31, wherein the input interface is operable for receiving drill rod information representative of one or both of drill rod radius information and drill rod bend radius information, the processor computing the bore plan data using the topographic, bore path, and drill rod information.

37. The system according to claim 31, wherein the input interface is operable for receiving bore path information comprising one or both of pitch and azimuth information concerning one or more of the at least two target points.

38. The system according to claim 31, wherein the processor alters the intended bore path in response to alteration of one or both of the topographical and bore path information.

39. The system according to claim 31, wherein the processor alters a graphical representation of a selected topographical or bore path element presented on the display in response to a command received by the input interface.

40. The system according to claim 31, further comprising an output device coupled to the processor, the output device generating one or more of electronic, textual, and graphical information associated with the computed bore plan data.

41. The system according to claim 31, wherein the computed bore plan data further comprises an indication of an entry location at which the intended bore path enters the ground, and an exit location at which the intended bore path exits the ground.

42. The system according to claim 31, wherein the computed bore plan data comprises an entry point defining a first target point of the at least two target points, and an exit point defining a last target point of the at least two target points.

43. The system according to claim 31, wherein the computed bore plan comprises an entry point defining a first target point at which the intended bore is at a first depth and a first pitch, and an exit point defining a last target point at which the intended bore is at a last depth and a last pitch.

44. The system according to claim 31, wherein the intended bore path defines a pilot bore path or a backream path.