Apparatus and method for forming an enlarged underground arcuate bore and installing a conduit therein

Patent · Tue Jul 14 00:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:6137541

Cherrington, M D; Cherrington, W D

This patent describes a method for drilling an arcuate underground pilot bore hole along a predetermined arcuate path in one direction of travel between two surface locations, and then enlarging the pilot bore hole in an opposite direction of travel between the surface locations to receive a production conduit. The bore hole is drilled by a drill pipe string of connected pipe sections including a leading drill pipe section of a smaller diameter than the diameter of at least the majority of the remaining pipe sections, the method comprising the steps of: advancing the small diameter leading drill pipe section with a drill bit in one direction of travel along the arcuate path from a surface entry location to a surface exit location; removing the small diameter leading drill pipe section from the drill pipe string after exit from the exit location; attaching a reamer and production conduit connected to the drill string at the exit location after the small diameter leading pipe section has been removed; pulling the drill string, reamer, and production conduit along the pilot bore hole from the exit location to the earth entry location in an opposite direction of travel with the reamer forming an enlarged opening to receive the production conduit; rotating the drill string and reamer during pulling; and circulating drilling fluid through the drill string during the drilling and reaming operations.

• Assignee: NOV; NOV-87-070666; EDB-87-137652
• Patent Number(s): US 4679637
• OSTI ID: 6137541
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 17 Apr 1986
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
42 ENGINEERING
DRILL BITS
DESIGN
OPERATION
DRILL PIPES
WELL DRILLING
BOREHOLES
CIRCULATING SYSTEMS
DRILLING FLUIDS
HOISTING
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OIL WELLS
PRODUCTION
ROTATION
CAVITIES
DRILLING
DRILLING EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FLUIDS
MATERIALS HANDLING
MOTION
PIPES
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production
030300 - Natural Gas- Drilling
Production
& Processing
420206 - Engineering- Mining & Drilling Equipment & Facilities- (1980-1989)