Method and apparatus for drilling horizontal holes in geological structures from a vertical bore

Patent · 01 January 1982

OSTI ID:864146

Summers, David A ^[1]; Barker, Clark R ^[1]; Keith, H Dean ^[1]

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1. Rolla, MO

This invention is directed to a method and apparatus for drilling horizontal holes in geological strata from a vertical position. The geological structures intended to be penetrated in this fashion are coal seams, as for in situ gasification or methane drainage, or in oil-bearing strata for increasing the flow rate from a pre-existing well. Other possible uses for this device might be for use in the leaching of uranium ore from underground deposits or for introducing horizontal channels for water and steam injections.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA
• Assignee: Curators of University of Missouri (Columbia, MO)
• Patent Number(s): US 4317492
• OSTI ID: 864146
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/175/
apparatus
bore
channels
coal
coal seam
coal seams
deposits
device
directed
drainage
drilling
drilling horizontal
fashion
flow
flow rate
gasification
geological
geological structures
holes
horizontal
horizontal channel
horizontal holes
increasing
injections
intended
introducing
leaching
methane
method
oil-bearing
penetrated
position
pre-existing
rate
seams
situ
situ gas
situ gasification
steam
steam injection
strata
structures
underground
uranium
vertical
vertical bore
vertical position
water