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US 10,557,308 B2Granted
Projectile drilling system
AssigneeHypersciences, Inc.
InventorMark C. Russell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hole in geologic material, such as a wellbore, may be extended by impacting the working face of the hole with high velocity projectiles. A tube may be placed within the hole, and the lower end of the tube may be sealed to prevent ingress of material from the hole into the tube. A projectile may be accelerated through the tube, such as by igniting a combustible gas mixture to impart a force to the projectile. The impact of the projectile may extend the hole. In some cases, accelerated projectiles may be used in conjunction with a drill bit to drill a wellbore or other type of hole.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- providing a first end of a tube within a hole, wherein the tube has a longitudinal axis and the first end of the tube is engaged with a drill bit configured for cutting a surface of the hole positioned at a non-parallel angle relative to the longitudinal axis;
- sealing the first end of the tube to isolate an interior of the tube from one or more materials within the hole;
- providing a projectile within the interior of the tube;
- providing a drilling fluid into the tube to one or more of actuate, lubricate, or cool the drill bit, wherein the drilling fluid includes a propellant material entrained therein;
- using the propellant material to provide a force to the projectile, accelerate the projectile toward the first end of the tube, and pass the projectile through an orifice in the drill bit to exit the tube and impact the surface of the hole adjacent to the drill bit;
- and
- operating the drill bit during impact between the projectile and the surface such that the drill bit cuts the surface affected by impact with the projectile.
4 more elements
A system comprising:
- a tube having a first end, a second end, and an interior;
- a seal proximate to the second end, wherein the seal prevents fluid communication between at least a portion of the interior of the tube and a region exterior to the tube;
- a drill bit engaged with the second end, wherein the drill bit includes an orifice and is configured to cut a surface in front of the drill bit beyond the second end of the tube;
- a projectile proximate to the first end;
- and
- a drilling fluid for one or more of actuating, lubricating, or cooling the drill bit, wherein the drilling fluid has a propellant material entrained therein to transport the propellant material within the tube and into association with the projectile, and the propellant material provides a force to the projectile to accelerate the projectile toward the first end to exit the tube, pass through the orifice in the drill bit, and impact the surface in front of the drill bit such that actuation of the drill bit cuts the surface affected by the projectile.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- providing a tube having a first end and a second end into a hole, wherein a drill bit configured to cut a surface of the hole in front of the drill bit is engaged with the first end, the drill bit having an orifice;
- sealing the tube proximate to the first end to at least partially prevent ingress of material from the hole into the tube;
- providing a projectile proximate to the second end of the tube;
- providing, into the tube, a drilling fluid to one or more of actuate, lubricate, or cool the drill bit, wherein the drilling fluid has a propellant material entrained therein;
- actuating the propellant material to provide a force to the projectile to accelerate the projectile toward the first end of the tube to exit the tube and pass through the orifice of the drill bit to contact the surface of the hole;
- and
- operating the drill bit during contact between the projectile and the surface such that the drill bit cuts the surface affected by contact with the projectile.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.