Articulating drill method and apparatus for cutting openings in nested strings of underwater piping and or tubing for overturned wells or platforms

An articulating drill system for cutting one or more tubular members, compromising:

• (a) a drill base;
• (b) an articulating boom including a first arm, a second arm, a rotating connection joining the first and second arms, and a system base having a system base opening, wherein the first arm is rotatively attached to the drill base, and the system base is rotatively attached to the second arm;
• (c) a drill having a cutting tip rotatively connected to the drill and a cutting axis upon which the cutting tip rotates;
• (d) a clamping mechanism attached to the system base that enables the system base to be attached to a tubular that is to be cut;
• (e) wherein the clamping mechanism and a plate support the articulating boom, drill and drill base;
• and
• (f) the articulating boom enabling selective placement of the cutting tip relative to the system base opening, including angulation of the cutting axis relative to the system base opening, the system further including a cutting tip stabilizer rotatively connected to the cutting tip and stabilizing the cutting axis upon which the cutting tip rotates, the cutting tip stabilizer including first and second stabilizer portions which are slidably connected to each other, the first stabilizer portion being detachably connected to the system base, and the second stabilizer portion being rotatively connected to the cutting tip, and further including a stabilizer sliding lock having a first unlocked condition and a second locked condition, wherein in the first unlocked condition the first and the second stabilizer portions of the cutting tip stabilizer can slide relative to each other and in the second locked condition the first and second stabilizer portions of the cutting tip stabilizer are locked from sliding relative to each other.

An articulating drill system for cutting one or more tubular members, comprising:

• (a) a drill base;
• (b) an articulating boom having first and second end portions, the first end portion being attached to the drill base, the second end portion of the articulating boom being attached to a system base having a system base opening;
• (c) a drill having a cutting tip and a drill rotary axis upon which the cutting tip rotates, the cutting tip supported upon the drill base;
• (d) a clamping mechanism attached to the system base that enables the system base to be attached to a tubular that is to be cut selected from the one or more tubular members, the clamping mechanism being configured to position the system base opening next to the tubular so that the cutting tip can pass through the system base opening and then engage the tubular that is to be cut;
• (e) wherein the clamping mechanism and system base support the articulating boom, drill and drill base;
• and
• (f) the articulating boom enabling placement of the drill cutting up relative to the system base opening, wherein the articulating boom has multiple arms which are connected, wherein there are three arms including a third arm and wherein the third arm includes a first slider which slidingly connects the drill to the third arm and allows for selected linear movement of the drill relative to the third arm in a first direction wherein the third arm includes a second slider which slidingly connects the drill to the third arm and allows for selected linear movement of the drill relative to the third arm in a second direction.