# US 10,683,704 B2 · Drill with remotely controlled operating modes and system and method for providing the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,683,704 B2 - Document ID: US10683704B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/153,316 - Filed: 2018-10-05 - Published: 2019-02-07 - Granted: 2020-06-16 - Earliest claimed: 2012-08-23 - Assignees: Ramax, LLC - Applicants: Ramax, LLC - Inventors: Fun-Den Wang; Horace M. Varner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10683704B2 ## CPC - E21B 7/18: Drilling by liquid or gas jets, with or without entrained pellets (E21B7/14 takes precedence) - E21B 7/046: {horizontal drilling (drilling with mechanical conveying means E21B7/003)} - E21B 7/065: {using oriented fluid jets} - E21B 7/15: of electrically generated heat - E21B 21/10: Valve arrangements in drilling-fluid circulation systems - E21B 43/26: by forming crevices or fractures - Y10T 137/8593: Systems - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract The present invention relates to a drilling system with a multi-function drill head used in, among other applications, oil and gas drilling. The system is used to enhance the effective permeability of an oil and/or gas reservoir by drilling or cutting new structures into the reservoir. The system is capable of cutting straight bores, radius bores, or side panels, by water jets alone or in combination with lasers. In various embodiments, a device for remotely controlling the mode of the system by variations in the pressure of a drilling fluid is also provided, allowing an operator to switch between various modes (straight drilling, radius bore drilling, panel cutting, etc.) without withdrawing the drill string from the well bore. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drilling system comprising: a drill string; a drilling fluid for drilling into a geological formation, wherein the drilling fluid flows through the drill string; a drill head interconnected to the drill string, the drill head having at least two operating modes, wherein a first operating mode of the at least two operating modes is selected from a group consisting of a straight drilling mode, a radius bore drilling mode, a side panel cutting mode, a propulsion mode, and a non-operational mode, and wherein the drill head comprises a valve assembly comprising: a housing comprising: a bore; a first end; a first hole; a second hole; a first body groove interconnected to the first hole, wherein the first body groove corresponds to the first operating mode; and a second body groove interconnected to the second hole, wherein the second body groove corresponds to a second operating mode of the at least two operating modes; and a spool having an axial bore, a first end, and a second end, wherein the spool is moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first end of the spool receives the drilling fluid, and wherein the first position corresponds to a first pressure of the drilling fluid and the second position corresponds to a second pressure of the drilling fluid; wherein the first operating mode corresponds to the first pressure of the drilling fluid and the second operating mode corresponds to the second pressure of the drilling fluid, wherein the first pressure of the drilling fluid is between about 40 kpsi and about 50 kpsi and the second pressure of the drilling fluid is between about 30 kpsi and about 40 kpsi; a drill head body having a leading surface and a circumferential surface; and a swivel head interconnected to the leading surface of the drill head body, wherein the swivel head is angularly articulable relative to a longitudinal axis of the drill head body, and wherein the swivel head comprises: a first fluid jet cutter; a second fluid jet cutter; a first laser cutter; and a second laser cutter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, further comprising a side panel cutting head positioned on the circumferential surface of the drill head body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises: a third hole; a fourth hole; a third body groove interconnected to the third hole, wherein the third body groove corresponds to a third operating mode; and a fourth body groove interconnected to the fourth hole, wherein the fourth body groove corresponds to a fourth operating mode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The drilling system of claim 3, wherein: the third operating mode corresponds to a third pressure of the drilling fluid, and wherein the third pressure is between about 20 kpsi and about 30 kpsi; and the fourth operating mode corresponds to a fourth pressure of the drilling fluid, and wherein the fourth pressure is less than about 20 kpsi. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, wherein the first hole of the housing is positioned on a downstream surface of the housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, wherein the first hole of the housing is positioned on a lateral surface of the housing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, wherein the first hole of the housing is positioned on an upstream face of the housing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, further comprising a detent assembly for locking the spool in the first position and in the second position, wherein the detent comprises a spring biased against a locking pin, wherein the locking pin is biased against a first notch of the spool when the spool is in the first position and the locking pin is biased against a second notch of the spool when the spool is in the second position, and wherein the locking pin of the detent assembly is selected from a group consisting of a ball, a pin, a sphere, a wheel, and a block. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, further comprising a percussive fluid jet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, wherein the drill head comprises a laser distributor swivel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, wherein the drill head body is displaced about fifteen degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the drill head body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, wherein the first hole of the housing is positioned on an upstream face of the housing. ### Claim 13 A drilling system comprising: a drill string; a drilling fluid for drilling into a geological formation, wherein the drilling fluid flows through the drill string; a drill head interconnected to the drill string, the drill head having at least four operating modes, wherein a first operating mode of the at least four operating modes is selected from a group consisting of a straight drilling mode, a radius bore drilling mode, a side panel cutting mode, a propulsion mode, and a non-operational mode, and wherein the drill head comprises a valve assembly comprising: a housing comprising: a bore; a first end; a first hole; a second hole; a third hole; a fourth hole; a first body groove interconnected to the first hole, wherein the first body groove corresponds to the first operating mode; a second body groove interconnected to the second hole, wherein the second body groove corresponds to a second operating mode of the at least four operating modes; a third body groove interconnected to the third hole, wherein the third body groove corresponds to a third operating mode of the at least four operating modes; and a fourth body groove interconnected to the fourth hole, wherein the fourth body groove corresponds to a fourth operating mode of the at least four operating modes; and a spool having an axial bore, a first end, and a second end, wherein the spool is moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first end of the spool receives the drilling fluid, and wherein the first position corresponds to a first pressure of the drilling fluid and the second position corresponds to a second pressure of the drilling fluid; wherein the first operating mode corresponds to the first pressure of the drilling fluid, the second operating mode corresponds to the second pressure of the drilling fluid, the third operating mode corresponds to a third pressure of the drilling fluid, and the fourth operating mode corresponds to a fourth pressure of the drilling fluid; wherein the first pressure of the drilling fluid is between about 40 kpsi and about 50 kpsi, the second pressure of the drilling fluid is between about 30 kpsi and about 40 kpsi, the third pressure of the drilling fluid is between about 20 kpsi and about 30 kpsi, and the fourth pressure of the drilling fluid is less than about 20 kpsi; a drill head body having a leading surface and a circumferential surface; and a swivel head interconnected to the leading surface of the drill head body, wherein the swivel head is angularly articulable relative to a longitudinal axis of the drill head body, and wherein the swivel head comprises: a first fluid jet cutter; a second fluid jet cutter; a first laser cutter; and a second laser cutter. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The drilling system of claim 13, further comprising a side panel cutting head positioned on the circumferential surface of the drill head body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The drilling system of claim 13, wherein the first hole of the housing is positioned on a downstream surface of the housing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The drilling system of claim 13, wherein the first hole of the housing is positioned on a lateral surface of the housing. ### Claim 17 A drilling system comprising: a drill string; a drilling fluid for drilling into a geological formation, wherein the drilling fluid flows through the drill string; a drill head interconnected to the drill string, the drill head having at least four operating modes, wherein a first operating mode of the at least four operating modes is selected from a group consisting of a straight drilling mode, a radius bore drilling mode, a side panel cutting mode, a propulsion mode, and a non-operational mode, and wherein the drill head comprises a valve assembly comprising: a housing comprising: a bore; a first end; a first hole; a second hole; a first body groove interconnected to the first hole, wherein the first body groove corresponds to the first operating mode; and a second body groove interconnected to the second hole, wherein the second body groove corresponds to a second operating mode of the at least four operating modes; a spool having an axial bore, a first end, and a second end, wherein the spool is moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first end of the spool receives the drilling fluid, and wherein the first position corresponds to a first pressure of the drilling fluid and the second position corresponds to a second pressure of the drilling fluid, wherein the first operating mode corresponds to the first pressure of the drilling fluid and the second operating mode corresponds to the second pressure of the drilling fluid; and a detent assembly for locking the spool in the first position and in the second position, wherein the detent comprises a spring biased against a locking pin, wherein the locking pin is biased against a first notch of the spool when the spool is in the first position and the locking pin is biased against a second notch of the spool when the spool is in the second position, and wherein the locking pin of the detent assembly is selected from a group consisting of a ball, a pin, a sphere, a wheel, and a block; a drill head body having a leading surface and a circumferential surface; and a swivel head interconnected to the leading surface of the drill head body, wherein the swivel head is angularly articulable relative to a longitudinal axis of the drill head body, and wherein the swivel head comprises: a first fluid jet cutter; a second fluid jet cutter; a first laser cutter; and a second laser cutter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The drilling system of claim 17, further comprising a side panel cutting head positioned on the circumferential surface of the drill head body. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The drilling system of claim 17, wherein the drill head comprises a laser distributor swivel. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The drilling system of claim 17, wherein the drill head body is displaced about fifteen degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the drill head body.