Identifying subterranean structures using amorphous metal markers
AssigneeEnergy & Environmental Research Center
InventorChristopher Lee Martin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for identifying non-metallic subterranean structures using amorphous metal markers associated with the structures. Some examples will include the amorphous metal in the form of one or more sections of an amorphous metal foil within a protective enclosure sufficient to physically isolate the amorphous metal foil from the surrounding Earth. The amorphous metal foil and enclosure may be in the form of a tape which either will be secured to, or placed proximate the subterranean structure, which may be, for example, a pipe or conduit, or other non-metallic structure.
Claims18
A subterranean installation, comprising:
- a non-metallic structure covered by some dimension of Earth, hiding the location of the structure;
- and
- a marking tape disposed in proximity to the non-metallic structure, the marking tape comprising,
- an amorphous metal foil layer extending in a direction of the non-metallic structure, wherein the amorphous metal foil has a magnetic relative permeability greater than 50,000, and
- a protective covering preventing direct contact between the amorphous metal foil layer and the surrounding Earth;
- and
- wherein the non-metallic structure is a non-metallic pipe, and wherein multiple pieces of amorphous metal foil of the marking tape are arranged along the direction of the non-metallic pipe and extend around at least a portion of the circumference of the non-metallic pipe.
A method of forming a subterranean installation, comprising:
- placing an elongated non-metallic structure within a recess within the Earth;
- and
- placing a marking tape in proximity to the non-metallic structure, the marking tape comprising,
- an amorphous metal foil layer extending in the direction of the non-metallic structure, wherein the amorphous metal foil has a magnetic relative permeability greater than 50,000, and
- a protective covering preventing direct contact between the amorphous metal foil layer and the surrounding Earth;
- and
- wherein the non-metallic structure is a non-metallic pipe, and wherein multiple pieces of amorphous metal foil of the marking tape are arranged along at least a portion of the non-metallic pipe and extend around at least a portion of the circumference of the non-metallic pipe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.