# US 2014/0196955 A1 · Direct Torque Helical Displacement Well and Hydrostatic Liquid Pressure Relief Device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196955 A1 - Document ID: US20140196955A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/743,504 - Filed: 2013-01-17 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-17 - Inventors: Frankie A.R. Queen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196955A1 ## CPC - E21B 7/005: {with helical conveying means (E21B7/201 takes precedence; augers E21B10/44; drilling rods or pipes with helical structure E21B17/22)} - E21B 10/44: Bits with helical conveying portion, e.g. screw type bits; Augers with leading portion or with detachable parts (E21B10/42 takes precedence) - E21B 17/046: with ribs, pins, or jaws, and complementary grooves or the like, e.g. bayonet catches - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A helical displacement well with preassembled segments includes a preassembled shaft-forming penetrator tube including helical plates mounted to its exterior that may be rotated to propel the casing into the ground. A hydraulic drill motor rotates the penetrator tube and as it moves deeper into the ground. Extension tubes may be added to and coupled to the penetrator tube. A hydraulic drill motor is attached to the upper end of the extension tubes in order to continue the rotation of the assembled helical displacement well. The filter screen and the piping are installed concurrently with the addition of the extension tubes at the surface of the ground. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A helical displacement well for expediently penetrating the ground, including a preassembled penetrator tube for rotary insertion in the earth, said preassembled penetrator tube including a rectilinear external casing with a cylindrical wall having internal and external surfaces, a longitudinal axis, a ground penetrating end for insertion in the ground and an upper end for extending from said ground penetrating end toward the surface of the ground, a pile point at said ground penetrating end of said rectilinear external casing of said penetrator tube shaped for penetrating the ground and for closing passage of soil into said penetrating end of said rectilinear external casing, a configuration of at least one externally extending helical plate mounted about said external casing adjacent said ground penetrating end for engaging the soil surrounding said external casing and angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of said external casing for progressively moving said well into the ground in response to rotation of said external casing of the penetrator tube about said longitudinal axis, said external casing of said penetrator tube defining there through a plurality of openings for the passage of water from about said external casing into said external casing, at least one insert positioned within said external casing of said penetrator tube defining a plurality of filter openings of a size to pass liquid there through and to impede the movement of soil from outside said external casing through said insert, whereby said penetrator tube, helical plate, pile point and insert may be simultaneously rotatably driven into the ground. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The helical displacement well of claim 1, wherein said configuration comprises a plurality of helical plates. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The helical displacement well of claim 2, wherein said plurality of openings in said external casing of said penetrator tube are positioned adjacent said helical plates. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The helical displacement well of claim 1, wherein said at least one insert includes a plurality of concentric cylindrical inserts with openings there through for the passage of liquid, said insert selected from the group consisting of a geofabric, a gravel pack, a filter pipe, and a pump inlet screen ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The helical displacement well of claim 1, and further including at least one extension tube preassembled for mounting coaxially to the upper end of said external casing of said penetrator tube when said penetrator tube is partially inserted into the ground, for extending the extension tube upwardly of said penetrator tube. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The helical displacement well of claim 4, and further including at least one extension tube configured for mounting in concentric alignment with said upper end of said external casing of said penetrator tube for extending upwardly of said penetrator tube, and a cylindrical coupling for positioning at the adjacent ends of said extension tube and said penetrator tube when the penetrator tube has been partially inserted in the ground. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The helical displacement well of claim 6, wherein the adjacent ends of the penetrator tube, said extension tube and coupling define inter fitting axial tines. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The helical displacement well of claim 1, wherein said helical plate wraps about said external casing of said penetrator tube between 180 and 360 degrees and includes a leading edge that is tangential with the shape of said outer casing and a trailing edge that extends in an arc diverging from said external casing and diverging from said leading edge. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The helical displacement well of claim 1, wherein said at least one insert positioned within said external casing of said penetrator tube comprises concentric tubular shapes defining a central opening and is selected from the group consisting of a geofabric, a gravel pack, a filter pipe, and a pump inlet screen, said inserts extending through said penetrator tube for passing liquid along the length of said displacement well. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The helical displacement well of claim 9, wherein said geofabric is positioned adjacent and is concentric within said outer casing of said penetrator tube, said gravel pack is positioned adjacent and concentric and within said geofabric, said filter pipe is positioned adjacent and concentric and within said gravel pack, and said pump inlet screen is positioned adjacent and concentric and within said filter pipe, and said pump inlet screen defines a passage along the length of said helical displacement well. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The helical displacement well of claim 5, wherein said at least one extension tube includes an extension tube configured for mounting in concentric alignment with said upper end of said external casing of said penetrator tube for extending upwardly of said penetrator tube, and a cylindrical coupling for positioning at the adjacent ends of said extension tube and said penetrator tube when the penetrator tube has been partially inserted in the ground. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The helical displacement well of claim 5, and wherein at least one insert is positioned in said at least one extension tube defining a plurality of filter openings of a size to pass liquid there through and to impede the movement of soil from outside said external casing through said insert, whereby said penetrator tube, helical plate, pile point and extension tube and their respective inserts may be rotated in unison to be simultaneously rotatably driven into the ground. ### Claim 13 A helical displacement well having a preassembled penetrator tube and at least one preassembled extension tube that can be assembled with one another at the well site during the process of driving the penetrator tube and extension tube into the ground, comprising said penetrator tube including a hollow rectilinear external casing including a cylindrical wall with internal and external surfaces, a longitudinal axis, and including a ground penetrating end and an upper end for extending upwardly from said ground penetrating end toward the surface of the ground, at least one externally extending helical plate mounted about said external casing adjacent said ground penetrating end for engaging the soil surrounding said external casing at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said external casing for progressively moving said well into the ground in response to rotation of said external casing of the penetrator tube about said longitudinal axis, said external casing of said penetrator tube defining there through a plurality of openings for the passage of liquid from about said external casing into said external casing, an extension tube for mounting to said upper end of said external casing of said penetrator tube for extending upwardly of said penetrator tube, and a coupling for positioning at the adjacent ends of said extension tube and said penetrator tube and including fittings for connecting said extension tube to said penetrator tube. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The helical displacement well of claim 13, further including filter inserts in both said penetrator tube and said extension tube, said filter inserts of said penetrator tube and said filter inserts of said extension tube having end connectors for connecting the filter inserts of said penetrator tube to the filter inserts of said extension tube in the process of assembling said well. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The helical displacement well of claim 13, and further including a plurality of filter inserts positioned within said penetrator tube. ### Claim 16 A segmented helical displacement well inserted into the earth, comprising: a penetrator tube including a lead end extending into the earth and a following end, at least one helical plate mounted to and extending radially away from said penetrator tube and into the earth about said penetrator tube and configured for supporting said well in the earth, a plurality of penetrator tube openings formed in said penetrator tube for the passage of liquid there through, and a filter positioned in said penetrator tube configured for filtering the liquid moved through said pipe openings and into said penetrator tube. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The helical displacement well of claim 16, and further including at least one extension tube for mounting coaxially to the following end of said penetrator tube and extending toward the surface of the earth, and a filter positioned in said extension tube configured for filtering the liquid moved through said extension tube openings. ### Claim 18 A helical displacement well inserted into the earth for passing liquid to the surface of the earth, comprising: a cylindrical penetrator tube including a lead end extending into the earth and a following end, at least one helical plate mounted about and extending radially away from said penetrator tube for extending into the earth about said penetrator tube and configured for supporting said well in the earth and for moving the penetrator tube into the earth in response to rotation of the penetrator tube and, at least one extension tube mounted coaxially to the penetrator tube and extending to the surface of the earth, a plurality of pipe openings formed in at least one of said penetrator tube and said extension tube for the passage of liquid there through, and a filter mounted in at least one of said penetrator tube and said extension tube configured for filtering the liquid moving through said pipe openings. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The helical displacement well of claim 18, and wherein said filter is selected from the group consisting of at least one of a cylindrical screen, a PVC filter pipe, gravel pack and a geofabric. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The helical displacement well of claim 18 wherein said penetrator tube and said extension tube include the same internal diameter and their external surfaces both include longitudinal external splines, and further including a coupling connecting said penetrator tube and said extension tube in abutting coaxial relationship with the coupling including internal longitudinal splines sized and shaped to engage the longitudinal splines of said penetrator tube and the extension tube and to connect said penetrator tube and said extension tube in abutting non-rotating relationship with respect to each other. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The helical displacement well of claim 18, and wherein said coupling includes a side opening and a screw extending through said side opening and locking together said penetrator tube and said extension tube. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The helical displacement well of claim 18, and further including a cap mounted to the lead end of said penetrator tube. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The helical displacement well of claim 22, wherein said helical displacement well includes a check valve for allowing movement of fluid out of the lead end of said penetrator tube and preventing debris from entering said displacement well. ### Claim 24 (depends on 12) A method of drilling a ground well as described in claim 12 for receiving water from the ground, comprising: erecting the penetrator tube in an upright attitude at the surface of the ground urging the penetrator tube downwardly and rotating said penetrator tube so that its helical plate engages the soil below the surface of the ground to pull the penetrator tube into the ground, mounting said extension tube to the upper end of said penetrator tube with said cylindrical coupling before the upper end of the penetrator tube becomes buried in the ground and continuing to rotate the penetrator tube and the extension tube to penetrate the ground, and repeating the step of adding more extension tubes as the penetrating tube moves deeper into the ground. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, and further including the step of removing the extension tube and the penetrator tube from the ground in response to rotating said penetrator tube and the extension tube. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The method of reusing the penetrator tube of claim 21 for drilling another ground well as described. ### Claim 27 A helical displacement well comprising a cylindrical ground penetrator tube including a hollow external casing with a cylindrical wall with internal and external surfaces, a longitudinal axis, and including a lower end for penetrating the ground and an upper end for extending from said lower ground, at least one externally extending helical plate mounted about the external casing of said penetrator tube for engaging the soil surrounding said external casing and angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of said external casing for progressive moving said well into the ground in response to rotation of said external casing of the ground penetrator tube about said longitudinal axis, said external casing of said ground penetrator tube bearing an abrasive resistant friction reduction coating of water based silicon epoxy capable of reducing the amount of surface friction encountered by the surfaces of ground penetrator tube during installation into the earth. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) A helical displacement well of claim 27 whereas the external casing of said penetrator tube is configured to retract from the ground in response to rotation of said penetrator tube and remove the cylindrical penetrator tube from the ground and to be reinstalled again in a repetitive manner. ### Claim 29 A helical displacement well comprising at least one penetrator tube, said penetrator tube including a rectilinear external casing defining a cylindrical wall with internal and external surfaces, a longitudinal axis, a ground penetrator end for penetrating the ground and an upper end for extending from the ground penetrating end, a penetration point mounted to said penetrating end of said penetrator tube shaped for penetrating the earth, and at least one externally extending helical plate mounted about said external casing adjacent said ground penetrating end for engaging the soil surrounding said external casing and angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of said external casing for progressively thrusting the well into the ground in response to rotation of the external casing of said penetrator tube, said ground penetrating end of said external casing of said penetrator tube defining there through a plurality of openings for the passage of liquid from about said external casing into said external casing, and a corrosion inhibitor and friction reduction coating is applied to said external casing at said helical plate such that during the installation of said helical displacement well in the ground and the displacement of said soils being penetrated by said helical displacement well the empirical torque factor applied to the helical displacement well is decreased and the need for utilizing drilling fluids to the bore hole formed by said helical displacement well is avoided. ### Claim 30 A helical displacement well for expediently penetrating the ground, comprising: a penetrator tube including a hollow rectilinear external casing including a cylindrical wall with internal and external surfaces, a longitudinal axis, and including a ground penetrating end and an upper end for extending from said ground penetrating end toward the surface of the ground, a point mounted to the said penetrating end of said penetrator tube shaped for penetrating the ground, and at least one externally extending helical plate mounted about said external casing adjacent said ground penetrating end for engaging the soil surrounding said external casing and angled with respect to the longitudinal axis of said external casing for progressively moving said well into the ground in response to rotation of said external casing of the penetrator tube and external casing about said longitudinal axis, said ground penetrating end of said external penetrator casing defining there through a plurality of openings for the passage of water from about said external casing into said external casing, at least one tubular insert positioned within said external casing of said penetrator tube adjacent said cylindrical wall of said external casing and defining a vertical interior passage for water movement there through, and said at least one tubular insert defining a cylindrical wall and plurality of filter openings of a size to pass water there through and to impede the movement of soil from said external casing into said tubular insert, whereby when said penetrator tube and external casing are inserted into the earth, they afford structural capacity in application due to the displacement in lieu of removal of soil, and the displaced soils are compacted around the exterior surfaces of the penetrator tube and external casing thusly creating an improvement to the soil matrix surrounding the insertion creating a reinforced section of soil thereof. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) A helical displacement well of claim 30, whereas said penetrator tube and external casing inserted into the earth are configured for installation at variable angles into the earth. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The helical displacement well of claim 30, further including a check valve at the end of said helical displacement well configured for keeping the liquid flow exiting the helical displacement well in the output flow direction in check during low and high hydrostatic pressure and gravity fed flows of water about said penetrator tube. ### Claim 33 (depends on 30) The helical displacement well of claim 30, further including a corrosion inhibitor and friction reduction coating applied to said helical displacement well for forming a slick interface surface between the earth and said helical displacement well and for reducing the empirical torque factor applied to the well.