Auto-extending/retracting electrically isolated conductors in a segmented drill string

In a system in which a boring tool is moved through the ground in a region, said system including a drill rig and a drill string which is connected between said boring tool and said drill rig and is configured for extension and/or retraction from said drill rig such that, when said drill string is extended, the boring tool moves in a forward direction through the ground and, when the drill string is retracted, the boring tool moves in a reverse direction approaching the drill rig, said drill string being made up of a plurality of drill pipe sections, each of which includes a section length defining an innermost passage and all of which are configured for removable attachment with one another to facilitate the extension and retraction of the drill string by one section length at a time, in a method for providing at least one electrically conductive path which is electrically isolated from the drill pipe sections and which extends from the boring tool to the drill rig, the improvement comprising the step of:

• configuring each drill pipe section having an associated arrangement within said innermost passage such that said electrically conductive path is extended by one section length through the innermost passage by removably attaching one drill pipe section to an above ground end of said drill string and said electrically conductive path is shortened by one section length by detaching said one drill pipe section from the above ground end of said drill string.

In a system in which a boring tool is moved through the ground in a region, said boring tool including an electronic package, said system including a drill rig and a drill string which is connected between said boring tool and said drill rig and is configured for extension and/or retraction from said drill rig such that when said drill string is extended, the boring tool moves in a forward direction through the ground and, when the drill string is retracted, the boring tool moves in a reverse direction approaching the drill rig, said drill string being made up of a plurality of drill pipe sections each of which includes a pipe body defining an innermost passage, each of which includes a section length and all of which are configured for removable attachment with one another to facilitate the extension and retraction of the drill string by one section length at a time, a method for operating said system said method comprising the steps of:

• a) configuring each drill pipe section having an arrangement within said innermost passage to provide at least one electrically conductive path between opposing ends of each drill pipe section and electrically isolated from said pipe body;
• b) attaching one end of an initial drill pipe section to said boring tool to form an initial portion of the drill string such that said electrically conductive path of the arrangement associated with the initial drill pipe section is in electrical communication with the electronic package in the boring tool;
• and
• c) attaching one of the opposing ends of a second drill pipe section to the other, above ground end of the initial drill pipe section in a way which connects the electrically isolated conductive path of the arrangement associated with the second drill pipe section to the electrically isolated conductive path of the arrangement associated with the initial drill pipe section to form an overall electrically isolated conductive path extending between the other, above ground end of the overall conductive path at the drill rig and the boring tool through the innermost passage of each drill pipe section.

In a system in which a boring tool is moved through the ground in a region, said system including a drill rig and a drill string which is connected between said boring tool and said drill rig and is configured for extension and/or retraction from said drill rig such that, when said drill string is extended, the boring tool moves in a forward direction through the ground and, when the drill string is retracted, the boring tool moves in a reverse direction approaching the drill rig, said drill string being made up of a plurality of drill pipe sections having opposing first and second ends and a section length defining an interior passage therebetween and all of which are configured for removable attachment with one another by physically connecting the first end of one drill pipe section with the second end of another drill pipe section to facilitate the extension and retraction of the drill string by one section length at a time, an arrangement for use with each one of the drill pipe sections, said arrangement comprising:

• a) opposing first and second electrically conductive connectors adapted for connection with the first and second ends, respectively, of an associated one of said drill pipe sections in an electrically isolated manner, said first and second electrically conductive connectors being configured to be positioned within said innermost passage and to electrically connect with cooperating second and first electrically conductive connectors respectively associated with another one of the drill pipe sections;
• and
• b) an electrically conductive wire located in the innermost passage extending between and electrically connected to said first and second electrically conductive connectors of each drill pipe section so as to provide an electrically conductive path interconnecting the first and second connectors and electrically isolated from each drill pipe section such that physical connection of one drill pipe section with another drill pipe section forms at least one continuous electrical path including the electrically conductive wires of the physically connected drill pipe sections and the first and second electrically conductive connectors therebetween whereby, when a series of drill pipe sections are connected together in a drill string, an overall continuous electrically conductive path is provided by the cooperation of said arrangement in each of the connected drill pipe sections which make up the drill string.