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US 7,147,064 B2Granted
Laser spectroscopy/chromatography drill bit and methods
AssigneeGas Technology Institute
InventorsSamih Batarseh, Kent Perry, Brian C. Gahan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A drilling apparatus for well-boring having a drill bit assembly which includes a laser cutting assembly and a vacuum assembly. The vacuum assembly is adapted to intake vapors generated by the laser cutting assembly proximate the drill bit assembly during operation of the drilling apparatus. The collected vapors may then be processed by a chromatographic analyzer to determine the characteristics of the rock formation being drilled.
Claims9
A drilling apparatus for well-boring comprising:
- a drill bit assembly comprising a laser cutting assembly, a vacuum assembly adapted to intake vapors generated by said laser cutting assembly proximate said drill bit assembly during operation of said drilling apparatus, and at least one of a laser spectroscopy assembly and a chromatographic analysis system adapted to determine at least one property of rock encountered during operation of said drilling apparatus.
A method for drilling a well comprising the steps of:
- positioning a drill bit assembly comprising a laser cuffing assembly oriented to transmit at least one laser beam into a weilbore in said wellbore;
- transmitting said at least one laser beam ahead of said drill bit assembly, whereby material ahead of said drill bit assembly is at least one of volatilized, softened and melted;
- capturing at least a portion of vapors proximate said drill bit assembly resulting from said transmission of said at least one laser beam, creating captured vapors;
- transferring said captured vapors to a chromatographic analysis system disposed in said wellbore proximate said drill bit assembly;
- analyzing said captured vapors using said chromatographic analysis system;
- and
- adjusting said drilling of said well based upon results obtained from said analysis.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.