Pulsed electric rock drilling apparatus
AssigneeTetra Corporation
InventorsWilliam M. Moeny, Gilman Hill
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides for pulsed powered drilling apparatuses and methods. A drilling apparatus is provided comprising a bit having one or more sets of electrodes through which a pulsed voltage is passed through a mineral substrate to create a crushing or drilling action.
Claims45
A pulsed power drilling apparatus for passing a pulsed electrical current through a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- a drill bit;
- at least one set of at least two electrodes disposed on said drill bit defining therebetween at least one electrode gap, said electrodes of each said set oriented substantially along a face of said drill bit to pass current through the substrate;
- a high-voltage pulsed power generator linked to said drill bit, delivering a pulsed current between said electrodes and through the substrate;
- an electrical power source powering said pulsed power generator;
- an electrical conduction conduit sending high-voltage pulses from said high-voltage pulse generator to said drill bit;
- and
- an insulating drilling fluid having a dielectric strength of at least 300 kV/cm (1 μsec).
A pulsed power drilling apparatus for passing a pulsed electrical current through a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- a drill bit;
- at least one set of at least two electrodes disposed on said drill bit defining therebetween at least one electrode gap, said electrodes of each said set oriented substantially along a face of said drill bit to pass current through the substrate;
- a high-voltage pulsed power generator linked to said drill bit, delivering a pulsed current between said electrodes and through the substrate;
- an electrical power source powering said pulsed power generator;
- and
- an electrical conduction conduit sending high-voltage pulses from said high-voltage pulse generator to said drill bit, wherein at least one of a first of said electrode sets is arranged on said bit in a configuration that is asymmetric relative to an axis of rotational symmetry of said bit and at least one of a second of said electrode sets is arranged on said bit in a configuration that is symmetric relative to an axis of rotational symmetry of said bit.
A pulsed power drilling apparatus for passing a pulsed electrical current through a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- a drill bit;
- at least one set of at least two electrodes disposed on said drill bit defining therebetween at least one electrode gap, said electrodes of each said set oriented substantially along a face of said drill bit to pass current through the substrate;
- a high-voltage pulsed power generator linked to said drill bit, delivering a pulsed current between said electrodes and through the substrate;
- an electrical power source powering said pulsed power generator;
- an electrical conduction conduit sending high-voltage pulses from said high-voltage pulse generator to said drill bit;
- and
- a control system that varies or changes either or both a pulse repetition rate and a pulse energy on at least one asymmetric electrode as a function of azimuthal angle as it rotates to change a direction of drilling.
A pulsed power drilling apparatus for passing a pulsed electrical current through a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- a drill bit;
- at least one set of at least two electrodes disposed on said drill bit defining therebetween at least one electrode gap, said electrodes of each said set oriented substantially along a face of said drill bit to pass current through the substrate;
- a high-voltage pulsed power generator linked to said drill bit, delivering a pulsed current between said electrodes and through the substrate;
- an electrical power source powering said pulsed power generator;
- an electrical conduction conduit sending high-voltage pulses from said high-voltage pulse generator to said drill bit;
- and
- a control system that varies or changes either or both a pulse repetition rate and a pulse energy among separate sets of electrodes to change a direction of drilling.
A pulsed power drilling apparatus for passing a pulsed electrical current through a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- a drill bit;
- at least one set of at least two electrodes disposed on said drill bit defining therebetween at least one electrode gap, said electrodes of each said set oriented substantially along a face of said drill bit to pass current through the substrate;
- a high-voltage pulsed power generator linked to said drill bit, delivering a pulsed current between said electrodes and through the substrate;
- an electrical power source powering said pulsed power generator;
- an electrical conduction conduit sending high-voltage pulses from said high-voltage pulse generator to said drill bit;
- and
- a plurality of electrode sets arranged in an array.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.