Boring or penetrating the earth inventions 06/07

20070144782 - Apparatus and method of controlling motion and vibration of an nmr sensor in a drilling bha: A system for controlling sensor motion during a time-dependent measurement, comprising a drilling assembly having a drill bit at one end and engaged with a drill string extending to a surface location at an opposite end thereof. A sensor is disposed in the drilling assembly for making a measurement of... Agent: Madan, Mossman & Sriram, P.C.

20070144781 - Instrumented drill head, related drilling/bolting machines, and methods: In one aspect, the invention comprises an instrumented drill head for intended use with a drilling machine including a drilling element, such as a drill bit. The drill head includes a case with a rotatable chuck for the drilling element. A first sensor associated with the drill head senses and... Agent: Andrew D Dorisio King & Schickli

20070144783 - Rotating systems associated with drill pipe: Methods and apparatuses for drilling a borehole are disclosed. An electric motor electrically and mechanically coupled to a wired drill pipe is provided. The electric motor couples to a shaft that rotates when power is supplied to the electric motor. The shaft is couplable to a drill bit. The wired... Agent: Baker Botts, LLP

20070144784 - Method for drilling and lining a wellbore: A method of drilling a second wellbore section (12) from a first wellbore section (10) that is lined with a tubular liner (11) using a remotely controlled electrically powered drilling assembly that is suspended from a cable (1) and of periodically interrupting the drilling operation to extend the tubular liner... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20070144785 - Separating mixtures of oil and water: A cavitation device is used to heat and facilitation the separation of mixtures and emulsions of oil and water. Waste heat from the power source for the cavitation device may be utilized to elevate the temperature of incoming mixtures or emulsions. The heated mixture of emulsion is sent to a... Agent: William L. Krayer

20070144786 - Stripper rubber adapter: A connector is provided for selectively connecting or disconnecting a stripper rubber to or from drilling head equipment such as a bearing assembly. A generally cylindrical adapter connected to the equipment defines a primary bore accommodate a down hole tubular. One or more cam pin bores, adapted to house one... Agent: Matthew E. Burr Lake Austin Marina

20070144787 - Drilling apparatus: Drilling apparatus, such as an underreamer comprises a generally cylindrical tubular body and two cutting blades pivotally mounted to the body and movable between a retracted position and an extended position. Each cutting blade has a retracted position minimum gauge cutting portion and an extended position maximum gauge cutting portion,... Agent: Patterson & Sheridan, L.L.P.

20070144788 - Setting utility access covers: Apparatus and method of setting access covers to grade wherein the apparatus includes rubblizing bits and a vacuum, the first rubblizing bit having a central core with attached carriers for teeth to grind the underlying material into small pieces, a second rubblizing bit to rubblize below the ring of the... Agent: Edwin L Hartz

20070144789 - Representation of whirl in fixed cutter drill bits: Disclosed is a method of comparing the relative lateral stability among drill bits (that is, the tendency for a bit to whirl). This allows improved bit selection in applications where whirl is apparent. Because there will likely be many different acceptable bit designs produced by the above method, the comparison... Agent: Jeffrey E. Daly Grant Prideco, L.p.

20070144790 - Polycrystalline ultra-hard material with microstructure substantially free of catalyst material eruptions: Polycrystalline ultra-hard materials and compacts comprise an ultra-hard material body having a polycrystalline matrix of bonded together ultra-hard particles, e.g., diamond crystals, and a catalyst material disposed in interstitial regions within the polycrystalline matrix. The material microstructure is substantially free of localized concentrations, regions or volumes of the catalyst material... Agent: Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Marmaro, LLP

20070131453 - Automatic spt monitor: An apparatus is used with an impact hammer penetration assemble such as standard penetration test (SPT) in geotechnical engineering. The impact hammer penetration assembly comprises a penetration sample, a series of rods coupled together and an impact hammer apparatus. The drop of the hammer from a constant height hits the... Agent: Cooper & Dunham, LLP

20070131454 - Drill cuttings transfer system and related methods: A system for handling drill cuttings conveys cuttings slurry into bulk tanks via a conduit. The bulk tanks have an un-pressurized interior volume that receives the slurry. A conveyance member positioned inside the bulk tank forces the slurry out of a discharge port at the bottom of the bulk tank.... Agent: Madan, Mossman & Sriram, P.C.

20070131455 - Nozzle unit and method for excavating a hole in an object: A nozzle unit for generating an abrasive jet. The nozzle unit has a first nozzle connected to a pressurized carrier fluid supply; a mixing chamber in which the first nozzle discharges; and a second nozzle connected to the mixing chamber. An abrasive particle inlet discharges in the mixing chamber. A... Agent: Shell Oil Company

20070131456 - Bit for drilling a hole: A bit for drilling a hole. The bit includes a support member, the support member having a passageway extending substantially longitudinally therethrough; a substantially annular crown defining a crown distal end and a crown proximal end, a radially inwardly located crown inner surface and a radially outwardly located crown outer... Agent: Louis Tessier

20070131458 - Cutting elements having cutting edges with continuous varying radii and bits incorporating the same: A cutting element is provided having a substrate and an ultra hard material cutting layer over the substrate. The cutting layer includes a surface portion for making contact with a material to be cut by the cutting element. The surface portion in cross-section has a curvature that has a varying... Agent: Christie, Parker & Hale, LLP

20070131457 - Rolling cone drill bit having non-uniform legs: A drill bit for drilling through earthen formations. In an embodiment, the drill bit comprises a bit body having a bit axis. In addition, the drill bit comprises a first rolling cone cutter mounted on the bit body at a first journal angle and adapted for rotation about a first... Agent: Conley Rose, P.C.

20070131459 - Thermally stable polycrystalline ultra-hard constructions: Thermally stable polycrystalline constructions comprise a body having a polycrystalline ultra-hard phase and a plurality of empty voids. A population of the voids can be filled with a reaction product. The body is substantially free of a catalyst material. The construction comprises a first support member attached to the body... Agent: Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Marmaro, LLP

20070125577 - Apparatus, system and method for installing boreholes from a main wellbore: The present application is directed an apparatus for installing boreholes in the formation surrounding a main wellbore, the apparatus comprising an indexing tool comprising an indexing deflector and a deflector shoe; the deflector shoe comprising an opening therethrough configured to receive a borehole forming member; wherein the indexing deflector is... Agent: Buche & Associates, P.C.

20070125578 - Wellbore motor having magnetic gear drive: A wellbore motor includes a means for converting flow of fluid in the wellbore into rotational energy. A magnetic gear member is operatively coupled at an input thereof to the means for converting. A wellbore rotary tool is coupled to an output of the magnetic gear member.... Agent: Richard A. Fagin

20070125579 - Roller cone drill bits with enhanced cutting elements and cutting structures: Roller cone drill bits are provided with cutting elements and cutting structures optimized for efficient drilling of soft and medium formations interspersed with hard stringers. The cutting elements and cutting structures may be satisfactorily used to drill downhole formations with varying amounts of hardness. The cutting elements and cutting structures... Agent: Baker Botts L.L.P. Patent Department

20070125580 - Jet arrangement for a downhole drill bit: A drill bit having a bit body, and axis of rotation, and a working face, the working face having a plurality of cutting elements. A jack element extends from the working face and is coaxial with the axis of rotation and is a hard metal insert. A plurality of high... Agent: Tyson J. Wilde Novatek International, Inc.