Boring or penetrating the earth inventions 03/08

20080073121 - Laser control system and apparatus for drilling and boring operations: A laser control system and apparatus for guiding a drilling or boring operation during a trenchless technology implementation. In most if not all trenchless technology applications, direction of the pipe or utility structure through the earth is of utmost importance. Proper directional guidance throughout the trenchless technology implementation ensures not... Agent: Robert D. Gunderman, Jr. Patent Technologies, LLC

20080073122 - Estimating formation temperature near a borehole and using same for estimating a property of the formation: Apparatus, methods and computer programs disclosed herein, in one aspect, estimate a temperature of a selected region of an earth formation using a virgin formation temperature of the earth formation, a downhole fluid temperature measured over time, an elapsed time between drilling proximate the selected region and making of a... Agent: Madan, Mossman & Sriram, P.C.

20080073123 - Dual-member auger boring system: A system for boring horizontal boreholes and installing products using a dual member drill string. The system is comprised of a boring machine with a frame and a rotary drive supported on the frame, a downhole tool, and a dual member drill string. The drill string comprises an inner member... Agent: Tomlinson & O'connell, P.C.

20080073124 - Protector for rock bit seals: An earth-boring bit has a bit body with a depending bearing pin and a cone rotatably mounted thereon. A seal seals between the bearing pin and the cone. An annular set of bristles is located adjacent at least part of the dynamic seal surface of the seal to protect the... Agent: James E. Bradley

20080073125 - Abrasive wear resistant hardfacing materials, drill bits and drilling tools including abrasive wear resistant hardfacing materials, and methods for applying abrasive wear resistant hardfacing materials to drill bits and drilling tools: An abrasive wear-resistant material includes a matrix material and a plurality of −40/+80 ASTM mesh dense sintered carbide pellets. A rotary drill bit having an exterior surface and an abrasive wear-resistant material disposed on at least a portion of the exterior surface of the bit body is provided. Methods for... Agent: Trask Britt

20080073127 - Atomic layer deposition nanocoatings on cutting tool powder materials: A sintered body for cutting tools that includes hard particle phase comprising a plurality of hard particles, wherein at least a portion of the hard phase particles comprise a coating deposited by atomic layer deposition disposed thereon; and a binder phase is disclosed. The hard particles that may be included... Agent: Osha, Liang LLP / Smith

20080073126 - Polycrystalline diamond composites: Polycrystalline diamond composites comprise a polycrystalline diamond body having a plurality of ultra-hard discrete regions dispersed within a polycrystalline diamond second region. The plurality of discrete regions has an density different from of the polycrystalline diamond second region. A metallic substrate can be joined to the body. The discrete regions... Agent: Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Marmaro, LLP

20080066958 - Method of directional drilling with steerable drilling motor: Drilling a bore hole comprises rotary drilling at a first rotation rate until a first target value is substantially met, changing the first rotation rate to a second rotation rate when a trigger is substantially met, and then drilling at the second rotation rate until a second target value is... Agent: Richard A. Fagin

20080066961 - Coiled tubing wellbore drilling and surveying using a through the drill bit apparatus: A method for inserting a tool into a wellbore includes uncoiling a coiled tubing into the wellbore to a selected depth therein. When the tubing is at the selected depth, the tubing is uncoupled. A tool is inserted into the interior of the tubing. The tubing is reconnected, and the... Agent: Richard A. Fagin

20080066963 - Hydraulically driven tractor: A large scale hydraulically driven downhole reciprocating tractor to display substantially continuous advancement. The tractor may be configured to pull coiled tubing downhole in a continuous manner so as to substantially avoid static frictional resistance to the pulling. As a result, the tractor and coiled tubing may achieve up to... Agent: Schlumberger Technology Corporation David Cate

20080066964 - Method and apparatus for indexing between selected columns in a drill rod magazine: Mechanical stops are utilized on a rod transfer mechanism, with the stops being offset vertically from one another, to index the rod transfer mechanism of an HDD machine under the appropriate column of a drill rod storage magazine. The stops engage a moveable block which is moved by the operator... Agent: Merchant & Gould PC

20080066965 - Methods and apparatus for attenuating drillstring vibrations: Apparatus and methods are described for highly attenuating vibrations of a drillstring assembly while drilling. In one embodiment, vibrations are attenuated by introducing one or more vibration attenuation modules at appropriate assembly locations. For example, vibration attenuation modules may be inserted at locations where vibration energy is expected to be... Agent: Schlumberger-doll Research Attn: Intellectual Property Law Department

20080066966 - Sprinkler repair auger: A Sprinkler Repair Auger is disclosed. The auger is particularly helpful because it is configured to cut a hole into the ground surrounding a conventional pop-up sprinkler head so that the sprinkler head can be easily accessed for repairs and/or replacement. The auger should is to a conventional power tool,... Agent: Karl M. Steins Steins & Associates

20080066967 - Apparatus and method of anchoring a horizontal directional drilling machine: An anchoring device that includes both rotation at the leading edge of the stake which engages the ground and longitudinal thrust of the stake into the ground is disclosed. The stake portion which is driven into the ground also includes a portion which is square. This shape has been found... Agent: Merchant & Gould PC

20080066959 - Method and apparatus for collecting drill bit performance data: Drill bits and methods for sampling sensor data associated with the state of a drill bit are disclosed. A drill bit for drilling a subterranean formation comprises a bit body and a shank. The shank further includes a central bore formed through an inside diameter of the shank and configured... Agent: Trask Britt

20080066960 - Fiber optic sensors in mwd applications: A wellbore drilling system utilizes optical fibers to measure parameters of interest and to communicate data. One or more electrical conductors are used to provide power to the components of the drilling system. The acquisition electronics for operating fiber optic sensors can be positioned at the surface and/or in the... Agent: Madan, Mossman & Sriram, P.C.

20080066962 - Apparatus and methods for measurement of solids in a wellbore: Apparatus and methods for measuring solids in wellbore that include a bottom hole assembly having a sensor to measuring a characteristic indicative of solids in the wellbore. The measurement may be used to measure solids or solids suspended in fluid flow. The invention is useful for use in wellbore cleanouts.... Agent: Schlumberger Ipc Attn: David Cate

20080066968 - Apparatus for slant drilling: A rig for drilling wells or holes at virtually any angle, from nearly horizontal to vertical, has a trailer mounted derrick which can be tilted to a desired angle, a top drive unit slidably mounted within such derrick and a hydraulic jacking apparatus. An automated pipe handling apparatus permits efficient... Agent: Ted M. Anthony

20080066969 - 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

20080066970 - Rotary drill bits: A shank configuration for rotary drill bits, is disclosed for positioning of the shank in relation to the bit body. A tapered surface or feature of the shank may be configured and sized to matingly engage a complementarily shaped surface or feature of the drill bit body and thereby become... Agent: Trask Britt

20080060846 - Annulus pressure control drilling systems and methods: In one embodiment, a method for drilling a wellbore includes an act of drilling the wellbore by injecting drilling fluid through a tubular string disposed in the wellbore, the tubular string comprising a drill bit disposed on a bottom thereof. The drilling fluid exits the drill bit and carries cuttings... Agent: Patterson & Sheridan, L.L.P.

20080060849 - Shape memory alloy vibration isolation device: Methods and apparatus for mitigating the effects of vibration of various tools, such as those used downhole, by utilizing a vibration isolation device that incorporates Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs). For instance, in some embodiments, a vibration isolation device may be designed and deployed in a manner such that, when a... Agent: Exxon Mobil Upstream Research Company

20080060850 - System and methods for handling drilling pipe: The invention provides a modular pipe handling system comprising a lift arm assembly including a base member and a lift arm mounted on the base member. The lift arm is pivotable between a horizontal and vertical position. The lift arm further comprises at least one clamping system for clamping a... Agent: Hahn Loeser & Parks, LLP

20080060848 - Method and apparatus for collecting drill bit performance data: Drill bits and methods for sampling sensor data associated with the state of a drill bit are disclosed. A drill bit for drilling a subterranean formation comprises a bit body and a shank. The shank further includes a central bore formed through an inside diameter of the shank and configured... Agent: Trask Britt

20080060847 - Method and apparatus for transmitting sensor response data and power through a mud motor: Apparatus and methods for establishing electrical communication between an instrument subsection disposed below a mud motor and an electronics sonde disposed above the mud motor in a drill string conveyed borehole logging system. Electrical communication is established via at least one conductor disposed within the mud motor and connecting the... Agent: Wong, Cabello, Lutsch, Rutherford & Brucculeri, L.L.P.

20080060851 - Drilling head, method of soil improvement work and apparatus thereof: A method of soil improvement work drills the ground with a drilling head arranged at a lower end of a rotary shaft and sends the rotary shaft into the ground. The method mixes pressurized water with compressed air on the ground, to prepare a fluid mixture, feeds the fluid mixture... Agent: Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C

20080060852 - Gage configurations for drill bits: A drill bit includes a plurality of cutting elements are positioned on the at least two roller cones, wherein cutting elements contributing to an operative gage row of the drill bit comprise less than 31 percent of a total cutting elements of the drill bit that contact the bottom of... Agent: Osha, Liang LLP / Smith

20080053707 - System and method for reducing the borehole gap for downhole formation testing sensors: A system and method for downhole measurement for use with drill strings to reduce the borehole gap with respect to sensors carried by the drill string. In one embodiment, the sensors are mounted on a surface of the directional drilling hinged pad that comes in contact with the borehole wall.... Agent: Schlumberger Oilfield Services

20080053702 - Assembly and method for determining thermal properties of a formation and forming a liner: The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for making in situ thermal property determinations utilizing a heat source employed in wellbore stabilization procedures, well drilling, or well perforating, for example. In particular, using a heat source, such as a laser driller, to enable formation temperature measurements. Based on these... Agent: Conley Rose, P.C. David A. Rose

20080053703 - Downhole tool with turbine-powered pump: A tool for moving within a passage comprises an elongated body, at least one gripper assembly engaged with the body, a turbine, and a power transmission assembly. The elongated body has an internal fluid chamber and is configured to be secured to a fluid conduit so that a first fluid... Agent: Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP

20080053704 - Device for gripping and transporting pipe lengths and an intermediate storage facility for storage of pipes: A pipe gripping device for gripping and transport of pipe lengths. The device comprises at least one gripper having two opposite gripping jaws. The gripping jaws have at least two expansions, each of which is adapted to grip a pipe length, thus allowing the gripper to grip at least two... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20080053705 - Steerable bit system assembly and methods: A drilling system includes a steerable bottomhole assembly (BHA) having a steering unit and a control unit that provide dynamic control of drill bit orientation or tilt. Exemplary steering units can adjust bit orientation at a rate that approaches or exceeds the rotational speed of the drill string or drill... Agent: Madan, Mossman & Sriram, P.C.

20080053706 - Continuous monobore liquid lining system: A process for drilling a well or a portion of a well capable of providing a generally constant interior wall diameter (monobore) and does not require installation of any liner or steel casing. The process comprises circulating settable material into the borehole wherein the settable material sets on at least... Agent: Brent R. Knight (corp-urc-sw 337) Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

20080053708 - Recessed extended nozzles for drill bits and drill bits so equipped: A nozzle includes a nozzle body having an extended, tubular nozzle protrusion terminating at a nozzle exit, the nozzle body having an annular shoulder surrounding a base of the nozzle protrusion. A passage extends through the nozzle body, necking down in cross-sectional area before entering the nozzle protrusion and distally... Agent: Trask Britt

20080053709 - Diamond bit steel body cutter pocket protection: A drill bit that includes a steel bit body having at least one blade thereon, at least one cutter pocket disposed on the at least one blade; at least one cutter disposed in the at least one cutter pocket; at least one recess formed in at least a portion of... Agent: Osha, Liang LLP / Smith

20080053710 - Drill bit with cutter element having multifaceted, slanted top cutting surface: A drill bit includes a cutter element having a tapered and faceted side surface extending to a peak, and a polygonal wear face that slopes from the peak toward the cutter element base. The cutter element is mounted in a cone cutter of a rolling cone drill bit and, in... Agent: Conley Rose, P.C. David A. Rose

20080053711 - Cutting element having a self sharpening tip: A cutting element including a shank portion and a conical cutting portion. The conical cutting portion has a narrow end and a broad end connected to the shank portion. The conical cutting portion narrow end has an insert receiving recess, and an insert is secured in the insert receiving recess.... Agent: James Earl Lowe, Jr.