Abstract: A burner in the form of a flame jet drill bit engine for liquid fuels is disclosed. The burner has particular utility in a flame jet drill and comprises an axially elongated body with a combustion chamber disposed therein. At least one flame jet nozzle is disposed through the body adjacent the bottom so as to communicate with the reaction chamber. At least one set of water or other liquid jet nozzles is also disposed on the bottom of the body which produce a pulsating water jet at extremely high velocities. The flame jet nozzle and the water jet nozzles are arranged and configured on the bottom of the body so as to be substantially parallel to the axis of the body. By the use of the combination of flame jets and water jets, a cutting means is produced which can cut through a wide range of amorphous and sedimentary rocks.

Abstract: A raise bore drilling rig is provided for use with a drill string of non-round cross-sectional configuration; the drill string is connectible through a pilot hole from a raise bore bit at the lower end of the pilot hole to the raise bore drilling rig at the upper end of the hole. To enable simple assembly of the drill string, the upper end of each length of drill string is circular in way of the female component of a threaded coupling. The drilling rig includes a rotary drive mechanism which mates with the non-round cross-section of individual lengths of drill string and which is rotatably driven to apply torque to the drill string as it is raised axially during the raise bore drilling process. The torque applying component of the drilling rig which is directly engageable with the drill string includes a vertically floating "bushing" which enables torque to be applied to the string as a coupling is raised through a normal "at rest" position of the bushing.

Abstract: Means are provided to rotatably drive a cutter blade device about a central point so as to bore a circular hole in the ground. Elastic bar means is vibrationally excited at a sonic frequency by means of an orbital mechanical oscillator, the frequency of the oscillator being adjusted to provide resonant standing wave vibration of the bar means. Vibrational energy is transferred from the bar means to the cutter device in unidirectional (rectified) pulses, the vibrational energy aiding the rotary torque action of the cutter device and causing the earthen material to be broken into small size cuttings. The vibrational energy is applied to the cutter device at a location thereon away from the rotational axis of the cutter device, therefore maximizing the availability of the sonic energy in the cutting action and providing a substantial lever arm at the central portions of the device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing a surveying operation to locate a target subterranean ferromagnetic body having remanent or impressed magnetization. The surveying operation is conducted from an off-vertical borehole adjacent the target magnetic body using magnetic field sensing apparatus, and involves determining the range and direction of the subterranean target with respect to the location of the magnetic field sensing apparatus. Target direction is determined by measuring three magnetic field components and resolving the measured components into a resultant vector. Target range is determined by measuring total magnetic field intensity and target body magnetic field intensity gradient in the direction of the off-vertical borehole. Both static and time-varying fields may be detected by the subsurface apparatus.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for the ultrasonic treatment of underground rocky strata, primarily for drilling therein, and for increasing the permeability of the strata. A flushing medium is made to flow through a mechanical drilling tool such as a rotary drill bit with rock-breaking elements, a pressure wave is superposed on the static pressure of the flowing medium at the location of rock breaking, and the frequency of the pressure wave in the ultrasonic range, preferably between 20 and 100 kHz; good results have been obtained at 27 kHz. The inventive apparatus includes a passageway in the tool for the flushing medium, a resonance chamber in the path of the medium, together with an exciting or interference element, constituting means for changing the flow conditions of at least part of the medium from laminar to turbulent, producing therein a pressure wave, and superposing the latter, as aforesaid. The resonance chamber preferably opens into a jet nozzle forming part of the drilling tool.

Abstract: Apparatus for perforating a well comprised of a closed retrievable carrier formed in an elliptic cylindrical shape and having shaped charge perforating means disposed therein. Upon actuation of the shaped charge perforating means the ellipticity of the carrier is reduced.

Abstract: A stabilizer for use with a string of single tube or dual concentric drill pipe above a bit having analogous tubular members adapted for fluid tight interconnection with the pipes of said string to provide a conduit for drilling fluid. A stabilizer means encircles the stabilizer body and is adapted to contact the hole wall. The stabilizer means includes a sleeve bearing mounted to rotate with respect to the stabilizer body and a stabilizer sleeve mounted stationary on the sleeve bearing. A port means in the stabilizer body provides fluid communication between the drilling fluid conduit and the stabilizer sleeve and/or thrust bearing. An exit port means in the lower end of the stabilizer means provides fluid communication between the stabilizer sleeve bearing and the outside of the stabilizer.

Abstract: A rotary drill bit for producing a raise bore about a pilot hole comprises a drill head having an upper surface for mounting cutter assemblies and lower surface spaced from said upper surface. The upper and lower surfaces are secured to and connected by a body sub. A drive stem is removably secured in the drive sub. The drive sub and stem have mating tapered portions for a press fit. Either the sub or the stem is provided with a spiral groove through which oil is injected under high pressure to expand the sub while the stem is rammed into place under high pressure. The stem can be removed by application of oil pressure and a ram force in the opposite direction.

Abstract: An excavation tool, specifically, a down-the-hole bit which reduces a formation by being impacted axially against a formation while rotating and through which a supply of fluid, such as air, is supplied through a passage in the bit to the working face thereof to blow away the material taken by the bit and wherein the working face of the bit is provided with grooves extending outwardly from the lower end of the fluid supply passage to the periphery of the bit and in communication with axial grooves formed in the bit. The provision of the grooves in the working end of the bit in communication with the axial grooves in the outer periphery of the bit greatly improves the removal of debris which accumulates at the bottom of the hole being drilled and increases the efficiency of the bit.

Abstract: A multiple well platform is described for producing hydrocarbons, preferably using a free-standing single riser caisson. Although the wells are connected up to the surface, the largest casings (and preferably most of the other casings) are terminated at about the mudline. The apparatus uses a guide located at a level about the ocean floor which can be oriented to direct well installing apparatus to any of several exit holes and enables multiple wells to be installed through a riser caisson only slightly larger than the diameter of the largest size well casing. The apparatus preferably has a single riser caisson to extend from about the marine bottom to above the water level with at least one buoyancy chamber attached to its upper portion, and an enlarged bottom section. The bottom section contains the guide means to direct apparatus such as drills and casing into appropriate exit holes.

Abstract: A casing cutter adapted to be lowered into a well to cut a plurality of casings cemented in the well and having a body with a central passageway therethrough with a piston slidably mounted therein which piston is provided with a restriction so that the piston moves axially within the body, a plurality of blades which are connected to the piston, and mounted in openings in the body, and guide means between the blades and the body whereby when the piston is actuated the blades are moved outwardly in a generally arcuate path so that they cut a very narrow annular space, which is substantially only that space which the blade displaces in its outer position.

Abstract: An hydraulic shock absorber for protecting the drill bit and drill pipe in rotary earth drilling consists of a casing with an upper sub mounted in its one end for connection to a string of drill pipe. An anvil is slidably mounted on the other end. A plurality of hollow pistons are slidably mounted inside the casing. The pistons each have a hollow sleeve portion extending in sealing relationship through seating rings mounted on the inside of said casing. The pistons also have a radial flange portion at their upper end slidably sealing with the walls of the casing and a fluid passage extends through the wall of the casing between the flange portion and the seating ring.

Abstract: The perforator body is provided with a built-in pulling winch whose drum is wound with a wire rope. The winch axle mounts a worm wheel meshing with the perforator box whose external surface is made in the form of a worm. The wire rope is secured to the rock and the perforator is fed progressively by rotation of the box.

Abstract: A flame jet lance having a rotatable drill bit for forming cross holes in the ground is disclosed. The lance has various fuel and oxidizer tanks disposed therein and a fuel feed system coupled to the tanks for pumping the fuel to the rotatable drill bit. An extension member is also disposed in the lance with one end thereof coupled to the feed system and with the rotatable drill bit coupled at the other end thereof. The extension member is movable in the lance such that as the drill bit burns its way through the earth, the extension member moves the bit outward to a position lateral from the lance. In this manner, oil, gas, and the like may travel through the cross hole thus formed into the initial well hole.In operating the flame jet lance of the present invention, the lance is lowered into the preexisting well hole a specific distance. The flame jet drill bit is ignited and extremely hot flames are forced out through a nozzle contained in the drill bit.

Abstract: A chemical treating system for oil wells in the form of a chemical injector and well manifold for protecting down hole oil well equipment from corrosion by injecting a predetermined quantity of chemical additive into a circulating fluid. The equipment includes a supply tank or reservoir supported in elevated position above a calibrated measuring container which discharges into a mixing vessel communicated with pipes connected with the tubing and casing respectively of an oil well with valving arrangements being provided to enable the chemical additive to be injected into a circulating fluid and circulated through the tubing and casing and any down hole equipment associated therewith for a desired period of time.

Abstract: An underreaming tool with cutter arm position indication. An elongated body portion has a coupling for coupling one end thereof to a lower end of a lower drill string. A pair of arms are pivotally mounted on the body portion. Means is provided for relatively positioning the cutter arms apart in a cutting position and closer together in a non-cutting position and having an overridable condition wherein either of the cutter arms may be either in a cutting or a non-cutting position. A fluid passage is provided in the body portion comprising an input port at one end of the body portion and first and second output ports. One output port is adjacent to each of the cutter arms.

Abstract: An ice anchoring device, and particularly an ice hammer, having a relatively thin walled, partially open or fully closed channel, with opposed interior walls at at least a portion of the channel, and, preferably, parallel outer walls, which, when impacted upon ice, fractures the ice internally of the channel while producing a basically undisturbed void in the ice sufficient to accommodate the anchoring device. Preferably the channel is in the form of an initially closed tube having an inwardly sloping bevel from a cutting edge defined at the end of the tube, and an opening in the tube spaced back from the end of the tube to facilitate removal of fractured ice. The method is practiced by inserting the tube into ice with force and localizing the destructive forces inwardly to the volume within the channel thereby avoiding weakening and fracturing of the remaining exterior portion of the ice in which the device is anchored.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for offshore drilling is described which is particularly useful for drilling in deep water from a floating surface vessel. Drilling fluid is introduced into a drill string extending from the vessel into a wellbore in the floor of the body of water. In order to maintain a controlled hydrostatic pressure within the riser, drilling fluids are diverted from the lower end of the riser and are either discharged into the body of water or pumped to the surface through a return conduit adjacent the riser.

Abstract: A drilling assembly which is particularly adapted for drilling in regions of the earth having permafrost, comprising a relativey large earth auger including at least one helical flight which is welded to a long central tube. The upper end of the auger has a shape such that torque may be readily applied to the auger for rotating the same. Interiorly of the upper end of the tube is a means for mounting a downhole percussion hammer, such that the percussion hammer may be suspended for operation within the tube. Preferably, a substantially solid drill bit having a generally frustoconical (pointed) shape is used in conjunction with the percussion hammer. Also, a means for advantageously providing for admitting more compressed air to the bottom of the hole than would normally be admissible by relying on air supplied to the percussion hammer alone.

Abstract: A pendulum is mounted in the drill pipe close to the drill bit to assume a vertical position in the azimuthal plane of the drill pipe. When the position of the pendulum is such that the inclination of the drill pipe is not a preselected amount or the azimuthal direction of the pipe is not the preselected direction, a lateral force is imposed on the drill bit urging it to drill in a direction that will return the drill pipe to said preselected inclination or azimuthal direction. The pendulum and its associated apparatus is rotated in the direction opposite the direction that the drill pipe is rotated and at the same speed, so that the pendulum is substantially nonrotative relative to the earth.