Abstract: Lubricant is circulated from a lubricant reservoir to the bearings of a rotary rock bit and back to the lubricant reservoir by a lubricant circulation system that is operated by rotation of the cone cutter upon the bearing pin of the bit. A seal is positioned between the rolling cone cutter and the arm of the bit to maintain lubricant in the bearing area and to prevent fluid in the borehole from entering the bearing area. A lubricant reservoir is located in the bit body. A first passage connects the lubricant reservoir with the bearing area to channel lubricant from the lubricant reservoir to the bearing area. A second passage extends from the bearing area to the lubricant reservoir to allow lubricant to be channeled back to the lubricant reservoir.

Abstract: A seal acts as a barrier to the drilling fluid, pulverized cuttings and other materials in a borehole preventing the materials from entering the bearing area of a rolling cone cutter earth boring bit and retains lubricant inside the bearing area. A rolling cone cutter is rotatably mounted on a cantilevered bearing pin extending from the bit body. A "Z" seal is positioned between the cutter and bearing pin. An outer rigid seal ring is positioned around the bearing pin. The outer rigid seal ring is split to allow radial expansion and contraction. An inner rigid smaller diameter seal ring is positioned around the bearing pin. The inner rigid seal ring is also split to allow radial expansion and contraction. An elastomer ring is located between the inner and outer rigid rings and affixed to the rigid rings.

Abstract: The body of a raise boring head is produced from a truncated cone. A variety of efficient and economical methods such as spin-forming, casting, rolling, etc. may be used in producing the truncated cone body. A multiplicity of rolling cutters positioned in cutter saddles are mounted on the truncated cone body. The mounting surfaces for the cutter saddles are on a continuous plane. The continuous plane can be produced on the truncated cone body in one turning operation. The raise boring head is self-cleaning due to the natural tendency of the cuttings to slide toward the periphery of the truncated cone body surface. The overall gross weight of the raise boring head is reduced and the strength-to-weight ratio is increased. The structural rigidity of the raise boring head is improved even though many of the structural components used in prior art raise boring heads have been eliminated.

Abstract: A raise boring system is provided for boring raise holes wherein the finished raise holes have portions of different diameters. The system includes a raise head with a central drive stem defining an axis of rotation. Primary cutter means are positioned on the raise head for disintegrating the earth formations out to a first radial distance from said axis of rotation. Expanding secondary cutter means are positioned on the raise head for selectively disintegrating earth formations from said first radial distance out to additional and greater radial distances from said axis of rotation. The expanding secondary cutter means may be selectively located in a first position either beneath or in the same plane as the primary cutter means during boring at said first radial distance from said axis of rotation and selectively located in additional positions for boring at greater radial distances from said axis of rotation.

Abstract: Apparatus for drilling a well at a location submerged below a body of water includes a buoyant foundation structure. The foundation structure is floatable on the surface of the body of water and is subject to vertical motion in response to waves and the like. A riser handling and tensioning mechanism is mounted to the foundation structure and is operable for moving a riser pipe along a substantially vertical line from and to the foundation into and out of connection with the submerged location. The riser handling and tensioning mechanism is also operable for applying tension to a riser pipe connected to the submerged location. The handling and tensioning mechanism includes vertically disposed hydraulic rams mounted to the foundation structure. Holding means are releasably engageable with a riser pipe adjacent its upper end and are connected to the rams for movement along the riser line by the rams.

Abstract: A rotary rock bit is described having a plurality of legs extending downwardly from the main bit body. Each leg further includes an inwardly extending journal pin for rotatively supporting a cone-type cutter. An annular thrust member is provided for axially retaining the cutter onto the journal pin. In one embodiment the thrust member is adapted to extend into an annular groove formed in the journal pin with the other radial surface thereof engaging an inner annular surface of the cutter. The radial surface of the thrust member is then welded to cutter by an electron beam process. An access aperture is provided in the journal pin and leg to enable the electron beam to pass therethrough and strike the thrust member and cutter. During this operation, the cutter is rotated along with the thrust member across the access aperture to create a 360.degree. weld therebetween. In another embodiment, an annular groove is formed in the cutter cavity for receiving the thrust member.

Abstract: An earth boring apparatus includes individual cutting elements positioned within corresponding individual sockets in the cutter member body of the earth boring apparatus. Each socket has a socket wall and bottom. Each cutting element has a lower body portion positioned in the socket with a surface that contacts the socket wall and a bottom surface. The bottom surface has a conical taper. This causes compressive loads to press the lower body portion against the socket wall enhancing retention and reducing cutting element loss.

Abstract: An offshore pipeline installation comprises a wellhead base and a pipeline anchor connected together to form a unit which is lowered onto a seabed. The anchor is pivotably positionable relative to the wellhead base about a vertical axis of a pilot tube. A pin pile is inserted through the tube and into the seabed to isolate the pipeline anchor from the wellhead and wellhead base in relation to forces generated in anchoring a pipeline to the pipeline anchor. The anchor is selectively positionable for alignment with pipeline means to be laid, and may include a socket mounted for pivotal movement about one or more, axis. The socket is operable to receive pipeline means laid away from the anchor. The anchor may further include a ramp which is inclined relative to horizontal. The ramp is positionable generally laterally relative to the lay path of the pipeline means so that pipeline means laid upon the ramp gravitates downwardly toward clamp means at the foot of the ramp.

Abstract: The percussive action pneumatic device for drilling holes in a soil by cocting same has a cylinder-shaped housing with a conically pointed head portion. This pointed head portion of the housing is engaged in the internal surface of the tail portion of a hollow tip with a pointed end. A transverse partition is provided internally of the hollow tip, in the tail portion thereof, the head portion of the housing is detachably connectable with the transverse partition.

Abstract: A sea floor template with vertical well guides or slots is lowered to the sea floor. Guide rails, such as a railroad track, are supported on top of the frame of the template in a path which extends along each well slot. A drilling guidance carousel is lowered to the template. Rollers on the drilling guidance carousel engage guide rails so that the carousel can be moved to each template well slot. Guidelines extend from the drilling guidance carousel to a floating drilling vessel for guiding drilling equipment from the vessels down through the template well slot which is aligned with the carousel well slot. Preferably, the template well slots are arranged in a circle at each corner of a rectangular sea floor template. The guide rails are arranged concentrically with the central axis of the circle of template well slots. Locking means are provided to hold the carousel drilling frame well slot aligned with any selected one of the well slots in the sea floor template.

Abstract: A reversible ground perforating device powered by a gaseous medium under ssure, comprising a hollow cylindrical body with a pointed front end. The body accommodates a hammer adapted to reciprocate therein. A front power chamber of variable volume is formed by the hammer in the body. The rear end of the hammer has a cylindrical hollow which forms a rear power chamber of variable volume. The power chambers are interconnected by means of ports provided in the hammer. A stepped cylindrical barrel is located inside the cylindrical hollow in the hammer and coaxially therewith. The barrel is secured in the rear end of the body and the large-diameter portion of the barrel is arranged to interact with the hammer. The wall of the large-diameter portion of the barrel has ports. A spring-loaded stepped sleeve is mounted coaxially with the stepped barrel so that the large-diameter portion of the sleeve is adapted to cover the ports in the barrel.

Abstract: A hydraulic shock absorbing method for protecting the drill bit and drill pipe in rotary earth drilling comprising the steps of slidably moving an anvil connected to a drilling bit in a casing in response to increased down weight on the drill bit and sequentially transmitting further increases in the down weight and shocks from the anvil to a plurality of independently operating hydraulic pistons slidably mounted within the casing when down weight on the drill bit exceeds increasing predetermined amounts to activate the pistons in sequence. The drilling fluid within the casing is transmitted to first pressure areas on the anvil and the plurality of pistons and the drilling fluid is passed through the drilling bit to provide a pressure drop and then communicated to second pressure areas on the plurality of pistons.

Abstract: A re-entry cementing float shoe for use with sonar/TV underwater guide systems is a short inner and outer cylindrical housing members in concentric spaced relationship forming an annular space therebetween with a cementing core filling said annular space, said inner housing has its top below the top of the outer housing, the upper inner surface of the cement forming a taperal lining cone, the bottom of the cone ending at the top of the inner housing and the top of the cement cone ending at the inner surface of the outer housing below an inner top portion of the outer housing, said portion having an attachment means for accepting and attaching to a casing pipe.

Abstract: An offshore drilling installation comprising an underwater base spaced from an underwater buoy and in communication therewith by a connecting conduit. The underwater buoy represents the upward extension of the sea bed which serves to support an above-sea platform. The underwater buoy is further secured to the sea bed by mooring lines. Oil containing means is provided in the underwater base.

Abstract: A fluid introduction unit adapted to be mounted in a well production flow assembly, sometimes referred to as a christmas tree, for the introduction of highly corrosive fluids into high pressure wells without damaging the production tubing.

Abstract: A nutating earth drilling bit which is adapted for use in drilling systems in which the drilling fluid and cuttings are transported from bit to surface through the interior of the drill string. The nutating bit is provided with a toroidal cutting member and a longitudinally extending annular shank, both of which have longitudinally extending passageways aligned with one another and in flow communication with the central return conduit of the drill string. The cutting member of one embodiment has a segmented cutting web at its lower end which divides the central passageway into three separate fluid return channels. Another embodiment drills an annular hole face around an uncut earth core, the core being permitted to rise into the shank member where it is broken into short segments by a core breaker.

Abstract: A cutter with a replaceable cutting element is adapted to be mounted upon the rotary head of an earth boring machine or upon the body of an earth boring bit. A rolling cutter shell is mounted upon the rotary head or the bit for rotary motion to roll along the formations being cut. The rolling cutter shell includes first and second ends with an annular receiving surface between the ends. Replaceable cutting means substantially encircle the rolling cutter shell for contacting the formations and forming a hole therein. The replaceable cutting means include an inner surface that mates with the annular receiving surface of the rolling cutter shell. Locking means securely lock the replaceable cutting means to said rolling cutter shell and draw the inner surface of the replaceable cutting means into engagement with the annular receiving surface of the rolling cutter shell.

Abstract: Lubricant is circulated from a lubricant reservoir to the bearings of a rotary rock bit and back to the lubricant reservoir by a lubricant circulation system that is operated by rotation of the cone cutter upon the bearing pin of the bit. A spiral groove system in the inner surface of the cone cutter operates as a viscous or ram pump when the cone cutter is rotating against the corresponding bearing surface of the bearing pin and provides the pumping action for circulating the lubricant. A seal is positioned between the rolling cone cutter and the arm of the bit to maintain lubricant in the bearing area and to prevent fluid in the borehole from entering the bearing area. A lubricant reservoir is located in the bit body. A first passage connects the lubricant reservoir with the bearing area to channel lubricant from the lubricant reservoir to the bearing area. A second passage extends from the bearing area to the lubricant reservoir to allow lubricant to be channeled back to the lubricant reservoir.

Abstract: A guidelineless subsea wellhead system includes TV/sonar guidance components which direct operating and/or service equipment into a position adjacent a subsea wellhead. An offset funnel mounted on the wellhead is used to guide a probe, which is mounted on a riser, into alignment with the wellhead. The probe is used to guide the riser and the service equipment into exact alignment with the wellhead so that tasks such as well entry, tree installation, well reentry, tree cap removal, tree cap replacement and downhole wireline operations can be completed without any cable guidelines. The system can also be used with the usual guidelines to increase the speed and accuracy of connecting to the wellhead.

Abstract: An arrangement for the handling of drill string elements, such as tubes or rods, in drill rigs, comprising means for transferring the drill string elements between a magazine and the drill string axis, a drill string centralizer at the front end of an elongated support for guiding the drill string, a spinning device on said transferring means for gripping and rotating a drill string element, said means being adapted to axially displace the drill string element during rotation thereof, and a sleeve brake mounted on the drilling machine for nonrotatably holding a coupling sleeve when the adapter of the drilling machine is disconnected from the drill string.