Drilling device and process

Abstract

A plurality of cutting faces is attached sequentially at a distal end of a drill string. The forward most cutting face that is distal to the top of the hole is exposed and used for drilling until worn to a point of inefficiency. The forward most or distal cutting face is then detached, exposing the next cutting face in the sequence. Detachment of the forward most cutting face is performed by remote actuation at the top of the drill string and/or outside the hole. A new cutting face is provided without the necessity of removing the drill string. The detachment process is repeated as long as drilling is continued and cutting faces remain.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A well drilling device, comprising:
 a plurality of cutting faces attached to mandrel and positioned sequentially on the mandrel;   an explosive device positioned between a first cutting face of the plurality of cutting faces and a second cutting face of the plurality of cutting faces; and   a remote actuator that actuates the explosive device and upon actuation of the explosive device, the explosive device explodes and separates the first cutting face from the mandrel.   
     
     
         2 . A well drilling device as described in  claim 1 , where individual cutting faces of the plurality of cutting faces of are positioned sequentially at an end of the mandrel in a nested formation. 
     
     
         3 . A well drilling device as described in  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of cutting faces is attached to the mandrel by an explosive device, and the exploding device is an exploding fastener. 
     
     
         4 . A well drilling device as described in  claim 1 , wherein the remote actuator actuates a selected explosive device of the plurality of explosive devices and separates a leading cutting face from the mandrel. 
     
     
         5 . A well drilling device as described in  claim 1 , wherein the first cutting face comprises a second exploding device that is constructed and arranged to explode the first cutting face into fragments subsequent to actuation of the exploding device. 
     
     
         6 . A well drilling device as described in  claim 1 , wherein each cutting face of the plurality of cutting faces comprises an exploding device that is positioned in a cavity of the cutting face and the exploding device and the cutting face are constructed and arranged to explode the cutting face into fragments upon actuation of the exploding device. 
     
     
         7 . A well drilling device as described in  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of cutting faces comprises a plurality of industrial diamonds. 
     
     
         8 . A well drilling device as described in  claim 1 , wherein the remote actuator comprises a two way communication link between a surface controller and the mandrel, wherein the two way communication link utilizes radio frequency energy or ultrasonic energy, and wherein the two way communication link transmits signals indicating bore hole conditions and cutting face conditions, and the two way communication link actuates cutting face separation and cutting face fragmentation. 
     
     
         9 . A well drilling device as described in  claim 5 , wherein the first cutting face comprises alternate sections of stronger and weaker fabrication facilitating fragmentation of the first cutting face into a plurality of substantially smaller fragments upon actuation of the second exploding device. 
     
     
         10 . A well drilling device as described in  claim 6 , wherein each of the cutting faces of the plurality of cutting faces comprises alternate sections of stronger and weaker fabrication facilitating fragmentation of the cutting faces into a plurality of substantially smaller fragments upon actuation of the exploding device that is positioned in the cavity of the cutting face. 
     
     
         11 . A well drilling device as described in  claim 5 , wherein the first cutting face is formed of a plurality of materials, each of the plurality of materials having structural strength that facilitates or retards fragmentation of the first cutting face after separation of the first cutting face after separation of the first cutting face from the mandrel. 
     
     
         12 . A well drilling device as described in  claim 1 , wherein the mandrel is attached to a drill string, and the mandrel comprises an internal cavity in which a battery and a micro-processor are contained, wherein the micro processor communicates with sensors that communicate with the well drilling device. 
     
     
         13 . A well drilling device as described in  claim 1 , wherein the mandrel is attached to a drill string.