US2017044887A1PendingUtilityA1

Multi purpose drilling system and method

16
Assignee: PEABODY ENERGY AUSTRALIAPriority: Apr 14, 2014Filed: Mar 24, 2015Published: Feb 16, 2017
Est. expiryApr 14, 2034(~7.7 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Jan Benjamin Pieter Coetzee
E21B 7/046E21B 43/006E21B 43/30E21B 7/04E21F 7/00E21B 43/305
16
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Claims

Abstract

A method of forming a multi purpose drilling for degassing a coal seam that is to mined, the method including the steps of drilling a primary borehole from a surface into a zone above the coal seam, such that at least a portion of the primary borehole extends substantially parallel to the coal seam, and drilling at least one secondary borehole, wherein the least one secondary borehole extends from the primary borehole into the coal seam.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method of forming a multi purpose drilling for degassing a coal seam that is to be mined, the method including the steps of:
 drilling a primary borehole from a surface into a zone above the coal seam, such that at least a portion of the primary borehole extends substantially parallel to the coal seam; and   drilling at least one secondary borehole;   wherein the at least one secondary borehole extends from the primary borehole into the coal seam.   
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the step of drilling at least one secondary borehole involves drilling one secondary borehole into the coal seam such that a majority of the secondary borehole in the coal seam extends substantially parallel to the coal seam. 
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , further including the step of drilling branching holes from the secondary borehole that extend into the coal seam. 
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the step of drilling at least one secondary borehole involves drilling a plurality of secondary boreholes such that they extend from the portion of the primary borehole that extends substantially parallel to the coal seam, and into the coal seam. 
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the step of drilling the primary borehole involves drilling the primary borehole such that the majority of the primary borehole in the zone above the coal seam extends substantially parallel to the coal seam. 
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a portion of the primary borehole is drilled such that it has a larger diameter than the average diameter of the at least one secondary borehole. 
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the primary borehole is drilled such that the portion of the primary borehole extending substantially parallel to the coal seam is larger in diameter than a portion of the primary borehole adjacent to the surface. 
     
     
         8 . A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the step of drilling the primary borehole involves drilling a pilot hole and reaming at least a portion of the pilot hole. 
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the step of drilling at least one secondary borehole involves drilling at least one secondary pilot hole and reaming each of the at least one secondary pilot hole. 
     
     
         10 . A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further including the step of drilling at least one well from the surface, each of which intersects with the primary borehole. 
     
     
         11 . A method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the step of drilling at least one well from the surface, each of which intersects with the primary borehole, involves drilling the at least one well such that each of the at least one well also intersects with one of the at least one secondary borehole. 
     
     
         12 . A method as claimed in  claim 10  or  claim 11 , wherein each of the at least one well is a vertical well. 
     
     
         13 . A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further including the step of providing a casing that is at least partially perforated in the portion of the primary borehole that extends substantially parallel to the coal seam. 
     
     
         14 . A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further including the step of providing a casing that is at least partially perforated in the at least one secondary borehole. 
     
     
         15 . A multi purpose drilling system for degassing a coal seam that is to be mined, the multi purpose drilling system comprising:
 a primary borehole extending from a surface into a zone above the coal seam; and   at least one secondary borehole extending from the primary borehole into the coal seam;   wherein at least a portion of the primary borehole extends substantially parallel to the coal seam.   
     
     
         16 . A multi purpose drilling system as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein a majority of the secondary borehole in the coal seam extends substantially parallel to the coal seam. 
     
     
         17 . A multi purpose drilling system as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein branching holes extend from the secondary borehole into the coal seam. 
     
     
         18 . A multi purpose drilling system as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein a plurality of secondary boreholes extend into the coal seam from the portion of the primary borehole that extends substantially parallel to the coal seam. 
     
     
         19 . A multi purpose drilling system as claimed in any one of  claims 15  to  18 , wherein the majority of the primary borehole in the zone above the coal seam extends substantially parallel to the coal seam. 
     
     
         20 . A multi purpose drilling system as claimed in any one of  claims 15  to  19 , further comprising at least one well from the surface, each of which intersects with the primary borehole. 
     
     
         21 . A multi purpose drilling system as claimed in any one of  claims 15  to  20 , further comprising a casing that is at least partially perforated in the portion of the primary borehole that extends substantially parallel to the coal seam. 
     
     
         22 . A multi purpose drilling system as claimed in any one of  claims 15  to  21 , further comprising a casing that is at least partially perforated in the at least one secondary borehole. 
     
     
         23 . A multi purpose drilling system as claimed in any one of  claims 15  to  22 , wherein the portion of the primary borehole extending substantially parallel to the coal seam is larger in diameter than a portion of the primary borehole adjacent to the surface. 
     
     
         24 . A method or multi purpose drilling system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the zone is a primary caving zone. 
     
     
         25 . A method or multi purpose drilling system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the zone is between 5 to 40 meters above the coal seam. 
     
     
         26 . A method or multi purpose drilling system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the zone is between 5 to 25 meters above the coal seam. 
     
     
         27 . A method or multi purpose drilling system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the zone is between 10 to 15 meters above the coal seam.

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