Orientation apparatus for drilling machinery and method for orienting a drilling element of drilling machinery

Abstract

The invention discloses an orientation apparatus for drilling machinery comprising an orientation device provided with a casing with fastening means for coupling the orientation device to the drilling machinery, and detection means in data communication with electronic means provided in the casing configured to determine the relative orientation of the orientation device with respect to true north, and an interface device in data communication with the orientation device and configured to display directional information of said orientation device which enables the axial alignment of the drilling machine with respect to the axial axis of a hole to be drilled. The invention also discloses a method for orienting drilling machinery in the oriented drilling of a well hole

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An orientation apparatus for drilling machinery comprising:
 an orientation device comprised by   a casing;   fastening means that can be connected to the casing and configured to couple the orientation device to the drilling machinery; and   detection means in data communication with electronic means provided in the casing configured to determine the relative orientation of the orientation device with respect to true north;   an interface device in data communication with the orientation device and configured to display directional information of said orientation device which enables the axial alignment of the drilling machine with respect to the axial axis of a hole to be drilled;   The orientation apparatus being characterised in that the detection means of the orientation device comprise at least one micromechanical gyroscope configured to determine the relative orientation of the orientation device with respect to true north.   
     
     
         2 . The orientation apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the detection means of the orientation device comprise three micromechanical gyroscopes. 
     
     
         3 . The orientation apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the orientation device comprises at least three mutually-orthogonal accelerometers. 
     
     
         4 . The orientation apparatus according  claim 1 , wherein the electronic means are configured to reduce the noise of the signal, the error and the deviation in the readings taken from the micromechanical gyroscope. 
     
     
         5 . The orientation apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the data communication between the interface device and the orientation device is established wirelessly. 
     
     
         6 . The orientation apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein the interface device is portable. 
     
     
         7 . A method for orienting drilling machinery in the oriented drilling of a well hole comprising the steps of:
 coupling the orientation apparatus for drilling machinery according to  claim 1  to a drilling machine such that the orientation apparatus coincides with the axial axis of the drilling machinery;   powering on the orientation apparatus, keeping it stationary for the calibration and power-on self-test sequence;   handling the drilling machine until the axial axis thereof coincides with the orientation required for the well hole;   drilling the well hole.   
     
     
         8 . The method for orienting according to  claim 7 , which additionally comprises tracking the relative movement of the orientation device after it has been calibrated and after the power-on self-test sequence in order to determine the relative movement of said orientation device. 
     
     
         9 . The method for orienting according to  claim 7 , wherein after the step for handling the drilling element, a step is included for uncoupling the orientation apparatus from the drilling machine. 
     
     
         10 . The method for orienting according to  claim 7 , wherein after the step for handling the drilling element, a step is included for keeping the orientation apparatus coupled to the drilling machine.