Reflex Instruments Asia Pacific Pty Ltd

2Ic Australia Pty Ltd.

Minex Crc Ltd

Australian Mud Company Pty Ltd

Imdex Technologies Pty Ltd

Boart Longyear Pty Ltd

Relex Instruments Asia Pacific

Reflex Instruments Asia Pacific

2Ic Australis Pty Ltd

Industrial Innovations & Concepts Pty Ltd

Reflex Technology International Pty Ltd.

Andrew Phillip Beach

Gavin Thomas McLeod

James Barry Reilly

Timothy M Price

Amir Mokaramian

Ben Blakeway

Richard Kabzinski

Nigel Warwick Gaylard

Scott Sholer

Justin Bergh

Matt Holliday

Fred Blaine

Timothy Merle Price

Richard Kabzinsk

Gavin Mcleod

Gavin Thomas Mcleod

A tool for installation in a drill string for delivering, retrieving, activating and/or deactivating one or more downhole tools for performing one or more down-hole functions with a drill string, the tool comprising: an outer body, a control shaft with at least one fluid path from the inside to the outside of the control shaft, a wireline coupling for connection to a wireline, and a lodgement assembly that is deployable to secure the tool within the drill string and/or bottom hole assembly and allow fluid flow in the fluid path when the tool has reached an installed position, the lodgement assembly comprising: a latch that is free to deploy when the tool reaches the installed position, and a valve with a valve actuator with movement interdependent on and/or constrained by the latch, wherein during installation: if the tool reaches the installed position, the latch is free to deploy and the valve actuator is free to move into an operational position that permits fluid flow in the fluid path, if the tool does not reach the installed position, the latch is not free to deploy and constrains the tethered valve actuator in a closed position that prevents fluid flow in the fluid path.

Deployment tool and method

An inner core barrel assembly incorporates an inner core tube. A body is connected to the inner core tube with a coupling mechanism. The coupling mechanism is configured to maintain a fixed rotational orientation with the inner core tube. The body includes a flow path for liquid within the inner core tube to flow as the inner core barrel assembly descends through a drill string. a core orientation system is contained within the body and positioned within the inner core tube.

Check valve, associated downhole data collection system and inner core

A drive sub for a drilling assembly includes a tubular body configured to receive and releasably engage a drilling tool. The body has inner and outer faces and further has a castellated edge provided on its operative downhole end, which edge defines a plurality of lugs separated from each other by intervening slots. In one aspect the drive sub has a contour profile provided at least partially along a circumference of the castellated edge, wherein the contour profile traverses the castellated edge substantially from the inner face to the outer face. In another aspect the drive sub has a channel provided in each of the lugs, wherein the channel at least partially traverses the lugs and leads from an inlet opening on the castellated edge to an outlet opening on the outer face. The contour profile and/or channel facilitate flow of drilling fluid and cuttings past the lugs during use.

Drive sub for a drilling assembly

There is disclosed a torque transfer apparatus for a mineral drilling tool used in a downhole assembly of a drill string. The drilling tool has a downhole drill bit and one or more uphole drill bits spaced apart from the downhole drill bit, with the torque transfer apparatus being located between them. The apparatus has an axial bore therethrough for fluid flow and comprises first and second members being rotatably joined to each other. The apparatus rotationally couples and transfers torque between the first and second members when a torque difference between torque on the downhole drill bit and torque on the uphole drill bit is below a threshold torque value. The apparatus disengages the rotational coupling while the torque difference exceeds the threshold torque value. The flow rate of drilling fluid flowing through the axial bore is altered when the apparatus engages and disengages the coupling.

Torque transfer and control apparatus for a drilling tool

A downhole device delivery and drive transfer system includes a sub which is arranged to attach to a drill string and a tool which is configured to enable it to travel through the drill string and releasably couple to the sub. The sub and the tool are arranged so that when they are releasably coupled to each other torque imparted to the drill string is transferred by the sub to the tool. The tool is arranged to carry one or more devices for performing one or more downhole functions such as core drilling, hole reaming or wedge placement for directional drilling. The system also has a guide mechanism that operates between the sub and the tool to guide the tool to a known rotational orientation relative to the sub as the tool travels into the sub. A fluid control system controls the flow of fluid through the tool through a downhole outlet and a plurality of ports intermediate opposite ends of the tool.

Downhole device delivery and associated drive transfer system and method of delivering a device down a hole

A system () delivers of a flowable substance S to a remote location through a conduit (). The system () has a bodywith first and second portions () and at least two plugs (P, P) associated with the body () so that in a first configuration the plugs (P, P) are spaced apart and form a sealed region () for holding a volume of the substance S, and, in a second configuration at least the second plug (P) is disposed in the second portion wherein the substance S can flow in a downstream direction past or through the second plug and out of the body (). A first valve () is coupled with the body () and has: (a) and opened state where the substance S is able to flow out of the body () and (b) a closed state where the first valve () prevents flow of the substance S out of the body () and prevents flow of a further fluid into or out of the body () while allowing a bypass flow of the further fluid in an upstream direction through a bypass flow path () of the first valve () to facilitate travel of the system () through a column of the further fluid in the conduit ().

System and method for delivering a flowable substance and borehole sealing

An apparatus () for capturing drilling fluid returns in an exploration drilling process, as well as a related method of capturing the drilling fluid returns. The apparatus () is adapted to be fitted onto a drill collar/casing () adjacent its open top (). The apparatus () comprises a body () defining a reservoir () for receiving the drilling fluid returns flowing out through the open top end () of the drill collar/casing () and spilling into the reservoir (). The reservoir () comprises a collecting portion () in which the fluid returns spilling from the drill collar/casing () can be collected. The reservoir () also comprises a sump portion () which can receive the drilling fluid returns and from which the drilling fluid returns can be pumped by way of a sump pump (). The reservoir () is configured to direct the drilling fluid returns collected by the collecting portion () to the sump portion () as a continuous flow.

Capture of drilling fluid returns

A check valve may be incorporated in an inner core barrel assembly. The check valve has a valve body defining a fluid flow path and provided with a valve seat. A valve member is located in the valve body and is coupled to the valve body by a coupling mechanism. The coupling mechanism is arranged to allow the valve member to move linearly in an axial direction relative to the valve body on to and off of the valve seat and maintain a fixed rotational relationship with the valve body. A data acquisition system can be held in the valve member and by virtue of the coupling mechanism be maintained rotationally fixed relative to the valve body an inner core tube of an inner core barrel assembly.

Check valve, associated downhole data collection system and inner core barrel assembly

A spear head assembly includes a spear point having a proximal end and an opposite pointed end. A sleeve has an axial passage and a first end from which the spear point extends, the spear point coupled to the sleeve wherein the spear point can pivot relative to the sleeve and move axially relative to the sleeve. The first end of the sleeve has a smooth continuous abutment surface for the spear point, and the abutment surface forms a funnel like structure which reduces in inner diameter in a direction inward of the sleeve, with the funnel like structure extending between an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface of the sleeve.

Head assembly

A latching system has a latch body, a latch carrier and two latch dogs. The latch dogs are retained in the latch carrier by two pins. The latch carrier is located within the latch body. The latch body has slots through which the latch dogs can extend. The pins pass through both latch dogs and through longitudinal slots in the latch carrier. The pins are fixed at their opposite ends to the latch body. When the latch carrier is moved axially the latch dogs move parallel to each other between: a latching position where the latch dogs extend from the latch body and latch carrier and can engage a latching mechanism; and a release position where the latch dogs retract inwardly.

A core orientation head () comprises a substantially cylindrical body () having a first end () and an opposite end (). A core face profile recording system () is carried by the body () to record a profile of the face of a core cut by a core drill in which the orientation head () is disposed. The system () comprises a plurality of pins () housed with an interference fit inside respective axially extending holes () provided in the body (). A bearing scale () is marked on an outer circumferential surfaceof the body (). A cap () is demountably connectable to either of the ends () and (). When connected to the end (), the caps () protects the system (). The caps () is also provided with a vernier scale () which, when the cap () is connected to the end (), co-operates with the bearing scale () to facilitate marking of the core sample ().

Orientation head

A spearhead assembly () comprises a base () provided with a slot () at one end () which opens onto an outer surface () of the base (). The outer surface () is composed of three contiguous surface portions (and). A spearpoint () is pivotally coupled at its proximal end (), which is disposed in the slot (), to the base (). A distal end () of the spearpoint () extends or projects beyond the slot () and the surface () of the base (). A spearpoint positioning system () urges the spearpoint () toward one of three annually spaced positioned. These positions are characterised by the spearpoint () extending substantially perpendicular to parallel opposed edges of the slot () which open onto, or are flanked by, the surface portions (), (and). Moving the spearpoint from one position to another requires the application of an external force.

Spearhead assembly

Inner core barrel head assembly () includes an upper latch body (), a plurality of latching balls () which are retained in the latch body () and a locking sleeve () disposed within the latch body (). The sleeve () has an outer circumferential latching surface () of a first outer diameter and an outer circumferential release surface () of a second outer diameter smaller than the first outer diameter. The locking sleeve is axially moveable relative to the upper latch body () between a latching position and a release position. In the latching position, the latching surface () is in radial alignment with the balls (), forcing the balls () radially outwardly into a latch seat () provided on a core barrel () attached to a lower end of a drill rod (). This latches the assembly () to the core barrel preventing withdrawal. In the release position, release surface () is in radial alignment with the balls () allowing the balls () to move radially inwardly out of engagement with the latch seat ().

Growing community of inventors

Balcatta, Australia

Andrew Phillip Beach