Raytheon Company

Raytheon Utd, Incorporated

William G Suliga

Benjamin P Dolgin

Steven Cotten

Thomas G Pepin

Michael A Toreno

Joram Shenhar

Brett Goldstein

John L Hill, Iii

John T Ishibashi

David Vickerman

Keith Grindstaff

James A Nalasco

Michael Andrew Brennan

Theodore J Vornbrock, Jr

John George Witzel

Aaron Matthew Foulk

Jorge L Gutierrez

Mark Olender

Richard Pitre

Steven A Cotten

John L Hill

Jorge Gutierrez

Disclosed is a system and method for horizontal directional drilling (HDD). The system and method utilize predictive algorithms to both characterize the soil within the borehole and to quantify instability within the drillstring. The soil characteristics are represented by a soil coefficient (&#x3b1;) which relates the curvature of the borehole with the length of thrust of the drill rig as well as by comparison of thrust while thrusting with torque while drilling. The value of (&#x3b1;) is obtained by comparison of the historical orientation of the drilling head over the length of the borehole and the borehole shape as determined by an arbitrary navigation sensor. Drillstring instability is determined as a function of historical thrust and torque efficiencies and windup over the length of the borehole.

System and method for determining soil characteristics and drilling instability during horizontal directional drilling

Disclosed is a system and method for horizontal directional drilling (HDD). The system and method utilize predictive algorithms to both characterize the soil within the borehole and to quantify instability within the drillstring. The soil characteristics are represented by a soil coefficient (&#x3b1;), which relates the curvature of the borehole with the length of thrust of the drill rig as well as by comparison of thrust while thrusting with torque while drilling. The value of (&#x3b1;) is obtained by comparison of the historical orientation of the drilling head over the length of the borehole and the borehole shape as determined by an arbitrary navigation sensor. Drillstring instability is determined as a function of historical thrust and torque efficiencies and windup over the length of the borehole.

System and method for determining soil characteristics and drillstring instability during horizontal directional drilling

A sensor array system includes a sensor array comprising a first sensor disposed underground and a second sensor disposed underground, and a processor communicatively coupled to the sensors of the sensor array, the processor operative to receive signals from the sensors of the sensor array indicative of seismic activity, and identify a position of a portion of a borehole machine operative to induce the seismic activity while disposed in an underground borehole.

Seismic navigation

A system for search and rescue includes a rescue beacon including a radiation source to emit radiation, at least a portion of which includes ultraviolet c-band radiation, and an ultraviolet c-band detector to detect the ultraviolet c-band radiation to enable locating of the rescue beacon.

Search and rescue using ultraviolet radiation

A Centralizer based Survey and Navigation (CSN) device designed to provide borehole or passageway position information. The CSN device can include one or more displacement sensors, centralizers, an odometry sensor, a borehole initialization system, and navigation algorithm implementing processor(s). Also, methods of using the CSN device for in-hole survey and navigation.

Centralizer-based survey and navigation device and method

Growing community of inventors

Manassas, VA, United States of America

William G Suliga