Systems and methods for delivery of goods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12534960-B2
Application number	US-202418626837-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2024
Priority date	Apr 4, 2023
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

Provided are methods and systems for transportation of goods through a wellbore as well as systems for drilling such wellbores. Methods and systems include drilling a first wellbore with a first diameter. Methods and systems include determining an offset of the first wellbore from a desired position along at least a portion of the first wellbore's length. Methods and systems include drilling a second wellbore with a second diameter responsive to the determined offset, where drilling the second wellbore includes using a drill bit offset from a central axis of a bullnose by one or more actuators, where the second diameter is greater than the first diameter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of drilling a wellbore for transportation of goods, the method comprising:
drilling a first wellbore with a first diameter; determining an offset of the first wellbore from a desired position along at least a portion of a length of the first wellbore; and drilling a second wellbore with a second diameter correcting the determined offset, wherein drilling the second wellbore comprises a drill bit comprising a bullnose and one or more blades, the one or more blades comprising a blade central shaft and the bullnose comprising a bullnose shaft having a bullnose central axis, wherein the bullnose shaft extends from the bullnose into the blade central shaft and is freely movable by one or more actuators within the blade central shaft, and wherein the second diameter is greater than the first diameter.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
casing an interior facing portion of an external surface of the second wellbore.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
coating an interior surface of the casing with a low friction material.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the first wellbore and the second wellbore extend from a first location to a second location, wherein the second location is within an urban area.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the second wellbore extends from the first location to a plurality of locations, wherein at least one of the plurality of locations is within the urban area.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , further comprising drilling a third wellbore extending from a position along the second wellbore to a third location, wherein the third location is remote from both the first location and the second location.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
surveying at least a portion of the first wellbore; responsive to the survey of the first wellbore, determining a plurality of offset values from a desired trajectory of the first wellbore, wherein each of the plurality of offset values corresponds to one of a plurality of depths and/or distances along the first wellbore; and responsive to the plurality of offset values, activating the one or more actuators to control an amount by which the drill bit is offset from the central axis of the bullnose during drilling of the second wellbore.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first wellbore comprises a trajectory adapted to provide a pathway with an optimized geometry balancing the length of the wellbore with the lateral and axial acceleration forces experienced at each point along the pathway.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the second wellbore comprises a trajectory adapted to provide a pathway with an optimized geometry balancing the length of the wellbore with the lateral and axial acceleration forces experienced at each point along the path.

10 . A method of drilling a wellbore for transportation of goods, the method comprising:
drilling a pilot wellbore; determining an offset of the pilot wellbore from a desired position along at least a portion of a length of the pilot wellbore; and drilling a full-sized wellbore correcting the determined offset, wherein:
drilling the full-sized wellbore comprises a drill bit comprising a bullnose and one or more blades, the one or more blades comprising a blade central shaft and the bullnose comprising a bullnose shaft having a bullnose central axis, wherein the bullnose shaft extends from the bullnose into the blade central shaft and is freely movable by one or more actuators within the blade central shaft,
the full-sized wellbore comprises a tortuosity index that varies from a planned wellbore tortuosity index by less than or about 20%; the full-sized wellbore extends from a first location to a second location; the first location is remote from the second location; and the second location is within an urban area.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
casing an interior surface of the full-sized wellbore.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
coating an interior surface of the casing with a material to reduce friction.

13 . The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
surveying at least a portion of the pilot wellbore; responsive to the survey of the pilot wellbore, determining a plurality of offset values from a desired trajectory of the pilot wellbore, wherein each of the plurality of offset values corresponds to one of a plurality of depths and/or distances along the pilot wellbore; and responsive to the plurality of offset values, adjusting a drill bit parameter during drilling of the full-sized wellbore.

14 . The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
selecting a trajectory of at least one of the pilot wellbore or the full-sized wellbore at least partially based on one or more goods to be transported therethrough.

15 . The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
defining a first above ground access point to the full-sized wellbore at the first location; and defining a second above ground access point to the full-sized wellbore at the second location.

16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein:
the first above ground access point is configured to provide access to the full-sized wellbore for providing one or more goods thereto; and the second above ground access point is configured to provide access to the full-sized wellbore for receiving the one or more goods therefrom.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein:
the second above ground access point is further configured to provide access to the full-sized wellbore for returning one or more received goods.

18 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein:
at least one of the first above ground access points or the second above ground access points comprises an entry angle measured between a drilling angle and a surface of less than or about 80 degrees.

19 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein:
curves of the full-sized wellbore comprise a radius of between 1 degree per 100 feet and 10 degrees per 100 feet.

20 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein:
the pilot wellbore comprises a diameter of between 1 inch and 24 inches; and the full-sized wellbore comprises a diameter of between 8 inches and 120 inches.

Assignees

• Helmerich & Payne Tech Llc

Inventors

• Jamieson Angus Lamberton

Classifications

• E21B7/20

  Driving or forcing casings or pipes into boreholes, e.g. sinking; Simultaneously drilling and casing boreholes · CPC title

• E21B7/10 Primary

  Correction of deflected boreholes · CPC title