Erosion well drilling method and apparatus

Claim 1

A method for deepening a well comprising: establishing an elongated pipe in said well; repeatedly filling a lower region of said pipe of at least 100 feet in length with a column of drilling fluid; pumping ignitable gas into a region of said pipe of at least 100 feet in length above the column of fluid to fill said region with said gas , after each of said operations of filling a region with drilling fluid; igniting said ignitable gas after each of said operations of pumping ignitable gas into said pipe, to create a high pressure reservoir of gaseous products of ignition that ejects at least some of said column of drilling fluid from the lower end of said pipe; exhausting at least some of the products of ignition after each of said operations of igniting said gas; and repeatedly lowering said pipe into said well.

Claim 2

A method for deepening a well comprising: establishing an elongated pipe in said well; repeatedly filling a lower region of said pipe of at least 100 feet in length with a column of drilling fluid; pumping ignitable gas into a region of said pipe of at least 100 feet in length above the column of fluid to fill said region with said gas , after each of said operations of filling a region with drilling fluid; igniting said ignitable gas after each of said operations of pumping ignitable gas into said pipe, to create a high pressure reservoir of gaseous products of ignition that ejects at least some of said column of drilling fluid from the lower end of said pipe; exhausting at least some of the products of ignition after each of said operations of igniting said gas; and repeatedly lowering said pipe into said well.

Claim 3

A method for deepening a well comprising: positioning an elongated pipe assembly in said well, which includes an inner pipe, a shroud around an upper region of said inner pipe, a valve near the bottom of said shroud for coupling the annular region between said shroud and inner pipe to the inside of said inner pipe; and nozzle means at the lower end of said inner pipe; opening said valve; pumping drilling fluid down through the region between said shroud and inner pipe and through said valve into a lower region of said inner pipe; closing said valve; and igniting combustible material in said pipe assembly to create a high pressure of combustion products that eject at least some of said drilling fluid through said nozzle means.

Claim 4

A method for deepening a well comprising: positioning an elongated pipe assembly in said well, which includes an inner pipe, a shroud around an upper region of said inner pipe, a valve near the bottom of said shroud for coupling the annular region between said shroud and inner pipe to the inside of said inner pipe; and nozzle means at the lower end of said inner pipe; opening said valve; pumping drilling fluid down through the region between said shroud and inner pipe and through said valve into a lower region of said inner pipe; closing said valve; and igniting combustible material in said pipe assembly to create a high pressure of combustion products that eject at least some of said drilling fluid through said nozzle means.

Claim 6

A method for deepening a well comprising: successively introducing separators in said well; establishing a volume of drilling fluid and a volume of ignitable gas between alternate successive pAirs of said separators; moving said separators and said volumes of fluid and of ignitable gas down said well; and successively igniting each volume of ignitable gas as the volume of fluid under it reaches a position near the bottom of the well, to cause ejection of the volume of fluid.

Claim 7

A method for deepening a well comprising: successively introducing separators in said well; establishing a volume of drilling fluid and a volume of ignitable gas between alternate successive pAirs of said separators; moving said separators and said volumes of fluid and of ignitable gas down said well; and successively igniting each volume of ignitable gas as the volume of fluid under it reaches a position near the bottom of the well, to cause ejection of the volume of fluid.

Claim 9

A method for forming wells in the earth comprising: positioning an elongated pipe in a well and with a nozzle at the lower end of the pipe so that the nozzle points downwardly and the pipe extends upwardly from it; establishing a shroud about an upper region of said pipe, to form a first annular region between said upper pipe region and said shroud, said shroud having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the well region along which it extends to form a second annular region between said shroud and the wall of said well region; establishing a column of drilling fluid in a lower region of said pipe; igniting a propellant in a region of said pipe above said column of drilling fluid, to thereby provide a high pressure of gaseous ignition products that force said drilling fluid out of said nozzle at high speed; and circulating a fluid down through one of said annular regions and up through the other, whereby to provide an upward fluid flow that helps to carry up debris created by drilling fluid ejected from said nozzle.

Claim 10

A method for forming wells in the earth comprising: positioning an elongated pipe in a well and with a nozzle at the lower end of the pipe so that the nozzle points downwardly and the pipe extends upwardly from it; establishing a shroud about an upper region of said pipe, to form a first annular region between said upper pipe region and said shroud, said shroud having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the well region along which it extends to form a second annular region between said shroud and the wall of said well region; establishing a column of drilling fluid in a lower region of said pipe; igniting a propellant in a region of said pipe above said column of drilling fluid, to thereby provide a high pressure of gaseous ignition products that force said drilling fluid out of said nozzle at high speed; and circulating a fluid down through one of said annular regions and up through the other, whereby to provide an upward fluid flow that helps to carry up debris created by drilling fluid ejected from said nozzle.

Claim 11

A method for forming wells in the earth comprising: positioning an elongated pipe with a nozzle at its lower end, so that the nozzle points downwardly and the pipe extends upwardly from it; establishing a shroud about an upper region of said pipe and a valve at the lower end of said shroud that couples the annular region between said shroud and pipe to the inside of said pipe; pumping drilling fluid down through said annular region and through said valve into a lower region of said pipe; igniting a propellant in a region of said pipe above said column of drilling fluid, to thereby provide a high pressure of gaseous ignition products that force said drilling fluid out of said nozzle at high speed; and opening said valve at a time after said igniting of a propellant, to establish another column of drilling fluid in said lower pipe region, closing said valve, and again igniting a propellant in a region of said pipe above said column of drilling fluid.

Claim 12

A method for forming wells in the earth comprising: positioning an elongated pipe with a nozzle at its lower end, so that the nozzle points downwardly and the pipe extends upwardly from it; establishing a shroud about an upper region of said pipe and a valve at the lower end of said shroud that couples the annular region between said shroud and pipe to the inside of said pipe; pumping drilling fluid down through said annular region and through said valve into a lower region of said pipe; igniting a propellant in a region of said pipe above said column of drilling fluid, to thereby provide a high pressure of gaseous ignition products that force said drilling fluid out of said nozzle at high speed; and opening said valve at a time after said igniting of a propellant, to establish another column of drilling fluid in said lower pipe region, closing said valve, and again igniting a propellant in a region of said pipe above said column of drilling fluid.

Claim 13

A method for forming wells in the earth comprising: positioning an elongated pipe with a nozzle at its lower end, so that the nozzle points downwardly and the pipe extends upwardly from it; establishing a column of drilling fluid in a lower region of said pipe; pumping an ignitable gas into a region of said pipe which extends at least 100 feet above said column of drilling fluid to establish a column of ignitable gas of at least 100 feet in length and at a pressure of at least several atmospheres; and igniting said column of ignitable gas, whereby to provide a high pressure of gaseous ignition products that force said drilling fluid out of said nozzle at high speed.

Claim 14

A method for forming wells in the earth comprising: positioning an elongated pipe with a nozzle at its lower end, so that the nozzle points downwardly and the pipe extends upwardly from it; establishing a column of drilling fluid in a lower region of said pipe; pumping an ignitable gas into a region of said pipe which extends at least 100 feet above said column of drilling fluid to establish a column of ignitable gas of at least 100 feet in length and at a pressure of at least several atmospheres; and igniting said column of ignitable gas, whereby to provide a high pressure of gaseous ignition products that force said drilling fluid out of said nozzle at high speed.