Patent ID: 11867059
Assignee: THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC E | IPC E

Claim 15:
16. A method of drilling a borehole in a subterranean formation, the method comprising:
(a) rotating a drill bit about a central axis, the drill bit comprising a bit body having a bit face positioned along the bit body;
(b) engaging the drill bit with the subterranean formation during (a);
(c) generating electric current downhole;
(d) emitting an electrical discharge between one or more pairs of electrodes of an electrode assembly positioned along the bit face of the drill bit to generate plasma during (b) using the electric current generated in (c), wherein the electrical discharge generated between the one or more pairs of electrodes has an average electrical power that is less than 20 kilowatts (KW);
(e) weakening the subterranean formation with the plasma during (d); and
(f) cutting into the weakened subterranean formation with a plurality of cutting elements of a cutting structure positioned along the bit face to extend the borehole within a subterranean formation as a result of (a)-(e).