Patent ID: 6446728
Filing Date: 2002-09-10
Classification: E21B,H01R

Abstract:
In a system in which a boring tool is moved through the ground in a region, said system including a drill rig and a drill string which is connected between said boring tool and said drill rig and is configured for extension and/or retraction from said drill rig such that, when said drill string is extended, the boring tool moves in a forward direction through the ground and when the drill string is retracted. the boring tool moves in a reverse direction approaching the drill rig, said drill string being made up of a plurality of electrically conductive drill pipe sections having opposing first and second ends and a section length defining an interior passage and all of which drill pipe sections are configured for removable attachment with one another by physically connecting the first end of one drill pipe section with the second end of another drill pipe section to facilitate extension of the drill string by one section length at a time in a way which aligns the interior passage of connected ones of the drill pipe sections to provide for pumping a drilling mud from the drill rig to the boring tool, said drilling mud exhibiting an electrical conductivity, an arrangement for use with each one of the drill pipe sections, said arrangement comprising:a) a pair of adapters for connection of one adapter with each end of an associated one of said drill pipe sections, said adapters being configured to be positioned within said innermost passage at each end to electrically connect with cooperating ones of the adapters connected with other ones of the drill pipe sections and each adapter including at least one electrically conductive surface covered with a dielectric to limit an electrical pathway to ground, which electrical pathway would otherwise be formed by direct contact between the electrically conductive surface and the drilling mud; and b) an electrically conductive wire located in the innermost passage extending between and electrically connected to each one of said pair of adapters of each drill pipe section so as to provide an electrically conductive path interconnecting the pair of adapters in electrical isolation from each drill pipe section.