Patent ID: 8534382

Claim:
A subterranean hydrocarbon recovery drilling method, comprising: within a subterranean room, drilling into a hydrocarbon deposit at an initial angle which is from horizontal to upward vertical using an elongated assembly within which a rotating drill rod is received; flowing tailcuttings from the drilling within the assembly rearwardly along the rotating drill rod; and contacting the rotating drill rod with a non-rotating non-metallic elastomeric donut portion which encircles and contacts the rotating drill rod to block at least some of the rearwardly flowing tailcuttings from flowing rearwardly of the elastomeric donut portion along the rotating drill rod, the contacting comprising limiting radial drill rod movement adjacent the elastomeric donut portion with a non-metallic drill rod retainer portion encircling the drill rod adjacent the elastomeric donut portion.