A method of and apparatus for the installation and retrieval of instrumentation hardware supported through a hole in a section of ice is provided wherein an expansion member such as an inflatable bladder is utilized for displacing water normally subject to freezing within the hole. The inflatable bladder comprises an elongated expandable sleeve of sufficient length to substantially extend the ultimate depth of the hole in the ice for engaging and bearing against the sidewalls thereof. A portion of the hardware adapted for the surface support thereof may be disposed within the bladder as well as therebeneath and may be retrieved at a date subsequent to installation by deflating the bladder without the problem of said hardware being frozen in or beneath the ice. The configuration of the laterally expandable sleeve then permits structural interconnection from the top surface of the ice to the underneath side and communication with the environment therebeneath while providing lateral stability and preventing ice build-up which would adversely hinder its retrieval from the hole.
A flue stack maintenance system particularly for those flues through which grease laden air passes such as for example exist in commercial restaurant kitchens and the like (FIG. 1), which utilizes an expandible, elongated metal foil liner bag which forms a closed interior system except for an air inlet conduit provided for the application into the interior of the bag an air pressure greater than the ambient to balloon out the bag into facing engagement with the interior of the flue stack (FIG. 3B). After the bag is ballooned out, the upper and lower ends are opened and folded over and around the ends of the flue for attaching the foil liner to the flue (FIG. 3C). After the liner becomes laden with deposits of grease and the like, it is removed by sealing off the distal end and closing off the proximate end around a vacuum hose which applies to the interior of the liner a negative or vacuuming pressure below the ambient, which causes the liner to collapse inwardly for its easy removal from the flue stack (FIGS. 4A and 4B) to be replaced with a new liner bag. The liner bag is made from for example an aluminum foil sheet folded over in half unto itself and sealed along its mating edges with the air inlet conduit extending through one edge (FIGS. 2A and 2B). Longitudinal and lateral expansion folds can be included in the bag structure, exemplary folds being accordian type (FIGS. 6 and 7) and Z-Type folds (FIGS. 5 and 8). A liner bag having two separable liner walls allowing for separate removing of the inner liner leaving the outer liner with the flue is also disclosed (FIG. 9).
A method and apparatus for testing a blowout preventer packer element of a diverter system on an offshore drilling rig utilizes an inflatable packer. The packer has a tubular member than extends upward through the diverter packer element. The packer has an expansive seal element that seals in the upper portion of a marine riser assembly. The diverter packer element is closed around the tubular member, while the packer seal element seals against the upper portion of the marine riser assembly. Fluid pressure is applied to the diverter system port to test for leakage.
The invention provides methods and apparatus useful primarily in the presplitting and blast removal of earth formations, the improvements according to the invention involving the use of inflatable devices suspended in boreholes used in shattering earth formations. The inflatable devices of the invention can be of various shapes and are provided with valves to allow a fluid such as air to be pumped into each device on placement of the device at a desired location in a borehole. The inflatable devices are preferably formed of a flexible, polymeric material which allows a desired degree of stretching to cause plugging of a borehole. The "plug" formed by an inflatable device of the invention allows loading of explosives into a borehole in order to produce desired blast results according to the several methods of the invention.
The invention provides methods and apparatus useful primarily in the presplitting and blast removal of earth formations, the improvements according to the invention involving the use of inflatable devices suspended in boreholes used in shattering earth formations. The inflatable devices of the invention can be of various shapes and are provided with valves to allow a fluid such as air to be pumped into each device on placement of the device at a desired location in a borehole. The inflatable devices are preferably formed of a flexible, polymeric material which allows a desired degree of stretching to cause plugging of a borehole. The "plug" formed by an inflatable device of the invention allows loading of explosives into a borehole in order to produce desired blast results according to the several methods of the invention.
The present invention generally provides an inexpensive method for drilling a multilateral wellbore where the pressure exerted on a formation of interest by a column of drilling fluid may be controlled. In one aspect, a method for drilling a lateral wellbore from a main wellbore is provided, including running a string of casing with an injection line connected thereto into the main wellbore, wherein the injection line is disposed along an outer side of the casing and a portion of the casing corresponding to a starting depth of the lateral wellbore is made from a drillable material; running a drillstring through the casing to the starting depth of the lateral wellbore, wherein the drillstring comprises a drill bit; injecting drilling fluid through the drill sting; and injecting a second fluid, having a density less than that of the drilling fluid, through the injection line at a rate corresponding to an injection rate of the drilling fluid to control hydrostatic pressure exerted by a column of the drilling fluid and the second fluid returning through the casing.
