A storage vessel system for subterranean installation and a method for constructing such a system. The system includes a storage vessel and a support structure for supporting the storage vessel so that the weight of the storage vessel and any upward buoyancy force applied to the storage vessel are both transferred to the support structure. More particularly, the support structure defines a vessel housing and the storage vessel is contained within the vessel housing. The support structure include...

An exemplary subterranean hub for an outdoor system for distributing electrical power to a plurality of fixtures is provided, the hub having a body, a plurality of electrical connectors disposed on the body and adapted to accept mating connectors from a corresponding fixtures, means for electrically coupling an external power source to the electrical connectors, and a depth reference marker, connected to the body and adapted to provide a visual verification that the hub is buried at a sufficient...

One embodiment of the present invention provides for a subterranean structure, having a continuous ribbon slab having a plurality of flights fabricated from concrete. The ribbon slab defines periodic openings therein which generally align between adjacent flights. Another embodiment provides for a method of fabricating a subterranean structure. The method includes excavating soil to form a downward sloping ramp, and forming a concrete slab on the downward sloping ramp. The method further include...

A filter for subterranean environments includes an inner support member, a filter body containing a filter medium disposed around the inner support member, and at least one end connector connected to a lengthwise end of the filter body and sealed against the inner support member without being welded to the inner support member. The end connector may be restrained from movement relative to the inner support member in a lengthwise direction of the inner support member, without being welded to the ...

A method of propping fractures in a subterranean formation whereby a high viscosity fluid is introduced into the formation to open and extend the fractures, the high viscosity fluid containing slugs of a hardenable liquid which are carried into and held in spaced relationship in the fractures and permitted to harden therein whereby the fractures are propped in the open position.

This invention relates to an environmental engineering process for injecting a mixture into the ground to act as a containment barrier for fluids or gases or to act as in situ waste remediation process. The process involves pumping a mixture into the ground so that the mixture penetrates from the injection source(s), to form overlapping and/or intersecting horizontal or vertical planar geometries. Control of the geometry of the propagating fracture is made by the down hole outlet design and by i...

A gravel pack apparatus and associated method of completing subterranean wells provides convenient and economical gravel packing operations, permitting a sand control screen to be run into the well attached to the apparatus which is, in turn, attached to production tubing, and further permitting the tubing to be detached from the screen. In a preferred embodiment, a gravel pack apparatus has interoperable valve and tubing release portions. The valve portion may be closed after the gravel packing...

A water-impervious, non-biodegradable, unitary drainage device with multi-directional rollup capability. The invention features a monolithic "sandwich" construction consisting of planar top and base sheets, set apart by an array of supports that are disposed between and integrally joined to the sheets. Selective and off-set through-cuts, in the top and bottom sheets, impart to the invention the multi-dimensional rollup capability. Rods, optionally hollow, are used as splines to connect two or mo...

One or more subterranean zones are isolated from one or more other subterranean zones using a combination of solid tubulars and slotted tubulars.

A drive mechanism for a subterranean boring machine includes a drive motor, primary and secondary drive wheels, a drive sprocket and an idler sprocket attached to the primary and secondary drive wheels, respectively, and a chain operatively extending between the drive sprocket and the idler sprocket. The drive mechanism is movably mounted on the sled of a subterranean boring machine that rolls along a track, the drive mechanism being biased against the track by a set of springs to cause the prim...