A seal assembly for use in a pressure containment device for containing a fluid pressure in an annular space around a drill string whilst allowing the drill string to rotate in the pressure containment device. The seal assembly includes a seal with an inner surface and a tubular body, and a wear sensor embedded in the tubular body of the seal. The wear sensor emits an alert signal when the inner surface of the seal has been worn away by a first preset amount. The alert signal includes a pressure signal and/or a chemical signal.

A drilling machine gearbox includes a hollow outer rod drive shaft and an inner rod drive shaft. A break out mechanism is configured to clamp an outer rod of a drill string. A controller communicates via an outer rod drive signal to control rotation of the outer rod drive shaft, communicates via an inner rod drive signal to control rotation of the inner rod drive shaft, and communicates with the gearbox via a gearbox movement signal to control movement of the gearbox along a rack. The controller is operable to apply an oscillating torque of 150 ft-lbs or less to the inner rod drive shaft when the break out mechanism is clamped on the outer rod, and when (1) the outer rod drive signal is signaling rotation of the outer rod drive shaft, or (2) the gearbox movement signal is signaling the gearbox to move along the rack.

A cellar around a wellbore is formed or deepened with an excavating system that is capable of being assembled around an existing wellbore. The system includes an excavating unit having an annular body with a cutting surface that excavates cuttings from ground around the wellbore. The cuttings are directed up through a slot in the body, and are collected inside a receptacle set in a recess of the body. An opening is formed in a side of the receptacle when in the body, and through which the cuttings pass from the slot into the receptacle. The receptacle is removable from within the recess and cuttings collected within are emptied. When the receptacle is removed from the recess, the opening is automatically covered to retain the cuttings inside the receptacle. Another cellar around a different wellbore is formed by disassembling the excavating system and relocating it to the different wellbore.

A method, device, and system is described herein for pushing a rotary drill bit. Pushing the rotary drill bit can include receiving a target direction in a formation to push the rotary drill bit while drilling a wellbore in a formation. Pushing the rotary drill bit can also include opening, at a first rotational position of a rotary bit pushing device disposed proximate to the rotary drill bit within the wellbore, a first inlet port of a first flow regulator. Pushing the rotary drill bit can further include closing, after the first rotational position of the rotary bit pushing device, the first inlet port. Pushing the rotary drill bit can also include sending, to a second flow regulator of the rotary bit pushing device, a second quantity of drilling fluid.

A method, device, and system is described herein for pushing a rotary drill bit. Pushing the rotary drill bit can include receiving a target direction in a formation to push the rotary drill bit while drilling a wellbore in a formation. Pushing the rotary drill bit can also include opening, at a first rotational position of a rotary bit pushing device disposed proximate to the rotary drill bit within the wellbore, a first inlet port of a first flow regulator. Pushing the rotary drill bit can further include closing, after the first rotational position of the rotary bit pushing device, the first inlet port. Pushing the rotary drill bit can also include sending, to a second flow regulator of the rotary bit pushing device, a second quantity of drilling fluid.

A flow collar for use on a dual rod drill rod assembly includes an uphole end defined in part by a first interior portion having a first interior diameter and a downhole end defined in part by a second interior portion having a second interior diameter that is larger than the first interior diameter. The flow collar further includes a plurality of radially-extending peripheral fluid passages extending through the flow collar to the second interior portion. An outer rod interfacing surface defines a continuous annular surface with a constant outer diameter.

Values for porosity and permeability of core samples in a borehole are estimated by generating radial waves with an acoustic source in fluid around the core sample, and measuring pressure in the fluid. Moreover, the acoustic source operates at frequency close to a resonant frequency of the core sample. After the acoustic source no longer operates at the resonant frequency, pressure in the fluid attenuates over time. The pressure attenuation is recorded by the pressure measurements, along with the pressure in the fluid at the first harmonic (spectral component). The pressure attenuation and spectral component each are dependent on porosity and permeability of the core sample. Thus values for the porosity and permeability are determined based on the arithmetic relationships between pressure attenuation and the spectral component and porosity and permeability.

A method device, and system is described herein for pushing a rotary drill bit. Pushing the rotary drill bit ears include receiving a target direction in a formation to push the rotary drill bit wile drilling a wellbore in a formation. Pushing the rotary drill bit can also include opening, at a first rotational position of a rotary bit pushing device disposed proximate to the rotary drill bit within the wellborn, a first inlet port of a first flow regulator. Pushing the rotary drill bit can further include closing, after the first rotational position of the rotary bit pushing device the first inlet port. Pushing the rotary drill bit can also include sending, to a second flow regulator of the rotary bit pushing device, a second quantity of drilling fluid.

A method device, and system is described herein for pushing a rotary drill bit. Pushing the rotary drill bit ears include receiving a target direction in a formation to push the rotary drill bit wile drilling a wellbore in a formation. Pushing the rotary drill bit can also include opening, at a first rotational position of a rotary bit pushing device disposed proximate to the rotary drill bit within the wellborn, a first inlet port of a first flow regulator. Pushing the rotary drill bit can further include closing, after the first rotational position of the rotary bit pushing device the first inlet port. Pushing the rotary drill bit can also include sending, to a second flow regulator of the rotary bit pushing device, a second quantity of drilling fluid.

Apparatus for splitting rock, the apparatus comprising: a housing; a drill assembly mounted to the housing and configured to move longitudinally relative to the housing, the drill assembly comprising a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, a drive element for selectively rotating the shaft and a drill bit mounted to the distal end of the shaft for drilling a hole into rock; a splitter assembly mounted to the housing and configured to move longitudinally relative to the housing, the splitter assembly comprising a tether and a wedge, the tether and the wedge being configured to be moved independently relative to one another; wherein the wedge comprises a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the wedge being wider than the distal end of the wedge; wherein the tether comprises a radially-reduced profile when the wedge is disposed proximal to the tether, and wherein the tether comprises a radially-expanded profile after the wedge is moved distally relative to the tether.