A fingerboard has a first portion configured to receive a first pipe and a second portion configured to receive a second pipe. The fingerboard includes a fixed section and a movable section, each having fingers and latches that define a pipe receiving space. The pipe receiving space of the fixed section is sized for drill pipe while the pipe receiving space of the movable section may be the same size as the pipe receiving space of the fixed section or a different size than the pipe receiving space of the fixed section. The movable section has a first and a second pipe receiving spaces. The second pipe receiving space may be larger than the first pipe receiving space. A hinge moves the movable section to selectively locate the first pipe receiving portion and the second pipe receiving portion adjacent to the fixed section. A mover, such as a hydraulic cylinder, is affixed to the movable section.

An automated rig apparatus for drilling or servicing a well is provided. The apparatus can include a motor vehicle having a frame, and a hinged derrick mast pivotally attached to the frame. The apparatus can further include a rack disposed in the mast and a carriage assembly with pinion motors configured to travel up and down the rack when the mast is raised to a vertical position. A tool carrier configured to receive a top drive unit or a power swivel unit can be attached to the carriage assembly. The apparatus can further include a movable platform and an operators cab configured to be moved to a desired position relative to the derrick mast when the mast is raised to a vertical position. The apparatus can further include a hydraulic drive assembly to operate the apparatus, and a mud pump and manifold for pumping drilling mud.

An automated rig apparatus for drilling or servicing a well is provided. The apparatus can include a motor vehicle having a frame, and a hinged derrick mast pivotally attached to the frame. The apparatus can further include a rack disposed in the mast and a carriage assembly with pinion motors configured to travel up and down the rack when the mast is raised to a vertical position. A tool carrier configured to receive a top drive unit or a power swivel unit can be attached to the carriage assembly. The apparatus can further include a movable platform and an operators cab configured to be moved to a desired position relative to the derrick mast when the mast is raised to a vertical position. The apparatus can further include a hydraulic drive assembly to operate the apparatus, and a mud pump and manifold for pumping drilling mud.

A side saddle slingshot drilling rig includes a left and right substructure including a left and right lower box. The side saddle slingshot drilling rig includes a drill rig floor mechanically and pivotably coupled to the left and right lower boxes such that it is pivotably movable from a lowered position to a raised position. The drill rig floor includes a V-door. The V-door is positioned on the V-door side of the drill rig floor. The V-door side of the drill rig floor is oriented to face the right substructure. A mast coupled to the drill rig floor may include an open side, defining a mast V-door side. The mast V-door side may be oriented to face the right substructure. The mast may pivot into its raised position or may be a bootstrap mast.

A pipe loading system for a blast hole drilling rig. The blast hole drilling rig includes a drilling platform, a drill tower supported on the drilling platform, a drill motor supported at an upper end of the drill tower, operatively coupled to a drilling head configured to selectively engage with and rotate a drill pipe, and a pipe loader pivotably supported on the drilling platform and configured to selectively index a drilling tool into coaxial alignment with the drill pipe during a drilling tool change-out operation. The pipe loader includes a pipe support pod at a lower end and a pipe holding clamp at an upper end. Sensors detect a presence of the drilling tool in the pipe holder, an interconnection between the drilling head and the drill pipe, and a state of the pipe holding clamp. The pipe loading system closes the pipe holding clamp when the drilling tool is in the pipe loader and the pipe holding clamp is not in a closed position.

Systems and methods for long-term disposal of nuclear and/or radioactive waste materials, in liquid, solid, and/or other physical forms, using an array deeply located human-made caverns (caverns), wherein the array of caverns are within a deep geologic rock formation and below a grid pattern on a surface of the Earth. Each cavern is made from a substantially vertical wellbore, by drilling and under reaming operations upon a distal portion of the substantially vertical wellbore. At least some of the caverns may be connected by intersecting substantially lateral wellbores that may facilitate injection of protective materials into the caverns that are so intersected. The nuclear and/or radioactive waste may be preprocessed from original surface storage site(s), transported, temporarily surface stored, and then finally further processed at a selected wellsite before injection into a given of the subterranean deep caverns within the deep geologic rock formation.

A drilling rig system includes a drilling rig having a floor which is generally planar, and a utility vehicle having a base, a drive apparatus, and a ground engaging motive apparatus upon which the base is supported on the floor. The drive apparatus drives the ground engaging motive apparatus to move the utility vehicle across the floor. The ground engaging motive apparatus is drivable so as to change a direction of travel of the utility vehicle at any point on the floor.

Some embodiments may include a drilling rig comprising base structure; a hoisting device to raise drill pipe into a position in which the drill pipe is aligned with a bore axis of a well, the hoisting device connected to the base structure and including a hoisting cable and a mast, the mast having an operating side and a back side opposite the operating side, wherein the operating side of the mast is configured to accept the drill pipe; and a drawworks operatively connected to the mast via the hoisting cable, wherein the drawworks is closer to the operating side of the mast than to the back side of the mast. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.

Some embodiments may include a drilling rig comprising base structure; a hoisting device to raise drill pipe into a position in which the drill pipe is aligned with a bore axis of a well, the hoisting device connected to the base structure and including a hoisting cable and a mast, the mast having an operating side and a back side opposite the operating side, wherein the operating side of the mast is configured to accept the drill pipe; and a drawworks operatively connected to the mast via the hoisting cable, wherein the drawworks is closer to the operating side of the mast than to the back side of the mast. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.

A spool may include a drum rotatably supported on an axle shaft and flanges integrally formed with opposite ends of the drum. The drum has a continuous groove on the outer surface of the drum to guide the movement of the safety wireline. Both of the flanges may include an opening, internal threads circumscribing the opening, and a plurality of mechanical brakes. Each of the mechanical brakes may include a rotor rotatably supported on the axle shaft of the spool and a pawl arranged within the opening. The pawl is pivotally linked to the rotor such that when the rotation of the axle shaft is in a direction and at a rotation speed that exceeds a threshold then the pawl is moved by centrifugal force and engages with the internal threads circumscribing the opening and does not permit the spool to rotate.