Drill rig anchoring devices, systems, and methods

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for anchoring a drill rig at a borehole are disclosed. An anchor assembly includes a rod mountable within a borehole, an adapter positioned on an end of the rod, an anchor face unit having a plurality of drill rig assembly mounting features, and an anchor clamp mounted to the anchor face unit. The anchor clamp has a plurality of jaws movable from an engagement position wherein said plurality of jaws are positioned within an adapter groove to a disengagement position wherein said plurality of jaws are positioned away from said adapter groove.

1 . An anchor assembly for mounting a drill rig assembly to a wall of a formation within which a borehole is formed, the anchor assembly comprising:
 a rod mountable within the borehole, said rod including a first rod end inserted into the borehole and a second rod end extending from the borehole;   an adapter positioned on the second rod end, said adapter defining an adapter groove;   an anchor face unit comprising a plurality of drill rig assembly mounting features; and   an anchor clamp mounted to said anchor face unit, said anchor clamp comprising a plurality of jaws movable from an engagement position wherein said plurality of jaws are positioned within said adapter groove to a disengagement position wherein said plurality of jaws are positioned away from said adapter groove.   
     
     
         2 . The anchor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said rod comprises a hollow rod. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The anchor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said rod comprises a threaded rod portion at said second rod end; and wherein said adapter comprises an threaded adapter portion, said threaded adapter portion removably engaging said threaded rod portion. 
     
     
         5 . The anchor assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein said first rod end comprises an open end having a plurality of cutouts. 
     
     
         6 . The anchor assembly according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a plurality of resin filled tubes positioned within said rod; and   a rod wiper positioned within said rod in between said plurality of resin filled tubes and said second rod end, said rod wiper movable between a resin storage positon and a resin dispersal position, said rod wiper when in said resin dispersal position forcing said plurality of resin filled tubes through said plurality of cutouts to disperse a resin between said rod and the borehole.   
     
     
         7 . The anchor assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein said rod comprises a plurality of rod circumferential grooves formed on a tubular rod outer surface. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The anchor assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of actuators in communication with said plurality of jaws, said plurality of actuators configured to move said plurality of jaw between said engagement position and said disengagement position.   
     
     
         10 . The anchor assembly according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 an actuator proximity switch; and   an actuator indicator light;   wherein said actuator indicator light operates to identify one of said plurality of jaws are in said engagement position.   
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The anchor assembly according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a plurality of brake elements in communication with said plurality of jaws, said plurality of brake elements movable between a brake locked position and a brake unlocked position, said plurality of brake elements preventing movement of said plurality of jaws in said brake locked position.   
     
     
         14 . The anchor assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein each of said plurality of brake elements comprises:
 a brake actuator wedge;   a spring element in communication with said brake actuator wedge; and   a brake pad wedge in communication with said brake actuator wedge and one of said plurality of actuators;   wherein said spring element biases said brake actuator wedge into said brake pad wedge to frictionally engage one of said plurality of actuators.   
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The anchor assembly according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a brake proximity switch; and   a brake indicator light;   wherein said brake indicator light operates to identify said brake is in said brake locked position.   
     
     
         19 . The anchor assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein said plurality of brake elements are moved from said brake locked position to said brake unlocked position by a hydraulic brake actuator. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The anchor assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein anchor clamp comprises:
 a clamp base plate;   a pair of clamp side walls affixed to said clamp base plate and forming a slide channel; and   a clamp cover plate affixed to said pair of claim side walls and covering said slide channel;   wherein said plurality of jaws are slidably retained within said slide channel.   
     
     
         23 . The anchor assembly according to  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a plurality of actuators mounted to said clamp base plate and in communication with said plurality of jaws, said plurality of actuators configured to slide said plurality of jaws inside said slide channel between said engagement position and said disengagement position.   
     
     
         24 . The anchor assembly according to  claim 23 , wherein said plurality of actuators comprises a plurality of hydraulic actuators. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The anchor assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein said adapter further comprises a socket interface opposite said threaded adapter portion, and wherein the anchor assembly further comprises:
 a socket adapter having a socket face configured to engage said socket interface and a threaded socket end configured to engage a drill rod tubular extension.   
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A method of anchoring a drill rig assembly to a wall of a formation comprising:
 drilling a borehole into the wall;   positioning a rod into said borehole, said rod including a first rod end inserted into borehole and a second rod end extending from the borehole;   attaching an adapter on the second rod end, said adapter defining a adapter groove;   mounting a drill rig assembly to an anchor face unit;   mounting an anchor clamp assembly to said anchor face unit, said anchor clamp assembly comprising a plurality of jaws movable from an engagement position wherein said plurality of jaws are positioned within said adapter groove to a disengagement position wherein said plurality of jaws are positioned away from said adapter groove;   placing said anchor clamp assembly around said adapter groove;   moving said plurality of jaws from said disengaged position to said engaged position; and   locking said plurality of jaws in said engagement position.   
     
     
         29 . The method of anchoring a drill rig assembly according to  claim 28 , wherein said rod comprises a hollow rod. 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The method of anchoring a drill rig assembly according to  claim 29 , wherein said positioning said rod into said borehole comprises:
 inserting a plurality of resin filled tubes with said within said rod;   inserting a rod wiper within said rod, said rod wiper positioned in between said plurality of resin filled tubes and said second rod end;   placing said second rod end in communication with said drill rig assembly;   inserting said first rod end into said borehole, said first rod end comprising an open end having a plurality of cut outs;   rotating said rod using said drill rig assembly;   applying pressure inside said rod such that said rod wiper is forced towards said first rod end and said plurality of resin filled tubes are forced through said plurality of cut outs; and   continuing to rotate said rod such that resin from said plurality of resin filled tubes is distributed between a rod outer surface and said borehole.   
     
     
         32 . The method of anchoring a drill rig assembly according to  claim 31 , wherein said pressure inside said rod is applied using water pressure. 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . The method of anchoring a drill rig assembly according to  claim 31 , further comprising:
 attaching a plurality of actuators to an output of said drill rig assembly;   placing said plurality of actuators in communication with said plurality of jaws; and   utilizing said plurality of actuators to move said plurality of jaws between said disengaged position and said engaged positon.   
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . The method of anchoring a drill rig assembly according to  claim 28 , wherein said attaching an adapter on the second rod end further comprises:
 engaging a socket adapter having a socket face and a threaded socket end to said drill rig assembly;   placing said socket face in communication with a socket interface formed in said adapter; and   rotating said socket adapter using said drill rig assembly such that said threaded adapter portion engages said threaded rod portion.   
     
     
         43 . The method of anchoring a drill rig assembly according to  claim 42 , further comprising:
 attaching a threaded socket end of said socket adapter to a drill rod extension:   attaching said drill rod extension to said drill rig assembly; and   using said drill rig assembly to rotate said drill rod extension and said socket adapter such that said threaded adapter portion engages said threaded rod portion.   
     
     
         44 . A method of anchoring a drill rig assembly to a formation, the method comprising:
 drilling a borehole into the formation;   installing at least one anchor mount to said borehole;   mounting a drill rig assembly to an anchor face unit; and   securing said anchor face unit to said anchor mount,   wherein said installing at least one anchor mount to said borehole comprises:
 positioning a rod into said borehole, said rod including a first rod end inserted into borehole and a second rod end extending from the borehole, and 
 attaching an adapter on the second rod end, said adapter defining an adapter groove; and 
   wherein said securing said anchor face unit to said anchor mount comprises:
 mounting an anchor clamp assembly to said anchor face unit, said anchor clamp assembly comprising a plurality of jaws movable from an engagement position wherein said plurality of jaws are positioned within said adapter groove to a disengagement position wherein said plurality of jaws are positioned away from said adapter groove; 
 placing said anchor clamp assembly around said anchor; 
 moving said plurality of jaws from said disengaged position to said engaged position; and 
 locking said plurality of jaws in said engagement position. 
   
     
     
         45 . The method according to  claim 44 , further wherein said installing at least one anchor mount to said borehole comprises:
 installing at least one casing within said borehole:   wherein said securing said anchor face unit to said anchor mount comprises coupling said anchor face unit to said casing.   
     
     
         46 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein said casing comprises a plurality of casings, wherein coupling said anchor face unit to said casing comprises coupling each casing of said plurality of casings to said anchor face unit with a respective tie member. 
     
     
         47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . (canceled) 
     
     
         52 . (canceled) 
     
     
         53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . The method according to  claim 44 , wherein said anchor face unit has a central axis and a bottom surface, wherein said anchor face unit comprises at least one fin that extends outwardly from said central axis. 
     
     
         55 . (canceled) 
     
     
         56 . The method according to  claim 54 , further comprising:
 installing a ground anchor below a ground surface; and   coupling said anchor face unit to said ground anchor.   
     
     
         57 . (canceled) 
     
     
         58 . (canceled) 
     
     
         59 . The method according to  claim 44 , wherein said rod comprises a hollow rod. 
     
     
         60 . The method according to  claim 59 , wherein said positioning said rod into said borehole comprises:
 inserting a plurality of resin filled tubes with said within said rod;   inserting a rod wiper within said rod, said rod wiper positioned in between said plurality of resin filled tubes and said second rod end;   placing said second rod end in communication with said drill rig assembly;   inserting said first rod end into said borehole, said first rod end comprising an open end having a plurality of cut outs;   rotating said rod using said drill rig assembly;   applying pressure inside said rod such that said rod wiper is forced towards said first rod end and said plurality of resin filled tubes are forced through said plurality of cut outs; and   continuing to rotate said rod such that resin from said plurality of resin filled tubes is distributed between a rod outer surface and said borehole.   
     
     
         61 . The method of anchoring a drill rig assembly according to  claim 60 , further comprising:
 attaching a plurality of actuators to an output of said drill rig assembly;   placing said plurality of actuators in communication with said plurality of jaws; and   utilizing said plurality of actuators to move said plurality of jaws between said disengaged position and said engaged positon.   
     
     
         62 . The method of anchoring a drill rig assembly according to  claim 61 , wherein said attaching a plurality of actuators to an output of said drill rig assembly comprises:
 attaching a hydraulic valve bank to said plurality of actuators, said drill rig assembly, and a hydraulic oil tank; and   controlling said hydraulic valve bank using an actuator flow lever to move said plurality of jaws between said disengaged position and said engaged position.   
     
     
         63 . (canceled)