A method of lining a borehole, a system and components of same

Abstract

A method of lining a borehole including an open end with an inner surface leading away from the open end, the method including the following steps: introducing a tubular liner with a blind end in an inverted state to the open end of the borehole; forcing the tubular liner into the borehole by supplying pressurised fluid to the tubular liner whereby the pressurised fluid causes the tubular liner to abut against the inner surface of the borehole and the liner blind end is forced in a direction away from the open end of the borehole; and, maintaining an overpressure within the tubular liner until a hardenable composition present in the tubular liner hardens.

1 . A method of lining a borehole including an open end with an inner surface leading away from the open end, the method including the following steps:
 (a) contacting a tubular liner with a hardenable composition, wherein the tubular liner is in an inverted state whereby an outside surface of the tubular liner is located on an inside of the tubular liner, the tubular liner including a liner open end and a liner blind end;   (b) introducing the tubular liner in the inverted state to the open end of the borehole;   (c) forcing the tubular liner into the borehole by supplying pressurised fluid to the tubular liner whereby the pressurised fluid causes the tubular liner to change from the inverted state wherein the outside surface of the tubular liner is forced to abut against the inner surface of the borehole and the liner blind end is forced in a direction away from the open end of the borehole; and,   (d) maintaining an overpressure within the tubular liner until the hardenable composition hardens.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein at step (d), any one or more of the following applies:
 (a) the outside surface of the tubular liner conforms to a shape of the inner surface of the borehole; 
 (b) the outside surface of the tubular liner adheres to the inner surface of the borehole; 
 (c) the overpressure is maintained within the tubular liner by sealing the open end of the tubular liner; and 
 d) the overpressure is maintained within the tubular liner by continuing the supply of pressurised fluid to the tubular liner. 
 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein at step (c) the liner blind end is forced away from the open end of the borehole until the tubular liner is extended along a length of the borehole. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein at step (a) the tubular liner is contacted with the hardenable composition whereby the outside surface of the tubular liner is coated with the hardenable composition, wherein optionally the outside surface of the tubular liner is substantially saturated with the hardenable composition. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein a) the hardenable composition is selected from any one of the following: silicate resins, polyurethane resins, polyester resins, epoxy resins, urea formaldehyde resins, polyurea resins, melamine formaldehyde resins, vinyl ester resins, furan resins, acrylates, methacrylates, thermosetting resins and/or cement based motars, and/or b) wherein the hardenable composition is selected from silicate containing resins. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein one or more of the following applies:
 (a) the pressurised fluid is air 
 (b) the tubular liner is substantially air impermeable; 
 (c) the outside surface of the tubular liner is composed of glass fibre fabric; and 
 (d) the tubular liner includes a layer composed of synthetic polymer. 
 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the tubular liner is introduced to the open end of the borehole via an adapter wherein the adapter is detachably coupled to the open end of the tubular liner in sealed engagement. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15  wherein the adapter includes a first open end and a second open end, with a fluid pathway leading from the first open end to the second open end; and a valve configured to move between an opened and closed state, wherein when the valve is in the closed state, the fluid pathway between the first open end and the second open end is closed. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16  wherein the adapter further includes a pressurised fluid inlet for introducing pressurised fluid to the fluid pathway, the pressurised fluid inlet located between the valve and the first open end along a length of the fluid pathway. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16  wherein the first open end detachably couples to the open end of the tubular liner. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16  wherein at step (d) the overpressure is maintained within the tubular liner by moving the valve of the adapter to the closed state. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein at step (d) the overpressure is maintained within the tubular liner by continuing a supply of pressurised fluid to the pressurised fluid inlet of the adapter. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 17  wherein after step (d) the overpressure within the tubular liner is released via a pressure relief valve in fluid communication with the fluid pathway of the adapter. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the tubular liner is introduced to the open end of the borehole from a magazine, wherein the magazine contains the tubular liner in the inverted state,
 wherein optionally the magazine includes a cavity region for containing the tubular liner, an open end and a pressurised fluid inlet in fluid communication with the cavity region and the open end, 
 wherein more optionally i) the open end of the magazine is configured to detachably couple in sealed engagement to a second end of an adapter and/or ii) at step (c) the pressurised fluid is supplied to the tubular liner via the pressurised fluid inlet of the magazine. 
 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the borehole is used to contain explosives. 
     
     
         27 . An adapter for engaging with an open end of a tubular liner, the adapter including:
 a main body portion with a first open end and a second open end, the first open end configured to engage with the open end of a tubular liner;   a fluid pathway leading from the first open end to the second open end; and,   a valve configured to move between an opened and close state, wherein when the valve is in the closed state, the fluid pathway between the first open end and the second open end is closed.   
     
     
         28 . The adapter according to  claim 27  wherein any one or more of the following applies:
 (a) the adapter further including a pressurised fluid inlet for introducing pressurised fluid to the fluid pathway, the pressurised fluid inlet located between the valve and the first open end along a length of the fluid pathway; 
 (b) the second open end is configured to detachably couple to a magazine for containing the tubular liner; 
 (c) the valve is a ball valve; and 
 (d) the adapter further including a pressure relief valve for reducing pressure within the fluid pathway, the pressure relief valve located between the valve and the first open end along a length of the fluid pathway. 
 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A magazine for containing a tubular liner in an inverted state, the magazine including:
 a main body portion including side walls defining a cavity region within the main body portion for containing the tubular liner,   an opening at one end of the main body portion in fluid communication with the cavity region; and,   a pressurised fluid inlet in fluid communication with the cavity region and the open end.   
     
     
         33 . The magazine according to  claim 32  wherein a) the open end is configured to detachably couple in sealed engagement to an adapter; or
 the magazine further including a loading entry, the loading entry including a closure configured to open and close wherein the tubular liner may be introduced into the cavity region of the magazine via the loading entry when the closure is open. 
 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A system for lining a borehole including an open end with an inner surface leading away from the open end of the borehole, the system including the following:
 i. a tubular liner including a liner open end and a liner blind end;   ii. a magazine including a cavity region for containing the tubular liner, an open end and a pressurised fluid inlet in fluid communication with the cavity region and the open end;   iii. an adapter including a first open end and a second open end, with a fluid pathway leading from the first open end to the second open end; and a valve configured to move between an opened and closed state, wherein when the valve is in the closed state, the fluid pathway between the first open end and the second open end is closed, the adapter further including a pressurised fluid inlet for introducing pressurised fluid to the fluid pathway, the pressurised fluid inlet located between the valve and the first open end along a length of the fluid pathway, wherein the first open end of the adapter detachably couples to the open end of the tubular liner and the second open end is configured to detachably couple in sealed engagement to the open end of the magazine; and,   iv. a supply of pressurised fluid configured for delivery to the pressurised fluid inlet of the magazine, or the pressurised fluid inlet of the adapter.   
     
     
         36 . The system according to  claim 35  wherein the tubular liner is forced into the borehole by the supply of pressurised fluid delivered via the pressurised fluid inlet of the magazine, the pressurised fluid causing the tubular liner to change from an inverted state to where the outside surface of the tubular liner is forced to abut against the inner surface of the borehole and the liner blind end is forced along a length of the borehole in a direction away from the open end; and, wherein an overpressure is maintained in the tubular liner until a hardenable composition hardens,
 wherein optionally the overpressure is maintained in the tubular liner by moving the valve of the adapter to the closed state and directing the supply of pressurised fluid to the fluid inlet of the adapter. 
 
     
     
         37 . (canceled)