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Abstract

A procedure for constructing a concrete lined underground chamber along a bore hole drilled within the earth. Such chambers serve as access work chambers for carrying out other various drilling and mining operations, such as, for example, horizontal drilling operations for steam enhanced recovery of oil. In constructing the lined chamber, the bore hole is initially drilled in the earth to a predetermined depth at which the chamber is to be constructed. In a first belling operation, a first bell-shaped chamber is formed. A substantial portion of the floor of this first chamber is then covered with a mound of gravel material. The remainder of the first chamber is then filled with concrete. Subsequently the bore hole is redrilled to a depth extending below the bottom of the first chamber and a second belling operation is carried out for forming a second bell-shaped chamber. The second bell-shaped chamber is spaced below the location of the first bell-shaped chamber but partially overlaps with the first bell-shaped chamber. During the second belling operation, the concrete and gravel within the first chamber is removed except for the concrete in the space between the side walls of the first chamber and the second chamber so that a resulting concrete lined bell-shaped chamber is formed.

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First Claim