U.S. patent application number 11/910881 was filed with the patent office on 2008-11-06 for tool handling device in a drillrig that is situated on the sea bed.
This patent application is currently assigned to Seabed Rig AS. Invention is credited to Per Olav Haughom.
Application Number | 20080271922 11/910881 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38522671 |
Filed Date | 2008-11-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080271922 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Haughom; Per Olav |
November 6, 2008 |
Tool Handling Device in a Drillrig That is Situated on the Sea
Bed
Abstract
A drilling rig device (1) situated on the seabed (11), where the
drilling rig (1) is sealingly enclosed against the surroundings,
and where the drill floor (26) of the drilling rig (1) is provided
with an automated handling means (24) and a cartridge (27) for
storage of tools and components, the automated handling means (24)
being arranged at least to handle and transport tools and
components between the drilling centre (22) of the drilling rig (1)
and the cartridge (27) for storage of tools and components.
Inventors: |
Haughom; Per Olav; (Tonstad,
NO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
AKERMAN SENTERFITT
P.O. BOX 3188
WEST PALM BEACH
FL
33402-3188
US
|
Assignee: |
Seabed Rig AS
Stavanger
NO
|
Family ID: |
38522671 |
Appl. No.: |
11/910881 |
Filed: |
March 16, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
March 16, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/NO2007/000105 |
371 Date: |
December 28, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
175/10 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 41/06 20130101;
E21B 15/02 20130101; E21B 7/124 20130101; E21B 19/143 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
175/10 |
International
Class: |
E21B 15/02 20060101
E21B015/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 20, 2006 |
NO |
20061272 |
Claims
1. A drilling rig device situated on the seabed, where the drilling
rig is sealingly enclosed against the surroundings, wherein the
drill floor of the drilling rig is provided with an automated
handling means and a cartridge for storage of tools and components,
the automated handling means being arranged at least to handle and
transport tools and components between the drilling centre of the
drilling rig and the cartridge for storage of tools and
components.
2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cartridge for
storage of tools and components is replaceable and is installed in
an enclosed silo.
3. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the upper part of
the silo is provided with a sluice way for inward and outward
transfer.
4. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the automated
handling means is provided with grippers that are rotatable about
two substantially perpendicular axes, the automated handling means
being rotatable about an essentially vertical axis.
Description
[0001] This invention regards a tool handling device in a drilling
rig situated on the seabed. More particularly, it regards a
drilling rig situated on the seabed, where the drilling rig is
sealingly enclosed against the surroundings. The drill floor of the
drilling rig is provided with automated handling means and a
cartridge for tools and components, the automated handling means
being arranged at least to handle and transport tools and
components between the drilling centre of the drilling rig and the
cartridge for storage of tools and components.
[0002] It is common knowledge that oil and gas deposits in the
earth's crust are recovered by drilling holes down to the deposits,
to allow oil and gas deposits to be drained to the surface.
[0003] The equipment used to drill holes in the earth's crust
primarily comprises a drilling derrick formed as a trussed steel
structure. In the drilling derrick there is a wireline based
drawworks for hoisting and deploying drill pipes. A great deal of
auxiliary equipment is also used to handle drill pipes and to set
casing in the borehole.
[0004] Floating or fixed platforms provided with the required
drilling equipment are utilized to recover oil and gas deposits
from great depths. These types of platforms are large and expensive
structures, as the drilling equipment is large and heavy. In
addition to the actual drilling equipment, marine risers must also
be used to circulate drilling mud between the platform and the
seabed during the drilling operation. Floating platforms also
require heave compensation to accommodate wave motion against the
platform relative to the seabed.
[0005] As an alternative to drilling from floating drilling
platforms, the drilling rig may be arranged directly on the seabed,
obviating the need for large and expensive platforms.
[0006] Today, the oil industry possesses a great deal of advanced
equipment developed for remote-controlled subsea operations. This
is technology that is available and may be used during a
remote-controlled drilling operation where the drilling equipment
is situated directly on the seabed.
[0007] Prior art does not provide a solution to these problems in
connection with drilling rigs situated on the seabed.
[0008] The object of the invention is to remedy or reduce at least
one of the drawbacks of prior art.
[0009] The object is achieved in accordance with the invention,
through the features given in the description below and in the
following claims.
[0010] A drilling rig in accordance with the invention is situated
on the seabed, the drilling rig being sealingly enclosed and
against the surroundings, and it is characterized in that the drill
floor of the drilling rig is provided with automated handling means
and a cartridge for storage of tools and components, the automated
handling means being arranged at least to handle and transport
tools and components between the drilling centre of the drilling
rig and the cartridge for storage of tools and components.
[0011] The cartridge for storage of tools and components is
replaceable and is installed in an encased silo, the upper part of
the silo being provided with a sluice way for inward and outward
transfer. Thus the cartridge, which is preferably rotatable about
its vertical axis, can be brought to the surface to replace e.g.
worn drill bits.
[0012] The automated handling means is provided with grippers which
may be rotated about two substantially perpendicular axes. The
automatic handling means is rotatable about an essentially vertical
axis.
[0013] The automated handling means is mounted on the drill floor
of the drilling rig and is designed to handle tools and equipment
of the type used to drill into the ground. It may be
remote-controlled, e.g. from a surface vessel, or it may be
programmed for automatic execution of operations.
[0014] At a level above the drill floor the drilling rig is
provided with a drilling unit comprising drawworks and driving
means for drilling operations. At the drilling centre of the
drilling rig there is provided a coupling unit arranged to connect
and disconnect lengths of piping. The automated handling means is
arranged to cooperate with the drilling unit and the coupling unit,
by for instance delivering tools and equipment to these machines
during a drilling operation.
[0015] A device according to the invention provides a solution for
remote-controlled execution of drilling operations from a drilling
rig situated on the seabed. Use of the device according to the
invention makes it possible to achieve a considerable reduction in
the costs associated with floating drilling equipment, and also
less dependent upon good weather conditions at the drilling
site.
[0016] The following describes a non-limiting example of a
preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a principal drawing of an enclosed drilling rig
with a connection to a surface vessel;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a principal drawing of a robotized drill floor on
the drilling rig; and
[0019] FIG. 3 shows an automated handling means.
[0020] In the drawings, reference number 1 denotes an enclosed
drilling rig constructed for placement on the seabed 11. The
drilling rig comprises an upper section 12 and a lower section 13,
a supporting section 14 being located primarily in the lower
section 13.
[0021] The drilling rig 1 is controlled from a surface vessel 2 on
the surface 5 of the sea. A tubing and cable connection 3 extends
between the drilling rig 1 and the surface vessel 2, from a cable
drum 4 and down to the drilling rig 1.
[0022] The drilling rig 1 is provided with several suction anchors
8 which provide anchorage to the seabed 11. The suction anchors 8
are connected to the supporting section 14 via sections 20.
[0023] At the top of the drilling rig 1 there is provided a lock
cover 10 for a drilling unit (not shown) and lock covers 9 for
drill pipe cartridges 7. The drill pipe cartridges 7 are inserted
into encased silos 21.
[0024] The upper section 12 comprises the drilling unit (not shown)
with associated drill pipe handling equipment (not shown), together
with several drill pipe cartridges 7.
[0025] The lower section 13 comprises a drill floor 26 provided
with at least one automated handling means 24 plus a coupling unit
23 at the drilling centre 22 of the drilling rig 1 for connecting
and disconnecting pipes (not shown). The pipes may be e.g. drill
pipes or casing. Close by the automated handling means 24 there are
also rotatable cartridges 27 for storage of tools and
components.
[0026] The automated handlings means 24 is arranged to handle
tools, drill bits and equipment (none of which is shown) required
during a drilling operation.
[0027] The automated handling means 24 is connected to the drill
floor 26 via a flanged connection 33. Between the flanged
connection 33 and the body 31 of the automated handling means 24
there is a slewing ring 32 that allows the automated handling means
24 to rotate about its vertical central axis 39.
[0028] On the body 31 there is provided a main arm 29 and an
intermediate arm 34 which can be rotated and displaced by hydraulic
cylinders 30.
[0029] There are grippers 28 associated with the main arm 29,
connected via a rotational adapter 35 which is rotatably coupled to
the main arm 29 by a coupling 36. Thus the grippers 28 are
supported in a manner which allows them to go through rotational
motion about two substantially perpendicular axes 37, 38.
* * * * *