U.S. patent application number 12/555303 was filed with the patent office on 2010-01-07 for arctic platform.
Invention is credited to Benton F. Baugh, All G. Kadaster, Keith K. Millhelm, Craig Watson.
Application Number | 20100003084 12/555303 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33299839 |
Filed Date | 2010-01-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100003084 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Baugh; Benton F. ; et
al. |
January 7, 2010 |
Arctic Platform
Abstract
The instant disclosure relates to a system and method of
constructing drilling and production platforms that are
particularly useful in remote, inaccessible and/or environmentally
sensitive operating environments. According to one aspect of the
invention, an arctic drilling platform is provided wherein various
methods and means of interlocking neighboring platform modules are
provided. Methods and means for sealing the intersections formed
between a plurality of interlocked platform modules are also
disclosed. According to further aspects of the invention, improved
platform floor plans are provided, and various wellhead cellar
layouts and sealing means are also described. Methods and means of
enhancing the usefulness of modular storage platforms are
disclosed, and a number of support post installation and removal
techniques are also provided. Also taught are a variety of methods
of adjusting the height and level of an assembled drilling
platform, and methods and means of adding extension members useful
for extending the length of a support post are also described.
Inventors: |
Baugh; Benton F.; (Houston,
TX) ; Watson; Craig; (Houston, TX) ; Millhelm;
Keith K.; (The Woodlands, TX) ; Kadaster; All G.;
(The Woodlands, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Adams and Reese LLP
1221 McKinney Street, Suite 4400
Houston
TX
77010
US
|
Family ID: |
33299839 |
Appl. No.: |
12/555303 |
Filed: |
September 8, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12221231 |
Jul 31, 2008 |
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12555303 |
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11704614 |
Feb 9, 2007 |
7410327 |
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12221231 |
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10820597 |
Apr 8, 2004 |
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11704614 |
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60461602 |
Apr 8, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
405/195.1 ;
405/198 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02B 2017/0052 20130101;
E02D 27/12 20130101; E02D 27/35 20130101; E02D 3/115 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
405/195.1 ;
405/198 |
International
Class: |
E02B 17/00 20060101
E02B017/00; E02B 17/08 20060101 E02B017/08 |
Claims
1. A method of constructing a drilling or production platform, said
method comprising: drilling a support post into a ground surface,
wherein said support post further comprises an adjustable shoulder
member; disposing a modular platform section on top of said
adjustable shoulder member to establish a platform deck surface;
and adjusting said adjustable shoulder member so that said platform
deck surface is disposed substantially level, regardless of the
pitch or unevenness of said ground surface.
2. A method of constructing a drilling or production platform, said
method comprising: hammering a support post into a ground surface,
wherein said support post further comprises an adjustable shoulder
member; disposing a modular platform section on top of said
adjustable shoulder member to establish a platform deck surface;
and adjusting said adjustable shoulder member so that said platform
deck surface is disposed substantially level, regardless of the
pitch or unevenness of said ground surface.
3. A method of adjusting the height of a modular drilling platform
section, said method comprising: disposing a modular platform
section atop an adjustable shoulder nut disposed on a support post,
wherein a top portion of said support post further comprises a lift
receiving means; disposing a lifting means proximate to said lift
receiving means, and then mutually engaging said lifting means and
said lift receiving means; lifting said modular platform section
off of said adjustable shoulder nut and then supporting said
modular platform section using a support means; raising said
adjustable shoulder nut; and replacing said modular platform
section atop said adjustable shoulder nut using said support means.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION DATA
[0001] The instant application is a continuation of U.S.
Non-Provisional Application No. 12/221,231 filed Jul. 31, 2008,
still pending, which is a divisional of U.S. Non-Provisional
Application No. 11/704,614 filed Feb. 9, 2007, now issued as U.S.
Pat. No. 7,410,327, which is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional
Application No. 10/820,597 filed Apr. 8, 2004, now abandoned, which
claims the benefit of prior Provisional Application No. 60/461,602,
filed Apr. 8, 2003.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of oil
and gas drilling and production. In a specific, non-limiting
embodiment, the invention comprises a system and method of drilling
oil and gas wells in arctic, inaccessible or environmentally
sensitive locations without significantly disturbing an associated
ground surface.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0003] The drilling and maintenance of land oil and gas wells
requires a designated area on which to dispose a drilling rig and
associated support equipment. Drilling locations are accessed by a
variety of means, for example, by roadway, waterway or another
suitable access route. In particularly remote locations, access to
a drilling site is sometimes achieved via airlift, either by
helicopter, fixed wing aircraft, or both.
[0004] Some potential drilling and production sites are further
constrained by special circumstances that make transportation of
drilling equipment to the drilling site especially difficult. For
example, oil and gas reserves may be disposed in locales having
accumulations of surface and near-surface water, such as swamps,
tidal flats, jungles, stranded lakes, tundra, muskegs, and
permafrost regions. In the case of swamps, muskegs, and tidal
flats, the ground is generally too soft to support trucks and other
heavy equipment, and the water is generally too shallow for
traditional equipment to be floated in. In the case of tundra and
permafrost regions, heavy equipment can be supported only during
the winter months.
[0005] Moreover, certain production sites are disposed in
environmentally sensitive regions, where surface access by
conventional transport vehicles can damage the terrain or affect
wildlife breeding areas and migration paths. Such environmental
problems are particularly acute in, for example, arctic tundra and
permafrost regions. In these areas, road construction is frequently
prohibited or limited to only temporary seasonal access.
[0006] For example, substantial oil and gas reserves exist in the
far northern reaches of Canada and Alaska. However, drilling in
such regions presents substantial engineering and environmental
challenges. The current art of drilling onshore in arctic tundra is
enabled by the use of special purpose vehicles, such as
Rolligons.TM. and other low impact vehicles that can travel across
the arctic tundra, and by ice roads that are built on frozen tundra
to accommodate traditional transport vehicles. Ice roads are built
by spraying water on a frozen surface at very cold temperatures,
and are usually about 35 feet wide and 6 inches thick. At strategic
locations, the ice roads are made wider to allow for staging and
turn around capabilities.
[0007] Land drilling in arctic regions is currently performed on
ice pads, the dimensions of which are about 500 feet on a side;
typically, the ice pads comprise 6-inch thick sheets of ice. The
rig itself is built on a thicker ice pad, for example, a 6- to
12-inch thick pad. A reserve pit is typically constructed with
about a two-foot thickness of ice, plus an ice berm, which provides
at least two feet of freeboard space above the pit's contents.
These reserve pits, sometimes referred to as ice-bermed drilling
waste storage cells, typically have a volume capacity of about
45,000 cubic feet, suitable for accumulating and storing about
15,000 cubic feet of cuttings and effluent. In addition to the ice
roads and the drilling pad, an arctic drilling location sometimes
includes an airstrip, which is essentially a broad, extended ice
road formed as described above.
[0008] Ice roads can run from a few miles to tens of miles or
longer, depending upon the proximity or remoteness of the existing
infrastructure. The fresh water needed for the ice to construct the
roads and pads is usually obtained from lakes and ponds that are
generally numerous in such regions. The construction of an ice road
typically requires around 1,000,000 gallons of water per linear
mile. Over the course of a winter season, another 200,000 gallons
or so per mile are required to maintain the ice road. Therefore,
for a ten-mile ice road, a total of 2,000,000 gallons of water
would have to be picked up from nearby lakes and sprayed on the
selected route to maintain the structural integrity of the ice
road.
[0009] An airstrip requires about 2,000,000 gallons of water per
mile to construct, and a single drill pad requires about 1,700,000
gallons. For drilling operations on a typical 30-day well, an
additional 20,000 gallons per day are required, for a total of
about 600,000 gallons for the well. A 75-man camp requires another
5,000 gallons per day, or 150,000 gallons per month, to support.
Sometimes, there are two to four wells drilled from each pad,
frequently with a geological side-track in each well, and thus even
more water is required to maintain the site. Thus, for a winter
drilling operation involving, for example, 7 wells, 75 miles of
road, 7 drilling pads, an airstrip, a 75-man camp, and the drilling
of 5 new wells plus re-entry of two wells left incomplete, the
fresh water requirements are on the order of tens of millions of
gallons.
[0010] Currently, arctic land exploration drilling operations are
conducted only during the winter months. Roadwork typically
commences in the beginning of January, simultaneous with location
building and rig mobilization. Due to the lack of ice roads,
initial mobilizations are done with special purpose vehicles that
are suitable for use even in remote regions of the arctic
tundra.
[0011] Drilling operations typically commence around the beginning
of February, and last until the middle of April, at which time all
equipment and waste-pit contents must be removed before the ice
pads and roads melt. However, in the Alaskan North Slope, the
tundra is closed to all traffic from May 15 to July 1 due to
nesting birds. If the breakup is late, then drilling prospects can
be fully tested before demobilizing the rig. Otherwise, the entire
infrastructure has to be removed, and then rebuilt the following
season.
[0012] From the foregoing, it is clear there are several drawbacks
associated with current arctic drilling and production technology.
For example, huge volumes of water are pumped out of ponds and
lakes and then allowed to thaw out and become surface run-off
again. Also, the ice roads can become contaminated with lubricant
oil and grease, antifreeze, and rubber products. In addition to the
environmental impact, the economic costs associated with arctic
drilling can be prohibitively high. Exploration operations can be
conducted only during the coldest times of the year, which
typically lasts less than 4 or 5 months. Thus, using ice pads,
actual drilling and testing can be conducted in a window of only
two to four months or less, and actual production and development
can occur during less than half the year. At the beginning of each
drilling season, the ice roads and pads must all be rebuilt, and
equipment must again be transported to and removed from the site,
all at substantial financial and environmental cost. As for the
commercial development of hydrocarbons in the arctic tundra, the
current state of the art requires the use of a gravel pad for year
round operations. When production activities are completed (for
example, at the end of the lifecycle of the field), the gravel pads
must be removed and the site remediated. Such remediation efforts
can be very costly and difficult to accomplish.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] According to one aspect of the invention, a method of
constructing a drilling or production platform is provided, the
method including: drilling a post hole into a ground surface;
inserting a support post into said post hole, wherein said support
post has an adjustable shoulder member; adding a fluid slurry to
said post hole to freeze said support post within an interior
region of said post hole; disposing a modular platform section on
top of said adjustable shoulder member to establish a platform deck
surface; and adjusting said adjustable shoulder member so that said
platform deck surface is disposed substantially level.
[0014] According to a further aspect of the invention, a method of
constructing a drilling or production platform is provided, the
method including: drilling or hammering a support post into a
ground surface, wherein said support post further comprises an
adjustable shoulder member; disposing a modular platform section on
top of said adjustable shoulder member to establish a platform deck
surface; and adjusting said adjustable shoulder member so that said
platform deck surface is disposed substantially level.
[0015] According to a further aspect of the invention, a method of
constructing a platform suitable for drilling and producing oil,
gas and hydrate reserves is provided, the method including:
disposing a platform section atop a plurality of support posts;
disposing two substantially parallel support beam sections between
two of said support posts; and disposing a deck section atop said
two substantially parallel support beams to provide a bridging
support means between said two substantially parallel beams.
[0016] According to a further aspect of the invention a method of
constructing a drilling or production platform is provided, the
method including: providing a first platform section supported by
support posts, wherein each of said support posts are disposed
proximate to the corners of said first platform section; providing
a second platform section, wherein said second platform section
further comprises a hooking member that hooks onto a first side of
said first platform section; providing a plurality of support posts
to support a side of said second platform section disposed opposite
said first side of said second platform section; and providing a
third platform section, wherein said third platform section further
comprises a hooking member that hooks said second platform
section.
[0017] According to a still further aspect of the invention, a
method of assembling a plurality of interlocking modular platform
sections useful for supporting drilling equipment on a deck surface
is provided, the method including: disposing a first modular
platform section and a second modular platform section atop a
plurality of platform support posts; disposing a hook and hook
receiving member proximate an interface formed between said first
platform section and said second platform section, wherein said
hook is disposed along a side portion of said first platform
section, and said hook receiving member is disposed on a side
portion of said second platform section, and thereby.
[0018] According to a still further aspect of the invention, a
method of communicating utilities between a deck section and a
platform section of a drilling or production platform is provided,
the method including: disposing a deck section atop a platform
section; disposing one or more holes in a top surface of said deck
section to permit utility communication between an interior region
of said deck section and a deck surface disposed atop said deck
section; and disposing one or more holes between a lower surface of
said deck section and an upper surface of said platform
section.
[0019] According to a still further aspect of the invention, a
method of heating a drilling or production platform support post is
provided, the method including: disposing a fluid conduit through a
body portion of said support post; disposing a hollow fluid
transfer member around or near an outer surface of said support
post, wherein said fluid conduit disposed in a body portion of said
support post is in fluid communication with said hollow fluid
transfer member; and drawing a cooling or warm fluid into said
fluid conduit and passing said fluid through said hollow fluid
transfer member.
[0020] According to a further aspect of the invention, a method of
removing a drilling or production platform support post is
provided, the method including: disposing a fluid conduit through a
body portion of said support post; disposing a hollow fluid
transfer member around or near an outer surface of said support
post, wherein said fluid conduit is disposed in fluid communication
with said hollow fluid transfer member; drawing a warm fluid into
said fluid conduit and passing said fluid through said hollow fluid
transfer member to heat the surrounding ground; and applying a
pulling force to said support post to pull said support post from
the ground.
[0021] According to a still further aspect of the invention, a
method of removing a drilling or production platform support post
is provided, the method including: disposing a fluid conduit
through a body portion of said support post; disposing a hollow
fluid transfer member around or near an outer surface of said
support post, wherein said fluid conduit is in fluid communication
with said hollow fluid transfer member; disposing a vent between
said fluid conduit and a surrounding ground surface using jets or
ports; drawing a fluid or gas into said fluid conduit and passing
said fluid through said hollow fluid transfer member, through said
vent and out to the surrounding ground surface; and applying a
pulling force to said support post to pull said support post from
the ground.
[0022] According to a still further aspect of the invention, a
method of adjusting the height of a modular drilling or production
platform section is provided, the method including: disposing a
modular platform section atop an adjustable shoulder nut disposed
on a support post, wherein a top portion of said support post
further comprises a lift receiving means; disposing a lifting means
proximate to said lift receiving means, and then mutually engaging
said lifting means and said lift receiving means; lifting said
modular platform section off of said adjustable shoulder nut and
then supporting said modular platform section using a support
means; raising said adjustable shoulder nut; and replacing said
modular platform section atop said adjustable shoulder nut using
said support means.
[0023] According to a still further aspect of the invention, a
method of sealing an intersection formed between a plurality of
interlocked platform modules, the method including: disposing four
interlocked platform modules so that a four-way intersection is
formed therebetween; disposing a sealing member over said four-way
intersection, wherein said sealing member comprises a body member
and a plurality of leg members; and augmenting the seal using a
deformable sealing material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] FIG. 1 is a modular drilling or production platform
according to the invention.
[0025] FIG. 2 is a section of a well bore included in the drilling
or production platform shown in FIG. 1, taken at a right angle
along a length of the platform.
[0026] FIG. 3 is a section of a well bore included in the drilling
or production platform shown in FIG. 1, taken along a centerline of
the platform.
[0027] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a surface tundra region in
which a plurality of post holes has been drilled.
[0028] FIG. 5 is the sectional view of FIG. 4, further comprising a
plurality of support posts disposed in the post holes.
[0029] FIG. 6 is the sectional view of FIG. 5, further comprising a
plurality of support posts having adjustable shoulders.
[0030] FIG. 7 is the sectional view of FIG. 6, further comprising a
group of interconnected modular platform sections disposed on top
of the platform support posts.
[0031] FIG. 8 is the sectional view of FIG. 7, further comprising a
full level of interconnected modular platform sections disposed on
top of the platform support posts.
[0032] FIG. 9 is the sectional view of FIG. 8, further comprising a
plurality of deck sections installed atop the modular platform
sections.
[0033] FIG. 10 is the topmost portion of a support post, further
comprising an adjustable nut disposed at the bottom of the
adjustment stroke.
[0034] FIG. 11 is the topmost portion of a support post, further
comprising an adjustable nut disposed at a position higher than the
bottom of the adjustment stroke.
[0035] FIG. 12 is a group of interconnected modular platform
sections, installed atop a plurality of platform support posts.
[0036] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the installed platform
sections shown in FIG. 12.
[0037] FIG. 14 is a top view of assembled modular platform sections
according to the invention.
[0038] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled platform
sections of FIG. 14.
[0039] FIG. 16 is a partial view of the assembled platform sections
shown in FIG. 14.
[0040] FIG. 17 is a top view of a group of interconnected modular
platform sections.
[0041] FIG. 18 is a top view of a group of interconnected modular
platform sections.
[0042] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the interconnected
modular platform sections shown in FIG. 18.
[0043] FIG. 20 depicts a connecting means useful for
interconnecting a plurality of modular platform sections.
[0044] FIG. 21 is a top view of a group of modular platform
sections that are interconnected using a connecting means according
to the invention.
[0045] FIG. 22 is a depiction of an intersection established
between four interconnected modular platform sections.
[0046] FIG. 23 is a view of the intersection of four interconnected
modular platform sections shown in FIG. 22, wherein the
intersection is substantially sealed by a sealing means.
[0047] FIG. 24a is a top view of an x-shaped sealing member useful
for substantially sealing a gap formed at the intersection of a
plurality of interconnected modular platform sections.
[0048] FIG. 24b is a side view of the x-shaped sealing member shown
in FIG. 24a.
[0049] FIG. 25 is a sectional view of a fluid waste retention
member disposed on an outer perimeter portion of a modular platform
section.
[0050] FIGS. 26a and 26b are plan views of a fence sealing member
that has been clipped onto a portion of a fluid retention fence
using a clip tab.
[0051] FIGS. 27a and 27b are plan views of a retaining fence gap
sealing member equipped with a seal extension member.
[0052] FIGS. 28a and 28b are plan views of a fence corner seal, in
which the corner seal is bridging a gap formed between corner
sections of a fluid retention fence.
[0053] FIG. 29 is a top view of a group of assembled modular deck
sections following installation atop a plurality of associated
platform sections.
[0054] FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view of the platform shown in
FIG. 29.
[0055] FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional view of the platform shown in
FIG. 29.
[0056] FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view of a support post disposed
in a post hole.
[0057] FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view of an upper end of the
support post shown in FIG. 32.
[0058] FIG. 34 is a detailed view of a lower end of the support
post shown in FIG. 32.
[0059] FIG. 35 is a platform and deck assembly supported by a
support leg, wherein a jacking assembly is disposed above a lift
socket located on a topmost portion of the support leg.
[0060] FIG. 36 is the platform and deck assembly shown in FIG. 35,
wherein a hydraulic cylinder is extended down from the jacking
assembly until contact with the support post is established.
[0061] FIG. 37 is the platform and deck assembly shown in FIG. 35,
wherein a jacking assembly has lifted the platform and deck
assembly off an adjustable nut disposed on the support post.
[0062] FIG. 38 is the platform and deck assembly of FIG. 35,
wherein the adjustable nut has been raised to again support the
weight of the lifted platform and deck assembly.
[0063] FIG. 39 is the platform and deck assembly of FIG. 35, shown
after the jacking assembly has been removed and adjustment of the
platform height has been completed.
[0064] FIG. 40 is a jacking assembly installed beneath a platform
and deck assembly so that the platform can be lifted from the
bottom.
[0065] FIG. 41 is a cross-sectional view of a support post, wherein
a wedge section is disposed on a tapered shoulder portion of an
adjustable nut.
[0066] FIG. 42 is a top view of the support post head shown in FIG.
41.
[0067] FIG. 43 is a partial rotational view of the support post
head shown in FIG. 41.
[0068] FIG. 44 is a platform floor plan according to an example
embodiment of the Is invention.
[0069] FIG. 45 is a platform building isolated from the example
floor plan of FIG. 44.
[0070] FIG. 46 is a platform section having a bladder tank disposed
within.
[0071] FIG. 47 is a cross-sectional view of the platform section
and bladder tank assembly shown in FIG. 46.
[0072] FIG. 48 is a wellhead cellar suitable for use in an arctic
platform system.
[0073] FIG. 49 is an alternative wellhead cellar suitable for use
in an arctic platform system.
[0074] FIG. 50 is a cross-sectional view of the seals used to
secure an inner and an outer skin of a wellhead cellar.
[0075] FIG. 51 is a post hole in which a platform support post is
disposed.
[0076] FIG. 52 is an adaptor useful for adding an extension onto
the bottom of a support post.
[0077] FIG. 53 is the adaptor of FIG. 52, with an additional pipe
section welded thereon.
[0078] FIG. 54 is a partial section of a bottom portion of the
support post shown in FIG. 51.
[0079] FIG. 55 is a partial section of a support post on which an
extension has been added.
[0080] FIG. 56 is a post hole in which a platform support post is
disposed.
[0081] FIG. 57 is the post hole of FIG. 56 after the support post
has been removed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0082] Referring now to a specific, though non-limiting, embodiment
of the invention shown in FIG. 1, a tundra region 1 is shown in
which a number of support posts 2 are disposed in a number of post
holes drilled into the tundra. The support posts 2 support a
substantially level drilling or production platform 4 comprised of
numerous interconnected modular platform sections. In certain
embodiments, a cylindrical (or other shape) winterizer 6 encloses
and winterizes a drilling rig (not shown), and a number of easily
transportable modular platform sections 8 are installed around the
drilling rig. In some embodiments, for example, where drilling is
carried out at very cold temperatures (e.g., in arctic tundra
regions), the rig area is heated during drilling operations. In a
particular embodiment in which the platform is used for hydrate
production, the rig area is only heated to an intermediate
temperature of about +10 degrees F., so that recovered hydrates
will not thaw and can be preserved for analysis. In other
embodiments, however, the rig area is cooled to permit more
comfortable drilling conditions during warmer summer seasons.
[0083] According to an alternative embodiment, a crane 10 is
positioned on a deck portion of platform 4, and is sufficiently
mobile to move around on the deck area so that the crane can be
used to carry out a number of different lifting and support
functions. For example, in one example embodiment, crane 10 is used
to assist in the initial outfitting of the platform, and thereafter
to move spools of drilling string and other drilling supplies
around the platform during drilling and production operations. One
or more cranes can also be fixed mounted at key points.
[0084] In other embodiments, a group of interconnected housing
modules are assembled to provide living quarters for personnel
working on the rig. In some embodiments, the housing platform
employs a support post and platform module construction method
similar to the platform described above, except that housing
modules are disposed on the top of the platform deck instead of
drilling modules.
[0085] Referring now to an example embodiment shown in FIG. 2, an
arctic platform is provided wherein a plurality of support posts 2
are inserted into a plurality of corresponding post holes 20 that
have been drilled into the tundra. In one embodiment, support posts
2 are fixed in the post holes 20 by a process known as ad freeze,
which comprises pouring a fluid slurry (for example, a slurry of
water, sand and gravel) into the post holes 20 in order to fix the
support posts 2 in place after the slurry freezes and hardens. In
other embodiments, the support posts are drilled or hammered
directly into the ground surface. In a further embodiment, a
plurality of modular, interconnectible platform sections 4 are
installed atop and supported by the support posts 2 after the
support posts have been frozen in place; in still further
embodiments, a plurality of drilling container sections 8 are then
stacked on top of the platform sections 4 to permit convenient
local storage of drilling bits and other equipment related to the
drilling operation.
[0086] In the particular embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the well
being drilled 22 is disposed beneath a wellhead cellar 24 that
supports a wellhead 26 and blowout prevention stack 28. In the
depicted embodiment, a substructure housing member 30 is disposed
above the blowout prevention stack 28 during drilling operations so
that the wellhead and blowout stack are safely housed beneath the
housing structure 30. In certain other embodiments, however,
drilling rig 32 is disposed above the substructure housing 30 so
that drilling rig 32 is instead contained within a winterizer
6.
[0087] Similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, drilling platform
4 is comprised of a plurality of interconnectible, modular platform
sections 34 and associated deck sections 36. In a presently
preferred embodiment, drilling or production platform 4 comprises 8
platform sections in width, and is supported by 9 rows of evenly
spaced support posts 2 frozen into corresponding post holes 20
drilled in the tundra.
[0088] Referring now to the example embodiment of FIG. 3, a
drilling platform 4 is shown in cross section through a centerline
of the well bore, drawn along a length of drilling rig 32. In some
embodiments, wellhead cellar 24 is disposed in operative
communication with a pair of long wellhead platform sections 40 and
42. In the particular embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, drilling
platform 4 further comprises three rows of support posts 2.
According to a presently preferred embodiment, arctic drilling
platform 4 further comprises about sixteen individual,
interconnected platform modules, each of which are about 12.5 feet
wide and about 50 feet long; the resulting drilling platform 4 is
therefore substantially square, and measures about a 100 feet on
each side. In the aforementioned embodiment, there are about
twenty-seven support posts 2, each of which supports the weight and
alignment of various platform sections. In further embodiments, one
or more additional support posts 2 are strategically installed to
lend additional stability and load capacity to the system.
[0089] In other embodiments, additional wells 44 are drilled to
serve as backup wellbores in the event the primary wellbore
encounters technical problems such as a broken drill bit or a
jammed drilling string. According to a further embodiment,
additional wells 44 are used to drill an underground pipeline
routed to a remote location so that production removed from the
primary well can be pipelined to a remote location in coordination
with the ongoing drilling operation. The ability to drill an
underground pipeline is particularly useful in environmentally
sensitive sites in that removal and transportation of oil, gas
and/or hydrates reserves can all be carried out deep beneath the
ground surface, thereby reducing disturbance of the surrounding
tundra region. The additional wells 44 can also be used to
establish a field size.
[0090] According to a method of practicing the invention shown in
FIGS. 4-9, a plurality of holes 50 are first drilled into a ground
surface or frozen tundra region 1. In some embodiments, post holes
50 are evenly spaced apart; however, in other embodiments,
additional support posts are strategically installed to lend
greater stability and structural rigidity to the platform system.
In other embodiments, only a few post holes (or even a single hole)
are drilled to receive the support posts of a smaller, stand-alone
work module, for example, a nearby secondary well drilled to
relieve or apply fluid pressure to the drilling operation.
[0091] According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of
support posts 2 are then inserted into each of the post holes 50,
with lower portions of the posts being supported by a plurality of
post hole ground surfaces 60, and intermediate portions of the
posts being supported by one or more support brackets 64 and 66
attached to provide a temporary surface fitting at the surface
level 62 of tundra region 1 while the support posts are being
frozen in place within the post holes. According to a further
embodiment, once the support posts 2 have been fixed in drilled
post holes 50, a slurry comprised of water, sand and gravel mixture
is poured into the hole and allowed to freeze. According to still
further embodiments, adjustable support brackets 64 and 66 are
inserted near the top of the hole during the slurry freezing
process, so that the tops of the support posts 2 stay accurately
aligned during the slurry freezing process. In the example
embodiment of FIG. 5, a plurality of adjustable shoulder nuts 70,
72 and 74 are disposed near the tops of each of the support posts
2; in the depicted embodiment, the adjustable nuts are disposed at
different elevations (as indicated by lines 76, 78 and 80) due to
localized inaccuracies in the depths of the post holes.
[0092] As seen in the example embodiment shown in FIG. 6,
adjustable shoulder nut 72 is then raised (for example, by
threading the nut up the shaft of a complementary threading formed
on a portion of the support post) up to the same elevation level as
the other adjustable nuts 70 and 74 (as indicated by lines 80, 82
and 84). In this manner, a level plane is formed to support the
later installation of a drilling platform, although in other
embodiments, portions of the drilling platform are assembled prior
to the drilling of the post holes, and whole sections of previously
assembled platform modules are installed on the legs, and then
leveled using the adjustable nuts.
[0093] Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that when
various platform sections are of a common cross-sectional
thickness, it is convenient to set each of the adjusting nuts at
about the same height. However, in other embodiments it is
beneficial to set the adjustable nuts at different predetermined
heights rather than a common height, depending upon the actual
structural requirements imposed by various operational
environments, for example, to build up the pitch of a side of the
platform disposed on a downward slope.
[0094] FIG. 7 shows the cross-sectional platform view of FIG. 6,
further comprising a pair of interconnected modular platform
sections 92 and 94 installed over a plurality of adjustable
shoulder nuts. In one example embodiment, four interconnected
modular platform sections are installed over the shoulder nuts of
four support posts, for example, the two platform sections 92 and
94 depicted herein and two additional modular sections (not shown)
disposed directly behind sections 92 and 94. When the installation
of deck sections is complete, workers are provided with a level and
secure platform surface from which to drill, and effluent and metal
cuttings can be contained in the box-like lower body portions of
the deck sections. In still further embodiments, a canvas tarp or
the like is disposed beneath and around an outer perimeter of the
deck sections, and serves as a skirt or trap to ensure that as much
waste as possible is captured and recovered from the drilling
site.
[0095] Referring now to the example embodiment of FIG. 8, a full
level of interconnected modular platform sections 100-105 is then
installed over each of the adjustable shoulder nuts. According to
one aspect of the invention, minor adjustments to the heights of
the shoulder nuts are then effected in order to correct the level
of the platform on an as-needed basis. According to various other
embodiments, the leveling corrections can be effected when the
individual deck sections are being installed, or after all or some
of the sections have already been assembled and interlocked.
[0096] In the example embodiment of FIG. 9, a plurality of modular
storage sections 106-109 is then installed above at least a portion
of the platform deck. In some embodiments, the various storage
sections 106-109 are strategically arranged so as to conveniently
contain the equipment and supplies required to drill and maintain a
well, for example, drill string and associated casings, lubricants,
power generators, etc.
[0097] According to the example embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the
upper portion 120 of a support post 2 further comprises an
adjustable shoulder nut 124 disposed at the bottom of the
adjustment stroke. In some embodiments, upper post portion 120 has
a reduced cross section 122, and an adjustable shoulder nut 124. In
further embodiments, adjustable shoulder nut 124 further comprises
an internal threaded region 126, and a tapered, upwardly facing
shoulder member 128.
[0098] According to one aspect of the invention, support posts 2
are installed with each of the adjustable shoulder nuts 124 set at
the bottom of the adjustment stroke; in other embodiments, however,
the adjustable shoulder nuts 124 are set at predetermined positions
other than at the bottom of the stroke, or even in random
positions, depending upon the particular operational requirements
of the drilling environment. In other embodiments, a tapered
section 134 is provided at the top of adjustable nut 124 to allow
wedges or shims to be dropped inside a space formed when a module
is placed onto a post, thereby lending lateral support to the post
as well as vertical support. In still other embodiments, one or
more fluid receiving fittings 130 are provided at the top of the
support post for receiving and circulating a heating or cooling
fluid within a body portion of the post, and a threaded receiving
member 132 is provided for attachment of a lifting means. In
alternative embodiments, receiving member 132 is not threaded, and
instead comprises a slip-toothed fastening assembly; in still
further embodiments, receiving member 132 comprises an inverted nut
and bolt receiving assembly for receiving a lifting means that has
been lowered from the deck surface disposed above.
[0099] According to further examples of the invention, FIG. 11
shows an adjustable nut that was initially set at a position higher
than the bottom of the adjustment stroke, for example, near the
middle of the adjustment stroke in order to build up a platform
section disposed on a downward slope. In FIG. 11, adjustable
shoulder nut 124 has been threaded up the support post to a higher
position as a method of setting an upper shoulder 126 of the
adjustable nut at the same elevation as the shoulders on
neighboring posts.
[0100] According to the example embodiment of FIG. 12, a plurality
of interconnected modular platform sections 50 is provided, each of
which is installed atop a plurality of support posts. According to
a further embodiment, the lengths of the platform sections are
elongated relative to their widths; in a presently preferred
embodiment, the lengths of the platform modules are elongated
relative to their widths by a ratio of about 4:1. For example, in
one particular embodiment, each platform section is about 12.5 feet
wide and about 50 feet long. In the depicted embodiment, sixteen
such platform sections are combined to provide a substantially
square deck surface that is about 100 feet in both length and
width.
[0101] According to a detailed embodiment, platform 52 is supported
by twenty seven different support posts 54, each of which engage
various platform sections from beneath the platform. Along the left
side of platform section 60 is a beam member 62, which provides
bridging support between support posts 64 and 66. Along the right
side of platform section 60 is another beam member 70, which
provides bridging support between support posts 72 and 74. In one
embodiment, the underside of platform section 80 is a flat plate
and includes a plurality of stiffening members 82; in some
embodiments, stiffening members 82 are not intended to be
structural or load bearing members, and are instead designed to
support an accumulation of liquids and effluent that usually
develops on a drilling platform.
[0102] According to one example embodiment, an interlocking method
of securing the platform modules to one another permits disposition
of but a single support post at each platform intersection, and
adjacent platform modules are all supported by that single post.
Although the interior corners of each platform section are near to
and supported by a single support post, the support post is not
necessarily attached to each of the surrounding platform sections.
In one embodiment, for example, platform sections are attached to
the support posts in such a fashion as to provide greater support
in the direction of a line between support post 64 and support post
66; in this embodiment, greater support would also be provided
between support post 72 and support post 74. In this configuration,
however, only minimal support is provided in the direction from
support post 64 to support post 72, and from support post 66 to
support post 74, said minimal support deriving from the rigidity
produced when adjoining portion of platform sections are
interlocked rather than by attachment of the platform section to a
support post.
[0103] According to an example embodiment depicted in FIG. 13, a
load placed anywhere on the individual deck sections will be
supported initially by the deck surface 120, which in turn
transfers the weight load in the direction indicated by arrow 130
(see FIG. 12) toward beam sections 82 and 96 disposed beneath the
deck. The weight of the load is then transmitted down the side
beams in the direction of arrow 132 (see FIG. 12) toward the
support posts, which in turn directs the weight into the surface of
the tundra. According to a further embodiment, rectangular beam 82
is established by assembly of a plurality of interlocked platform
modules disposed on a side 94 portion of platform section 80;
likewise, opposed rectangular beam 96 is established by assembly of
a plurality of interlocked platform modules disposed on another
side 104 of platform section 80.
[0104] On top areas 110 and 111 of beam sections 82 and 96, a deck
section 120 is installed and then locked into place. In one example
embodiment, deck section 120 provides direct support for the
various equipment and supply packages loaded on top of the deck.
According to another embodiment, beam sections 82 and 96 provide
support in the direction of the support posts 64 and 72 shown in
FIG. 12.
[0105] In a further embodiment, deck section 120 comprises a
composite structure having a top plate 122 and a bottom plate 124,
separated by a foam mixture 126 disposed in an interior region
established within the platform modules. In one particular
embodiment, foam mixture 126 is a polyurethane foam mixture that
not only stabilizes and supports the structural integrity of the
top and bottom plates, but also provides a compressive strength
sufficient to support heavy equipment loads placed on top of the
deck surface 120. According to a further embodiment, the
polyurethane foam mixture 126 also dampens the loud noises and
structural vibrations typically created during drilling
operations.
[0106] Turning now to methods and means of interlocking the
platform modules, FIGS. 14 and 15 show a plurality of assembled
modular platform sections similar to the embodiments described in
FIGS. 12 and 13.
[0107] For example, the platform is supported by twenty-seven
support posts 54, which engage the various platform sections from
underneath. Along the one side of platform section 60 is a beam
member 62 that provides bridging support between support posts 64
and 66. Along the other side of platform section 60 is another beam
member 70, which provides bridging support between support posts 72
and 74. The bottom of platform section 80 is a flat plate and
includes a plurality of stiffening members 82, which are not
intended to be structural or load bearing in nature other than
having sufficient capacity to support an accumulation of fluids
that build up during drilling operations.
[0108] A single support post is disposed at each platform
intersection, and the adjacent platform modules are all supported
by that single post. While each platform section corner is near to
and supported by a support post, the support post is not
necessarily disposed in that platform section; the corners of some
of the platform sections are supported by only the interlocking
connection members disposed therebetween.
[0109] According to the example interlocking platform connection
system shown in FIG. 16, a first platform section 60 is disposed
adjacent to a second platform section 140; a first deck section 142
is installed over platform section 60, and a second deck section
144 is installed over platform section 140. According to certain
embodiments, a fence member 152 projects upwardly from an upper
surface 150 of platform section 60. According to a further
embodiment, upper surface 160 of platform section 140 has a hook
162 disposed over the fence member 152. According to the example
embodiment of FIG. 16, hook 162 is formed structurally integral
with platform section 160, and provides support for the side of
platform section 160; in other embodiments, however, hook 162 is
not formed structurally integral with platform section 160, and is
instead mechanically affixed to the system to provide support for
the side of platform section 160.
[0110] According to the example embodiment of FIG. 17, a first
platform section 60 is logically supported by at least four
different support posts 64, 66, 72 and 74. According to a further
embodiment, however, a second platform section 160 is supported by
only two additional support posts 162 and 164, while support on the
opposite side is achieved by means of a hooking member 163 engaged
over a portion of fence member 152 shown in FIG. 16. According to a
still further embodiment, platform section 170 is supported by only
two additional support posts 172 and 174, though platform section
170 also gains support from support posts 162 and 164 on the
opposite side by means of the mentioned hook and fence member
combination. According to a still further embodiment, additional
platform sections 180, 182, 184, 186 and 188 are successively
installed, in each instance installation requiring only two
additional support posts and an opposed, complementary hook and
fence member combination to ensure a secure and reliable
connection.
[0111] Similarly, platform section 190 employs two additional
support posts 192 and 194 at the end of the platform section
disposed furthest away from platform section 170. However, platform
section 190 gains additional support from attachment to support
posts 164 and 174, and also from a hook and fence member
combination disposed at the end most proximate to platform section
170. Consequently, platform section 200 requires only a single
additional support post 202, provided said support post is employed
in combination with a hook and fence member support means at each
of intersections 204 and 206. Additional platform sections 210,
212, 214, 216, 218 and 220 will also require only a single
additional support post each, again provided the configuration
includes an appropriate hook and fence member combination on two of
the sides disposed opposite the support post.
[0112] Turning now to other example methods and means for
connecting platform sections together, FIGS. 18-21 again show a
drilling platform comprised of a group 52 of platform sections that
have been interconnected for support of equipment storage modules
that will later be installed on top of various portions of the
platform. As shown, the platform sections are supported by
twenty-seven support posts 54, which engage various platform
sections from locations disposed beneath the platform. Those of
ordinary skill in the art, however, will appreciate that any number
of platform and deck sections can be assembled into a single
unitary whole (or even several discrete modular platform units),
and any number of support posts can be employed to support the
structure, depending on the various field requirements imposed by
actual operating environments. Those of ordinary skill in the art
will also appreciate that by employing the example platform
assembly methods described above, weight loads can be directed and
distributed in virtually any direction along the platform, and
additional interconnections between platform sections can be
established to either support weight loads disposed on deck
sections, or to otherwise lend stability and structural rigidity to
the resulting platform system.
[0113] Referring now to the example embodiment of FIG. 22, a
support post 2 is shown disposed near an intersection 230 of four
interconnected platform modules 232, 234, 236 and 238. Moving out
radially from intersection 230, a plurality of connecting hooks
240, 242, 246 and 248 are disposed over complementary fence members
250, 252, 254 and 256, so that the several associated platform
sections are securely interconnected. The hook and fence member
assemblies also serve to effectively seal the intersection 240
where the platform sections are joined, at least insofar as
accumulated water and the like will easily pass from one platform
section to another across body portions of the hook and fence
locking assemblies.
[0114] Intersection 230, however, is more problematic. For example,
virtually any liquid can pass through the space formed at the
center of the four-corner intersection, and then pass between
platform sections and down onto the ground surface disposed below.
According to one aspect of the invention, therefore, a sealing
member is provided to close the space formed at intersection 230,
the seal generally being disposed on the top side portion of the
intersection, although installation of the seal from the bottom
side of the intersection 230 is also contemplated. The sealing
member, which in this case is referred to as an x-seal because of
its shape, extends in each of four directions at least as far as a
series of sealing grooves 260 that have been cut into body portions
of each of the associated fence members 250, 252, 254 and 256.
[0115] For example, as seen in FIG. 23, a platform sealing member
270 is dropped over a four-corner intersection where four assembled
platform modules have been interconnected. The body of the seal is
substantially in direct contact with body portions of the fence
members 250, 252, 254 and 256 (see FIG. 22), and therefore also
directs water or other accumulated fluids across away from the
intersection 230 of the interconnected platform modules. Since
there is still a potential for dirty water or other fluids to land
on top of a fence member and then seep underneath an end portion of
one of the x-seals, a plurality of small grooves disposed in the
fence members cut crossways across the fence members so that any
fluid that would otherwise tend to run along the bottom of the
x-seal will instead be diverted in another direction by means of
fluid contact with any one of the series of small cut grooves 260
depicted in FIG. 22.
[0116] According to an example of the invention shown in FIGS. 24a
and 24b, an appropriate x-shaped seal member 270 is shown, which in
some embodiments comprises a thin metal plate 274 equipped with a
plurality of leg members 272, which depend from and around various
portion of thin plate 274. In some embodiments, leg members 272 are
formed structurally integral with thin plate 274, though in other
embodiments leg members 272 comprise a plurality of separate pieces
(e.g., a number of small metal rectangles) affixed to thin plate
274 using a known connection method, for example, welding the metal
rectangles to the thin plate.
[0117] As seen in FIG. 25, a further embodiment is provided wherein
an outer perimeter of assembled platform modules is fitted with a
safety fence 282 so that liquids that splash off the surface of the
drilling platform will not pass over the sides of the platform and
down onto the ground surface below. According to some embodiments,
safety fence 280 comprises or retention plate 282, which is either
welded on or mechanically affixed to a body portion 284 of safety
fence 280. In other embodiments, retention plate 282 includes a
portion having a double bend 284 that slips into and engages a top
portion of platform section 288 at a predetermined location so as
to establish the desired fluid retention fence 280. According to
still further embodiments, the presence of safety fence 280 causes
splashing liquids to be diverted back toward the interior surfaces
of the interconnected platform sections, though in one particular
embodiment, re-directed fluid flow is allowed to drain into a
container portion of a platform section by means of one or more
drain holes 290. In other embodiments, cable races are attached to
the retention plates or, in further embodiments, to the platform
perimeter.
[0118] Referring now to the example embodiments of FIGS. 26a and
26b, it will be understood that individual fluid waste retention
fence members are necessarily going to be fabricated in advance at
finite, predetermined lengths. According to one particular
embodiment, for example, the fluid waste retention fence member
measures about twelve and one-half feet long.
[0119] According to an example method of practicing the invention,
as successive fluid retention safety members are installed next to
other pieces of the fence, cracks that form between the kick plates
are sealed using one or more fence seals 300. In certain
embodiments, fence seal sections 300 are fastened to a waste
retention member using known fastening means such as a screw or a
nut and bolt assembly. In one particular embodiment, the fence seal
300 is clipped onto those portions of the fence disposed nearest
the gaps formed between fence sections using one or more clip tabs
302 and 304. In a further embodiment, fence seal 300 is clipped
onto the safety fence by hooking each of clip tabs 302 and 304 over
a top lip portion of the kick plate. According to a particular
example embodiment, a vertical fence seal portion 300 is fabricated
so that it is about the same height as the terminal vertical
portion of the kick plate, so that water or other fluids are
directed back toward the interconnected platform sections.
[0120] Referring now to the example embodiments of FIGS. 27a and
27b, a retaining fence gap sealing member 312 is provided, in which
the sealing member further comprises an extension member disposed
thereon that is similar in both nature and function to the
previously discussed four-way seal, so that excess water that seeps
along an interior surface of the fence seal will again be
redirected to a region contained within the perimeter of the fence.
According to a specific example embodiment, platform sections on
which the fence members are affixed have a plurality of cut grooves
disposed beneath the sealing member that further prevents seeping
fluids from migrating down the sides of the platform sections.
[0121] In the further embodiments of FIGS. 28a and 28b, a fence
corner seal 320 is disposed so that the gap that forms between two
sections of fence installed at comers of the platform is bridged.
In practice, the corner seal functions similar to the other fence
seals discussed above, except that the corner seal also engages
multiple sections of the fence. In a presently preferred
embodiment, each of the fence sections upon which the corner seal
is installed is disposed at about a ninety-degree angle relative to
the other.
[0122] According to the example embodiment of FIG. 29, a number of
assembled modular platform sections 50 are depicted following the
installation of a plurality of deck sections atop upper portions of
the platform sections. According to one embodiment, one or more
manholes 54 is disposed at each end of the deck sections, except
for platform section 56, which has a shortened deck (and thus a
manhole 54 disposed at only one end) due to the location of the
platform's wellhead cellar 61.
[0123] According to further embodiments, within a body portion of
each of the deck sections is a utilities communication pipe 60,
which, in certain embodiments, is configured to run along an entire
length (or width) of the platform section. According to one
embodiment, utility pipe 60 has a predetermined number of regularly
spaced junctions, permitting convenient access points for
installation and maintenance of utilities related equipment (e.g.,
fiber optics bundles, electrical wiring, etc.). In other
embodiments, utilities communication pipe 60 comprises a plurality
of junctions disposed at irregularly spaced locations disposed
along a length of the pipe. According to a specific example
embodiment, after the disclosed arctic drilling platform has been
fully assembled, communication pipes 60 (and the various junctions
and utility access points disposed thereupon), serves as the
framework for distribution of power and other utilities around the
surface of the platform during drilling operations.
[0124] According to a further embodiment, each of the deck sections
are slightly greater in length than the utilities communication
pipes contained within, so that sufficient room remains within the
interior of the deck module to install one or more power boxes,
water junctions, or utility cross-connections, near the terminal
ends of the communication pipes. In various embodiments of the
invention, one or more utilities communication pipes 60 are used to
accommodate installation of electrical power lines, telephone
lines, fiber optic connections, gas hoses, fuel lines, etc.
[0125] As seen in the example embodiment of FIG. 30, a crawl space
is disposed between the ends of deck sections 70 and 72. As
depicted, deck sections 70 and 72 are disposed atop platform
sections 74 and 76, though those of ordinary skill in the art will
appreciate that the deck sections can also be assembled in
combination with other types of platform modules. According to a
still further embodiment, deck sections are constructed by stacking
one or more layers, wherein each layer further comprises one or
more communication pipes.
[0126] According to a presently preferred embodiment, there is a
space or gap of about 12 inches disposed between innermost portions
78 and 80 of deck sections 70 and 72; the space or gap is disposed
above the topmost portions of platform sections 74 and 76, and
below a manhole cover 82 laid on a top lip established by the end
points of deck sections 70 and 72. In further embodiments, pipes 84
and 86 extend into the deck in order to facilitate utilities
communication. Deck section 70 has an upper plate 88 and a lower
plate 90, each of which are usually formed from a metal or
composite material of some type. For example, according to one
embodiment, upper plate 88 and/or lower plate 90 are formed from an
aluminum plate, though in other embodiments an aluminum alloy or
other combination of materials is preferred. According to still
further embodiments, an insulation material is installed in the
space or gap established between the utilities communication pipes.
For example, in one embodiment, polyurethane foam is placed into
the space between the communications pipes to lend compressive
resistance to the deck plate disposed above the crawl space.
[0127] According to the example embodiment of FIG. 31, a utility
junction 100 is disposed in proximity to utilities communication
pipes 102 and 104. The horizontal utility pipes intersect a
vertical junction pipe 106 that has been cut to reflect the actual
height of the space established between upper plate 88 and lower
plate 90. A drain hole 106 is opened in the lower plate 90, so that
utility lines and the like can be fed into and through the platform
sections disposed below. On the top side of the deck section, a
vertical pipe having a threaded engagement means 110 is prepared,
so that utility lines can also be drawn out of the engagement means
110 and up into other modules affixed on top of the deck. According
to a further embodiment, a plug is threaded into the threaded
engagement means 110 when the portal is not in use, thereby
providing a smooth deck surface that is substantially uninterrupted
by open manholes.
[0128] FIG. 32 is a detailed view of a support post 50 according to
the invention. In some embodiments, support post 50 is inserted
into a post hole 52 that has been drilled into a ground surface. In
other embodiments, support post 50 has an interior space 54
established for receiving a slurry 56 of water, sand and gravel. In
still other embodiments, an external surface of the support post is
smooth or flat. When the platform is assembled in a very cold
environment, for example, a frozen tundra, slurry 56 will also
freeze and lend additional stability and rigidity to support post
50. According to further embodiments, a lower portion 60 of support
post 50 has a spiral support fin 62, and an upper post end 64 is
configured to fit into a receiving socket 66 disposed in the bottom
of platform section 68.
[0129] FIG. 33 is a detailed view of an upper end 64 of the support
post 50 shown in FIG. 32, further comprising a process fitting 70
that allows fluids to be pumped down into a conduit or pipe 80
disposed in a body portion of the support post 50. According to one
example embodiment, fluids pumped into pipe 80 travel to the bottom
of support post 50, and a return flow is established by directing
accumulated fluid pressure toward a process fitting disposed in
flanged member 72. In other embodiments, support post 50 further
comprises a plurality of threaded ports 74, so that support post 50
can be installed using an attached padeye or other fitting device
(not shown).
[0130] According to the example embodiment of FIG. 34, a terminus
portion of fluid transport pipe 80 extends downwardly from a body
portion of support post 50, and then exits through a reducer port
83 and spiral fin member 82. According to a specific embodiment,
spiral fin 82 is fabricated from two metal plates, viz., a lower,
rolling spiral plate 84 that extends substantially perpendicularly
from an outer diameter 86 of lower pipe section 88, and an upper,
conical spiral plate 90 that extends downwardly at an angle of
about thirty to forty five degrees. Rolling spiral plate 84 and
conical spiral plate 90 are joined together by, for example, a
known welding or sintering process, so as to establish a hollow
fluid transport space 92 disposed within spiral fin 82. In other
embodiments, the exterior surface of the support post is
substantially smooth and the fluid transport space is located
within an interior region of the support post.
[0131] According to one example embodiment, a fluid solution is
pumped downward through pipe 80 and into spiral fin 82. The fluid
circulates around the spiral fin 82 down to the bottom of the post
100, and then vents into an internal bore 106 of support post 50
through transport hole 104. The fluid solution then circulates back
up the body of internal bore 106. In this configuration, a liquid
or gaseous medium can be pumped down the pipe 80 and around spiral
fin 82, and then back up the internal bore 106 of support post 50
to either cool or heat the ground surface area surrounding support
post 50. According to other embodiments, a very cold fluid or gas
is pumped through pipe 80 into the body of the post, so as to
ensure that the surrounding ground surface will remain firmly
frozen. According to a further embodiment, however, a warm fluid or
gas is instead pumped through pipe 80 in order to melt the ground
surface around the support post, so that the support post can then
be removed from its moorings and more easily retrieved when
drilling operations are complete. According to a still further
embodiment, the fluid transportation means is vented to a
surrounding ground surface using jetting ports or the like in order
to make removal of the support posts easier.
[0132] According to one particular embodiment, a fluid such as a
food-grade glycol, which has a freezing temperature well below the
lowest anticipated temperature of the surrounding tundra, is
employed to facilitate the aforementioned freezing steps. In case
of an accidental spill, food-grade glycol is also bio-degradable,
and thus will have only a limited impact on the surrounding ground
surface. Those of ordinary skill in the art, however, will
appreciate that many other fluid solutions, for example, chilled
air, heated air or hot steam, can be pumped through the support
post 50 in order to carry out the aforementioned freezing and
heating.
[0133] On heavily weighted platforms, individual support posts
often bear a heavy load. Since in some embodiments the support
posts are frozen into the surrounding ground surface using a
slurry, there can be a tendency for the underlying ice to either
shift or compact, thereby causing one or more of the posts to sink
more deeply into the ground and destabilize the rest of the
platform. In most cases, the sinking of a post is in proportion to
the load it bears, and will vary from post to post. While it is
anticipated that the incremental sinking of any individual post
will usually have a negligible impact on the stability of the
platform, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a
mechanical adjustment will sometimes be required to bolster the
structural support capacity of some sinking posts. According to the
invention, there are at least two different effective methods of
improving the support capacity of sinking posts.
[0134] According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 35, for example, a
platform and deck assembly 350 is supported by a support post 360,
wherein a jacking assembly 370 is disposed above a lift socket 365
located on a topmost portion of the support post 360. As seen in
the embodiment of FIG. 36, a hydraulic cylinder 375 is then
extended down from the jacking assembly 370 until contact with the
support post lifting socket 365 is established. According to some
embodiments, the engagement means provided to ensure a reliable
mechanical interface between cylinder head portion 380 and lifting
socket 365 is a slip-toothed sprocket assembly. In other
embodiments, the engagement means comprises a known fastener
assembly, for example, a nut and bolt assembly. Those of ordinary
skill in the art, however, will recognize that virtually any type
of engagement means could be used to hold the cylinder head 380 in
place against the support post receiving socket 365, so long as the
engagement means is sufficient to reliably facilitate the secure
attachment of cylinder head 380 to the top of the support post.
[0135] In further embodiments, hydraulic cylinder 375 is shaped
like a piston, and exerts a downward force against the head of the
support post so as to engage the two members via the fastening
means. According to still further embodiments, however, the
hydraulic cylinder member 375 is a telescoping cylinder, so that
successive, concentric portions of the cylinder are revealed as the
cylinder is extended to engage with the support post lifting socket
365, and the platform and deck assembly 350 are then lifted.
[0136] As seen in the example embodiment of FIG. 37, once the
platform and deck assembly 350 have been lifted off of the shoulder
of adjustable nut 368 by means of attached jacking assembly 370,
adjustable nut 368 is relieved of its weight load and can then be
height-adjusted without further disturbing the level or stability
of the surrounding platform. As seen in the example embodiment
shown in FIG. 38, after adjustable nut 368 has been re-adjusted to
a desired setting, platform and deck assembly 350 is set back down
onto a flanged receiving portion 369 of adjustable nut 368 by means
of hydraulic cylinder 375, and cylinder head 380 is unfastened or
otherwise withdrawn from support post lifting socket 365. As shown
in the example embodiment of FIG. 39, after the desired platform
height adjustment is completed, jacking assembly 370 can then be
removed from the vicinity of support post 360 and used elsewhere on
the platform if desired.
[0137] As shown in the example embodiment of FIG. 40, platform and
deck assembly 350 need not necessarily be lifted from above in
order to relieve the weight load disposed on the support post 360.
For example, jacking assembly 390 can also be installed underneath
the platform and deck assembly 350, and then used to lift the
platform off of the support post 360 by pushing a top surface of
the cylinder against a bottom surface of the platform and deck
assembly 350 and then driving the cylinder upward using the
cylinder's hydraulic system.
[0138] In instances where the hydraulic cylinder is piston shaped,
the stroke distance of the hydraulic cylinder effectively
determines the extent of support post height adjustment that can be
effected. However, in other embodiments, one or more cylinder
retaining pins can also be disposed in-between the jacking
assembly's telescopic cylinder members in order to provide a
standardized range of support post height adjustments. According to
a particular embodiment, for example, a plurality of retaining pins
is inserted through regularly spaced receiving holes formed in body
portions of the inner, middle and outer telescopic cylinder
members. As the cylinder progresses through a stroke cycle and
retaining pins are inserted into the receiving holes, a basic
height for the jack assembly is established at one of several
predetermined elevations.
[0139] According to a detailed example embodiment, a bottom jack
assembly is positioned adjacent to a side portion of a platform in
such a fashion that the jack's hydraulic cylinder traverses a first
portion of its stroke distance. A chain or other lifting means is
then wrapped around the raised cylinder head, and the pins are
removed from the cylinder's telescopic body sections. When the
cylinder is retracted, the telescopic sections are pulled back in
and the pins are reinserted. The cylinder is again extended, and
slack in the restraining chain is withdrawn, so that the height of
the cylinder head is raised; at that point, the cylinder head is
held in place by only the shortened restraining chain. The pins are
then pulled out of the receiving holes again, and the cylinder is
retracted. As before, the telescopic cylinder members are raised to
a higher position and then re-pinned, this process being repeated
until the cylinder head has been raised to its desired height using
only the hydraulic lift strength of the jack assembly. After the
height of hydraulic cylinder head is basically adjusted, the jack
assembly is slid into place under a desired portion of the
platform, and the cylinder head is again extended to permit final
adjustment of the height of the support posts.
[0140] According to the further embodiment of FIG. 41, an installed
support post 54 comprises a tube-like member 50 disposed through a
body portion of a platform section 52, wherein the support post 54
is inserted from below into a cylindrical interior space formed in
post tube 50. An adjustable nut 56 is disposed on a body portion of
support post 54 so as to engage a bottom surface 58 of platform
section 52. According to some embodiments, engagement between
adjustable nut 56 and platform bottom surface 58 further comprises
an insulating member 60. When the insulating member 60 is formed
from a poorly conductive material such as, for example, Delrin or
UHMW polyethelene, the insulating member serves to establish an
electrical ground between the steel adjusting nut 56 and the
aluminum platform section 52.
[0141] According to other aspects of the invention, a tapered
receiving member 62 disposed on an upper portion of adjustable nut
56 resides within tube member 50 after the support post is
installed. A first chocking assembly 70 is then lowered down into
the space formed between the tube member 50 and support post 54 so
as to engage both the tapered receiving member 62 and an inner wall
surface 78 of tube member 50. In the particular embodiment depicted
in FIG. 41, a lower wedge member 72 is disposed to engage the
adjustable nut 56 at a lower location, and to support an additional
tapered receiving section 74 disposed on a topmost portion of
chocking assembly 70. Likewise, an upper wedge 76 is disposed to
engage the topmost portion of tapered receiving section 74 and
inner wall surface 78 of tube member 50.
[0142] FIG. 42 is a top view of the support post head shown in FIG.
41. According to one example embodiment, several chocking
assemblies 70 are disposed around a perimeter region of support
post head 80 in order to hold the support post 54 securely in place
and lend additional stability and structural rigidity to the system
after installation is complete.
[0143] For example, disposition of multiple chocking members 70 and
74 provides a fixed side distance between the support post and an
interior surface of the platform section tube member, so that side
loads (e.g., forces being delivered to the sides of the platform,
such as strong winds) will be uniformly absorbed across an entire
cross-section of the support post portion installed within the tube
member. Since both top and bottom portions of the support post are
engaged with interior surfaces of the tube member, the support post
and tube member assembly is substantially fixed, and lends
additional structural rigidity to the platform system. If, on the
other hand, the support post is fixed at only the bottom of the
tube member, a pivot-like connection between the support post and
platform section results, and a high inertial moment established
near the ground surface reduces stability of the assembled platform
system. FIG. 43 is a perspective view of the support post head
shown in FIG. 41, wherein several of the design features described
above with respect to FIG. 42 are emphasized.
[0144] Turning now to other aspects of the invention, FIG. 44 is a
proposed platform floor plan in which the general arrangements of
storage buildings and other necessary structures are depicted. Care
must be given to the layout and grouping of platform structures so
that related equipment is strategically stored, safe and
comfortable housing is available for platform personnel, and to
ensure that the rig is in compliance with strict fire and safety
codes.
[0145] For example, according to specifications promulgated by the
American Petroleum Institute (e.g., the API 500 specifications), a
five-foot radius around the bell of any drilling rig is considered
a Division One explosion environment, and all electrical equipment
used in the area must be configured to accommodate the requirements
associated with a Class One Division One area. Most enclosed
structures that have a door opening out to a Division One
environment are considered Class One Division Two explosive
environments, environments that, under the API regulations, are
regulated nearly as restrictively as Class One Division One areas.
In practice, virtually all electrical equipment used on the rig,
including computers and telephones, must be reviewed for electrical
explosion potential in order to comply with the mentioned industry
regulations.
[0146] In the example embodiment of FIG. 44, a driller's doghouse
50 is disposed on one side of the drilling rig 52, and a company
man house 54 is disposed on an opposite side of the rig 52. Both
the driller's doghouse and the company man house have a picture
window 56 and 58, so that personnel can look onto the drilling
floor 60.
[0147] It would also be desirable for both the driller's doghouse
and the company man house to have a doorway that permits personnel
stationed in these offices to walk out onto the rig floor to
perform work or conduct discussions regarding rig activities;
however, the presence of a doorway between the rig floor and either
the driller's doghouse or the company man house would cause these
areas to be classified as Division Two areas, and since both the
drillers and the company men often have need for telephones and
portable computers and the like, most of which are not
explosion-proofed, it has in the past been the case that convenient
doors between the rig floor and the personnel stations are not
present.
[0148] As seen in the example embodiment of FIG. 45, in which a
building structure from the floor plan of FIG. 44 is isolated in
greater detail, rig floor access difficulties are overcome by
constructing a company man house 54 that is actually a combination
of a company man room 70 and a computer and communications room 72.
In a substantially central portion of the company man house 54, a
door 80 opens into a small hallway 82, rather than directly into
the company man room 70. According to one embodiment, the small
hallway 82 passes straight through the company man house 54 and is
fully opened to the environment on a side 84 opposite the door 80.
Since door 80 opens into a hallway 82 that is open to the
environment, hallway 82 becomes a non-classified area, and company
men can use the telephones and computers provided in computer room
72 without conflicting with the industry regulations.
[0149] Turning now to various storage structures that are useful in
a platform environment, for example, liquid storage platform
sections, an embodiment of the invention depicted in FIGS. 46 and
47 comprises a platform section 50 that has a deck section 52
installed on top of the platform. In some embodiments, support foam
54 disposed within deck section 52 provides a layer of insulation
at the top of the deck portion; in a presently preferred
embodiment, the layer of insulation is about six inches thick. A
plurality of six-inch insulation members 56 have also been added to
the ends, bottom, and both sides of the platform and deck sections,
effectively making the storage module a large thermal
container.
[0150] In some embodiments, the floor of thermal container 52
further comprises an electric heating element 60; lying on top of
the heating element is a balloon type tank or collapsible pillow
tank 62. In some embodiments, the balloon tank stores fresh water
that can later be processed into either potable water or water
suitable for use in showers and sinks. According to other
embodiments, balloon tank 62 is used to store other liquids, for
example, diesel fuel or well operation fluids. In further
embodiments, a pump 70 is used to draw fluid out of the bladder
tank prior to transfer of the fluid into other parts of the
platform structure. In still further embodiments, pump 70 is used
to draw liquids from other platform sections, and to pump the drawn
fluids into the bladder tank through appropriate process
connections 72, for example, a metal pipe or durable plastic
conduit connection.
[0151] Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that
there are usually a great many platform areas that are stacked high
with relatively heavy platform modules and drilling equipment.
However, there are also many other areas, for example, the deck
sections beneath the crane, which are lightly loaded. By using one
of the liquid storage bladder configurations, fluid loads can be
maintained in platform sections that functionally serve as open
deck spaces. The liquid storage bladders are also lighter than the
steel tank storage modules that are presently known, and thus the
total weight required to be supported is reduced according to the
invention.
[0152] Most liquids suitable for storage in the disclosed bladder
will tend to freeze at very low temperatures, for example, the very
low temperatures that would be expected in arctic drilling
environments. In the example embodiment of FIGS. 46 and 47,
problems associated with freezing fluids are overcome using one or
more electric heaters disposed along the bottom of the bladder
tank. According to further embodiments, however, one or more
additional heating strips is applied directly to the bottom of the
tank, or is instead applied to the bottom of an aluminum plate laid
on the bottom of the platform section so that the bladder tank is
disposed on top of the aluminum plate. The aluminum heating plates
provide superior temperature distribution, and generally will not
cause hot spots that can overheat a particular area of the bladder
like other known methods of tank heating. According to further
embodiments, hot air is circulated within the storage section to
prevent the stored fluid from freezing; in still other embodiments,
electric heaters are disposed within the fluid so that warm water
is continuously circulated through the storage tank.
[0153] FIG. 48 is a cross-sectional view of a wellhead cellar
according to one aspect of the invention, in which an outer portion
of the wellhead cellar is comprised of multiple layers, for
example, an inner skin and an outer skin, with two-part
polyurethane foam insulation disposed between the inner and outer
skins. In the bottom of the wellhead cellar, there are at least two
levels of seals provided to ensure the unit is as environmentally
secure as possible and that the ground surface is protected from
inadvertent spills. The disclosed wellhead cellar also permits the
entire drilling operation to be carried out without disturbing any
of the ground surface except for the production hole.
[0154] As seen in the example embodiment of FIG. 49, the wellhead
center cellar further comprises additional sets of casing and the
like suitable for use in additional wellbores. According to further
embodiments of the invention, the backup casings are also sealed
within the wellhead cellar to prevent leakage, and to maintain the
environmental integrity of the drilling operation. In a further
embodiment, a ladder or stairs provide access to personnel required
to move into and out of the wellhead cellar.
[0155] As seen in the example embodiment of FIG. 50, a wellhead
cellar sealing assembly engages an outermost stream of production
casing. The seals comprise an inner and outer skin, with
polyurethane foam disposed in-between. According to some
embodiments, each of the seals are energized using bolts attached
by known fasteners in order to provide a secure and reliable
sealing assembly for the protection of wellhead. Other means for
energizing the seals include introduction of low pressure air
feeds, for example, an air feed having about 2 PSI, so that the
seals are held fast after attachment by means of compressive
pressure or the use of a sealant such as foam.
[0156] FIG. 51 is a post hole in which a platform support post 50
is disposed according to further aspects of the invention. The
support post 50 has an adjustable nut 56 for making fine
adjustments to the level of the platform 52 disposed thereon, and a
fluid transfer means 58 that permits fluid to be pumped from the
platform down inside the body of the support post 52 for heating or
cooling operations. A lower end 60 of support post 50 is contoured
to permit pumped fluids to flow toward the bottom of the support
post for full, uniform heating of the support post. At the lower
end of the support post 50, a smaller diameter section 62 is for
engagement with an extension member.
[0157] As seen in the example embodiment of FIG. 52, an adaptor 70
useful for adding an extension onto the bottom of a support post is
provided. According to some embodiments, adaptor 70 has an internal
bore 72 sized to engage a smaller diameter section 62 of the bottom
of support post 50. According to certain embodiments, one or more
fastening bolts 74 are also provided; in a particular example
embodiment, the fastening bolts 74 are disposed at 90 degree
intervals around the circumference of the device, and engage and
lock onto the bottom of the support post 50. Disposed on a bottom
portion of the adapter 70 is an extension receiving member 76,
sized to engage a piece of extension pipe that is added to the
bottom of the adapter 70. FIG. 53 shows the adaptor 70 of FIG. 52,
with the mentioned extension pipe section 80 attached thereto.
According to one aspect of the invention, the extension member 80
is welded onto a bottom portion of the extension receiving member
76, though in other embodiments any known fastening means will
suffice so long as the connection between the extension member 80
and the extension receiving member 76 is secure and dependable. For
example, certain embodiments use shear pins or the like to secure
the extension member and the extension receiving member so that the
connection will break apart when a predefined amount of force is
applied.
[0158] As seen in the embodiment of FIG. 54, a bottom portion of
support post 50 has a lower end 60 sized so as to engage within an
interior surface of extension receiving member 72 (see FIG. 52). In
the embodiment of FIG. 55, the support post has an extension member
added, with the outer surface of lower end 60 being attached to the
extension receiving member 72 using a plurality of fastening bolts
74.
[0159] According to the further embodiment of FIG. 56, a post hole
100 is depicted in which a platform support post is disposed.
Extension member 84 has already been friction-locked to a bottom
end of the support post. After the support post is inserted into
the post hole, a slurry of water, sand and gravel is added to
freeze the support post in place. At this point, the support post
is ready for supporting the raised load for which it was
designed.
[0160] Referring now to the example embodiment of FIG. 57, the post
hole shown in FIG. 56 is depicted after removal of the support post
from the post hole. According to some embodiments, the support post
is heated using circulated warm fluid so as to unfreeze the post
from the surrounding ground formation. The plurality of bolts used
to fasten the extension member to the extension receiving member
are then removed or sheared, so that the support post can in turn
be removed from the adapter and extension member. According to one
embodiment, the adapter and extension member remain in the ground
afterward, buried well beneath the surface of the surrounding
ground formation. In some embodiments, the adapter and extension
member are left in the ground about fifteen to twenty feet beneath
the ground surface. In some embodiments, the adapter and extension
are forever abandoned, and the post hole is filled in or covered
over so that only minimal signs of the drilling operation are
imprinted on the surrounding ground surface. However, in other
embodiments, the adapter and extension member assembly are re-used
whenever production from the site is again desired, and thus the
post hole is not filled in or covered over. According to still
further embodiments, the adapter and extension member assembly are
abandoned, and the upper portion of the post hole is refilled with
a slurry of sand and ice. In still other embodiments, the post hole
is re-filled with a mixture of tundra and ice, and thus the former
drilling site cannot easily be discerned from the surrounding
tundra after operations have been completed and the platform has
been removed.
[0161] The foregoing specification is provided for illustrative
purposes only, and is not intended to describe all possible aspects
of the present invention. Moreover, while the invention has been
shown and described in detail with respect to several exemplary
embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate
that minor changes to the description, and various other
modifications, omissions and additions may also be made without
departing from either the spirit or scope thereof.
* * * * *