Slingshot side saddle substructure

• US 10,407,938 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2018
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nabors Drillling Technologies USA, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nabors Drillling Technologies USA, Inc.
• Inventors: Reddy, Padira, Gupta, Ashish
• Primary Examiner(s): Demuren, Babajide A
• Application Number:
  US15/977,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20180258665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/345 Arrangements for tilting up whole structures or sections thereof E04H12/347 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/00 Supports for the drilling machine, e.g. derricks or masts
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/003 adapted to be moved on their substructure, e.g. with skidding means; adapted to drill a plurality of wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/063 by separating components

Abstract

The drilling rig includes a first substructure and a second substructure. The second substructure is positioned generally parallel to and spaced apart from the first substructure and generally the same height as the first substructure. The drilling rig further includes a drill floor coupled to the first and second substructures, where the drill floor positioned substantially at the top of the first and second substructures.

Claims

1. A slingshot land-based drilling rig comprising:

a first substructure having a long axis;

a second substructure having a long axis, the long axis of the second substructure generally parallel to the long axis of the first substructure;

a drill rig floor coupled to the first and second substructures, the drill rig floor including a V-door, the V-door perpendicular to the long axis of the first sub structure;

a mast, the mast mechanically coupled to one or more of the first substructure, the second substructure, and the drill rig floor; and

a mast hydraulic cylinder mechanically coupled to one of the first substructure, the second substructure, or the drill rig floor and mechanically coupled to the mast;

wherein the first elongated substructure and second elongated substructure are adapted to be traveled through a wellsite when coupled to the drill rig floor and assembled and set up for drilling, the mast coupled to the first substructure, the second substructure or the drill rig floor.

2. The land-based drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the first and second substructures comprise:

a lower box, the lower box of the first substructure and the lower box of the second substructure positioned generally parallel and spaced apart from each other; and

at least one strut, the at least one strut pivotably coupling the drill rig floor to the lower box, the at least one strut hingedly coupled to the drill rig floor and the lower box;

wherein the drill rig floor is immovable with respect to the first and second substructures when the land-based drilling rig is assembled and set up for drilling.

3. The land-based drilling rig of claim 2, wherein the at least one strut is coupled to the lower box and drill rig floor to form a bar linkage.

4. The land-based drilling rig of claim 2, wherein the land-based drilling rig further comprises a raising hydraulic cylinder, the raising hydraulic cylinder mounted on the lower box and the drill rig floor.

5. The land-based drilling rig of claim 1 further comprising one or more hydraulic walkers, the hydraulic walkers positioned at a lower end of one or both of the first and second substructures.

6. The land-based drilling rig of claim 1 further comprising equipment positioned on the land-based drilling rig, wherein the equipment comprises tanks, mud process equipment, choke manifold, accumulator mud gas separator, process tank, trip tank, drill line spooler, VFD, drillers cabin, or a combination thereof.

7. The land-based drilling rig of claim 6, wherein piping or tubing connections between or from tanks, mud processing equipment, choke manifold, accumulator or a combination thereof remain connected while moving the land-based drilling rig.

8. The land-based drilling rig of claim 6, wherein the choke manifold is positioned on the drill rig floor.

10. The land-based drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the drill rig floor is fixedly coupled to the first and second substructures wherein the drill rig floor is immovable with respect to the first and second substructures when the land-based drilling rig is assembled and set up for drilling.

11. The land-based drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the land-based drilling rig is a box-on-box rig.

12. The land-based drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the land-based drilling rig comprises only two substructures.

13. The land-based drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the mast has a V-door side and wherein the V-door side of the mast is perpendicular to a long axis of the first sub structure.

9. The land-based drilling rig of 1, wherein an accumulator is positioned on the drill rig floor.

14. A method comprising:

transporting a slingshot land-based drilling rig to a well field and positioning the land-based drilling rig, wherein the land-based drilling rig comprises;

a first substructure having a long axis;

a second substructure having a long axis, the long axis of the second substructure generally parallel to the long axis of the first substructure;

a drill rig floor coupled to the first and second substructures, the drill rig floor including a V-door, the V-door perpendicular to the long axis of the first substructure, the drill rig floor having a V-door side on which the V-door is located;

a mast, the mast mechanically coupled to one or more of the first substructure, the second substructure, and the drill rig floor, the mast having an open side, the open side facing the V-door side; and

a mast hydraulic cylinder mechanically coupled to one of the first substructure, the second substructure, or the drill rig floor and mechanically coupled to the mast;

positioning the mast in a horizontal position;

raising the mast from a horizontal to a vertical position; and

traveling the first elongated substructure and second elongated substructure through a wellsite, wherein the first elongated substructure and second elongated substructure are traveled through a wellsite when coupled to the drill rig floor, and assembled and set up for drilling, the mast coupled to the first substructure, and the second substructure or the drill rig floor.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first and second substructures comprise:

a lower box, the lower box of the first substructure and the lower box of the second substructure positioned generally parallel and spaced apart from each other; and

at least one strut, the at least one strut pivotably coupling the drill rig floor to the lower box, the at least one strut hingedly coupled to the drill rig floor and the lower box;

wherein the drill rig floor is immovable with respect to the first and second substructures when the land-based drilling rig is assembled and set up for drilling.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

raising the drill rig floor from a lowered position to an upright position while maintaining the drill rig floor parallel to the lower boxes.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of raising the drill rig floor from a lowered position to a vertical position is performed with the drill rig floor maintained in a horizontal position.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising after the step of raising the drill rig floor:

coupling one or more diagonals between the drill rig floor and the lower boxes.

19. A slingshot land-based drilling rig comprising:

a first substructure;

a second substructure, the second substructure being positioned generally parallel to the first substructure, a space between the first and second substructures having a long axis;

a drill rig floor coupled to the first and second substructures, the drill rig floor including a V-door, the V-door perpendicular to the long axis of the space between the first and second substructures;

a mast, the mast mechanically coupled to one or more of the first substructure, the second substructure, and the drill rig floor; and

a mast hydraulic cylinder mechanically coupled to one of the first substructure, the second substructure, or the drill rig floor and mechanically coupled to the mast

wherein the first elongated substructure and second elongated substructure are adapted to be traveled through a wellsite when coupled to the drill rig floor, the mast coupled to the first substructure, the second substructure or the drill rig floor and the mast hydraulic cylinder mechanically coupled to the first substructure, the second substructure or the drill floor.

20. The land-based drilling rig of claim 19, wherein the first and second substructures comprise:

a lower box, the lower box of the first substructure and the lower box of the second substructure positioned generally parallel and spaced apart from each other; and

at least one strut, the at least one strut pivotably coupling the drill rig floor to the lower box, the at least one strut hingedly coupled to the drill rig floor and the lower box;

wherein the drill rig floor is immovable with respect to the first and second substructures when the land-based drilling rig is assembled and set up for drilling.

21. The land-based drilling rig of claim 20, wherein the at least one strut is coupled to the lower box and drill rig floor to form a bar linkage.

22. The land-based drilling rig of claim 20, wherein the land-based drilling rig further comprises a raising hydraulic cylinder, the raising hydraulic cylinder mounted on the lower box and the drill rig floor.

23. The land-based drilling rig of claim 19, wherein the drill rig floor is fixedly coupled to the first and second substructures wherein the drill rig floor is immovable with respect to the first and second substructures when the land-based drilling rig is assembled and set up for drilling.

24. The land-based drilling rig of claim 19, wherein the land-based drilling rig is a box-on-box rig.

25. A slingshot land-based drilling rig comprising:

a first substructure having a long axis;

a second substructure having a long axis, the long axis of the second substructure generally parallel to the long axis of the first substructure;

a drill rig floor coupled to the first and second substructures, the drill rig floor including a V-door, the V-door perpendicular to the long axis of the first substructure, the drill rig floor having a V-door side on which the V-door is located;

a mast, the mast mechanically coupled to one or more of the first substructure, the second substructure, and the drill rig floor, the mast having an open side, the open side facing the V-door side; and

a mast hydraulic cylinder mechanically coupled to the drill rig floor and mechanically coupled to the mast.

26. The land-based drilling rig of claim 25, wherein the first and second substructures comprise:

a lower box, the lower box of the first substructure and the lower box of the second substructure positioned generally parallel and spaced apart from each other; and

at least one strut, the at least one strut pivotably coupling the drill rig floor to the lower box, the at least one strut hingedly coupled to the drill rig floor and the lower box;

wherein the drill rig floor is immovable with respect to the first and second substructures when the land-based drilling rig is assembled and set up for drilling.

27. The land-based drilling rig of claim 26, wherein the land-based drilling rig further comprises a raising hydraulic cylinder, the raising hydraulic cylinder mounted on the lower box and the drill rig floor.

28. The land-based drilling rig of claim 25, wherein the drill rig floor is fixedly coupled to the first and second substructures wherein the drill rig floor is immovable with respect to the first and second substructures when the land-based drilling rig is assembled and set up for drilling.

29. The land-based drilling rig of claim 25, wherein the land-based drilling rig is a box-on-box rig.