Mobile offshore drilling unit, a method of using such a unit and a system comprising such a unit

• US 10,450,802 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2019
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Noble Drilling Corporation (Noble Finance Co.)
• Original Assignee: Maersk Drilling A/S
• Inventors: Kannegaard, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Fiorello, Benjamin F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Toledo-Duran, Edwin J
• Application Number:
  US16/267,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20190169936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 259 Days
• Field of Search: 405196, 405201, 405202, 405203, 405204, 405205, 405206, 405209, 175 5, 175 9, 175 73, 114265
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 17/0017 Means for protecting offshore constructions
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 17/0034 Maintenance, repair or inspection of offshore constructions
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 17/021 with relative movement between supporting construction and platform
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 11/02 Boring rams
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/02 specially adapted for underwater drilling E21B15/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/00 Cutting or destroying pipes, packers, plugs or wire lines, located in boreholes or wells, e.g. cutting of damaged pipes, of windows; Deforming of pipes in boreholes or wells; Reconditioning of well casings while in the ground
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/007 with a radially-retracting cutter rotating outside the pipe
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/12 specially adapted for underwater installations E21B29/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/124 with underwater tool drive prime mover, e.g. portable drilling rigs for use on underwater floors
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/128 from floating support with independent underwater anchored guide base

Abstract

An offshore well-processing system includes a mobile offshore drilling unit and a remote well-processing device configured to be positioned on an offshore platform different from the mobile offshore drilling unit, the mobile offshore drilling unit defining at least one well center and comprising at least one primary drill rig including at least one drill floor and at least one hoisting system for raising and lowering tubular equipment through the at least one well center from/into a well in the seafloor. The mobile offshore drilling unit and the remote well-processing device are configured to be operationally coupled to each other; and the mobile offshore drilling unit is configured to assist in performing concurrent well-processing tasks on respective wells, including the first well processing task performed by the remote well-processing device on a first well and a second well-processing task concurrently performed by the offshore well-processing system on a second well.

Claims

1. An offshore well-processing system for performing one or more well-processing tasks, the system comprising:

a mobile offshore drilling unit and a remote well-processing device configured to be mounted on an offshore platform separate from the mobile offshore drilling unit, the mobile offshore drilling unit defining at least one well centre and comprising at least one primary drill rig comprising at least one drill floor and at least one hoisting system for raising and lowering tubular equipment through the at least one well centre from/into a well in the seafloor; and

wherein the remote well-processing device is configured to perform at least a first of the one or more well-processing tasks when mounted on said offshore platform at a position displaced from the at least one well centre defined by the mobile offshore drilling unit; and

wherein the mobile offshore drilling unit and the remote well-processing device are configured to be operationally coupled to each other when the remote well-processing device is mounted on said offshore platform; and

wherein the mobile offshore drilling unit is configured to assist concurrently in two or more of the well-processing tasks performed concurrently on respective wells, including the first well processing task performed by the remote well-processing device on a first well and a second well-processing task concurrently performed by the offshore well-processing system on a second well.

2. The offshore well-processing system according to claim 1, wherein the offshore well-processing system includes the offshore platform.

3. The offshore well-processing system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile offshore drilling unit and the remote well-processing device are configured to be operationally coupled to each other so that the remote well-processing device utilizes one or more of the well-processing facilities of the mobile offshore drilling unit.

4. The offshore well-processing system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile offshore drilling unit and the remote well-processing device are configured to be operationally coupled to each other by respective flow lines, utility lines, or communications lines.

5. The offshore well-processing system according to claim 2, wherein the mobile offshore drilling unit and the remote well-processing device are configured to be operationally coupled to each other so that the remote well-processing device utilizes one or more of the well-processing facilities of the mobile offshore drilling unit.

6. The offshore well-processing system according to claim 2, wherein the mobile offshore drilling unit and the remote well-processing device are configured to be operationally coupled to each other by respective flow lines, utility lines, or communications lines.