Smart skidding system for land operations

• US 10,612,315 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2018
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Ghamdi, Ibrahim A., Sehsah, Ossama R., Alqurashi, Mahmoud Adnan
• Primary Examiner(s): Gay, Jennifer H
• Application Number:
  US15/892,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20190242195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• 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 7/02 Drilling rigs characterised by means for land transport with their own drive, e.g. skid mounting or wheel mounting
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 19/04 comprising a rack
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 17/02 Asynchronous induction motors

Abstract

A smart skidding system includes a transverse skidding platform comprising a plurality of first skidding rails for skidding the a rig floor of the drilling rig sideways, wherein the plurality of first skidding rails are parallel to each other, a longitudinal skidding platform comprising a plurality of second skidding rails for skidding the rig floor of the drilling rig forward and backward, the plurality of second skidding rails being perpendicular to the plurality of first skidding rails, and a skidder unit configured to skid the rig floor of the drilling rig along the transverse skidding platform or the longitudinal skidding platform, the skidder unit further comprising a gear box assembly having a gear structure configured to engage with the plurality of first skidding rails and the plurality of second skidding rails, and an AC motor configured to drive the skidder unit.

Claims

1. A skidding system for an on-shore drilling rig, the skidding system comprising:

a transverse skidding platform comprising a plurality of first skidding rails for skidding a rig floor of the drilling rig sideways, wherein the plurality of first skidding rails are parallel to each other;

a longitudinal skidding platform comprising a plurality of second skidding rails for skidding the rig floor of the drilling rig forward and backward, wherein the plurality of second skidding rails are parallel to each other, the plurality of second skidding rails being perpendicular to the plurality of first skidding rails; and

a skidder unit configured to skid the rig floor of the drilling rig along the transverse skidding platform or the longitudinal skidding platform, the skidder unit further comprising a gear box assembly having a gear structure configured to engage with the plurality of first skidding rails and the plurality of second skidding rails, and an AC motor configured to drive the skidder unit,

wherein the transverse skidding platform is separated by the longitudinal skidding platform by a vertical distance that is adjustable.

2. The skidding system of claim 1, wherein the skidding system is configured to be mounted on top of a rig substructure.

3. The skidding system of claim 1, wherein the transverse skidding platform is mounted above the longitudinal skidding platform.

4. The skidding system of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal skidding platform is mounted above the transverse skidding platform.

5. The skidding system of claim 1, wherein the AC motor comprises a 3 phase squirrel cage induction motor.

6. An on-shore batch drilling system comprising:

a rig mast attached to a rig floor; and

a skidding system attached to the rig floor, the skidding system comprising;

a transverse skidding platform comprising a plurality of first skidding rails for skidding the rig floor of the drilling rig sideways; and

a longitudinal skidding platform comprising a plurality of second skidding rails for skidding the rig floor of the drilling rig forward and backward, the plurality of second skidding rails being perpendicular to the plurality of first skidding rails,

wherein the transverse skidding platform is separated by the longitudinal skidding platform by a vertical distance that is adjustable.

7. The batch drilling system of claim 6, wherein the skidding system further comprises a skidder unit configured to skid the rig floor of the drilling rig along the transverse skidding platform or the longitudinal skidding platform, the skidder unit further comprising a gear box assembly having a gear structure configured to engage with the plurality of first skidding rails and the plurality of second skidding rails, and an AC motor configured to drive the skidder unit.

8. The batch drilling system of claim 6, wherein the skidding system is configured to be mounted on top of a rig substructure.

9. The batch drilling system of claim 7, wherein the AC motor comprises a 3 phase squirrel cage induction motor.

10. The batch drilling system of claim 6, wherein the transverse skidding platform is mounted above the longitudinal skidding platform.

11. The batch drilling system of claim 6, wherein the longitudinal skidding platform is mounted above the transverse skidding platform.

12. A method for drilling multiple on-shore wells using a single drilling rig, the method comprising:

attaching a rig floor to a skidding system, the skidding system comprising;

a transverse skidding platform comprising a plurality of first skidding rails for skidding the rig floor of the drilling rig sideways; and

a longitudinal skidding platform comprising a plurality of second skidding rails for skidding the rig floor of the drilling rig forward and backward, the plurality of second skidding rails being perpendicular to the plurality of first skidding rails; and

drilling multiple on-shore wells by skidding the rig floor of the drilling rig along the transverse skidding platform or the longitudinal skidding platform; and

adjusting a vertical distance between the transverse skidding platform and the longitudinal skidding platform.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

skidding the rig floor of the drilling rig along the transverse skidding platform or the longitudinal skidding platform using a skidder unit, the skidder unit further comprising a gear box assembly having a gear structure configured to engage with the plurality of first skidding rails and the plurality of second skidding rails, and an AC motor configured to drive the skidder unit.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing the skidder unit with a 3 phase squirrel cage induction motor.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

mounting the skidding system on top of a rig substructure.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

mounting the transverse skidding platform above the longitudinal skidding platform.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

mounting the longitudinal skidding platform above the transverse skidding platform.