Land rig

• US 20090000218A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Varco I/P Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Varco I/P Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Douglas Wayne, McCoo, Marcus Sherwin
• Application Number:
  US11/823,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20090000218A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/123.100
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/00 Supports for the drilling machine, e.g. derricks or masts

Abstract

A land rig including a mast, a substructure beneath the mast, the substructure having a top part, movement apparatus connected to the substructure, the movement apparatus connected to the mast, the movement apparatus for moving the mast and for moving the top part of the substructure. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Claims

1. A land rig comprising

a mast,

a substructure beneath the mast, the substructure having a top part,

movement apparatus connected to the substructure, and connected to the mast,

the movement apparatus for moving the mast and for moving the top part of the substructure.

2. The land rig of claim 1 further comprising

the substructure including a top part and a base, the top part movably connected to the base,

the mast pivotably connected to the top part of the substructure.

3. The land rig of claim 1 further comprising

the movement apparatus comprising at least one winch apparatus including winch lines.

4. The land rig of claim 3 further comprising

movable line apparatus connected to the mast and movable up and down on a portion of the mast,

the movement apparatus including winch lines passing through the movable line apparatus.

5. The land rig of claim 4 further comprising

the movable line apparatus movable down toward the top part of the substructure and releasably connectible to the top part of the substructure.

6. The land rig of claim 5 further comprising

the substructure including a top part and a base, the top part connected to the base,

the movable line apparatus positionable at a point on the mast to facilitate erection of the mast by the movement apparatus, and

the movable line apparatus positionable adjacent the top part of the substructure, the movable line apparatus releasably connectible to the top part to facilitate raising of the top part with respect to the base.

7. The land rig of claim 2 further comprising

support structure connecting the top part to the base.

8. The land rig of claim 7 wherein the support structure includes a plurality of spaced-apart support members each support member with a first end pivotably connected to the top part and a second end pivotably connected to the base.

9. The land rig of claim 3 further comprising

the at least one winch apparatus comprising at least one A-frame structure and at least one winch and winch lines,

the at least one A-frame structure having an A-frame top with a top sheave apparatus for the winch lines, and

an A-frame movement device for moving the A-frame top up and down so that the winch lines are alternately positionable for movement of the mast and for movement of the top part of the substructure.

10. The land rig of claim 9 wherein the at least one A-frame structure is a plurality of spaced-apart A-frame structures.

11. The land rig of claim 9 wherein the at least one A-frame structure has a plurality of lockable telescoping legs.

12. The land rig of claim 3 wherein the at least one winch apparatus is a plurality of spaced-apart winch apparatuses each with associated winch lines.

13. The land rig of claim 3 further comprising

the substructure including a top part and a base, the top part having a top part center and movably connected to the base, and

the movement apparatus including lines connectible near the center of the top part.

14. The land rig of claim 4

the substructure including a top part and a base, the top part having a top part center and movably connected to the base, and

wherein the movable line apparatus is movable to a position near the center of the top part to facilitate raising of the top part with respect to the base.

15. The land rig of claim 1 wherein the substructure includes a drilling end and a second end spaced-apart from the drilling end,

the movement apparatus closer to the second end than to the drilling end.

16. The land rig of claim 4 wherein the winch lines can remain connected to the movable line apparatus during drilling by the land rig.

17. A land rig comprising

a mast,

a substructure beneath the mast, the substructure having a top part, the top part having a top part center,

movement apparatus connected to the substructure, and to the mast,

the movement apparatus for moving the mast and for moving the top part of the substructure,

the mast pivotably connected to the top part of the substructure,

the substructure including a base, the top part movably connected to the base,

the movement apparatus comprising at least one winch apparatus including winch lines,

movable line apparatus connected to the mast and movable up and down on a portion of the mast,

the movement apparatus including winch lines passing through the movable line apparatus,

the movable line apparatus movable down toward the top part of the substructure and releasably connectible to the top part of the substructure,

the movable line apparatus positionable at a point on the mast to facilitate erection of the mast by the movement apparatus,

the line apparatus positionable adjacent the top part of the substructure, the movable line apparatus releasably connectible to the top part to facilitate raising of the top part with respect to the base,

support structure connecting the top part to the base,

wherein the support structure includes a plurality of spaced-apart support members each support member with a first end pivotably connected to the top part and a second end pivotably connected to the base,

the at least one winch apparatus comprising at least one A-frame structure and at least one winch and winch lines,

the at least one A-frame structure having an A-frame top with a top sheave apparatus for the winch lines,

an A-frame movement device for moving the A-frame top up and down so that the winch lines are positionable for movement of the mast and for movement of the top part of the substructure,

wherein the at least one winch apparatus is a plurality of spaced-apart winch apparatuses each with associated winch lines,

wherein the substructure includes a drilling end and a second end spaced-apart from the drilling end,

the movement apparatus closer to the second end than to the drilling end, and

wherein the winch lines can remain connected to the movable line apparatus during drilling by the land rig.

18. A method for erecting a land rig, the land rig comprising a mast, a substructure beneath the mast, the substructure having a top part, movement apparatus connected to the substructure and to the mast, the movement apparatus for moving the mast and for moving the top part of the substructure, the method including

erecting the mast with the movement apparatus, and

raising the top part of the substructure with the movement apparatus.

19. The method of claim 18

wherein the mast is pivotably connected to the top part of the substructure, the substructure includes a top part and a base, the top part movably connected to the base, movable line apparatus connected to the mast and movable up and down on a portion of the mast, the movement apparatus including winch lines passing through the movable line apparatus, the movable line apparatus movable down toward the top part of the substructure and releasably connectible to the top part of the substructure, the movable line apparatus positionable at a point on the mast to facilitate erection of the mast by the movement apparatus, the line apparatus positionable adjacent the top part of the substructure, the movable line apparatus releasably connectible to the top part to facilitate raising of the top part with respect to the base, the movement apparatus including at least one winch apparatus including winch lines,

the method further including

erecting the mast using the at least one winch apparatus with winch lines passing through the movable line apparatus,

moving the movable line apparatus adjacent the top part of the substructure and releasably connecting the movable line apparatus to the top part of the substructure, and

raising the top part of the substructure with respect to the base.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the top part has a top part center and the movable line apparatus is connected to the top part near the top part center.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the substructure includes a drilling end and a second end spaced-apart from the drilling end, the movement apparatus closer to the second end than to the drilling end, and wherein the winch lines can remain connected to movable line apparatus during drilling by the land rig, the top part having a top part center, the method including

drilling with the land rig while the winch lines are connected to the movable line apparatus, the movable line apparatus connected to the top part near the top part center during drilling.