DRILLING VESSEL AND A METHOD MAKING USE OF SAID DRILLING VESSEL
First Claim
1. A drilling vessel for drilling in the earth'"'"'s surface from said vessel, comprising:
- a hull with a moonpool extending through the hull;
a first firing line extending substantially vertically through the moonpool;
a second firing line extending substantially vertically through the moonpool remote from the first firing line;
a suspension carriage, the suspension carriage being moveable in a substantially horizontal carriage direction,a first suspension device provided on the suspension carriage to hold a string of drilling tubulars suspended in the sea; and
a second suspension device provided on the suspension carriage to hold a string of drilling tubulars suspended in the sea,wherein the first suspension device is fixed to the suspension carriage to provide a stationary suspension position relative to the suspension carriage,wherein the second suspension device is moveable relative to the suspension carriage in at least a horizontal direction perpendicular to the carriage direction between a first position relative to the suspension carriage and a second position relative to the suspension carriage,wherein both the first suspension device and the second suspension device, when in the first position, are moveable along a path by movement of the suspension carriage in the carriage direction,wherein the path starts at a retracted position, in which the suspension carriage, first suspension device and second suspension device do not interfere with normal drilling and building operations in the first and second firing line, and subsequently intersects the first firing line and the second firing line respectively,wherein in the first position of the second suspension device relative to the suspension carriage, the second suspension device is able to approach and engage with a string of drilling tubulars in the first or second firing line starting from the retracted position, andwherein in the second position of the second suspension device relative to the suspension carriage, the first suspension device is able to approach and engage with a string of drilling tubulars in the first or second firing line starting from the retracted position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a drilling vessel for drilling in the earth'"'"'s surface, comprising a dual firing line and a suspension carriage to move strings of drilling tubulars between the two firing lines, wherein the suspension carriage is provided with a stationary first suspension device and a moveable second suspension device, so that the second suspension device only requires a relatively small sideways motion in order to pass a string of drilling tubulars present in a firing line and to allow the first suspension device to approach and engage said string of drilling tubulars. The invention further relates to a method for replacing a string of drilling tubulars for another string of drilling tubulars in which use is made of a drilling vessel according to the invention.
2 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A drilling vessel for drilling in the earth'"'"'s surface from said vessel, comprising:
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a hull with a moonpool extending through the hull; a first firing line extending substantially vertically through the moonpool; a second firing line extending substantially vertically through the moonpool remote from the first firing line; a suspension carriage, the suspension carriage being moveable in a substantially horizontal carriage direction, a first suspension device provided on the suspension carriage to hold a string of drilling tubulars suspended in the sea; and a second suspension device provided on the suspension carriage to hold a string of drilling tubulars suspended in the sea, wherein the first suspension device is fixed to the suspension carriage to provide a stationary suspension position relative to the suspension carriage, wherein the second suspension device is moveable relative to the suspension carriage in at least a horizontal direction perpendicular to the carriage direction between a first position relative to the suspension carriage and a second position relative to the suspension carriage, wherein both the first suspension device and the second suspension device, when in the first position, are moveable along a path by movement of the suspension carriage in the carriage direction, wherein the path starts at a retracted position, in which the suspension carriage, first suspension device and second suspension device do not interfere with normal drilling and building operations in the first and second firing line, and subsequently intersects the first firing line and the second firing line respectively, wherein in the first position of the second suspension device relative to the suspension carriage, the second suspension device is able to approach and engage with a string of drilling tubulars in the first or second firing line starting from the retracted position, and wherein in the second position of the second suspension device relative to the suspension carriage, the first suspension device is able to approach and engage with a string of drilling tubulars in the first or second firing line starting from the retracted position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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14. A drilling vessel for drilling in the earth'"'"'s surface from said vessel comprising:
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a hull with a moonpool extending through the hull; a first firing line extending substantially vertically through the moonpool; a second firing line extending substantially vertically through the moonpool remote from the first firing line; a suspension carriage, the suspension carriage being moveable in a substantially horizontal carriage direction between the first and second firing line; a first suspension device provided on the suspension carriage to hold a string of drilling tubulars suspended in the sea; and a second suspension device provided on the suspension carriage to hold a string of drilling tubulars suspended in the sea, wherein each of the first and second suspension devices is moveable relative to the suspension carriage in at least a direction perpendicular to the horizontal traveling direction of the suspension carriage between a first position, in which the first and second suspension devices are able to approach and engage with a string of drilling tubulars in the first or second firing line, and a second position, in which the first and second suspension devices are not able to approach and engage with a string of drilling tubulars in the first or second firing line, and wherein each of the first and second suspension devices has an associated driving device, so that the first and second suspension device can be moved between the first and second position by the respective driving device independent of each other.
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Specification