RIG SUBSTRUCTURE AND METHOD OF MOVING THE SAME

• US 3,739,853 A
• Filed: 06/04/1971
• Issued: 06/19/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bill B. Wales
• Original Assignee: Bill B. Wales
• Inventors: Wales, Bill B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leppink, James A.
• Application Number:
  US05/149,994
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 166/79,75 52/116,646,645 173/28
• US Class Current: 166/377
• 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

Abstract

There is disclosed a substructure for a drilling or workover rig that is particularly adapted to be moved away from a Christmas tree in preparation for transport to a new location. A path of travel is selectively provided for the Christmas tree inside the confines of the substructure. When it is desired to move the substructure away from the tree, the path of travel is cleared and the substructure is forcibly moved while maintaining the Christmas tree within its path of travel.

Claims

1. A rig substructure comprising a floor having means intermediate the confines thereof defining a path of vertical tool movement into a bore hole;

means for supporting the floor above an underlying surface and defining a path of travel for a Christmas tree from the path of movement to the periphery of the substructure, the support means including spaced rows of generally vertical columns on opposite sides of the path of travel and generally horizontal beam means rigid with the column rows above the path of travel; and

pad means rigidly connected with the support means providing bearing contact with the underlying surface across and blocking the path of travel including means for unfastening the pad means from rigid connection with the support means for movement relative thereto for unblocking the path of travel.

2. The rig substructure of claim 1 wherein the last mentioned means includes means hingeably mounting the pad means relative to the support means.

3. The rig substructure of claim 2 wherein the hingeably mounting means comprises hinge means on one side of the path of travel supporting the pad means for movement from a first position parallel with the underlying surface and a second generally upright position out of the path of travel and means for releasably securing the pad means in the first and second positions.

4. The rig substructure of claim 1 wherein the last mentioned means includes means for disconnecting the pad means from the support means.

5. The rig substructure of claim 1 wherein the Christmas tree path of travel extends from a location intermediate the sides and ends of the substructure through a first end thereof.

6. The rig substructure of claim 5 further comprising a shale shaker attached to the first end of the substructure and extending into the Christmas tree path of travel and including means mounting the shale shaker for movement to a location out of the Christmas tree path of travel.

7. The rig substructure of claim 5 wherein the support means comprises means on opposite sides of the floor defining therebetween a path of travel of a blowout preventer from the location intermediate the sides and end of the substructure toward the second end of the substructure and further comprising a blowout preventer;

and means mounting the blowout preventer on the substructure between the column means for movement between the location intermediate the sides and ends of the substructure to a second location adjacent a second end of the substructure.

8. The rig substructure of claim 7 further comprising a choke manifold connected to the blowout preventer extending therefrom toward the first end of the rig substructure and wherein the length of the choke manifold is less than the distance between the second location and the location intermediate the sides and ends of the substructure.

9. The rig substructure of claim 7 further comprising strut means including means for rigidly connecting the strut means diagonally across and blocking the blowout preventer path of travel and for unfastening the strut means from rigid connection with the support means for unblocking the blowout preventer path of travel.

10. The rig substructure of claim 1 wherein the support means further comprises strut means including means for rigidly connecting the strut means diagonally across the substructure blocking the Christmas tree path of travel and for unfastening the strut means for rigid connection with the substructure for unblockinG the Christmas tree path of travel.

11. The rig substructure of claim 1 further comprising pipe supporting means for supporting the lower ends of pipe joints racked on the substructure comprising pipe support means, means mounting the pipe support means on one side of the substructure for movement between a first position generally parallel to the floor for supporting the pipe joints and a second position depending from the floor.

12. The rig substructure of claim 11 wherein the pipe supporting means comprises strut means extending from adjacent the underlying surface to the pipe support means and means for disconnecting the strut means from supporting engagement with the pipe support means.

13. The rig substructure of claim 12 wherein the strut means extend diagonally from adjacent the free end of the pipe support means to the support means adjacent the underlying surface.

14. The rig substructure of claim 12 wherein the strut means depend from adjacent the free end of the pipe support means and include pad means on the lower end thereof.

15. The rig substructure of claim 14 wherein the last mentioned pad means include means hingeably connecting the same to the support means.

16. A method of moving a rig from a well having a Christmas tree thereon, the rig being of the type having a drawworks units, a substructure including means intermediate the sides and ends thereof defining a path of tool movement into the well, and a catwalk, defining together an alignment axis, the method comprising moving the substructure, as a unit, in a direction transverse to the alignment axis.