Top drive well drilling apparatus

• US 4,421,179 A
• Filed: 01/23/1981
• Issued: 12/20/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Varco I/P Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Varco International Inc. (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Boyadjieff, George I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, James G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Adolphson, K. Bradford
• Application Number:
  US06/227,587
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 173/42, 173/43, 173/44, 173/39, 175/52, 175/85, 414/22
• US Class Current: 173/44
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/00 Supports for the drilling machine, e.g. derricks or masts
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/02 Rod or cable suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/14 Racks, ramps, troughs or bins, for holding the lengths of rod singly or connected; Handling between storage place and borehole E21B19/20, E21B19/22 take precedence

Abstract

Well drilling apparatus including a powered drilling unit connectable to the upper end of a drill string and adapted to rotate it to drill a well, and a vertically extending guide track structure which guides the drilling unit for movement along the axis of the well, with a portion of the guide track structure being mounted for swinging movement between a drilling position in which the drilling unit is aligned with the axis of the well and a slightly inclined position in which the track structure guides the drilling unit for movement along an inclined axis in alignment with a mousehole, and with the drilling unit also preferably being mounted for movement to a laterally retracted position at a side of the well in which it leaves an area along the axis of the well unobstructed for use of conventional hoisting equipment in making a `round trip` of the drill string out of and then back into the well.

Claims

1. Well drilling apparatus comprising:

a mast or derrick;

a drilling unit including an element adapted to be connected to the end of a drill string for rotation therewith about the axis of the string, and a motor operable to drive said element and the connected string rotatively about said axis;

a pair of elongated first guide rails;

a pair of shorter second guide rails forming lower extensions of said first rails;

a carriage by which said drilling unit is carried and engaging said rails for movement therealong between an upper position of guided engagement with said first rails and a lower position of guided engagement with said second rails;

pivotal connection means mounting said first rails near their upper ends for swinging movement of said first rails and said second rails and said carriage and carried drilling unit relative to said mast or derrick between drilling positions in which said carriage and drilling unit are guided by said first and second rails for movement along said axis of the drill string and inclined positions in which the first and second rails extend at an angle to said axis and guide the carriage and drilling unit for movement along an inclined path at an angle to the axis for access to a mousehole; and

a connection mounting at least one of said second rails to a corresponding one of said first rails for movement therewith between said drilling and inclined positions, and for swinging movement relative thereto with said carriage and drilling unit to move the drilling unit from an active position of alignment with said axis to a retracted position at a side of the axis.

2. Well drilling apparatus as recited in claim 1, including powered means for swinging said first and second rails together relative to said mast or derrick between said drilling positions and said inclined positions thereof.

3. Well drilling apparatus as recited in claim 2, including latch means for releasably retaining said first and second rails in said drilling positions.

4. Well drilling apparatus as recited in claim 1, including a pair of third rails carried by said derrick above said first and second rails and in alignment therewith when the first and second rails are in their drilling positions, and which remain stationary while the first and second rails swing to said inclined positions thereof.

5. Well drilling apparatus as recited in claim 4, including a second carriage engageable with said first and third rails at a location spaced above said first carriage and guided by the first and third rails for movement therealong, and a traveling block connected to said second carriage and located thereby and operable to suspend said drilling unit when it is in said active position and to suspend a drill string independently of the drilling unit when the latter is in its retracted position.

6. Well drilling apparatus as recited in claim 5, including means connecting said drilling unit to said first mentioned carriage for slight pivotal movement relative thereto about an essentially horizontal axis and to a slightly inclined position when said first carriage is in engagement with said third rails.

7. Apparatus for drilling a well along a predetermined axis by rotation of a drill string about said axis, comprising:

an upwardly projecting drill rig mast or derrick;

a drilling unit including an element adapted to be connected to the end of said drill string for rotation therewith about the axis of the string, and a motor operable to drive said element and the connected string rotatively about said axis;

an elongated first guide structure which in a predetermined drilling position extends essentially parallel to said axis and guides the drilling unit for movement along said axis;

means mounting said elongated first guide structure for swinging movement relative to said mast or derrick between said drilling position of extension essentially parallel to said axis and an inclined position in which the guide structure extends at an angle to said axis and guides the drilling unit for movement along an inclined path at an angle to the axis; and

an upper elongated guide structure above said first guide structure and which is essentially aligned with and forms a continuation of said first guide structure in said drilling position of the first guide structure to guide the drilling unit for movement along said axis upwardly beyond the first guide structure;

said upper guide structure being constructed to remain in a position of extension essentially parallel to said axis when said first guide structure swings relative to said mast or derrick to said inclined position.

8. Apparatus as recited in claim 7, including a carriage which is movable along said guide structures and carries said drilling unit, and means connecting said drilling unit to said carriage for slight pivotal movement relative thereto about an essentially horizontal axis to enable positioning of the drilling unit at a slight inclination when the carriage is in engagement with said upper guide structure.

9. Apparatus as recited in claim 7, including a carriage which is movable along said guide structures and carries said drilling unit, means connecting said drilling unit to said carriage for slight pivotal movement relative thereto about an essentially horizontal axis to enable positioning of the drilling unit at a slight inclination when the carriage is in engagement with said upper guide structure, and means yieldingly resisting said slight pivotal movement of said carriage to said inclined position when said carriage is in engagement with said upper guide structure.

10. Apparatus as recited in claim 7, including a carriage which is movable along said guide structures and carries said drilling unit, and means connecting said drilling unit to said carriage for slight pivotal movement relative thereto.

11. Apparatus for drilling a well along a predetermined axis by rotation of a drill string about said axis comprising:

an upwardly projecting drill rig mast or derrick;

a drilling unit including an element adapted to be connected to the end of said drill string for rotation therewith about the axis of the string, and a motor operable to drive said element and the connected string rotatively about said axis;

an elongated guide structure which in a predetermined drilling position extends essentially parallel to said axis and guides the drilling unit for movement along said axis; and

means mounting said elongated guide structure for swinging movement relative to said mast or derrick between said drilling position of extension essentially parallel to said axis and an inclined position in which the guide structure extends at an angle to said axis and guides the drilling unit for movement along an inclined path at an angle to the axis;

said elongated guide structure having aligned upper and lower sections which swing together relative to said mast or derrick between said drilling and inclined positions;

said drilling unit being movable downwardly along the guide structure from a position in which it is guided by said upper section of the guide structure to a position in which it is guided by said lower section;

there being means mounting at least a portion of said lower section of the guide structure for movement with said drilling unit relative to said upper section of the guide structure between an active position in which the drilling unit is aligned with said axis and a retracted position at a side of said axis.

12. Apparatus for drilling a well along a predetermined axis by rotation of a drill string about said axis, comprising:

an upwardly projecting drill rig mast or derrick;

a drilling unit including an element adapted to be connected to the end of said drill string for rotation therewith about the axis of the string, and a motor operable to drive said element and the connected string rotatively about said axis;

an elongated guide structure which in a predetermined drilling position extends essentially parallel to said axis and guides the drilling unit for movement along said axis;

means mounting said elongated guide structure for swinging movement relative to said mast or derrick between said drilling position of extension essentially parallel to said axis and an inclined position in which the guide structure extends at an angle to said axis and guides the drilling unit for movement along an inclined path at an angle to the axis;

a carriage by which said drilling unit is carried and which engages said guide structure for movement therealong with the drilling unit;

said guide structure having upper and lower sections;

said mounting means including pivotal connection means at an upper end of said upper section of the guide structure mounting said upper section for swinging movement of its lower end relative to said mast or derrick generally horizontally between said drilling and inclined positions;

there being means connecting said lower section of the guide structure to said upper section for swinging movement therewith and for movement of at least a portion of the lower section relative to the upper section between an active position of alignment with the upper section and a retracted position offset laterally with respect to the upper section;

said carriage and drilling unit being movable along the guide structure from an upper position of guided engagement with said upper section to a lower position in which the carriage engages said lower section of the guide structure and moves relative to the upper section with the drilling unit between said active and retracted positions.