Modular drilling machine and components thereof

• US 4,759,414 A
• Filed: 03/27/1987
• Issued: 07/26/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: W-N Apache Corporation
• Original Assignee: W-N Apache Corporation
• Inventors: Willis, Clyde A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Stephen J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MELIUS, TERRY L
• Application Number:
  US07/031,982
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 175/52, 175/85, 175/170, 175/203, 175/220, 166/77, 166/77.5, 166/85, 173/22, 173/23, 173/151
• US Class Current: 175/170
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/00 Supports for the drilling machine, e.g. derricks or masts

Abstract

A drilling machine includes a drilling substructure skid which defines two spaced parallel skid runners and a platform. The platform supports a draw works mounted on a draw works skid, and a pipe boom is mounted on a pipe boom skid sized to fit between the skid runners of the drilling substructure skid. The drilling substructure skid supports four legs which in turn support a drilling platform on which is mounted a lower mast section. The legs are pivotably mounted both at the platform and at the drilling substructure skid and a pair of platform cylinders are provided to raise and lower the drilling platform. A pair of rigid, fixed length struts extend diagonally between the platform and the substructure skid away from the platform such that the struts do not extend under the platform and obstruct access to the region under the platform. Preferably, the pipe boom skid mounts a pipe boom as well as a boom linkage, a motor, and a hydraulic pump adapted to power the pipe boom linkage. Preferably the substructure skid is formed in upper and lower skid portions, and leveling rams are provided to level the upper skid portion with respect to the lower skid portion. Mechanical position locks hold the upper skid in relative position over the lower skid.

Claims

1. In a modular earth drilling machine, the improvement comprising:

a first skid;

a pipe boom;

means for pivotably mounting the pipe boom to the first skid such that the pipe boom is movable between a raised position and a lowered position;

means, mounted on the first skid, for moving the pipe boom between the raised and the lowered positions;

means, mounted on the first skid, for powering the pipe boom moving means;

a second skid comprising a lower skid portion, an upper skid portion movably mounted with respect to the upper skid portion with respect to the lower skid portion such that the upper skid portion can be leveled after the lower skid portion has been located in place;

a drilling substructure pivotably mounted to the upper skid portion of the second skid such that the drilling substructure is movable between an upper position and a lower position, said drilling substructure defining a drill string axis when in the upper position;

means, mounted on the second skid, for moving the drilling substructure between the upper and lower positions;

a third skid;

a draw works mounted on the third skid, said draw works comprising a winch and means for driving the winch;

means for releasably securing the first skid fixedly in position with respect to the upper skid portion of the second skid such that the pipe boom is aligned properly with the drilling substructure to position a drilling tubular on the drill string axis when the pipe boom is in the raised position; and

means for releasably securing the third skid fixedly in position with respect to the upper skid portion of the second skid such that the winch is aligned properly with the drilling substructure;

said first, second, and third skids forming three separate modules adapted for separate transport and for ready assembly;

said upper skid portion of the second skid providing a rigid support for the first and third skids and the drilling substructure.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the means for moving the drilling substructure comprises a pair of hydraulic cylinders, each mounted between the drilling substructure and the upper skid portion of the second skid.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the first skid further comprises a second winch adapted to pull the first skid into position on the upper portion of the second skid.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein the drilling substructure comprises a platform and wherein the invention further comprises a pair of fixed length struts, each removably mounted to extend diagonally between the platform and the upper portion of the second skid to brace and hold the drilling substructure in the upper position, such that the struts never extend beneath the platform.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein the upper skid portion of the second skid defines a pair of spaced, parallel skid runners sized to receive the first skid therebetween, and wherein the drilling substructure comprises a drilling platform and four legs, each pivotably mounted at one end to the drilling platform and at the other end to a respective one of the skid runners such that two of the legs are mounted on each of the skid runners.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein the drilling substructure comprises a plurality of load bearing legs pivotably mounted to the upper skid portion of the second skid, and wherein the leveling means comprises:

a plurality of leveling rams, each mounted between the upper skid portion and the lower skid portion under a respective one of the load bearing legs, and each of said leveling rams comprising means for raising the upper skid portion with respect to the lower skid portion and means for mechanically locking the raising means in position; and

a plurality of position locks, each mounted between the upper skid portion and the lower skid portion between a respective end of the upper skid portion and the drilling substructure, each of said position locks comprising means for supporting the upper skid portion at an adjustable height with respect to the lower skid portion, and means for locking the upper skid portion at the adjustable height with respect to lower skid portion.

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein each of the raising means comprises a respective hydraulic cylinder interposed between the upper and lower skid portions.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein each of the mechanical locking means comprises a respective nut threadedly mounted to the respective hydraulic cylinder, and a respective load bearing element rigidly mounted to one of the skid portions to bear against the nut.

9. The invention of claim 8 wherein the supporting means of each of the position locks comprises a respective lock tube threadedly secured to one of the skid portions and a load seat secured to the other of the skid portions in alignment with the respective lock tube.

10. The invention of claim 9 wherein the locking means of each of the position locks comprises a respective threaded shaft which passes through the respective lock tube and a lock nut threadly engaged with the threaded shaft, said threaded shaft and lock nut engaging the load seat and the lock tube to prevent the lock tube from lifting off of the load seat.

11. The invention of claim 1 wherein the means for releasably securing the first skid in position comprises:

a plurality of tapered locating pin sockets mounted on one of the first skid and upper skid portion; and

a plurality of tapered locating pins mounted on the other of the first skid and upper skid portion to engage respective one of the sockets; and

at least one tie bolt mounted between the first skid and the upper skid portion to hold the pins in the respective sockets.

12. A substructure skid for an earth drilling machine, said substructure skid comprising:

a lower skid portion;

an upper skid portion movably mounted with respect to the lower skid portion;

means for leveling the upper skid portion after the lower skid portion has been located in place;

each of said skid portions comprising a respective pair of skid runners extending parallel to one another so as to leave a space therebetween with the skid runners of the upper skid portion positioned to overlie the skid runners of the lower skid portion;

a drilling substructure comprising a drilling substructure platform and four load bearing legs, each pivotably mounted at one end to the drilling substructure platform and at the other end to the upper skid portion such that at least a respective one of the legs is mounted on each of the skid runners of the upper skid portion, said drilling substructure platform movable between an upper position and a lower position;

means, coupled to the drilling substructure platform, for moving the drilling substructure platform between the upper and lower positions;

means extending between the upper skid portion and the drilling substructure for bracing and holding the drilling substructure platform in the upper position;

means for securing a draw works assembly to the substructure skid;

said skid runners comprising means for securing a pipe boom skid rigidly in position between the skid runners of the upper skid portion in order to align the pipe boom skid with the drilling substructure.

13. The improvement of claim 12 wherein said pipe boom skid securing means comprises:

means for drawing the pipe boom skid toward the drilling substructure; and

means for locking the pipe boom skid in position with respect to the upper skid portion in both horizontal and vertical directions; and

wherein the pipe boom skid comprises winch means for drawing the pipe boom skid into position between the skid runners.

14. The improvement of claim 13 wherein the locking means comprises a plurality of tapered locating pins mounted to one of the upper skid portion and the pipe boom skid and a plurality of locating pin sockets mounted to the other of the upper skid portion and the pipe boom skid to engage the locating pins.

15. The invention of claim 12 wherein the bracing means comprises a strut mountable to extend diagonally away from the drilling substructure platform such that no part of the strut extends under the drilling substructure platform.

16. The invention of claim 12 wherein the draw works assembly securing means comprises:

a draw works receiving area on the upper skid portion adjacent the drilling substructure opposite the arms, said draw works receiving area sized to receive a draw works skid; and

means for securing the draw works skid in place on the draw works receiving area adjacent the drilling substructure.

17. The invention of claim 12 wherein the leveling means comprises:

a plurality of leveling rams, each mounted between the upper skid portion and the lower skid portion under a respective one of the load bearing legs, and each of said leveling rams comprising means for raising the upper skid portion with respect to the lower skid portion and means for mechanically locking the raising means in position; and

a plurality of position locks, each mounted between the upper skid portion and the lower skid portion between a respective end of the upper skid portion and the drilling substructure, each of said position locks comprising means for supporting the upper skid portion at an adjustable height with respect to the lower skid portion, and means for locking the upper skid portion at the adjustable height with respect to lower skid portion.

18. The invention of claim 17 wherein each of the raising means comprises a respective hydraulic cylinder interposed between the upper and lower skid portions.

19. The invention of claim 18 wherein each of the mechanical locking means comprises a respective nut threadedly mounted to the respective hydraulic cylinder, and a respective load bearing element rigidly mounted to one of the skid portion to bear against the nut.

20. The invention of claim 19 wherein the supporting means of each of the position locks comprises a respective lock tube threadedly secured to one of the skid portions and a load seat secured to the other of the skid portions in alignment with the respective lock tube.

21. The invention of claim 20 wherein the locking means of each of the position locks comprises a respective threaded shaft which passes through the respective lock tube and a lock nut threadly engaged with the threaded shaft, said threadaed shaft and lock nut engaging the load seat and the lock tube to prevent the lock tube from lifting off of the load seat.

22. A modular pipe boom assembly for an earth drilling machine, comprising:

a pipe boom skid which comprises a pair of spaced boom supports at one end and a reaction support at an intermediate point;

a pipe boom pivotably mounted to the boom supports for rotation about a pivot axis;

at least one hydraulic cylinder coupled between the reaction support and the pipe boom for raising and lowering the pipe boom about the pivot axis;

a hydraulic pump mounted to the pipe boom skid and coupled to the hydraulic cylinder by a closed hydraulic fluid circuit;

means for securing the pipe boom skid rigidly in position adjacent to a drilling substructure to position the pipe boom properly in alignment with the drilling substructure; and

said skid, pipe boom, hydraulic cylinder and hydraulic pump forming a modular unit;

said modular unit transportable as a single module without any disconnection of the closed hydraulic fluid circuit.

23. The invention of claim 22 further comprising a winch mounted on the pipe boom skid to pull the pipe boom skid into position adjacent to the drilling substructure.