Method and device for drilling for oil or gas

• US 5,647,443 A
• Filed: 07/19/1995
• Issued: 07/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Heerema Engineering Services B V
• Original Assignee: Heerema Group Services B.V.
• Inventors: Broeder, Rene
• Primary Examiner(s): Neuder, William P.
• Application Number:
  US08/504,352
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 175/5, 175/7, 175/85, 175/52, 414/22.51, 414/22.63, 414/22.68, 166/380, 166/382, 166/377, 166/359, 166/364, 166/350, 166/365, 166/367, 405/195.1, 405/201, 405/203
• US Class Current: 175/5
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/002 specially adapted for underwater drilling E21B19/09, E21B19/143 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/143 specially adapted for underwater drilling

Abstract

In a method and device for drilling for oil or gas in an underwater bed by means of a drilling rig with a drilling derrick disposed on a floating drilling platform or on an underwater bed, prior to the placing of a casing string, the placing of a riser string or the drilling of a hole, one or more parts of the casing string, the riser string or the drill string are pre-assembled on the drilling rig at one or more pre-assembly points which are in a position which is different from the position of the drilling derrick.

Claims

1. A method for drilling for oil or gas in an underwater bed by means of a drilling rig disposed on a floating drilling platform or on the underwater bed and having at least one drilling derrick, the method comprising the following steps:

a. assembling a drill string and drilling a borehole in the underwater bed with the drill string by means of the drilling derrick;

b. removing the drill string from the borehole;

c. assembling and placing a casing string in the borehole;

d. repeating steps a., b. and c. at least once for boreholes and casing strings of ever decreasing diameter;

e. assembling a riser string, and placing a riser string after placing of one of the casing strings;

the method further comprising the step of, prior to the placing of a casing string, the placing of a riser string or the drilling of a hole, pre-assembling one or more parts of the casing string, the riser string or the drill string on the drilling rig at one or more pre-assembly points which are in a position which is different from the position of the at least one drilling derrick; and

conveying to the drilling derrick each part of the casing string, riser string or drill string from the pre-assembly points to means for assembling the casing string, riser string or drill string and placing the casing string in the borehole, placing the riser string in the borehole or drilling a borehole.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein, prior to the placing of a casing string or a riser string, a certain number of the pipes from which the above are assembled are interconnected at a pre-assembly point to form a sub-assembly, and subsequently when the casing string or the riser string is being placed the sub-assembly is connected to one or more other pre-assembled sub-assemblies or pipes of a casing string or riser string.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein a bottom-hole assembly is pre-assembled at a pre-assembly point prior to the drilling of a hole, and the bottom-hole assembly is subsequently connected to pipes of the drill string for drilling of the hole.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein sub-assemblies for a casing string are pre-assembled during the drilling of a borehole.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein sub-assemblies for a casing string are pre-assembled during the placing of a riser string on the borehole.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein sub-assemblies for a riser string are pre-assembled during the drilling of a borehole.

7. A method according to claim 2, wherein sub-assemblies for a riser string are pre-assembled during the placing of a casing string in the borehole.

8. A method according to claim 3, wherein the bottom-hole assembly for a drill string is pre-assembled during the placing of a casing string or a riser string.

9. A method according to claim 2, wherein a sub-assembly for a casing string comprises at least 3 and at most 10 casing pipes.

10. A method according to claim 2, 6 or 7, wherein a sub-assembly for a riser string comprises at least 3 and at most so many riser pipes that the length of the sub-assembly is 90% or more of the desired final length of the riser string.

11. A method according to claim 2, wherein the sub-assemblies for a casing string or a riser string are pre-assembled in vertical orientation at the pre-assembly point.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the sub-assemblies for a casing string or a riser string are stored in vertical orientation after pre-assembling and prior to assembling and placing of the casing string or the riser string.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the sub-assemblies are supported in their lengthwise direction at least at two places in a rack.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein for the temporary removal of a riser string which has been installed it is divided into sub-assemblies, each consisting of a number of riser pipes, which sub-assemblies are tilted to a horizontal orientation for the storage thereof on the drilling rig.

15. A drilling rig for drilling for oil or gas in an underwater bed, disposed on a floating drilling platform or on the underwater bed, comprising;

at least one drilling derrick;

means on the drilling derrick for assembling a drill string and drilling a borehole in the bed;

means for assembling and placing a casing string in the borehole; and

means for assembling and placing a riser string on the borehole;

the drilling rig further comprising;

one or more pre-assembly installations which are situated in a place which is different from that of the at least one drilling derrick, for the pre-assembly of one or more parts of a casing, riser or drill string; and

conveyor means for conveying to the drilling derrick each part of a casing, riser or drill string from each pre-assembly installation to the means for assembling the casing, riser or drill string and placing the casing string in the borehole, placing the riser string on the borehole or drilling a borehole.

16. A drilling rig according to claim 15, comprising:

one or more sub-assembly pre-assembly installations for interconnecting a certain number of casing pipes or riser pipes to form a sub-assembly;

sub-assembly storage means for storing the sub-assembly; and

means for connecting the sub-assembly to one or more other pre-assembled sub-assemblies or pipes of a casing string or riser string, and placing of the casing string in the borehole or placing the riser string on the borehole.

17. A drilling rig according to claim 15, comprising:

a pre-assembly installation for pre-assembling a bottom-hole assembly of a drill string; and

means for connecting the bottom-hole assembly to pipes of the drill string.

18. A drilling rig according to claim 16, wherein the sub-assembly storage means comprise one or more racks disposed at a side of the drilling rig, in which racks the sub-assemblies can be fixed in vertical orientation and at least at two different places.

19. A drilling rig according to claim 18, wherein the rack comprises two sets of arms situated above one another, the bottom set of arms being movable in the vertical direction relative to the top set of arms.

20. A drilling rig according to claim 15, wherein the conveyor means consist of a hoisting crane.

21. A drilling rig according to claim 15, wherein the conveyor means consist of a conveyor which is movable along guide rails and is provided with means for fixing a part of a casing, riser or drill string.

22. A drilling rig according to claim 16, wherein the means for connecting a sub-assembly to one or more other pre-assembled sub-assemblies or pipes of a casing string or riser string comprise a supporting structure disposed at a side of the at least one drilling derrick, the latter being movable sideways for placing of the supporting structure above an auxiliary working floor, which auxiliary working floor is provided with casing pipe and/or riser pipe connection means.

23. A drilling rig according to claim 22, wherein the supporting structure comprises a number of V-shaped supports each extending in a horizontal plane above one another, the two legs of which face away from the at least one drilling derrick, for the purpose of supporting a sub-assembly at different levels at two sides.

24. A drilling rig according to claim 16, wherein a support which can tilt from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation and vice versa is provided for tilting and storing casing and/or riser sub-assemblies.