Modular offshore drilling unit and method for construction of same

• US 6,048,135 A
• Filed: 10/10/1997
• Issued: 04/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ENSCO International Incorporated (Valaris Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ENSCO International Incorporated (Valaris Ltd.)
• Inventors: Williford, Frank B., Baucke, Thomas C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lillis, Eileen Dunn
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAGMAN, FREDERICK LYNDON
• Application Number:
  US08/947,488
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 114/65 R, 114/77 R, 114/264, 114/265, 114/266, 114/267, 405/195.1, 405/196, 405/197, 405/198, 405/199, 405/200, 405/203, 405/204, 405/205, 405/208, 405/211
• US Class Current: 405/196
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 3/08 with detachably-connected sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/4413 Floating drilling platforms, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 75/00 Building or assembling floating offshore structures, e.g. semi-submersible platforms, SPAR platforms or wind turbine platforms
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 17/021 with relative movement between supporting construction and platform
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 2017/006 with lattice style supporting legs
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 2017/0082 Spudcans, skirts or extended feet

Abstract

A mobile offshore drilling unit includes a hull member having an opening of predetermined size for receiving a separately fabricated, interchangeable, rig block, which further includes a draw works, a drilling floor, a diesel driver, an electric generator, a derrick, and at least one each of a mud pump, mud tank, a fuel tank, and a drilling water tank. The method of constructing such a unit includes constructing the hull member at a marine shipyard and fabricating the interchangeable rig block at a remote location. The rig block is constructed with the main deck having a drilling floor and mounting a draw works thereon; constructing a machinery deck with a diesel driver, an electric generator, and at least one mud pump; and constructing a tank deck with at least one each of a fuel tank and a water tank.

Claims

1. A mobile offshore drilling unit including:

at least one hull member have an opening of predetermined size for receiving a separately fabricated non-buoyant interchangeable rig block;

a separately fabricated non-buoyant interchangeable rig block sized to be received in said opening, said block including;

a draw works,

a drilling floor, and

a diesel/electric power system; and

means for connecting the hull member to the rig block.

2. The mobile offshore drilling unit of claim 1 wherein the rig block further includes:

a main deck including;

the draw works,

the drilling floor, and

a plurality of pipe racks.

3. The mobile offshore drilling unit of claim 1 wherein the rig block further includes:

a machinery deck including;

the diesel/electric power system,

at least one mud pump, and

at least one mud tank.

4. The mobile offshore drilling unit of claim 1 wherein the rig block further includes:

a tank deck including;

at least one fuel tank, and

at least one drilling water tank.

5. The mobile offshore drilling unit of claim 1 wherein the mobile offshore drilling unit is a jack-up rig and the hull member further includes:

at least three movable legs; and

a jacking means for raising and lowering said legs.

6. The mobile offshore drilling unit of claim 1 wherein the mobile offshore drilling unit is a semi-submersible rig including:

a pair of lower hulls;

at least four stability columns wherein two columns are affixed at a lower end to each of the lower hulls;

an upper hull including the opening for receiving the rig block, said upper hull mounted on an upper end of the stability columns.

7. The mobile offshore drilling unit of claim 1 wherein the mobile offshore drilling unit is a swamp barge rig wherein the hull is a generally rectangular member having a generally flat bottom and fixed upstanding opposing side walls, wherein at least two opposing sidewalls are generally vertical and at least one other side wall includes a portion of the side wall sloping outwardly from the bottom, said swamp barge rig floats when the rig is being moved from one location to another and said hull is at least partially submerged and rests on an inland marsh or inland lake bottom when the rig is in a drilling mode.

8. The mobile offshore drilling unit of claim 1 wherein the mobile offshore drilling unit is a lake barge rig wherein the hull is a generally rectangular member which floats when the rig is being moved from one location to another and said hull floats in the drilling mode.

9. The mobile offshore drilling unit of claim 1 wherein the rig block further includes:

a derrick sized for at least a 20,000 foot deep well.

10. The mobile offshore drilling unit of claim 1 wherein the rig block further includes:

a derrick sized for at least a 30,000 foot deep well.

11. A mobile offshore drilling unit including:

at least one hull member have an opening of predetermined size for receiving a separately fabricated non-buoyant interchangeable rig block; and

a separately fabricated non-buoyant interchangeable rig block sized to be received in said opening, said block including;

a main deck including;

the draw works,

the drilling floor, and

a plurality of pipe racks;

a machinery deck including;

the diesel/electric power system,

at least one mud pump, and

at least one mud tank; and

a tank deck including;

at least one fuel tank, and

at least one drilling water tank.

12. The mobile offshore drilling unit of claim 11 wherein the rig block further includes:

a derrick sized for at least a 20,000 foot deep well.

13. The mobile offshore drilling unit of claim 11 wherein the rig block further includes:

a derrick sized for at least a 30,000 foot deep well.

14. The mobile offshore drilling unit of claim 11 wherein the mobile offshore drilling unit is a semi-submersible rig including:

a pair of lower hulls;

at least four stability columns wherein two columns are affixed at a lower end to each of the lower hulls;

an upper hull including the opening for receiving the rig block, said upper hull mounted on an upper end of the stability columns.

15. The mobile offshore drilling unit of claim 11 wherein the mobile offshore drilling unit is a swamp barge rig wherein the hull is a generally rectangular member having a generally flat bottom and fixed upstanding opposing side walls, wherein at least two opposing sidewalls are generally vertical and at least one other side wall includes a portion of the side wall sloping outwardly from the bottom, said swamp barge rig floats when the rig is being moved from one location to another and said hull is at least partially submerged and rests on an inland marsh or inland lake bottom when the rig is in a drilling mode.

16. The mobile offshore drilling unit of claim 11 wherein the mobile offshore drilling unit is a lake barge rig wherein the hull is a generally rectangular member which floats when the rig is being moved from one location to another and said hull floats in the drilling mode.

17. A method of constructing a mobile offshore drilling unit including:

constructing at a marine shipyard a hull member having an opening of predetermined size for receiving a separately fabricated a non-buoyant interchangeable rig block;

separately assembling a non-buoyant interchangeable rig block sized to be received in said opening of the hull member, said step of assembling including;

constructing a main deck having a drilling floor, and mounting a draw works thereon, and

constructing a machinery deck and installing at least one diesel driver, an electric generator, and at least one mud pump thereon; and

installing the non-buoyant interchangeable rig block in the opening of the hull member and fixably connecting the rig block to the hull member.

18. The method of constructing a mobile offshore drilling unit of claim 17 wherein the step of separately assembling the interchangeable rig block further includes:

constructing a tank deck in said rig block and installing at least one fuel tank and at least one drilling water tank thereon.

19. A method of constructing a mobile offshore drilling unit including:

removing a first non-buoyant interchangeable rig block received in an opening of a separately assembled hull member;

replacing the first non-buoyant interchangeable rig block with a second non-buoyant interchangeable rig block including;

a main deck having a drilling floor, and a draw works thereon, and

a machinery deck having at least one diesel driver, an electric generator, and at least one mud pump thereon; and

installing the second non-buoyant rig block in the opening of the hull member and fixably connecting the second non-buoyant rig block to the hull member.