Drilling vessel provided with auxiliary tower or auxiliary mast

• US 6,361,262 B1
• Filed: 03/02/2000
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Itrec BV (Ace Innovation Holding BV)
• Original Assignee: Huisman Special Lifting Equipment B.V.
• Inventors: Roodenburg, Joop
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischetti, Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US09/486,766
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 414/22.51, 414/22.52, 414/22.54, 414/22.55, 414/22.56, 414/22.62, 414/22.61, 414/22.68, 414/22.63, 403/384, 403/388, 403/396, 403/391, 175/52, 175/85, 166/77.51
• US Class Current: 414/22.51
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/02 specially adapted for underwater drilling E21B15/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/143 specially adapted for underwater drilling

Abstract

The present invention relates to a drilling vessel with drilling tower or drilling mast for drilling in the earth'"'"'s surface from said vessel, for example for oil or gas. The drilling vessel according to the present invention is characterized by an auxiliary tower or mast placed next to the drilling tower or drilling mast, and a clamp carriage which is fixed so that it is movable between a first position near the drilling tower or drilling mast and a second position near the auxiliary tower or auxiliary mast, said clamp carriage having at least one gripping clamp for clamping the drill string. The presence of an auxiliary tower or auxiliary mast next to the drilling tower or drilling mast means that a substantial time gain can be achieved during the construction and dismantling of the drilling string.

Claims

1. Drilling vessel with a drilling mast (1) for drilling in the earth'"'"'s surface from said vessel by means of a drill string (20), comprising an auxiliary mast (2) next to the drilling mast (1), and a clamp carriage (8) which is movable in a guide (9) between a first position near the drilling mast (1) and a second position near the auxiliary mast (2), said clamp carriage (8) having at least two gripping clamps disposed at opposite sides of said clamp carriage (8), characterized in that the clamp carriage (8) comprises a top part (15), which is movable in the guide (9) and a clamp block (16) which is rotatably fixed on the top part (15) and is provided with said at least two gripping clamps, for clamping a first (10) and a second (20) drilling string, the positions whereof can be reversed by rotating the clamp block (16).

2. Drilling vessel according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary mast (2) is connected to the drilling mast (1) by means of a brace (3).

3. Drilling vessel according to claim 1 in which said vessel comprises means for supplying drilling string elements to and discharging them from the drilling mast, wherein said means for supplying and discharging the drill string elements comprise a gripping arm for passing over the drilling string elements and said means for supplying and discharging the drill string elements can be moved between a first position in which drill string elements can be supplied to the drilling mast (1) and to a second position wherein the drill string elements can be supplied to the auxiliary mast (2).

4. Drilling vessel according to claim 1, wherein the drilling mast (1) and the auxiliary mast (2) are attached to the drilling vessel by means of hinges (11, 12).

5. Drilling vessel according to claim 4, wherein the drilling mast (1) and the auxiliary mast (2) achieve various angular positions by means of cylinders.