Self-elevating drilling unit

• US 6,491,477 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2001
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keppel Offshore & Marine USA, Inc. (Keppel Corporation Limited)
• Original Assignee: Bennett & Associates
• Inventors: Bennett, William T. Jr., Roper, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzuto, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAYO-PINNOCK, TARA LEIGH
• Application Number:
  US09/844,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20020159840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 405/196, 405/201-206, 405/209, 175/5, 175/9, 52/73, 114/265
• US Class Current: 405/201
• 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: E21B 15/003 adapted to be moved on their substructure, e.g. with skidding means; adapted to drill a plurality of wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/02 specially adapted for underwater drilling E21B15/04 takes precedence

Abstract

A self-elevating drilling unit has dual cantilever assemblies that move longitudinally and transversely in relation to the jack-up platform to allow drilling operation to be performed from two drilling floors. The twin cantilever assemblies permit simultaneous drilling on an 8 feet×8 feet spacing. The cantilever assemblies are retained attached to the platform by a hold down beam that extends over and across the cantilever assemblies. The hold down beam is positioned in a stationary manner on the platform deck. A movable strut that engages the underside of the hold down beam moves along the beam to counteract upward bending forces acting on the beam when the cantilever assemblies are extended from the platform. The cantilever assemblies are made of tubular truss work and can be moved to an infinite number of horizontal positions.

Claims

1. A self-elevating drilling unit for offshore operations, comprising:

a jack-up platform having a deck structure and a central axis extending from front to aft of the platform;

a pair of cantilever assemblies supported by the platform, each of said cantilever assemblies independently movable in a first direction substantially parallel to the central axis of the platform and a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction; and

a means for securing said cantilever assemblies on the platform, said securing means extending above said cantilever assemblies, said securing means engaging the deck structure of said platform.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cantilever assemblies are capable of supporting simultaneous drilling operations performed independently from each cantilever assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said cantilever assemblies is configured to support drilling of wells in high pressure and high temperature environment.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cantilever assemblies are movable to support drilling operations on an 8 feet×

8 feet spacing.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said cantilever assemblies is made of tubular trusses to decrease loads acting on the cantilever assemblies and the platform when the cantilever assemblies are extended away from the platform.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said cantilever assemblies is supported by and slides upon lower roller assemblies adapted for longitudinal and transverse travel.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said lower roller assemblies comprise longitudinal lower roller assemblies and lower transverse roller assemblies.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of said lower roller assemblies comprises a roller frame and a retaining plate, said retaining plate retaining said roller assembly under a corresponding cantilever assembly.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said roller assemblies rest on a deck of the platform.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said securing means comprises a hold down beam extending above said cantilever assemblies in a transverse relationship to the cantilever assemblies.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising upper longitudinal roller assemblies and upper transverse roller assemblies to facilitate movement of said cantilever assemblies in relation to said hold down beam.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein upper longitudinal and upper transverse roller assemblies are positioned between a top surface of said cantilever assemblies and said hold down beam to allow sliding movement of said cantilever assemblies in relation to said hold down beam.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a movable strut positioned in a sliding relation to said hold down beam, said strut reducing upward bending forces acting on said hold down beam when said cantilever assemblies are extended.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising strut roller assemblies positioned between a bottom of said hold down beam and said strut to allow movement of said strut along said hold down beam.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a retainer bracket for engaging a lower end of said strut, said retainer bracket being fixedly attached to a deck of the platform, said retainer bracket guiding said strut in the movement below said hold down beam.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cantilever assemblies are moveable to an infinite number of adjustable horizontal positions within limits of travel in relation to the jack-up platform.

17. A self-elevating drilling unit for offshore operations, comprising:

a jack-up platform having a central axis extending from front to aft of the platform;

a pair of cantilever assemblies supported by the platform, each of said cantilever assemblies independently movable in a first direction substantially parallel to the central axis of the platform and a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction; and

a means for securing said cantilever assemblies on the platform, said securing means extending above said cantilever assemblies, said securing means being fixedly connected to said platform and comprising a hold down beam having an inverted U-shape configuration, opposite legs of said hold down beam being fixedly attached to a deck of said platform.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said cantilever assemblies are capable of supporting simultaneous drilling operations performed independently from each cantilever assembly on an 8 feet×

8 feet spacing.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each of said cantilever assemblies is supported by and slides upon lower roller assemblies adapted for longitudinal and transverse travel, said lower roller assemblies comprising longitudinal lower roller assemblies and transverse lower roller assemblies.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising upper longitudinal roller assemblies and upper transverse roller assemblies to facilitate movement of said cantilever assemblies in relation to said hold down beam, said upper longitudinal and upper transverse roller assemblies being mounted between a top surface of said cantilever assemblies and said hold down beam to allow sliding movement of said cantilever assemblies in relation to said hold down beam.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a movable strut positioned in a sliding relation to said hold down beam, said strut reducing upward bending forces acting on said hold down beam when said cantilever assemblies are extended.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising strut roller assemblies positioned between a bottom of said hold down beam and said strut to allow movement of said strut along said hold down beam.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a retainer bracket for engaging a lower end of said strut, said retainer bracket being fixedly attached to a deck of the platform, said retainer bracket guiding said strut in the movement below said hold down beam.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein movement of said cantilever assemblies is infinitely adjustable within a horizontal plane within limits of travel of said cantilever assemblies in relation to the jack-up platform.

25. A self-elevating drilling unit for conducting offshore operations, while utilizing well heads of an existing stationary platform, comprising:

a jack-up platform having a deck structure and positionable adjacent the existing stationary platform;

a pair of cantilever assemblies supported by the jack-up platform, each of said cantilever assemblies independently movable in a first direction longitudinally toward and away from the jack-up platform over the well heads of the stationary platform and a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction; and

a means for securing said cantilever assemblies on the jack-up platform, said securing means extending above said cantilever assemblies, said securing means engaging the deck structure of the jack-up platform.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said securing means is fixedly connected to said platform and comprises a hold down beam having an inverted U-shape configuration, opposite legs of said hold down beam being fixedly attached to a deck of said jack-up platform.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising upper longitudinal roller assemblies and upper transverse roller assemblies to facilitate movement of said cantilever assemblies in relation to said hold down beam, said upper longitudinal and upper transverse roller assemblies being mounted between a top surface of said cantilever assemblies and said hold down beam to allow sliding movement of said cantilever assemblies in relation to said hold down beam.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a movable strut positioned in a sliding relation to said hold down beam, said strut reducing upward bending forces acting on said hold down beam when said cantilever assemblies are extended.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising strut roller assemblies positioned between a bottom of said hold down beam and said strut to allow movement of said strut along said hold down beam.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a retainer bracket for engaging a lower end of said movable strut, said retainer bracket being fixedly attached to a deck of the platform, said retainer bracket guiding said movable strut in the movement below said hold down beam.

31. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein each of said cantilever assemblies is supported by and slides upon lower roller assemblies adapted for longitudinal and transverse travel, said lower roller assemblies comprising longitudinal lower roller assemblies and transverse lower roller assemblies.