Cantilevered tower for jack-up platform

• US 6,729,804 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2002
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Itrec BV (Ace Innovation Holding BV)
• Original Assignee: Itrec BV (Ace Innovation Holding BV)
• Inventors: Van Kuilenburg, Robert Frodo, Roodenburg, Joop, Van Duivendijk, Pieter Dirk Melis
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzuto, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAYO-PINNOCK, TARA LEIGH
• Application Number:
  US10/225,770
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 405/196, 405/197, 405/199, 405/201, 175/5, 175/7, 175/9
• US Class Current: 405/201
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/44 Floating buildings, stores, drilling platforms, or workshops, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices construction methods for floating offshore platforms B63B75/00

Abstract

A Jack Up drilling rig having a deck capable of being used offshore made of a cantilever which is mounted so as to be moveable in a first direction and a second direction, a Multi Purpose Tower fixably mounted on the cantilever, a supporting cart disposed between the cantilever and the deck of the Jack Up drilling rig, and at least four friction reducing devices, wherein the Jack-Up drilling rig is also used in methods for installing and decommissioning drilling equipment on a sub-sea well.

Claims

1. A system capable of being used offshore comprising:

a. a Jack-up drilling rig having a deck;

b. a cantilever which is mounted so as to be moveable in a first direction and a second direction for offshore use;

c. a multi purpose tower fixably attached to the cantilever;

d. a supporting cart disposed between the cantilever and the deck of the Jack Up drilling rig;

e. at least four friction reducing devices secured to the supporting cart.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the supporting cart further comprises at least two cylinders mounted thereto for moving the cantilever over the Jack Up drilling rig.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said cylinders are hydraulic.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the friction reducing devices are attached to the supporting cart for taking up at least a part of the frictional forces between the cantilever, Jack Up rig and supporting cart.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said drilling rig further comprises at least one drill mud pump disposed on the cantilever or below deck in the Jack-Up.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said drilling rig further comprises at least a blowout preventer (BOP), a shaker, and a centrifuge.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the construction of said cantilever and said Multi Purpose tower has mainly an L-shape.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said Multi Purpose Tower comprises a mast, on the top side provided with cable blocks fixedly connected to it;

a trolley, which is movably fixed on the mast, and on the bottom side is provided with a gripper;

a hoisting cable attached a winch, the hoisting cable being guided over the cable blocks of both the mast and the trolley, and it being possible to move the trolley relative to the mast with the aid of the hoisting cable.

9. A system capable of being used offshore comprising:

a. a Jack-up drilling rig having a deck;

b. a cantilever which is mounted so as to be moveable in a first direction and a second direction for offshore use;

c. a multi purpose tower fixably attached to the cantilever;

d. a supporting cart disposed between the cantilever and the deck of the Jack Up drilling rig;

e. at least four friction reducing devices secured to the supporting cart;

wherein said friction reducing devices are plates comprising a material different from said cantilever and said Jack Up rig.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the plates comprise an aluminum bronze alloy.

11. A system capable of being used offshore comprising:

a. a Jack-up drilling rig having a deck;

b. a cantilever which is mounted so as to be moveable in a first direction and a second direction for offshore use;

c. a multi purpose tower fixably attached to the cantilever;

d. a supporting cart disposed between the cantilever and the deck of the Jack Up drilling rig;

e. at least four friction reducing devices secured to the supporting cart;

wherein said friction reducing devices are hydrostatic bearings.

12. A system capable of being used offshore comprising:

a. a Jack-up drilling rig having a deck;

b. a cantilever which is mounted so as to be moveable in a first direction and a second direction for offshore use;

c. a multi purpose tower fixably attached to the cantilever;

d. a supporting cart disposed between the cantilever and the deck of the Jack Up drilling rig;

e. at least four friction reducing devices secured to the supporting cart;

wherein said friction reducing devices are a combination of plates comprising a material different from said cantilever and said Jack Up rig and hydrostatic bearings.

13. A system capable of being used offshore comprising:

a. a Jack-up drilling rig having a deck;

b. a cantilever which is mounted so as to be moveable in a first direction and a second direction for offshore use;

c. a multi purpose tower fixably attached to the cantilever, wherein said Multi Purpose tower is non-removably secured to the cantilever;

d. a supporting cart disposed between the cantilever and the deck of the Jack Up drilling rig;

e. at least four friction reducing devices secured to the supporting cart.

14. A method for installing drilling equipment on a sub-sea well and drilling the well comprising:

a. placing a Jack-Up platform having a deck with drilling equipment and a cantilever with a multi purpose tower near a well fixedly attached on the cantilever;

b. orienting the cantilever above the wellhead, using a translational movement by using a supporting cart between the cantilever and the deck;

c. picking up drill equipment from the Jack-Up platform using a multi purpose tower wherein said tower comprises a mast, on the top side provided with cable blocks fixedly connected to it;

a trolley, which is movably fixed on the mast, and on the bottom side is provided with a gripper;

a hoisting cable attached a winch, the hoisting cable being guided over the cable blocks of both the mast and the trolley, and it being possible to move the trolley relative to the mast with the aid of the hoisting cable;

d. placing the drilling equipment on the sub-sea well

e. connecting the equipment to the sub-sea well; and

f. drilling the well.

15. A method for decommissioning a well comprising:

a. placing a Jack-Up platform having a deck with drilling equipment and a cantilever and a multi purpose tower near a well fixedly attached on the cantilever;

b. orienting the cantilever above the wellhead, using translational movement by using a supporting cart between the cantilever and the deck;

c. disconnecting the drilling equipment from the well;

d. picking up the drilling equipment using a multi purpose tower wherein said tower comprises a mast, on the top side provided with cable blocks fixedly connected to it;

a trolley, which is movably fixed on the mast, and on the bottom side is provided with a gripper;

a hoisting cable attached a winch, the hoisting cable being guided over the cable blocks of both the mast and the trolley, and it being possible to move the trolley relative to the mast with the aid of the hoisting cable; and

e. placing drilling equipment on the Jack-Up platform.