Modular drilling rig substructure

• US 6,848,515 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2003
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Helmerich & Payne Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Helmerich & Payne Incorporated
• Inventors: Trevithick, Mark, Orr, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUKWURAH, NATHANIEL C
• Application Number:
  US10/422,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20040211572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 173/28, 173/32, 173/81, 173/34, 175/24, 175/52, 175/85, 211/70.4, 405/195.1, 405/203, 405/204, 405/205, 166/350, 166/359, 166/367
• US Class Current: 173/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/00 Supports for the drilling machine, e.g. derricks or masts

Abstract

A process to transport and assemble a drilling or workover rig substructure. The process includes the steps of transporting a driller side substructure section and an off driller side substructure section to a rig site so that the sections are spaced from and parallel to each other. A center substructure section is transported to the rig site. The center substructure section is moved into a space between the driller side and the off driller side sections. The center substructure section is thereafter connected to the driller side and to the off driller side subsections. A floor of the driller side substructure and a floor of the off driller side substructure are raised while both connected to the center substructure section from a transport position to a use position while maintaining the floors parallel to the bases.

Claims

1. A process to transport and assemble a drilling rig substructure, which process comprises:

transporting a driller side substructure section having a floor and a base and transporting an off driller side substructure section having a floor and a base to a rig site so that said sections are spaced from and parallel to each other;

transporting a center substructure section to said rig site;

moving said center substructure section into a space between said driller side section and said off driller side section;

connecting said center substructure section to said driller side and to said off driller side substructure section; and

raising a floor of said driller side substructure section and raising a floor of said off driller side substructure section while both connected to said center substructure section from a transport position to a use position while maintaining said floors parallel to said bases.

2. A process to transport and assemble a drilling rig substructure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of transporting a driller side substructure section and transporting an off driller side substructure section includes each said section having a skid so that each said section may be transported on a trailer.

3. A process to transport and assemble a drilling rig substructure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of raising said floors includes extending an hydraulic cylinder between each said floor and said base of each said section.

4. A process to transport and assemble a drilling rig substructure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of connecting said center substructure section includes pinning said center substructure section to said driller side section and pinning said center substructure section to said off driller side section.

5. A process to transport and assemble a drilling rig substructure as set forth in claim 1 wherein legs pivotally connect said bases to said floors without exposing the connecting pins to hook, rotary or setback live loads.

6. A process to transport and assemble a drilling rig substructure as set forth in claim 1 including the additional step of making structural, electrical and piping connections at ground level prior to raising said floors.

7. A process to transport and assemble a drilling rig substructure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of connecting said center substructure section includes forming an integrated containment and drainage system that facilitates zero discharge.

8. A process to transport and assemble a drilling rig substructure as set forth in claim 1 including eliminating any requirement of a crane or a gin pole to assemble or rig up and to disassemble or rig down the substructure.

9. A process to disassemble and transport a drilling rig substructure, which process comprises:

lowering a floor of a driller side substructure section and lowering a floor of an off driller side substructure section at a rig site while said sections are connected to a center subsection from a use position to a transport position while maintaining said floors parallel to a base of each said section;

disconnecting said center substructure section from said driller side section and from said off driller side subsection; and

moving said center substructure section from a space between said driller side section and said off driller side section.

10. A process to disassemble and transport a drilling rig substructure as set forth in claim 9 including moving said driller side substructure section, said off driller side substructure section and said center substructure section from said rig site on a skid for each said section.

11. A process to disassemble and transport a drilling rig substructure as set forth in claim 9 including the additional step of unmaking structural, electrical and piping connections after lowering said floor.

12. A modular drilling rig substructure, which comprises:

a driller side substructure section having a base, a floor and a plurality of legs extending between said base and said floor;

an off driller side substructure section having a base, a floor and a plurality of legs extending between said base and said floor; and

a center substructure section connectable to said floor of said driller side substructure section and said floor of said off driller side substructure section, wherein said center substructure section is raised, lowered and supported only by said driller side substructure section and said off driller side substructure section.

13. A modular drilling rig substructure as set forth in claim 12 wherein said floor of said driller side substructure has an extending shelf, said floor of said off driller side substructure has an extending shelf, and said center substructure section has a pair of opposed, protruding supports so that said supports of said center section will be received and rest on said shelves.

14. A modular drilling rig substructure as set forth in claim 12 wherein structural connections are made at ground level prior to raising said floors.

15. A modular drilling rig substructure as set forth in claim 12 wherein said base of said driller side substructure section includes a driller side skid and said base of said off driller side substructure includes an off driller side skid so that each said skid may be moved onto and off of a trailer for transportation.

16. A modular drilling rig substructure as set forth in claim 12 wherein said driller side substructure section, said off driller side substructure section and said center substructure section each have an integrated drain that interlock to form a containment and drainage system that facilitates zero discharge.

17. A modular drilling rig substructure as set forth in claim 12 wherein each said leg is pivotally connected to said base and pivotally connected to said floor without exposing the connecting pins to hook, rotary or setback live loads.

18. A modular drilling rig substructure as set forth in claim 12 wherein said driller side substructure section is pinned to said center substructure section and wherein said off driller side substructure section is pinned to said center substructure section.

19. A modular drilling rig substructure as set forth in claim 12 wherein said driller side substructure includes a hydraulic cylinder between said base and said floor to move said floor between a transport and a use position, and where said off driller side substructure includes a hydraulic cylinder between said base and said floor to move said floor between a transport and a use position.

20. A modular drilling rig substructure which comprises:

a driller side substructure section having a base and a floor parallel to said base;

an off driller side substructure section having a base and a floor parallel to said base;

a center substructure section connectable to said floors; and

means to move said floors while connected to said floors vertically between a storage position and a use position while maintaining said floors parallel to said bases.

21. A modular drilling rig substructure as set forth in claim 20 including drill floor equipment and handrails on said floors and center substructure section which remain in place during said movement of said floors vertically between said storage and use position.

22. Amodular drilling rig substructure as set forth in claim 20 wherein any requirement of a crane or a gin pole to assemble or rig up and to disassemble or rig down the substructure has been eliminated.

23. A process to transport and assemble a workover rig substructure, which process comprises:

transporting a driller side substructure section having a floor and a base and transporting an off driller side substructure section having a floor and a base to a rig site so that said sections are spaced from and parallel to each other;

transporting a center substructure section to said rig site;

moving said center substructure section into a space between said driller side section and said off driller side section;

connecting said center substructure section to said driller side and to said off driller side substructure section; and

raising a floor of said driller side substructure section and raising a floor of said off driller side substructure section while both connected to said center substructure section from a transport position to a use position while maintaining said floors parallel to said bases.

24. A process to transport and assemble a workover rig substructure as set forth in claim 23 wherein said step of transporting a driller side substructure section and transporting an off driller side substructure section includes each said section having a skid so that each said section may be transported on a trailer.

25. A process to transport and assemble a workover rig substructure as set forth in claim 23 wherein said step of raising said floors includes extending an hydraulic cylinder between each said floor and said base of each said section.

26. A process to transport and assemble a workover rig substructure as set forth in claim 23 wherein said step of connecting said center substructure section includes pinning said center substructure section to said driller side section and pinning said center substructure section to said off driller side section.

27. A process to transport and assemble a workover rig substructure as set forth in claim 23 wherein legs pivotally connect said bases to said floors without exposing the connecting pins to hook, rotary or setback live loads.

28. A process to transport and assemble a workover rig substructure as set forth in claim 23 including the additional step of making structural, electrical and piping connections at ground level prior to raising said floors.

29. A process to transport and assemble a workover rig substructure as set forth in claim 23 wherein said step of connecting said center substructure section includes forming an integrated containment and drainage system that facilitates zero discharge.

30. A process to transport and assemble a workover rig substructure as set forth in claim 23 including eliminating any requirement of a crane or a gin pole to assemble or rig up and to disassemble or rig down the substructure.

31. A process to disassemble and transport a workover rig substructure, which process comprises:

lowering a floor of a driller side substructure section and lowering a floor of an off driller side substructure section at a rig site while said sections are connected to a center subsection from a use position to a transport position while maintaining said floors parallel to a base of each said section;

disconnecting said center substructure section from said driller side section and from said off driller side subsection; and

moving said center substructure section from a space between said driller side section and said off driller side section.

32. A process to disassemble and transport a workover rig substructure as set forth in claim 31 including moving said driller side substructure section, said off driller side substructure section and said center substructure section from said rig site on a skid for each said section.

33. A process to disassemble and transport a workover rig substructure as set forth in claim 31 including the additional step of unmaking structural, electrical and piping connections after lowering said floor.

34. A modular workover rig substructure, which comprises:

a driller side substructure section having a base, a floor and a plurality of legs extending between said base and said floor;

an off driller side substructure section having a base, a floor and a plurality of legs extending between said base and said floor; and

a center substructure section connectable to said floor of said driller side substructure section and said floor of said off driller side substructure section, wherein said center substructure section is raised, lowered and supported only by said driller side substructure section and said off driller side substructure section.

35. A modular workover rig substructure as set forth in claim 34 wherein said floor of said driller side substructure has an extending shelf, said floor of said off driller side substructure has an extending shelf and said center substructure section has a pair of opposed, protruding supports so that said supports of said center section will be received and rest on said shelves.

36. A modular workover rig substructure as set forth in claim 34 wherein structural connections are made at ground level prior to raising said floors.

37. A modular workover rig substructure as set forth in claim 34 wherein said base of said driller side substructure section includes a driller side skid and said base of said off driller side substructure includes an off driller side skid so that each said skid may be moved onto and off of a trailer for transportation.

38. A modular workover rig substructure as set forth in claim 34 wherein said driller side substructure section, said off driller side substructure section and said center substructure section each have an integrated drain that interlock to form a containment and drainage system that facilitates zero discharge.

39. A modular workover rig substructure as set forth in claim 34 wherein each said leg is pivotally connected to said base and pivotally connected to said floor without exposing the connecting pins to hook, rotary or setback live loads.

40. A modular workover rig substructure as set forth in claim 34 wherein said driller side substructure section is pinned to said center substructure section and wherein said off driller side substructure section is pinned to said center substructure section.

41. A modular workover rig substructure as set forth in claim 34 wherein said driller side substructure includes a hydraulic cylinder between said base and said floor to move said floor between a transport and a use position, and where said off driller side substructure includes a hydraulic cylinder between said base and said floor to move said floor between a transport and a use position.

42. A modular workover rig substructure which comprises:

a driller side substructure section having a base and a floor parallel to said base;

an off driller side substructure section having a base and a floor parallel to said base;

a center substructure section connectable to said floors; and

means to move said floors while connected to said floors vertically between a storage position and a use position while maintaining said floors parallel to said bases.

43. A modular workover rig substructure as set forth in claim 42 including drill floor equipment and handrails on said floors and center substructure section which remain in place during said movement of said floors vertically between said storage and use position.

44. A modular workover rig substructure as set forth in claim 42 wherein any requirement of a crane or a gin pole to assemble or rig up and to disassemble or rig down the substructure has been eliminated.