Modular drill system requiring limited field assembly and limited equipment support

• US 7,255,180 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Issued: 08/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Itrec BV (Ace Innovation Holding BV)
• Original Assignee: Itrec BV (Ace Innovation Holding BV), Drillmar, Inc.
• Inventors: Roodenburg, Joop, Beato, Christopher Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender; F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUCHANAN, CHRISTOPHER R
• Application Number:
  US11/119,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20050241823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 166378-380, 173/1, 173/28, 173/184, 173/186, 175 5- 10
• US Class Current: 175/5
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/00 Supports for the drilling machine, e.g. derricks or masts
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/02 Drilling rigs characterised by means for land transport with their own drive, e.g. skid mounting or wheel mounting

Abstract

A modular transfigurable drilling rig comprises one or more transfigurable containers with drilling equipment to form an operational drilling rig. The transfigurable containers include a first and second load bearing support and a load bearing bottom disposed between the first and second load bearing supports, thereby forming a space. The container includes drilling equipment rotatably attached to the load bearing supports or the load bearing bottom. The drilling equipment is disposed within the space. The drilling rig further includes one or more connectors adapted to engage at least two transfigurable containers together. The drilling rig further includes piping adapted to connect the drilling equipment together, cabling adapted to provide communication between the drilling equipment, and a power source connected to the drilling equipment, wherein the power source is adapted to provide power to the drilling equipment.

Claims

1. A modular transfigurable drilling rig comprising:

a. at least two transfigurable containers removable from a transport device selected from the group consisting of;

a first transfigurable container forming a substructure, a second transfigurable container forming a mast, a third transfigurable container forming a pipehandler, a fourth transfigurable container forming a mud pump container, and a fifth transfigurable container forming a drawworks, wherein the transfigurable containers are adapted to form an operational drilling rig, and wherein the transfigurable container comprises;

i. a load bearing structure comprising a first load bearing support, a second load bearing support, and a load bearing bottom, wherein the load bearing bottom is disposed between the first and the second load bearing supports, thereby forming a space; and

ii. drilling equipment connected to the load bearing structure,

iii. a connector adapted to engage at least two transfigurable containers;

b. piping adapted to connect the drilling equipment together;

c. cabling adapted to provide communication between the drilling equipment; and

d. a power source connected to the drilling equipment, wherein the power source is adapted to provide power to the drilling equipment.

2. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the drilling equipment is movable between a first position disposed within the space and a second position disposed outside the space.

3. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the transfigurable container further comprises a blow out preventer and a second transfigurable container comprises a mast substructure.

4. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 1, further comprising a crane, wherein the crane is mounted on top of a mast or derrick and is used to construct the modular transfigurable drilling rig.

5. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 4, wherein the crane is remotely controlled.

6. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 4, wherein the crane folds inside a second transfigurable container.

7. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the modular transfigurable drilling rig is configured for use as a land based oil drilling rig or natural gas drilling rig.

8. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the modular transfigurable drilling rig is configured for use on a semi-submersible, a tension leg platform, a jack up platform, a floating vessel, or combinations thereof.

9. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the modular transfigurable drilling rig is configured for use on a fixed oilfield offshore platform, wherein the fixed oilfield offshore platform is selected from the group consisting of a jacket, a production platform, a compliant tower platform, and a platform supported by a seabed.

10. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the connector is a load bearing device.

11. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 10, wherein the load bearing device is selected from the group consisting of a pin, a hydraulic clamp, a mechanical clamp, a threaded connector, a male and female receptacle, and combinations thereof.

12. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the connector is a non-load bearing device.

13. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 12, wherein the non-load bearing device is selected from the group consisting of a threaded connector, a plug, a hydraulic clamp, a mechanical clamp, a pin, a male and female receptacle, and combinations thereof.

14. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the modular transfigurable drilling rig is partially formed from transfigurable containers and other drilling equipment.

15. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the transfigurable container is a containerized straddle carrier adapted to fold inside a standard shipping container and to be transported as the standard shipping container.

16. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the modular transfigurable drilling rig is a transfigurable container.

17. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the modular transfigurable drilling rig comprises a footprint less than 1400 square meters.

18. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the modular transfigurable drilling rig comprises a rig-move time less than 30 hours.

19. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the drilling equipment comprises mud processing equipment, and wherein the mud processing equipment comprises a shaker and a mud storage tank.

20. The modular transfigurable drilling rig or claim 19, wherein the shaker is disposed inside the mud storage tank during transport and above the mud storage tank during use.

21. The modular transfigurable drilling rig of claim 1, wherein the transfigurable container further comprises a BOP, wherein the BOP is tested while inside the space.