Drilling rig structure installation and methods

• US 8,250,816 B2
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Donnally, Robert Benjamin, Ren, Chunqiao, McCurdy, Stuart Arthur Lyall, Sheng, Hui Chun, Yu, Yan, Chen, He Hui, Liui, Xi Lin
• Primary Examiner(s): A, Phi D.
• Application Number:
  US12/074,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20090218138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,642 Days
• Field of Search: 521/231, 521/11, 521/17, 521/18, 521/20, 52/40, 521/19, 527/451.7, 527/451.8, 173/1, 173/28, 173/24, 173/85, 173/184
• US Class Current: 52/123.1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/00 Supports for the drilling machine, e.g. derricks or masts
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/023 the mast being foldable or telescopically retractable

Abstract

A method for installing rig structure (e.g. cabin, house, a doghouse) on a drilling rig, the method including: connecting support apparatus to a substructure of a drilling rig, supporting a drilling floor; moving a movement apparatus supporting a rig structure to position it adjacent the support apparatus, by moving movement apparatus on ground adjacent the substructure, moving the support apparatus into a connecting orientation with respect to the structure; connecting raising apparatus to the structure, the raising apparatus connected to the support apparatus; raising the structure up to the drill floor with the raising apparatus; and securing the structure to the support apparatus. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b).

Claims

1. A method for installing a rig structure on a drilling rig, the method comprising

positioning a rig structure on a movement apparatus adjacent a support apparatus, the support apparatus being movably connected to a substructure of a drilling rig, the substructure supporting a drilling floor, said positioning effected by moving the movement apparatus on ground adjacent the substructure,

moving the support apparatus into a connecting orientation with respect to the rig structure, the support apparatus having raising apparatus connected thereto,

connecting the raising apparatus to the rig structure, and

raising the rig structure with the raising apparatus, wherein the rig structure is substantially maintained in an operating orientation while being raised.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the rig structure is one of a house, a doghouse, a cabin, a driller cabin, and an electrical control house.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising

raising the rig structure up to the drilling floor and

securing the rig structure to the support apparatus.

4. The method of claim 1

wherein the support apparatus includes dual opposed support arms, each arm being pivotably connected to a corresponding base connected to the drilling floor, the method further comprising

positioning each of the dual opposed support arms at an angle relative to its respective base to facilitate positioning of the rig structure adjacent the drilling floor.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising

moving the dual opposed support arms toward the rig structure for connection thereto, and

connecting the dual opposed support arms to the rig structure.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising

aligning the rig structure with respect to the support apparatus, and

with the raising apparatus, raising the rig structure above the movement apparatus.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising

removing the movement apparatus away from the drilling rig.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising

raising, with the substructure, the drilling floor with the rig structure thereon.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the rig structure is a skid-mounted rig structure, and wherein raising the skid-mounted rig structure comprises raising the skid-mounted rig structure so that a floor of the skid-mounted rig structure is substantially flush with the drilling floor.

9. A method for installing a rig structure on a drilling rig, the method comprising

positioning a rig structure on a movement apparatus adjacent a support apparatus, the support apparatus being movably connected to a substructure of a drilling rig, the substructure supporting a drilling floor, said positioning effected by moving the movement apparatus on ground adjacent the substructure,

moving the support apparatus into a connecting orientation with respect to the rig structure, the support apparatus having raising apparatus connected thereto, connecting the raising apparatus to the rig structure,

raising the rig structure with the raising apparatus up to the drilling floor while substantially maintaining said rig structure in an operating orientation,

wherein the rig structure is one of a house, a doghouse, a cabin, a driller cabin, and an electrical control house,

wherein the support apparatus includes dual opposed support arms, each arm pivotably connected to a corresponding base connected to the drilling floor, the method further comprising

positioning each of the dual opposed support arms at an angle relative to its respective base to facilitate positioning of the rig structure adjacent the drilling floor,

removing the movement apparatus away from the drilling rig, and raising, with the substructure, the drilling floor with the rig structure thereon.

10. A system comprising:

a substructure of a drilling rig, said substructure comprising a drilling floor,

a rig structure that is adapted to be secured to the substructure, and

a handling system that is adapted to secure said rig structure to said substructure, the handling system comprising;

movement apparatus for initially supporting said rig structure and for moving on ground adjacent said substructure to position the rig structure with respect to said substructure

support apparatus movably connected to the drilling floor for selectively supporting the rig structure, the support apparatus movable out of the way to facilitate positioning of the rig structure with respect to the drilling floor and the support apparatus movable adjacent the rig structure for connection thereto, and

raising apparatus connected to the support apparatus, wherein the raising apparatus is adapted for selectively raising the rig structure with respect to the drilling floor while substantially maintaining said rig structure in an operating orientation.

11. The handling system of claim 10 wherein the rig structure is one of a house, a doghouse, a cabin, a driller cabin, and an electrical control house.

12. The system of claim 10

wherein the support apparatus of said handling system includes dual opposed support arms, each arm pivotably connected to a corresponding base connected to the drilling floor, and

each of the dual opposed support arms positionable at an angle to its respective base to facilitate positioning of the rig structure adjacent the drilling floor.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein

the raising apparatus of said handling system includes linkage apparatus connectable between the dual opposed support arms and the rig structure, and

hydraulic cylinder apparatus interconnected between the dual support arms and the linkage apparatus for raising the linkage apparatus to raise the rig structure.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein

the linkage apparatus of said handling system includes two spaced-apart linkages each with multiple links, each with a lowermost link connectable to the rig structure, the two spaced-apart linkages including a first linkage and a second linkage,

a common link interconnecting the two linkages, and

the hydraulic cylinder apparatus having a first end and a second end, the first end connected to one of the dual opposed support arms and the second end connected to the first linkage so that extending the hydraulic cylinder apparatus raises the first linkage and, via the common link, thereby raises the second linkage.

15. The handling system of claim 12 wherein

the raising apparatus of said handling system includes hydraulic cylinder apparatus releasably interconnecting the dual opposed support arms and the rig structure so that by contracting the hydraulic cylinder apparatus raises the rig structure.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein

the raising apparatus of said handling system includes hydraulic cylinder apparatus,

the hydraulic cylinder apparatus is interconnected between the support apparatus and the rig structure so that contracting the hydraulic cylinder apparatus moves the rig structure toward the drilling floor.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the rig structure is a skid-mounted rig structure, and wherein the raising apparatus of said handling system is adapted to raise the skid-mounted rig structure so that a floor of the skid-mounted rig structure is substantially flush with the drilling floor.

19. A method for installing a rig structure on a drilling rig, the method comprising:

placing a rig structure on a movement apparatus;

moving said movement apparatus on ground adjacent to a substructure of a drilling rig to position said rig structure adjacent to a support apparatus that is movably connected to said substructure, wherein said support apparatus has a raising apparatus comprising a linkage apparatus and a hydraulic cylinder apparatus connected thereto, wherein said support apparatus comprises dual opposed support arms that are each pivotably connected to a respective base, wherein each respective base is connected to a drilling floor supported by said substructure, wherein said hydraulic cylinder apparatus is interconnected between said dual opposed support arms and said linkage apparatus, and wherein positioning said rig structure further comprises positioning each of said dual opposed arms at an angle relative to said respective base so as to facilitate said positioning of said rig structure adjacent to said drilling floor;

moving said support apparatus into a connecting orientation with respect to said rig structure;

connecting said raising apparatus to said rig structure, wherein connecting said raising apparatus to said rig structure comprises connecting said linkage apparatus between said dual opposed support arms and said rig structure; and

raising said rig structure with said raising apparatus, wherein raising said rig structure comprises raising said linkage apparatus by actuating said hydraulic cylinder apparatus, said rig structure being substantially maintained in an operating orientation while being raised.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein

the linkage apparatus includes two spaced-apart linkages each with multiple links, each with a lowermost link connectable to the rig structure, the two spaced-apart linkages including a first linkage and a second linkage,

a common link interconnecting the two linkages, and

the hydraulic cylinder apparatus having a first end and a second end, the first end connected to one of the dual opposed support arms and the second end connected to the first linkages, the method further comprising

extending the hydraulic cylinder apparatus to raise the first linkage and, via the common link, to thereby raise the second linkage.

21. A method for installing a rig structure on a drilling rig, the method comprising:

placing a rig structure on a movement apparatus;

moving said movement apparatus on ground adjacent to a substructure of a drilling rig to position said rig structure adjacent to a support apparatus that is movably connected to said substructure, wherein said support apparatus has a raising apparatus comprising a hydraulic cylinder apparatus connected thereto, wherein said support apparatus comprises dual opposed support arms that are each pivotably connected to a respective base, wherein each respective base is connected to a drilling floor supported by said substructure, and wherein positioning said rig structure further comprises positioning each of said dual opposed arms at an angle relative to said respective base so as to facilitate said positioning of said rig structure adjacent to said drilling floor;

moving said support apparatus into a connecting orientation with respect to said rig structure;

connecting said raising apparatus to said rig structure, wherein connecting said raising apparatus to said rig structure comprises releasably interconnecting said dual opposed support arms and said rig structure with said hydraulic cylinder apparatus; and

raising said rig structure with said raising apparatus, wherein raising said rig structure comprises contracting said hydraulic cylinder apparatus, said rig structure being substantially maintained in an operating orientation while being raised.

22. A method for installing a rig structure on a drilling rig, the method comprising:

placing a rig structure on a movement apparatus;

moving said movement apparatus on ground adjacent to a substructure of a drilling rig to position said rig structure adjacent to a support apparatus that is movably connected to said substructure, wherein said support apparatus has a raising apparatus comprising a hydraulic cylinder apparatus connected thereto;

moving said support apparatus into a connecting orientation with respect to said rig structure;

connecting said raising apparatus to said rig structure, wherein connecting said raising apparatus to said rig structure comprises interconnecting said hydraulic cylinder apparatus between said support apparatus and said rig structure;

contracting said interconnected hydraulic cylinder apparatus to move said rig structure toward said drilling floor; and

raising said rig structure with said raising apparatus, said rig structure being substantially maintained in an operating orientation while being raised.