Drilling rigs and erection methods
First Claim
1. A method for assembling a drilling rig, the method comprisingassembling a substructure of a drilling rig by operatively coupling an upper box to a lower box, the upper box having an upper open space, the lower box having a lower open space, wherein the upper open space is above the lower open space,installing a drawworks on the substructure by releasably coupling the drawworks to the upper box,positioning a floor section of the substructure on a vehicle and moving the vehicle on ground with the floor section positioned thereon into the upper open space and the lower open space, andreleasably coupling the floor section to the upper box of the substructure.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for erecting a drilling rig. 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).
148 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method for assembling a drilling rig, the method comprising
assembling a substructure of a drilling rig by operatively coupling an upper box to a lower box, the upper box having an upper open space, the lower box having a lower open space, wherein the upper open space is above the lower open space, installing a drawworks on the substructure by releasably coupling the drawworks to the upper box, positioning a floor section of the substructure on a vehicle and moving the vehicle on ground with the floor section positioned thereon into the upper open space and the lower open space, and releasably coupling the floor section to the upper box of the substructure.
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10. A method for assembling a drilling rig, the method comprising
assembling a substructure of a drilling rig by operatively coupling an upper box to a lower box, the upper box having an upper open space, the lower box having a lower open space, wherein the upper open space is above the lower open space, positioning a floor section of the substructure on a vehicle and moving the vehicle on ground with the floor section positioned thereon into the upper open space and the lower open space, securing the floor section to the upper box of the substructure, disconnecting the floor section from the vehicle, moving the vehicle away from the drilling rig, installing a drawworks on the substructure by securing the drawworks to the upper box of the substructure, assembling a mast connected to the substructure, erecting the mast on the substructure, installing a rig structure on the substructure, and raising the upper box of the substructure to an operational height above the lower box.
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11. A system comprising
a substructure, the substructure locatable on ground and comprising an upper box that is operatively coupled to a lower box, the upper box having an upper open space, the lower box having a lower open space, wherein the upper open space is above the lower open space and the upper box is adapted to be raised to an operational height above the lower box, a drawworks that is adapted to be secured to and raised with the upper box, and a floor section that is adapted to be secured to and raised with the upper box, wherein the floor section is further adapted to be releasably coupled to and supported by a vehicle on ground while being moved by the vehicle into the upper open space and the lower open space prior to being secured to the upper box.
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18. A substructure for a drilling rig, the substructure comprising
an upper box with an upper open space, a lower box with a lower open space, wherein the lower box is operatively coupled to the upper box, the upper open space is positioned above the lower open space, and the upper and lower spaces comprise a substructure space that is adapted to receive a vehicle, a floor section that is adapted to be releasably coupled to and supported by the vehicle during movement of said vehicle into the substructure space, wherein the floor section is further adapted to be releasably coupled to the upper box of the substructure and to be raised with the upper box to an operational height above the lower box, and a plurality of drawworks connections that are adapted to releasably couple a drawworks apparatus to the upper box and to support the drawworks while the upper box is raised to said operational height.
Specification