Mobile drilling rig
First Claim
1. A mobile drilling rig comprisinga base box,a plurality of wheel assemblies adapted to facilitate movement of the mobile drilling rig from a first rig location, wherein each of the plurality of wheel assemblies is pivotably connected to the base box and is adapted to be selectively pivotable from a moving mode position during said movement to a drilling mode position during drilling operations,a substructure connected to the base box, anda raising system operatively coupled to the substructure and to the base box, wherein the raising system is adapted to raise the substructure above the base box to a raised drilling position, to support the substructure in said raised drilling position during drilling operations, and to substantially maintain the substructure in said raised drilling position during said movement of the mobile drilling rig.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Mobile drilling rigs and methods for moving drilling rigs are disclosed which, in one aspect, include wheel assemblies connected to a rig which wheel assemblies are selectively movable from a rig drilling position to a rig movement position. 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).
75 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A mobile drilling rig comprising
a base box, a plurality of wheel assemblies adapted to facilitate movement of the mobile drilling rig from a first rig location, wherein each of the plurality of wheel assemblies is pivotably connected to the base box and is adapted to be selectively pivotable from a moving mode position during said movement to a drilling mode position during drilling operations, a substructure connected to the base box, and a raising system operatively coupled to the substructure and to the base box, wherein the raising system is adapted to raise the substructure above the base box to a raised drilling position, to support the substructure in said raised drilling position during drilling operations, and to substantially maintain the substructure in said raised drilling position during said movement of the mobile drilling rig.
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14. A mobile drilling rig comprising
a base box, a plurality of wheel assemblies adapted to facilitate movement of the mobile drilling rig from a drilling rig location, wherein each of the plurality of wheel assemblies is pivotably connected to the base box and is adapted to be selectively pivotable from a moving mode position during said movement to a drilling mode position during drilling operations, and wherein each of the plurality of wheel assemblies comprises a steering apparatus that is adapted for steering a respective one said wheel assemblies, a substructure connected to the base box, a raising system operatively coupled to the substructure and to the base box that is adapted to raise the substructure above the base box to a raised drilling position, to support the substructure in said raised drilling position during drilling operations, and to substantially maintain the substructure in said raised drilling position during said movement of the mobile drilling rig, wherein the raising system comprises a plurality of powered cylinder apparatuses that are adapted for raising and lowering the substructure and four spaced-apart scissors apparatuses that are adapted for bracing the substructure, wherein each of the scissors apparatuses comprises two centrally connected scissors members, top ends that are connected to the substructure and bottom ends that are connected to the base box, and wherein each of the scissors apparatuses is adapted to be positionable and releasably securable in a collapsed configuration with the substructure lowered and in an extended configuration with the substructure raised, a plurality of bearing pads connected to the base box, wherein each of the plurality of bearing pads is adapted to be selectively movable by a respective one of the powered cylinder apparatuses down from the base box to contact ground therebeneath, a drill floor on the substructure, and a mast on the drill floor, wherein the mast is adapted to be selectively erectable with respect to the drill floor.
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15. A mobile drilling rig comprising
a base box, a substructure connected to the base box, a raising system operatively coupled to the substructure and to the base box that is adapted for raising the substructure above the base box to a raised drilling position, to support the substructure in said raised drilling position during drilling operations, and to substantially maintain the substructure in said raised drilling position during movement of the mobile drilling rig from a drilling rig location, wherein the raising system comprises a plurality of powered cylinder apparatuses that are adapted for raising and lowering the substructure and a plurality of scissors apparatuses that are adapted for bracing the substructure, wherein each of the scissors apparatuses comprises top ends that are connected to the substructure and bottom ends that are connected to the base box, and wherein each of the scissors apparatuses is adapted to be positionable and releasably securable in a collapsed configuration with the substructure lowered and in an extended configuration with the substructure raised.
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21. A method, comprising:
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raising a substructure of the mobile drilling rig relative to a base box of the mobile drilling rig to a raised drilling position so as to define an open space within the substructure and below a drill floor positioned on the substructure, a size of said open space being adapted to facilitate movement of the mobile drilling rig over pressure-retaining equipment that is mounted on a wellhead at a drilling rig location while maintaining the substructure in said raised drilling position, wherein raising the substructure comprises actuating a raising system operatively coupled to the substructure and the base box; pivoting each of a plurality of wheel assemblies operatively coupled to the base box from a drilling mode configuration to a moving mode configuration; releasably securing each of the plurality of wheel assemblies in the moving mode configuration, and moving the mobile drilling rig from a first rig location using said plurality of wheel assemblies secured in the moving mode configuration while substantially maintaining the substructure in said raised drilling position during said movement. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 37, 38, 39, 42)
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Specification