Bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast

• US 9,163,462 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2014
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2012
• 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, Liu, Xilin
• Primary Examiner(s): WENDELL, MARK R
• Application Number:
  US14/529,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20150047908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 52111-119, 521/231, 52/40, 521/20, 527/451, 526/510.1, 526/510.7, 527/450.3, 527/450.4, 527/451.7, 527/451.8, 175/57, 254/122, 254/124, 254/126, 254/10.B, 254/2.C
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/00 Supports for the drilling machine, e.g. derricks or masts
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/00 Special methods or apparatus for drilling
• 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 substructure of a drilling rig is positioned above a first wellbore at a first wellbore location, a drilling rig mast is pivotably attached to the substructure and raised from a first mast position wherein an upper end of the drilling rig mast is oriented in a first direction toward a first side of the substructure to a first raised drilling position, after which a first drilling operation is performed on the first wellbore. The substructure is moved to a second wellbore location and positioned above a second wellbore, the drilling rig mast is pivotably attached to the substructure and raised from a second mast position wherein an upper end of the drilling rig mast is oriented in a second direction toward a second side of the substructure to a second raised drilling position, after which a second drilling operation is performed on the second wellbore.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

positioning a lower end of a substantially horizontally oriented first mast section of a bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast adjacent to an upper end of a substantially horizontally oriented second mast section of said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast, said upper end of said second mast section being oriented in a first direction relative to a drilling rig substructure;

engaging a first lower hook engagement connection proximate said lower end of said first mast section with a first upper hook connection proximate said upper end of said second mast section, said first lower hook engagement connection and said first upper hook connection being positioned on respective first sides of said first and second mast sections;

after engaging said first lower hook engagement connection with said first upper hook connection, engaging a second lower hook engagement connection proximate said lower end of said first mast section with a second upper hook connection proximate said upper end of said second mast section, said second lower hook engagement connection and said second upper hook connection being positioned on respective second sides of said first and second mast sections that are opposite of said respective first sides; and

after engaging said first and second lower hook engagement connections with said respective first and second upper hook connections, raising said assembled bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast from a substantially horizontal orientation to a substantially vertical orientation for drilling operations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein engaging said first upper hook engagement connection with said first lower hook connection comprises hookingly engaging a first pin member positioned in a first pin hole of said first upper hook engagement connection with a first hook engagement surface of said first upper hook connection.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein engaging said second upper hook engagement connection with said second lower hook connection comprises pivotably rotating said first mast section about said first pin member so as to substantially align a second pin hole of said second lower hook engagement connection with a second hook engagement surface of said second upper hook connection and thereafter inserting a second pin member into said second pin hole.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising positioning first and second mast connection spacers between said first and second mast sections, said first mast connection spacer being positioned proximate said first upper hook connection and said first side of said second mast section, said second mast connection spacer being positioned proximate said second upper hook connection and said second side of said second mast section.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein substantially aligning said second pin hole with said second hook engagement surface comprises positioning said second mast connection spacer proximate said second upper hook connection prior to pivotably rotating said first mast section about said first pin member, wherein pivotably rotating said first mast section brings an end of said second lower hook engagement connection into bearing contact with a face of said second mast connection spacer.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising locking said first and second mast sections in an assembled configuration by positioning said first mast connection spacer proximate said first upper hook connection after inserting said second pin member into said second pin hole so that a face of said first mast connection spacer is adjacent to an end of said first lower hook engagement connection.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein hookingly engaging said first pin member with said first hook engagement surface of said first upper hook connection comprises passing said first pin member through an open throat area of said first upper hook connection, said open throat area being oriented substantially upward and away from said first side of said second mast section.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising lowering said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast from said substantially vertical orientation to a second substantially horizontal orientation so that said upper end of said second mast section is oriented in a second direction relative to said drilling rig substructure that is substantially opposite to said first direction.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising disassembling said first mast section from said second mast section after lowering said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast to said second substantially horizontal orientation.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein disassembling said first mast section from said second mast section comprises:

removing said first pin member from said first pin hole that is substantially aligned with said first hook engagement surface;

after removing said first pin member, moving said second mast connection spacer from said position between said first and second mast sections;

after moving said second mast connection spacer, pivotably rotating said first mast section about said second pin member and disengaging said second pin member from a hooking engagement with said second hook engagement surface of said second upper hook connection.

11. A method, comprising:

pivotably attaching a lower end of a bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast to a drilling rig substructure while said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast is in a substantially horizontal first position wherein an upper end of said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast is oriented in a first direction toward a first side of said drilling rig substructure;

pivotably raising said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast above said drilling rig substructure from said first position to a raised position for performing drilling operations; and

pivotably lowering said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast from said raised position to a substantially horizontal second position wherein said upper end of said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast is oriented in a second direction toward a second side of said drilling rig substructure that is opposite of said first side.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein pivotably raising said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast comprises pivotably attaching an upper end of a mast raising apparatus to said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast, pivotably attaching a lower end of said mast raising apparatus proximate said first end of said drilling rig substructure, and actuating said pivotably attached mast raising apparatus to pivotably raise said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast from said first position to said raised position.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein pivotably lowering said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast comprises pivotably attaching said upper end of said mast raising apparatus to said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast, pivotably attaching said lower end of said mast raising apparatus proximate said second end of said drilling rig substructure, and actuating said pivotably attached mast raising apparatus to pivotably lower said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast from said raised position to said second position.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising mounting a bi-directional mast erection connection on said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast, wherein pivotably attaching said upper end of said mast raising apparatus to said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast prior to raising and lowering said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast comprises pivotably attaching said upper end of said mast raising apparatus to said bi-directional mast erection connection.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein pivotably attaching said lower end of said mast raising apparatus proximate said second end of said drilling rig substructure comprises fixedly attaching an extension skid to said second end of said drilling rig substructure and pivotably attaching said lower end of said mast raising apparatus to said extension skid.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein pivotably attaching said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast to said drilling rig structure comprises:

positioning a lower end of a substantially horizontally oriented first mast section of said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast adjacent to an upper end of a substantially horizontally oriented second mast section of said bi-directionally raisable drilling rig mast, said upper end of said second mast section being oriented in said first direction toward said first side of said drilling rig substructure; and

removably attaching said second mast section to said first mast section by engaging a first lower hook engagement connection proximate said lower end of said first mast section with a first upper hook connection proximate said upper end of said second mast section, and thereafter engaging a second lower hook engagement connection proximate said lower end of said first mast section with a second upper hook connection proximate said upper end of said second mast section.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein engaging said first upper hook engagement connection with said first lower hook connection comprises hookingly engaging a first pin member positioned in a first pin hole of said first upper hook engagement connection with a first hook engagement surface of said first upper hook connection.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein engaging said second upper hook engagement connection with said second lower hook connection comprises pivotably rotating said first mast section about said first pin member so as to substantially align a second pin hole of said second lower hook engagement connection with a second hook engagement surface of said second upper hook connection and thereafter inserting a second pin member into said second pin hole.

19. A method, comprising:

positioning a substructure of a drilling rig above a first wellbore at a first wellbore location;

pivotably attaching a lower end of a drilling rig mast of said drilling rig to said substructure, said drilling rig mast being in a substantially horizontal first mast position wherein an upper end of said drilling rig mast is oriented in a first direction toward a first side of said substructure;

pivotably raising said drilling rig mast from said first mast position to a first raised drilling position, and thereafter using said drilling rig to perform a first drilling operation on said first wellbore;

after performing said first drilling operation, moving said substructure to a second wellbore location and positioning said substructure above a second wellbore at said second wellbore location;

pivotably attaching said lower end of said drilling rig mast to said substructure, said drilling rig mast being in a substantially horizontal second mast position wherein an upper end of said drilling rig mast is oriented in a second direction toward a second side of said substructure, said second direction being opposite of said first direction;

pivotably raising said drilling rig mast to a second drilling position, and thereafter using said drilling rig to perform a second drilling operation on said second wellbore.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising, after performing said first drilling operation on said first wellbore and prior to moving said substructure to said second wellbore location, pivotably lowering said drilling rig mast to one of said substantially horizontal first and second mast positions and detaching said lower end of said drilling rig mast from said substructure.