Performing simultaneous operations on multiple wellbore locations using a single mobile drilling rig

• US 9,464,488 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2013
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thiessen, Jay John
• Primary Examiner(s): GAY, JENNIFER HAWKINS
• Application Number:
  US14/040,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20150090450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/003 adapted to be moved on their substructure, e.g. with skidding means; adapted to drill a plurality of wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/06 Blow-out preventers , i.e. apparatus closing around a drill pipe, e.g. annular blow-out preventers rotating blow-out preventers E21B33/085
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/14 for cementing casings into boreholes

Abstract

A system includes a drilling rig having a substructure, the drilling rig being adapted to be positioned above a plurality of wellbore location such that each of the plurality of wellbore locations is simultaneously positioned below the substructure. Equipment movement means is included for moving pressure control equipment between positions proximate each of the plurality of wellbore locations, the equipment movement means being adapted to move the pressure control equipment between the positions while the drilling rig is performing a rig operation on at least a first one of the plurality of wellbore locations. Equipment positioning means is included for positioning pressure control equipment on one or more of the plurality of wellbore locations, the equipment positioning means being adapted to position the pressure control equipment on a second one of the plurality of wellbore locations while the rig operation is being performed on the first wellbore location.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a drilling rig comprising a substructure, said drilling rig being adapted to be positioned above a plurality of wellbore location such that each of said plurality of wellbore locations is simultaneously positioned below said substructure, said drilling rig being further adapted to be moved along a line of wellbore locations comprising at least said plurality of wellbore locations;

equipment movement means for moving one or more pieces of pressure control equipment between positions proximate each of said plurality of wellbore locations, said equipment movement means being adapted to move at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment between said positions while said drilling rig is performing a rig operation on at least a first one of said plurality of wellbore locations; and

equipment positioning means for positioning said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment on one or more of said plurality of wellbore locations, said equipment positioning means being adapted to position at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment on a second one of said plurality of wellbore locations while said rig operation is being performed on said first wellbore location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said equipment positioning means is adapted to lift at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment from said equipment movement means prior to positioning said lifted pressure control equipment on one of said plurality of wellbore locations.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said equipment movement means comprises a trolley system.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said trolley system comprises a rail system and a plurality of trolley cars movably mounted on said rail system, each of said trolley cars being adapted to support at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment while moving said supported pressure control equipment along said rail system to said positions proximate each of said plurality of wellbore locations, wherein said rail system runs across a width of said substructure from a driller'"'"'s side of said drilling rig to an off-driller'"'"'s side of said drilling rig.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising equipment hoisting means for lifting said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment from said equipment movement means and moving said lifted pressure control equipment into an equipment workshop area within said substructure, wherein said equipment hoisting means is adapted to lift and move at least one of said one or more pieces of said pressure control equipment while said rig operation is being performed on said first wellbore location.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said equipment positioning means comprises first positioning means for positioning at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment on a third one of said plurality of wellbore locations and second positioning means for positioning at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment on said second wellbore location, said first and second positioning means being adapted to position at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment on said respective third and second wellbore locations while said rig operation is being performed on said first wellbore location.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein at least one of said first and second equipment positioning means comprises a bridge crane.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said first positioning means, said equipment movement means, and said second positioning means are adapted to sequentially move at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment from a wellhead at said third wellbore location to a wellhead at said second wellbore location while said rig operation is being performed on said first wellbore location.

9. A system, comprising:

a drilling rig comprising a substructure and a drill floor positioned above said substructure, said drilling rig being adapted to be positioned above a plurality of wellbore location such that each of said plurality of wellbore locations is simultaneously positioned below said substructure, said drilling rig being further adapted to be moved along a line of wellbore locations comprising at least said plurality of wellbore locations;

a plurality of openings in said drill floor, each of said plurality of drill floor openings being adapted to be positioned vertically above and substantially aligned with one of said plurality of wellbore locations;

equipment movement means for moving one or more pieces of pressure control equipment between positions proximate each of said plurality of wellbore locations, said equipment movement means being adapted to move at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment between said positions while said drilling rig is performing a first rig operation on a first one of said plurality of wellbore locations through a first one of said plurality of drill floor openings; and

equipment positioning means for positioning at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment on one or more of said plurality of wellbore locations, said equipment positioning means being adapted to position at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment on a second one of said plurality of wellbore locations while said first rig operation is being performed on said first wellbore location through said first drill floor opening.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said first drill floor opening is substantially vertically aligned with a drilling rig mast of said drilling rig and said first rig operation comprises drilling operation.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein a second one of said plurality of drill floor openings is positioned laterally adjacent to and spaced apart from said first drill floor opening, said second drill floor opening being substantially vertically aligned with a drilling rig mast of said drilling rig.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said equipment movement means is adapted to move at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment to a position proximate said second wellbore location and said equipment positioning means is adapted to lift said moved pressure control equipment from said equipment movement means and position said lifted pressure control equipment on said second wellbore location while said drilling rig is performing said first rig operation on said first wellbore location and simultaneously performing a second rig operation on a third one of said plurality of wellbore locations through said second drill floor opening, said first rig operation comprising a cementing operation and said second rig operation comprising a drilling operation.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said substructure comprises a plurality upper substructure boxes positioned above and removably attached to each of a plurality of lower substructure boxes, a length of each of said plurality of upper substructure boxes running substantially perpendicular to a length of each of said plurality of lower substructure boxes.

14. A system, comprising:

a mobile drilling rig that is adapted to be positioned above a plurality of wellbore locations, said mobile drilling rig comprising a drilling rig mast and a substructure that is configured so that each of said plurality of wellbore locations is simultaneously positioned within a cellar area of said substructure, wherein said mobile drilling rig is adapted to perform an on-line drilling operation on a first one of said plurality of wellbore locations and said drilling rig mast is adapted to be positioned above and substantially aligned with said first wellbore location during said on-line drilling operation, said mobile drilling rig being further adapted to be moved along a line of wellbore locations comprising at least said plurality of wellbore locations;

equipment movement means operatively coupled to said substructure and positioned in said cellar area thereof, said equipment movement means being adapted for moving one or more pieces of pressure control equipment between positions proximate each of said plurality of wellbore locations while said mobile drilling rig is performing said on-line drilling operation on said first wellbore location;

equipment positioning means operatively coupled to said substructure and positioned in said cellar area thereof, said equipment positioning means being adapted for lifting at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment from said equipment movement means and positioning said lifted pressure control equipment on at least one wellbore location that is immediately adjacent to said first wellbore location while said drilling rig is performing said on-line drilling operation on said first wellbore location.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said substructure comprises:

a lower substructure box assembly comprising a plurality of lower substructure boxes, wherein a length of each of said plurality of substructure lower boxes runs in a same first direction; and

an upper substructure box assembly positioned above and fixed attached to said lower substructure box assembly, said upper substructure box assembly comprising a plurality of upper substructure boxes, a length of each of said plurality of upper substructure boxes running in a same second direction that is substantially perpendicular to said first direction.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said first direction runs across a width of said substructure from a driller'"'"'s side of said mobile drilling rig to an off-driller'"'"'s side of said mobile drilling rig, and said second direction runs along a length of said substructure from a V-door side of said mobile drilling rig to a drawworks side of said mobile drilling rig.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said mobile drilling rig is further adapted to simultaneously perform at least one off-line operation on said at least one adjacent wellbore location while performing said on-line drilling operation on said first wellbore location.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said at least one off-line operation comprises at least one of a wellbore preparation operation and a wellbore cementing operation.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein said mobile drilling rig is adapted to be moved along said line of wellbore locations from a first drilling position wherein said drilling rig mast is positioned substantially directly above said first wellbore location to a second drilling position wherein said drilling rig mast is positioned substantially directly above an adjacent wellbore location, said mobile drilling rig being further adapted to thereafter perform a second on-line drilling operation on said adjacent wellbore location.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein said equipment movement means comprises a trolley system, said trolley system comprising a pair of rails and a plurality of trolley cars movably mounted on said rails, wherein each of said plurality of trolley cars is adapted to support at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment during movement of said respective trolley cars along said rails.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein said equipment positioning means comprises first and second positioning means, wherein said first positioning means is adapted for moving a first one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment from a first adjacent wellbore location in said cellar area of said substructure and positioning said first one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment on said equipment movement means and said second equipment positioning means is adapted for moving a second one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment from a second adjacent wellbore location in said cellar area and positioning said second one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment on said equipment movement means while said mobile drilling rig is performing said on-line drilling operation on said first wellbore location.

22. A method,comprising:

positioning a substructure of a mobile drilling rig above at least first and second wellbore locations of wellbore drilling site such that each of said first and second wellbore locations are simultaneously positioned within a cellar area of said substructure and such that a drilling rig mast of said mobile drilling rig is positioned above and substantially aligned with said first wellbore location;

positioning a first blowout preventer on a first wellhead at said first wellbore location;

positioning a second blowout preventer in said cellar area of said substructure;

performing a first on-line drilling operation on said first wellbore location through said first blowout preventer;

moving said second blowout preventer within said cellar area to a second wellhead at said second wellbore location while performing said first on-line drilling operation; and

after moving said second blowout preventer, moving said mobile drilling rig until said drilling rig mast is positioned above and substantially aligned with said second wellbore location, and thereafter performing a second on-line drilling operation on said second wellbore location through said second blowout preventer.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein positioning said second blowout preventer in said cellar area of said substructure comprises positioning said second blowout preventer on a third wellhead of a third wellbore location, said second and third wellbore locations being spaced apart from and laterally adjacent to opposite sides of said first wellbore location.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein moving said second blowout preventer to said second wellhead comprises:

using first equipment positioning means to lift said second blowout preventer from said third wellhead and move said second blowout preventer to a position proximate said third wellbore location;

using equipment movement means to move said second blowout preventer from said position proximate said third wellbore location to a position proximate said second wellbore location; and

using second equipment positioning means to lift said second blowout preventer from said position proximate said second wellbore location and position said second blowout preventer on said second wellhead.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising, prior to moving said second blowout preventer to said second wellbore location, performing an off-line cementing operation on said third wellbore location through said second blowout preventer while performing said first on-line drilling operation on said first wellbore location.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising, after moving said second blowout preventer to said second wellbore location and prior to performing said second on-line drilling operation on said second wellbore location, performing a second off-line operation to position a Christmas tree on said third wellhead at said third wellbore location while performing said first on-line drilling operation on said first wellbore location.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising, prior to moving said second blowout preventer to said second wellbore location, removing a Christmas tree from said second wellhead at said second wellbore location while performing said first on-line drilling operation on said first wellbore location.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein said first on-line drilling operation is performed with said drilling rig mast.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said second on-line drilling operation is performed on said second wellbore location after completing said first on-line drilling operation on said first wellbore location, said second on-line drilling operation being performed with said drilling rig mast.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein moving said mobile drilling rig comprises positioning said substructure above a third wellbore location of said wellbore drilling site so that each of said first, second, and third wellbore locations are simultaneously positioned within said cellar area of said substructure.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising moving said first blowout preventer from said first wellhead to a third wellhead at said third wellbore location and performing a third on-line drilling operation on said third wellbore location through said first blowout preventer.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising, prior to moving said first blowout preventer from said first wellhead to said third wellhead, performing an off-line cementing operation on said first wellbore location through said first blowout preventer while performing said second on-line drilling operation on said second wellbore location.