Collapsible substructure for a mobile drilling rig
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- transporting a collapsible drilling rig substructure to a drilling site while said collapsible drilling rig substructure is in a collapsed transportation configuration, wherein a raisable floor of said collapsible drilling rig substructure is in a lowered transportation position relative to a fixed drill floor of said collapsible drilling rig substructure such that an upper surface of said raisable floor is positioned at a first height level above a base of said collapsible drilling rig substructure while an upper surface of said fixed drill floor is positioned at a second height level above said base that is greater than said first height level;
positioning said collapsible drilling rig substructure adjacent to a wellbore location at said drilling site so that a bearing pad support beam comprising said base is supporting said collapsible drilling rig substructure;
performing a first reconfiguration operation to reconfigure said collapsible drilling rig substructure from said lowered transportation configuration to a raised operating configuration, wherein said first reconfiguration operation comprises raising said raisable floor from said lowered transportation position to an operating position laterally adjacent to said fixed drill floor while maintaining a height level of said upper surface of said fixed drill floor at said second height level above said base; and
performing a second reconfiguration operation to reconfigure said collapsible drilling rig substructure from said raised operating configuration to a substructure movement configuration, wherein said second reconfiguration operation comprises raising said bearing pad support beam relative to said fixed drill floor and said raisable floor so that said bearing pad support beam is no longer supporting said collapsible drilling rig substructure while maintaining said raisable floor in said operating position laterally adjacent to said fixed drill floor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A collapsible drilling rig substructure is transported to a drilling site while in a collapsed transportation configuration wherein a raisable floor of the substructure is in a lowered transportation position relative to a fixed drill floor such that an upper surface of the raisable floor is positioned at a first height level above a base of the substructure while an upper surface of the fixed drill floor is positioned at a second height level above the base that is greater than the first height level. The substructure is positioned adjacent to a wellbore location at the drilling site and reconfigured from the lowered transportation configuration to a raised operating configuration by raising the raisable floor to an operating position laterally adjacent to the fixed drill floor while maintaining a height level of the upper surface of the fixed drill floor at the second height level.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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transporting a collapsible drilling rig substructure to a drilling site while said collapsible drilling rig substructure is in a collapsed transportation configuration, wherein a raisable floor of said collapsible drilling rig substructure is in a lowered transportation position relative to a fixed drill floor of said collapsible drilling rig substructure such that an upper surface of said raisable floor is positioned at a first height level above a base of said collapsible drilling rig substructure while an upper surface of said fixed drill floor is positioned at a second height level above said base that is greater than said first height level; positioning said collapsible drilling rig substructure adjacent to a wellbore location at said drilling site so that a bearing pad support beam comprising said base is supporting said collapsible drilling rig substructure; performing a first reconfiguration operation to reconfigure said collapsible drilling rig substructure from said lowered transportation configuration to a raised operating configuration, wherein said first reconfiguration operation comprises raising said raisable floor from said lowered transportation position to an operating position laterally adjacent to said fixed drill floor while maintaining a height level of said upper surface of said fixed drill floor at said second height level above said base; and performing a second reconfiguration operation to reconfigure said collapsible drilling rig substructure from said raised operating configuration to a substructure movement configuration, wherein said second reconfiguration operation comprises raising said bearing pad support beam relative to said fixed drill floor and said raisable floor so that said bearing pad support beam is no longer supporting said collapsible drilling rig substructure while maintaining said raisable floor in said operating position laterally adjacent to said fixed drill floor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method, comprising:
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positioning a raisable floor of a drilling rig substructure in a lowered transportation position relative to a fixed drill floor of said drilling rig substructure such that an upper surface of said raisable floor is positioned at a first height level above a base of said drilling rig substructure while an upper surface of said fixed drill floor is positioned at a second height level above said base that is greater than said first height level; positioning a drawworks on said raisable floor of said drilling rig substructure while said raisable floor is in said lowered transportation position; transporting said drilling rig substructure with said drawworks positioned on said raisable floor to a drilling site while said raisable floor is in said lowered transportation position; positioning said drilling rig substructure adjacent to a wellbore location at said drilling site so that a bearing pad support beam comprising said base is supporting said drilling rig substructure; raising said raisable floor with said drawworks positioned thereon from said lowered transportation position to an operating position adjacent to said fixed drill floor such that said upper surface of said raisable floor is at an operating height level above said base for performing drilling operations that is substantially the same as said second height level of said upper surface of said fixed drill floor; after raising said raisable floor, performing a drilling operation at said wellbore location; and after performing said drilling operation and while maintaining said raisable floor with said drawworks positioned thereon in said operating position laterally adjacent to said fixed drill floor, raising said bearing pad support beam relative to said fixed drill floor and said raisable floor so that said bearing pad support beam is no longer supporting said drilling rig substructure. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method, comprising:
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positioning a collapsible drilling rig substructure adjacent to a first wellbore location of a pad drilling site, said collapsible drilling rig substructure comprising a base, a fixed drill floor, and a raisable floor that is raisable relative to said base and said fixed drill floor, wherein positioning said collapsible drilling rig substructure adjacent to said first wellbore location comprises lowering a bearing pad support beam comprising said base into bearing contact with one of ground and a drilling mat adjacent to said first wellbore location so that said bearing pad support beam supports said collapsible drilling rig substructure; after positioning said collapsible drilling rig substructure adjacent to said first wellbore location, raising said bearing pad support beam relative to each of said fixed drill floor, said raisable floor, and said one of said ground and said drilling mat so that said bearing pad support beam is no longer in contact with said one of said ground and said drilling mat and is no longer supporting said collapsible drilling rig substructure; and moving said collapsible drilling rig substructure away from said first wellbore location and positioning said collapsible drilling rig substructure adjacent to a second wellbore location of said pad drilling site. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification