Drilling rig

• US 9,624,739 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2014
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Noble Drilling Corporation (Noble Finance Co.)
• Original Assignee: Maersk Drilling A/S
• Inventors: Kannegaard, Michael, McColl, Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Sayre, James G
• Application Number:
  US14/760,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20150354294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/02 specially adapted for underwater drilling E21B15/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/002 specially adapted for underwater drilling E21B19/09, E21B19/143 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/143 specially adapted for underwater drilling
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/155 Handling between horizontal and vertical position

Abstract

An offshore drilling rig comprising a drill floor deck having a hole defining a first well center. The drilling rig may further include a first hoisting system configured for hoisting and lowering tubular equipment through the first well center. The drilling rig may further include first pipe handling equipment for presenting tubular equipment to the first hoisting system so as to allow the first hoisting system to hoist or lower the tubular equipment through the first well center. The drilling rig may include a mounting structure, separate from the first hoisting system for suspending suspendable auxiliary equipment from an elevated position above the drill floor deck, allowing the auxiliary equipment to be lowered or hoisted through the first well center; wherein the mounting structure is movable between a lower position for rigging up auxiliary equipment to the mounting structure, and an elevated position allowing lowering or hoisting of auxiliary equipment suspended from the mounting structure through the first well center.

Claims

1. An offshore drilling rig comprising:

a drill floor deck having a hole defining a first well centre;

a support structure including one or more guide members, displaced from and located on a first side of the first well centre;

a mounting structure for suspending suspendable auxiliary equipment from an elevated position above the drill floor deck and into the first well centre;

a first hoisting system configured for hoisting and lowering tubular equipment through the first well centre, wherein the first hoisting system is operable independently of the mounting structure;

first pipe handling equipment for moving tubular equipment to the first hoisting system so as to allow the first hoisting system to hoist or lower the tubular equipment through the first well centre; and

wherein;

the mounting structure is connected to the one or more guide members of the support structure such that the one or more guide members of the support structure supports the mounting structure and the suspended suspendable auxiliary equipment, and the mounting structure is movable vertically along the guide members of the support structure between at least a lower position and said elevated position; and

the lower position is for rigging up the suspendable auxiliary equipment to the mounting structure at the lower position, and the elevated position is for allowing lowering or hoisting of the suspendable auxiliary equipment suspended from the mounting structure through the first well centre.

2. The offshore drilling rig according claim 1, wherein the mounting structure and the support structure combined define a perimeter at least partially surrounding the first well centre.

3. The offshore drilling rig according to claim 1, comprising a protective barrier suspendable from the mounting structure for preventing items handled above the first well centre from falling onto adjacent deck areas.

4. The offshore drilling rig according claim 1, wherein the first hoisting system is operable to lower tubular equipment through the well centre while the suspendable auxiliary equipment is suspended from the mounting structure at the elevated position.

5. The offshore drilling rig according claim 1, comprising a first mast upwardly extending relative to the drill floor deck, and configured to support the first hoisting system at least against lateral forces and wherein the first mast forms at least a part of the support structure.

6. The offshore drilling rig according to claim 5, wherein the drill floor deck comprises at least a first open drill floor deck area located adjacent the first mast other than any drill floor deck area configured for movement of tubular equipment or subsea equipment to the first well centre during normal drilling operation;

and an access path connecting the open drill floor deck area with the first well centre.

7. The offshore drilling rig according to claim 6, wherein at least a part of the mounting structure extends across the access path.

8. The offshore drilling rig according to claim 5, comprising a guard structure configured to prevent tubular equipment operated above the first well centre from falling onto the drill floor deck area in a direction away from the first mast.

9. The offshore drilling rig according to claim 8, wherein the guard structure is elevated above the drill floor deck so as to provide an access path to the first well centre under the guard structure.

10. The offshore drilling rig according to claim 8, wherein the guard structure is configured to be moved between different elevations above the drill floor deck.

11. The offshore drilling rig according to claim 8, wherein the guard structure is operable to be moved between a closed position where it prevents tubular equipment operated above the first well centre from falling onto the drill floor deck area and an open position where it allows unobstructed access to the first well centre.

12. The offshore drilling rig according to claim 8, wherein the guard structure extends between support structures located on respective sides of the first well centre.

13. The offshore drilling rig according claim 1, wherein the mounting structure extends between support structures located on respective sides of the first well centre.

14. The offshore drilling rig according claim 1, wherein the first hoisting system is configured to allow tubular equipment to be moved towards the first well centre from a first side.

15. The offshore drilling rig according to claim 14, wherein the first hoisting system defines an opening through which tubular equipment is movable towards the first well centre from the first side.

16. The offshore drilling rig according claim 1, wherein the drilling rig further comprises a pipe storage structure positioned on a second side of the first well centre opposite the first side.

17. The offshore drilling rig according claim 1, wherein the drilling rig further comprises:

a second work centre displaced from the first well centre;

the positions of the first well centre and the second work centre together defining a transverse direction in the plane of the drill floor deck;

a second hoisting system configured for hoisting and lowering tubular equipment through the second work centre;

wherein the first and second hoisting systems are arranged side by side in the transverse direction.

18. The offshore drilling rig according to claim 17, wherein the drilling rig comprises a guard structure extending between the first well centre and the second work centre.

19. The offshore drilling rig according to claim 17, comprising a first mounting structure operatively associated with the first well centre, and a second mounting structure operatively associated with the second work centre.

20. The offshore drilling rig according claim 1, wherein the mounting structure comprises one or more retaining portions operable to receive falling tubular equipment and to retain at least a part of the tubular equipment.

21. The offshore drilling rig according to claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is arranged so that preparation of the connection between the suspendable auxiliary equipment and the mounting structure is performed at a horizontal displacement from the first well centre of less than 7 meters.

22. The offshore drilling rig according to claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is a beam and one or more suspension devices at one or more suspension positions along the beam, said suspension devices selected from the group of a hook, a pulley, a banana-sheave, and a pad-eye.

23. The offshore drilling rig according claim 1, wherein the mounting structure and the support structure combined define a perimeter surrounding the first well centre.

24. The offshore drilling rig according to claim 1, wherein, at the lower position, the suspendable auxiliary equipment can be rigged to the mounting structure from the drill floor deck.

25. A method of suspending suspendable auxiliary equipment from an elevated position above a drill floor deck of a drilling rig;

the drill floor deck having a hole defining a first well centre, the drilling rig comprising the drill floor deck, a first hoisting system configured for hoisting and lowering tubular equipment through the first well centre;

a support structure displaced from and located on a first side of the first well centre supporting said first hoisting system; and

first pipe handling equipment for moving the tubular equipment to the first hoisting system so as to allow the first hoisting system to hoist or lower the tubular equipment through the first well centre;

the method comprising;

providing a mounting structure, separate from the first hoisting system, at a first position that is lower than the elevated position;

providing auxiliary equipment comprising an on-deck auxiliary component and suspendable auxiliary component;

suspending the suspendable auxiliary equipment from the mounting structure at the first position;

elevating the mounting structure having the suspendable auxiliary equipment suspended from it to said elevated position above the drill floor deck along one or more guide members of the support structure; and

suspending the suspendable auxiliary equipment through the first well centre via said mounting structure.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the mounting structure is arranged so that preparation of a connection between the suspendable auxiliary equipment and the mounting structure is performed at a horizontal displacement from the first well centre of less than 7 meters.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the mounting structure is a beam and one or more suspension devices at one or more suspension positions along the beam, said suspension devices selected from the group of a hook, a pulley, a banana-sheave, and a pad-eye.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein, at the first position, the suspendable auxiliary equipment can be rigged to the mounting structure from the drill floor deck.

29. An offshore drilling rig comprising:

a drill floor deck having a hole defining a first well centre;

a first mast upwardly extending relative to the drill floor deck, wherein the first mast is displaced from and located on a first side of the first well centre;

one or more guide members supported by the first mast;

a mounting structure supported by the one or more guide members so that the mounting structure is movable between a first position and a second position that is elevated above the first position;

a first hoisting system supported by the first mast and configured for hoisting and lowering tubular equipment through the first well centre; and

first pipe handling equipment for moving the tubular equipment to the first hoisting system so as to allow the first hoisting system to hoist or lower the tubular equipment through the first well centre;

wherein the mounting structure is movable vertically along the one or more guide members, independently of the first hoisting system, between the first position for rigging up suspendable auxiliary equipment to the mounting structure at the first position, and the elevated second position, thus allowing lowering or hoisting of the suspendable auxiliary equipment suspended from the mounting structure through the first well centre.

30. The offshore drilling rig according to claim 29, wherein the mounting structure extends between the support structure located on respective sides of the first well centre.

31. The offshore drilling rig according to claim 29, wherein the mounting structure is arranged so that preparation of a connection between the suspendable auxiliary equipment and the mounting structure is performed at a horizontal displacement from the first well centre of less than 7 meters.

32. The offshore drilling rig according to claim 29, wherein the mounting structure is a beam and one or more suspension devices at one or more suspension positions along the beam, said suspension devices selected from the group of a hook, a pulley, a banana-sheave, and a pad-eye.

33. The offshore drilling rig according to claim 29, wherein, at the first position, the suspendable auxiliary equipment can be rigged to the mounting structure from the drill floor deck.