DRILLING RIG MASTS AND METHODS OF ASSEMBLY AND ERECTION

• US 20150059262A1
• Filed: 09/03/2013
• Published: 03/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Donnally, Robert Benjamin, McCurdy, Stuart Arthur Lyall, Liu, Xi Lin, Sheng, Hui Chun, Yu, Yan, Ren, Chungiao
• Granted Patent: US 9,441,423 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/125.2
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/26 for use on building sites; constructed, e.g. with separable parts, to facilitate rapid assembly or dismantling, for operation at successively higher levels, for transport by road or rail with supporting couples provided by walls or buildings B66C23/20; mounted on vehicles B66C23/36; jib constructions B66C23/64
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/30 with frameworks composed of telescopic elements
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/00 Supports for the drilling machine, e.g. derricks or masts
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/026 having auxiliary platforms, e.g. for observation purposes

Abstract

A system for erecting a drilling rig mast includes a substructure having an open area that is defined therein by two laterally spaced-apart substructure sides and a first mast section that is adapted to be positioned at least partially within the open area of the substructure after the first mast section has been removably connected to the substructure. The system further includes, among other things, a second mast section that is adapted to be removably connected to the first mast section the said first mast section has been removably connected to the substructure, and a mast connection apparatus that is adapted to removably connect the second mast section to the first mast section when an upper end of the first mast section is raised relative to a lower end of the second mast section.

Claims

1-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A system for erecting a drilling rig mast, the system comprising:

a substructure comprising a mast connection, a first substructure side, and a second substructure side, wherein said first substructure side is adapted to be positioned laterally adjacent to and spaced apart from said second substructure side so as to define an open area therebetween;

a bottom mast section comprising a first connection apparatus positioned at an upper end thereof and a bottom connection apparatus positioned at a lower end thereof that is adapted to be pivotably connected to said mast connection, wherein said bottom mast section is adapted to be positioned at least partially within said open area of said substructure and said open area is adapted to at least partially receive said bottom mast section while said bottom connection apparatus is pivotably connected to said mast connection; and

a second mast section comprising a second connection apparatus positioned at a lower end thereof, wherein said first connection apparatus is adapted to engage with and be removably connected to said second connection apparatus when said bottom mast section is pivotably rotated about said mast connection.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising a raising apparatus that is adapted to raise said first connection apparatus of said bottom mast section relative to said second connection apparatus by pivotably rotating bottom mast section about said mast connection.

26. The system of claim 24, further comprising a locking apparatus that is adapted to lock said first connection apparatus to said second connection apparatus.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein said first connection apparatus comprises a jaw member comprising a throat and a slot and said second connection apparatus comprises an insertion member comprising a bar, an end of said insertion member being adapted to be positioned in said throat of said jaw member and said bar being adapted to be positioned within said slot when said first connection apparatus engages with said second connection apparatus.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the jaw member comprises two spaced-apart plates, each of said two spaced apart plates having a flared portion, said flared portions defining said throat of said jaw member.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein said bottom mast section comprises a plurality of first bottom legs and said first connection apparatus comprises a jaw member connected to each of said plurality of first bottom legs, each of said jaw members comprising a throat and a slot.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said second mast section comprises a plurality of first mast legs and said second connection apparatus comprises an insertion member connected to each of said first mast legs, said insertion member comprising a bar, wherein an end of each of said insertion members is adapted to be positioned in a throat of a respective jaw member and each of said bars is adapted to be positioned within a slot a respective jaw when said first connection apparatus engages with said second connection apparatus.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said bottom mast section comprises a plurality of second bottom legs that are spaced apart from said first bottom legs and said second mast section comprises a plurality of second mast legs that are spaced apart from said first mast legs, an upper end of each of said plurality of second bottom legs comprising an upper connection member and a lower end of each of said plurality of second mast legs comprising a lower connection member that is adapted to be coupled to a respective upper connection member.

32. The system of claim 24, further comprising a mast raising apparatus.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said mast raising apparatus is adapted to be pivotably connected to said bottom mast section and said substructure.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein said mast raising apparatus is adapted to raise at least said bottom mast section after said bottom connection apparatus has been pivotably connected to said mast connection.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein said mast raising apparatus is adapted to raise an assembled drilling rig mast comprising at least said bottom mast section and said second mast section.

36. The system of claim 24, wherein said open area between said laterally spaced-apart first and second substructure sides is further adapted to at least partially receive a vehicle that is adapted to support said bottom mast section before said bottom connection apparatus has been pivotably connected to said mast connection.

37. A system for erecting a drilling rig mast, the system comprising:

a substructure having an open area therein that is partially defined by two laterally spaced-apart substructure sides;

a first mast section that is adapted to be positioned at least partially within said open area of said substructure after said first mast section has been removably connected to said substructure,

a second mast section that is adapted to be removably connected to said first mast section after said first mast section has been removably connected to said substructure; and

a mast connection apparatus that is adapted to removably connect said second mast section to said first mast section when an upper end of said first mast section is raised relative to a lower end of said second mast section.

38. The system of claim 37, further comprising a mast raising apparatus that is adapted to raise said upper end of said first mast section relative to said lower end of said second mast section by pivotably rotating said first mast section about a lower end thereof, wherein said lower end is adapted to removably connect said first mast section to said substructure.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein said mast connection apparatus comprises at least one jaw member connected to said upper end of said first mast section and at least one insertion member connected to said lower end of said second mast section.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said at least one jaw member comprises a throat and a slot and said at least one insertion member comprises a bar, an end of said at least one insertion member being adapted to be positioned in said throat of said at least one jaw member and said bar being adapted to be positioned within said slot when said mast connection apparatus removably connects said second mast section to said first mast section.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein said mast raising apparatus is adapted to be pivotably connected to said first mast section and said substructure.

42. The system of claim 37, wherein said mast raising apparatus is further adapted to raise an assembled drilling rig mast comprising at least said first mast section and said second mast section.