Wellbore drilling with a trolley and a top drive device

A method for operating a wellbore drilling installation for drilling a wellbore or other wellbore related activities, said installation comprising:

• a drilling tower;
• a drill floor having a well center allowing the passage of a drilling tubulars string along a firing line into the wellbore;
• at least one vertical trolley rail;
• a trolley, said trolley being guided along said at least one vertical trolley rail;
• a main hoisting device adapted to lift and lower said trolley along said at least one vertical trolley rail relative to the drilling tower;
• and
• a top drive device attached to the trolley, said top drive device comprising one or more top drive motors in order to impart rotary motion to a drilling tubulars string when connected to said top drive device,
• wherein the trolley comprises a frame with:
• a top frame member suspended from said main hoisting device;
• and
• a first vertical frame member and a second vertical frame member, each connected at an upper end thereof to said top frame member, said first and second vertical frame members depending from said top frame member spaced apart from one another and being adapted to support the load of a drilling tubulars string that passes along said firing line into the wellbore,
• wherein each of said first and second vertical frame members comprises a lower connector member, said lower connector member being:
• connected to a component that is adapted to be suspended from the first and second vertical frame members;
• or
• adapted to be connected to a component that is adapted to be suspended from the first and second vertical frame members,
• wherein said top drive device is attached to the frame of the trolley independent from the first and second vertical frame members,
• wherein said installation further comprises one or more components each adapted to be releasably connected to and suspended from said first and second vertical frame members of the trolley, said one or more components at least including:
• a thrust bearing component provided with a thrust bearing that is adapted to support the load of a drilling tubulars string, so that said load is transmitted via said thrust bearing component to said first and second vertical frame members and thereby to said top frame member suspended from said main hoisting device,
• wherein the trolley is further provided with a wrench and/or clamp device that is mounted on the frame of the trolley independent from the top drive device and from the one or more components connected to and suspended from the first and second vertical frame members, at a location below the top drive device and above the one or more components,
• wherein said installation further comprises one or more carts, each adapted to transport a component to be suspended from the first and second vertical frame members, wherein each cart is adapted to be positioned on the drill floor underneath the trolley,
• the method including a routine for removal of a component suspended from said first and second vertical frame members and removal of the top drive device, the routine including the steps of:
• positioning a first cart of the one or more carts on the drill floor underneath the trolley;
• lowering the trolley by the main hoisting device and bringing the component to rest on said first cart;
• releasing the component from the lower connector members of the first and second vertical frame members;
• and
• moving away said first cart with the released component to a first remote location,
• positioning a second cart of the one or more carts on the drill floor underneath the trolley;
• lowering the wrench and/or clamp device relative to said frame of said trolley and bringing the wrench and/or clamp device to rest on said second cart;
• moving said second cart with said lowered and disengaged wrench and/or clamp device resting thereon to said first remote location or a second remote location;
• positioning a third cart of the one or more carts on the drill floor underneath the trolley;
• lowering the top drive device relative to said frame of said trolley until said top drive device disengages from said one or more vertical guide rails and the bringing the top drive device to rest on said third cart;
• and
• moving said third cart with said lowered and disengaged top drive device resting thereon to said first remote location or to said second remote location or to a third remote location.