Self-elevating drilling unit

A self-elevating drilling unit for offshore operations, comprising:

• a jack-up platform having a central axis extending from front to aft of the platform;
• a pair of cantilever assemblies supported by the platform, each of said cantilever assemblies independently movable in a first direction substantially parallel to the central axis of the platform and a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction;
• and
• a means for securing said cantilever assemblies on the platform, said securing means extending above said cantilever assemblies, said securing means being fixedly connected to said platform and comprising a hold down beam having an inverted U-shape configuration, opposite legs of said hold down beam being fixedly attached to a deck of said platform.

A self-elevating drilling unit for conducting offshore operations, while utilizing well heads of an existing stationary platform, comprising:

• a jack-up platform positionable adjacent the existing stationary platform;
• a pair of cantilever assemblies supported by the jack-up platform, each of said cantilever assemblies independently movable in a first direction longitudinally toward and away from the jack-up platform over the well heads of the stationary platform and a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction;
• and
• a means for securing said cantilever assemblies on the jack-up platform, said securing means extending above said cantilever assemblies, said securing means being fixedly connected to said jack-up platform.