Modular drilling rig system
AssigneeItrec B.V.
InventorsDiederick Bernardus Wijning, Joop Roodenburg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Modular transfigurable drilling rig system composed of multiple components, which system is transfigurable between a transport mode in which the components of the system are transportable and an operational mode in which the components are assembled to a drilling rig which is adapted to drill into a well centre in the ground.
Claims26
A modular transfigurable drilling rig system composed of multiple components, which system is transfigurable between a transport mode in which the components of the system are transportable and an operational mode in which the components are assembled to a drilling rig which is adapted to drill into a well center in the ground, the system comprising:
- a base structure adapted to be positioned in the operational mode on the ground near a well center, which base structure comprises:
- one or more base members;
- one or more drill floor members adapted to form a drill floor in the operational mode, said drilling floor in the operational mode being located at an elevated position above said one or more base members and the well center;
- and
- at least one bar-linkage mechanism comprising one or more beams that extend between a base member and a drill floor member, said one or more beams being pivotally connected to said base member and said drill floor member, which bar-linkage mechanism is operable to move between a transport position in which the drill floor member is in a lowered position relatively close to the base member, and a raised position in which the drill floor member is in its elevated position;
- a drilling rig mast which is movable between a substantially horizontal position and an operational position vertically above the well center, the drilling rig mast having a top end and a foot, foot;
- and
- at least one drive assembly to move the one or more drill floor members and the mast between the lowered and elevated position and the substantially horizontal position and the vertical operational position respectively,
- wherein
- at least one base member, at least one drill floor member, and an associated bar-linkage mechanism are integrated into a transportable base unit, which base unit is adapted to be placed on the ground to support the drilling rig thereon,
- and wherein the drilling mast is in its substantially horizontal position connectable to the drill floor member and/or to the bar-linkage mechanism of said transportable base unit when placed on the ground,
- and wherein said at least one drive assembly is integrated into the transportable base unit and engages on the bar-linkage member and/or the drill floor member thereof, said at least one drive assembly being embodied to move the drill floor member between the lowered and elevated position and simultaneously move the drilling mast—when connected to the floor member and/or the bar-linkage mechanism—between its substantially horizontal position and the vertical operating position thereof.
A modular transfigurable drilling rig system composed of multiple components, which system is transfigurable between a transport mode in which the components of the system are transportable and an operational mode in which the components are assembled to a drilling rig which is adapted to drill into a well center in the ground, the system comprising:
- a base structure adapted to be positioned in the operational mode on the ground near a well center, which base structure comprises:
- one or more base member;
- and
- one or more drill floor members adapted to form a drill floor in the operational mode, said drilling floor in the operational mode being located at an elevated position above said one or more base members and the well center;
- and
- a drilling rig mast which is movable between a substantially horizontal position and an operational position vertically above the well center, the drilling rig mast having a top end and a foot;
- and
- at least one drive assembly to move the one or more drill floor members and the mast between the lowered and elevated position and the substantially horizontal position and the vertical operational position respectively,
- wherein
- the drilling mast is provided with a hoist device adapted to hoist drilling drawworks—with the mast in its vertical operational position—to an elevated drawworks position on the mast, and wherein the drilling mast is provided with drawworks connection members adapted to connect the drawworks to the drilling mast at said elevated drawworks position.
A method for bringing a modular transfigurable drilling rig system into an operational mode, wherein the modular transfigurable drilling rig system is composed of multiple components, which system is transfigurable between a transport mode in which the components of the system are transportable and an operational mode in which the components are assembled to a drilling rig which is adapted to drill into a well center in the ground, the system comprising:
- a base structure adapted to be positioned on the ground;
- a drilling rig mast which is connectable to the base structure and is movable between a substantially horizontal mast assembly position and an operational position vertically above the well center, the drilling rig mast having a top end and a foot;
- a top drive to perform drilling activities;
- and
- at least one drive assembly to move the drilling rig mast between said horizontal and vertical position relative to the base structure,
- wherein the method comprises the steps of:
- positioning said base structure on the ground;
- assembling the drilling rig mast in a substantially horizontal position and connecting the foot of the drilling mast to the base structure;
- supplying by means of a vehicle the top drive in a substantially horizontal orientation;
- aligning the drilling rig mast, in at least partly assembled state and connected to the base structure, with the top drive that is in substantially horizontal orientation on the vehicle;
- when aligned, connecting the top drive to the drilling rig mast;
- and
- operating the at least one drive assembly such that the drilling mast with the top drive moves towards its vertical operational position.
A method for bringing a modular transfigurable drilling rig system into an operational mode, wherein the modular transfigurable drilling rig system is composed of multiple components, which system is transfigurable between a transport mode in which the components of the system are transportable and an operational mode in which the components are assembled to a drilling rig which is adapted to drill into a well center in the ground, the system comprising:
- a base structure adapted to be positioned in the operational mode on the ground;
- a drilling rig mast composed of multiple sections, which is movable between a substantially horizontal mast assembly position and an operational position vertically above the well center, the drilling rig mast having a top end and a foot;
- and
- at least one drive assembly to move the drilling rig mast between the substantially horizontal mast assembly position and the vertical operational position,
- wherein the method comprises the steps of
- positioning said base structure on the ground;
- positioning a lower mast section on a vehicle adjacent the base structure;
- connecting a foot end of the lower mast section to the base structure;
- positioning a subsequent drilling rig mast section on a vehicle in a substantially horizontal position adjacent the lower mast section;
- connecting one end of the subsequent drilling mast section to the lower mast section;
- and
- operating the at least one drive assembly such that the mast moves towards its vertical operational position.
A modular transfigurable drilling rig system composed of multiple components, which system is transfigurable between a transport mode in which the components of the system are transportable and an operational mode in which the components are assembled to a drilling rig which is adapted to drill into a well center in the ground, the system comprising:
- a base structure adapted to be positioned in the operational mode on the ground near a well center, which base structure comprises:
- one or more base members;
- one or more drill floor members adapted to form a drill floor in the operational mode, said drilling floor in the operational mode being located at an elevated position above said one or more base members and the well center;
- at least one bar-linkage mechanism comprising one or more beams that extend between a base member and a drill floor member, said one or more beams being pivotally connected to said base member and said drill floor member, which bar-linkage mechanism is operable to move between a transport position in which the drill floor member is in a lowered position relatively close to the base member, and a raised position in which the drill floor member is in its elevated position;
- a drilling rig mast which is movable between a substantially horizontal assembly position, wherein the mast is assembled by interconnection of multiple mast sections, and an operational position vertically above the well center, the drilling rig mast having a top end and a foot;
- and
- at least one drive assembly to move the one or more drill floor members and the mast between the lowered and elevated position and the substantially horizontal position and the vertical operational position respectively,
- wherein
- the rig system comprises two base transportable base units to be placed on the ground in side-by-side arrangement with a space between them,
- wherein each base unit is embodied to have:
- a) a base member and two pivotal beams, each connected at a lower end thereof to the base member of the base unit about a first and second lower pivot axis respectively and each connected at an upper end thereof to a drill floor member about a first and second upper pivot axis respectively, such that said base member, pivotal beams and drill floor member form a four-bar-linkage mechanism,
- or
- b) a base member and a single pivotal beam, connected at a lower end thereof to the base member of the base unit about a first lower pivot axis and connected at the upper end thereof to a drill floor member about a first upper pivot axis, wherein a foot of the mast is pivotally connectable to the base structure so as to pivot about a second lower pivot axis and the drill floor member is pivotally connectable to the mast to pivot about a second upper pivot axis, such that said base member, pivotal beam, drill floor member, and mast from the four-bar-linkage member,
- and wherein the drilling mast is with its lower section in substantially horizontal position arrangeable between the base units and connectable to the base structure and to the four-bat-linkage mechanism of each transportable base unit,
- and wherein each base unit is provided with an integrated drive assembly that is embodied to move the drill floor member between the lowered and elevated position and simultaneously move the drilling mast—connected to the floor member and/or the bar-linkage mechanism—between its substantially horizontal position and the vertical operating position thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.