Methods and apparatuses for elevating drilling rig components with a strand jack
AssigneeNabors Industries, Inc.
InventorsSteven K. Deel, Christopher Magnuson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods for erecting drilling structures including drill floors and drilling masts include attaching a rigging line to the drilling structure and to a strand jack arranged with at least one hydraulic jack and a plurality of clamps that alternatingly secure onto the rigging line and pull the rigging line in tension. Pulling the rigging line with the strand jack raises the drilling structures to an upright or elevated position.
Claims22
A method for erecting a drilling structure, comprising:
- providing a drilling rig mast to a wellsite in a substantially horizontal position;
- attaching a bottom portion of the mast to a drilling floor;
- attaching a rigging line to the mast and to a strand jack arranged with at least one hydraulic jack and a plurality of clamps that alternatingly secure onto the rigging line and pull the rigging line in tension;
- and
- pulling the rigging line with the strand jack to raise the mast from the substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position.
A method for erecting a drilling structure, comprising:
- attaching a rigging line to a drill floor and to a strand jack arranged with at least one hydraulic jack and a plurality of clamps that alternatingly secure onto a rigging line and pull the rigging line in tension;
- pulling the rigging line with the strand jack to raise the drill floor from a collapsed position to an elevated position;
- and
- securing the drill floor at the elevated position to perform drilling operations on the drill floor.
A drilling structure comprising:
- a substructure for supporting the drilling structure on a ground surface through which drilling is to occur;
- an elevatable drill floor;
- a collapsible drill floor frame attachable to the drill floor and to the substructure in a manner permitting the drill floor to rest on the substructure when the drill floor frame is in a first collapsed position and in a manner supporting the drill floor above the substructure in an elevated second position, the drill floor frame comprising a plurality of strut members on opposing side portions of the drill floor, the strut members of the drill floor frame being arranged in pairs forming parallel linkages;
- a first elevating block mounted to said drill floor;
- a second elevating block mounted at an elevation above the drill floor when the drill floor frame is in a collapsed position;
- an elevating line extending between the first elevating block and the second elevating block;
- and
- a strand jack including at least one hydraulic jack and a plurality of clamps that alternatingly secure onto the elevating line and pull the elevating line in tension, the strand jack and elevating line being arranged so that pulling by said strand jack causes said first elevating block to move toward said second elevating block in a manner that raises the drill floor to the elevated position.
The drilling structure of claim, wherein the drill floor is disposed to the side of a desired well center location when in the collapsed position and disposed above the desired well center location when in the upright position.
A method for erecting a drilling structure, comprising:
- attaching a plurality of struts to a drill floor of a drilling rig, the plurality of struts extending in a vertical condition;
- attaching the plurality of struts to a substructure below the drill floor;
- attaching a rigging line between each of the struts extending above the drill floor and to a strand jack arranged with at least one hydraulic jack and a plurality of clamps that alternatingly secure onto the rigging line and pull the rigging line in tension;
- and
- pulling the rigging line with the strand jack to raise the drill floor from a collapsed condition to an elevated condition such that the drill floor travels vertically until it is fully raised and attached adjacent a top of the struts in the vertical condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.