Method for excavating mud line cellar for subsea well drilling
AssigneeNoble Drilling Services Inc.
InventorsHans H. J. Deul, Patrick O'Neill, Matthew Sibrel, Robert van Kuilenburg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for excavating a well cellar includes lowering an excavating apparatus having a cellar liner therein to a bottom of a body of water. The well cellar is excavated while contemporaneously lowering the cellar liner into the well cellar until a top of the cellar liner is substantially level with the bottom of the body of water. A pilot well is excavated below a bottom of the cellar. A well head support pipe is inserted into the pilot well. The bottom of the well cellar and a top of the cellar liner are covered.
Claims11
A method for excavating a well cellar, comprising:
- lowering an excavating apparatus having a cellar liner therein to a bottom of a body of water;
- excavating the well cellar while contemporaneously lowering the cellar liner into the well cellar until a top of the cellar liner is substantially level with the bottom of the body of water;
- excavating a pilot well below a bottom of the cellar;
- and
- inserting a well head support pipe into the pilot well.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.