Systems and methods for raising drilling rig assemblies
AssigneeNational Oilwell Varco, L.P.
InventorsFuquan Chen, Robert Benjamin Donnally, Hua Jiang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mast erection system includes a first mast erection apparatus that is adapted to pivotably raise a drilling rig mast of a drilling rig assembly to an intermediate raised position wherein the drilling rig mast is oriented at a first acute angle relative to a horizontal plane, and a second mast erection apparatus that is adapted to further pivotably raise the drilling rig mast from the intermediate raised position at the first acute angle to a fully raised position wherein the drilling rig mast is oriented at a second angle relative to the horizontal plane that is greater than the first acute angle.
Claims27
A mast erection system, comprising:
- a first mast erection apparatus that is adapted to pivotably raise a drilling rig mast of a drilling rig assembly to an intermediate raised position wherein said drilling rig mast is oriented at a first acute angle relative to a horizontal plane;
- and
- a second mast erection apparatus that is adapted to further pivotably raise said drilling rig mast from said intermediate raised position at said first acute angle to a fully raised position wherein said drilling rig mast is oriented at a second angle relative to said horizontal plane that is greater than said first acute angle, said first mast erection apparatus being a different type of erection apparatus from said second mast erection apparatus, wherein said drilling rig mast is adapted to be pivotably raised to said fully raised operating position after a dead load of said drilling rig mast has been transferred from said first mast erection apparatus to said second mast erection apparatus.
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A drilling rig assembly erection system, comprising:
- a drilling rig substructure;
- a drilling rig mast that is adapted to be pivotably connected to said drilling rig sub structure;
- an hydraulic cylinder that is adapted to raise said drilling rig mast by pivotably rotating said drilling rig mast from a substantially horizontal orientation to an intermediate raised position wherein said drilling rig mast is oriented at a first acute angle relative to a horizontal plane;
- and
- a drilling rig drawworks that is adapted to further raise said drilling rig mast by pivotably rotating said drilling rig mast from said intermediate raised position to a fully raised operating position wherein said drilling rig mast is oriented at a second angle relative to said horizontal plane that is greater than said first acute angle, wherein said drilling rig mast is adapted to be pivotably raised to said fully raised operating position after a dead load of said drilling rig mast has been transferred from said hydraulic cylinder to said drilling rig drawworks.
A method of erecting a drilling rig mast, the method comprising:
- pivotably connecting a drilling rig mast to a collapsible drilling rig substructure;
- pivotably connecting a first mast erection apparatus to said drilling rig mast;
- pivotably raising said drilling rig mast with said first mast erection apparatus to an intermediate raised position such that said drilling rig mast is oriented at a first acute angle relative to a horizontal plane;
- coupling a second mast erection apparatus to said drilling rig mast;
- and
- pivotably raising said drilling rig mast with said second mast erection apparatus from said intermediate raised position at said first acute angle to a fully raised operating position such that said drilling rig mast is oriented at a second angle relative to said horizontal plane that is greater than said first acute angle, wherein said first mast erection apparatus is disconnected from said drilling rig mast prior to pivotably raising said drilling rig mast to said fully raised operating position.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.