Apparatus for storing a flexible elongated member, such as a flexible drill column

An apparatus for storing an elongated flexible element comprising

• an inner cylindrical frame with an essentially vertical axis, said inner frame having a radius at least equal to the minimum radius of curvature of an elongated flexible element,
• an outer cylindrical frame placed concentric to said first frame, said inner and outer frames defining therebetween a space being open at the upper part thereof so as to allow for the passage of said elongated flexible element,
• an annular base structure means, connecting said inner and outer cylindrical frames, for closing the lower part of said space and supporting said elongated flexible element, said space having a dimension in the radial direction between said inner and outer frames greater than the diameter of the cross-section of the elongated element,
• guide means cooperaling with the resulting structure of inner and outer frames with said annular base means for guiding in rotation about said vertical axis the resulting structure of inner and outer frames with said annular base means,
• drive means coupled to said guide means for driving in rotation said resulting structure about said vertical axis, and
• supply means connected to said drive means for supplying power to said drive means,
• said annular base structure means being formed of a plurality of separate annular sector members, connecting means interconnecting said annular sectors to one another, and means allowing a displacement of said separate sector members with respect to each other in a direction having at least one vertical component, each of said separate sector members carrying therewith a corresponding portion of said inner and outer frames.