Method and apparatus for running and cementing pipe

A method for forming a borehole and cementing a casing pipe in said borehole in offshore drilling operations comprising:

• lowering said casing pipe on drill pipe into the subsea floor while jetting fluid down through said drill pipe and out the ends of tubes formed in a jet shoe cemented to the lower end of said casing pipe without rotating said drill pipe and said casing pipe and while preventing return of said jetted fluid into said case pipe and drill pipe until said casing pipe has reached a predetermined depth in said formation;
• pumping cement slurry downwardly through said drill pipe and said jet shoe tubes to cement said casing pipe in said subsea floor while preventing backflow of cement slurry into said casing pipe and drill pipe;
• and
• releasing and removing said drill pipe from said casing pipe.

A method for running and cementing larger diameter pipe in a subsea formation comprising:

• lowering said larger pipe on smaller diameter pipe from the water's surface while jetting fluid through said smaller pipe and out the end of a jet shoe cemented to the end of said larger pipe without rotating said smaller pipe and said larger pipe until said larger pipe has reached a predetermined depth in said formation;
• pumping cement slurry through said smaller pipe and said jet show to cement said larger pipe in said formation;
• and
• releasing and removing said smaller pipe from said larger pipe.

Apparatus for use in running and cementing large diameter pipe in subsea formations comprising:

• a cylindrical housing containing an open-ended receptacle extending from one end of said housing into said receptacle, a valve arranged at the interior end of said receptacle permitting flow of fluids in only one direction through said valve, and ten aluminum tubes forming flow paths extending from said valve to the other end of said housing, said tubes containing nozzles for jetting fluid therefrom;
• a smaller diameter pipe extending from the water surface into said larger pipe and having a stinger for insertion into said receptacle, said stinger containing seal means for sealing off the outer surface of said stinger and the inner surface of said receptacle;
• closure means on said smaller pipe for closing off the upper end of said larger pipe;
• cement surrounding said receptacle, valve and tubes in said housing, one of said tubes being positioned in the center of said housing and extending vertically from said valve and the other tubes being positioned in concentric rings about said center tube, six of said tubes being on an eighteen inch bow circle at 60 degrees spacing and three of said tubes being on a ten inch bow circle at 120 degrees spacing, the outer rim of said housing extending beyond said cement and the ends of said tubes.