Enclosed coiled tubing boat and methods

#Coiled tubing drilling offers the advantages of reduced time and costs associated with conventional drilling operations that utilize segmented pipe. These advantages include reduced pipe handling time, reduced pipe joint makeup time, and reduced leakage risks.

#When coiled tubing drilling is utilized, however, conventional drilling may still be required to drill surface holes due to the lack of bit weight at the surface with coiled tubing drilling. A separate conventional drilling rig is then required to drill a surface hole, place surface casing, cement, and then drill to deeper depths. Thus, hybrid rigs exist that can perform both conventional drilling and coiled tubing drilling.

#Hybrid rigs, however, are often utilized in extremely cold environments, such as Alaska. These rigs typically feature a fixed coiled-tubing-reel location, which is cumbersome and difficult to position and operate, particularly in extremely cold environments. Moreover, the entire coiled tubing unit (e.g., reel and injector) is exposed to the cold environment, and can be subject to freeze-up or other weather-induced failure,

#The present disclosure can be better understood from the following detailed description when read in association with the accompanying figures described below. It is emphasized that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion.

#FIG. 1 is a partial side view of a coiled tubing boat according to an embodiment of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a side view of a coiled tubing boat of FIG. 1 in an operational position on a drilling rig according to an embodiment of the invention;

#It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of various embodiments. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the discussion below. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed. Moreover, the formation of a first feature over or on a second feature in the description that follows may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional features may be formed interposing the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact unless specifically stated to be so.

#The invention generally provides an integrated coiled tubing reel, injector, and cart in the form of a coiled tubing boat or skid, which is at least partially, preferably entirely, enclosed to adapt it for Arctic or other cold-weather operation, along with an operably coupled guide system for longitudinal and lateral movement of the coiled tubing boat relative to a drilling rig. The term “guide” or “guide system” may also be referred to herein as a “track” or “track system.” The coiled tubing boat and guide system can be provided on new rigs or existing rigs can be modified and adapted to include a guide system that can accommodate the coiled tubing boat as described herein. The coiled tubing boat system can advantageously permit modification of existing rigs without major modification or re-design of the drilling rig.

#The coiled tubing boat is preferably pre-manufactured and assembled in the modification embodiment, such that an existing rig can be readily modified by adding the guide system and optional jacking system, and providing the coiled tubing boat in operative association therewith to the guide. The longitudinal and lateral movement of the coiled tubing boat relative to the drilling rig allows for easy replacement of the coiled tubing reel, adjustment of the weight and balance of the drilling rig (along with operation of the optional jacking system when present), and also allows the mast of the drilling rig to be lowered to at least a substantially horizontal position on the rig when desired, such as for rig relocation. In another embodiment, a rig may be initially arranged or even integrally formed with a coiled tubing boat according to the invention.