Walking drilling rig
AssigneeIndependence Contract Drilling, Inc.
InventorsFred Fortson, David Brown
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved walking drilling rig is disclosed. The walking drilling rig includes a preassembled substructure that includes a first skid beam disposed parallel and spaced apart from a second skid beam. A plurality of crossbeams couple the first skid beam to the second skid beam, and a plurality of extendable legs are supported by the first and second skid beams. An elevatable drill floor is coupled to the plurality of extendable legs and includes a rotary table disposed between a pair of lateral platforms. Each lateral platform has a retracted position and an extended position.
Claims13
A walking drilling rig, comprising:
- a preassembled substructure comprising:
- a first skid beam disposed parallel and spaced apart from a second skid beam;
- a plurality of crossbeams coupling the first skid beam to the second skid beam;
- a plurality of legs supported by the first and second skid beams;
- an integrated hydraulic power unit;
- and
- an elevated drill floor coupled to the plurality of legs and comprising a rotary table disposed between a pair of lateral platforms, each lateral platform being hydraulically extendable from a retracted position to an extended position;
- a plurality of hydraulic walking shoes coupled to the preassembled substructure;
- a mudboat coupled to the preassembled substructure;
- a mast dolly supported by the mudboat and
- a mast supported by the elevated drill floor.
A method of rigging up a walking drilling rig, comprising:
- providing a preassembled substructure comprising:
- a first skid beam disposed parallel and spaced apart from a second skid beam;
- a plurality of crossbeams coupling the first skid beam to the second skid beam;
- a plurality of legs supported by the first and second skid beams;
- an integrated hydraulic power unit;
- and
- a drill floor supported by the plurality of legs and comprising a rotary table disposed between a pair of lateral platforms;
- extending hydraulically the pair of lateral platforms from a retracted position to an extended position;
- elevating hydraulically the drill floor to a drilling height;
- coupling a mudboat to the preassembled substructure;
- receiving by the mudboat a mast dolly supporting a mast and raising the mast to be supported by the elevated drill floor using a pair of mast ramps.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.