Curved offshore well conductors

An anchored marine structure at an offshore body of water adapted for directional drilling of under-water wells which comprises:

• a working deck positioned above the water's surface and holding well drilling equipment;
• at least one elongated leg supportably connected to said working deck and extending downwardly to the floor of said body of water;
• pile means connected to said structure and depending from the lower end thereof being imbedded in the substratum of said body of water to rigidly fix said structure in place;
• conductor guide means carried on said structure and being adapted to slidably receive and deflect a drill guide conductor passed downwardly therethrough;
• said conductor guide means including, discrete guide units spaced vertically apart in substantial vertical alignment and being deviated horizontally from said substantially vertical alignment to define an arcuate center line along the common axis of said respective guide units.

A method of installing a curved well conductor at an offshore location having a platform structure installed on the floor of a body of water, said method comprising:

• extending with a downward movement at least one well conductor open at both ends downwardly with respect to said platform structure, then curving said conductor outwardly and downwardly through said platform structure within a plan view periphery thereof and above the floor of said body of water in a manner maintaining a relatively smooth bore throughout substantially the entire extent of said conductor. 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of curving said conductor includes the steps of:
• providing guide means at a plurality of vertically spaced locations on said platform structure and increasingly horizontally offset at each lower location adapted to curve said conductor from a normally vertical position;
• and
• extending said conductor into communication with said guide means thereby curving said conductor through said guide means.

The method of claim 15 wherein the step of curving said conductor includes the step of continually curving said conductor up to approximately 6.degree. every 100 feet. 21. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of curving said conductor includes the step of pre-forming the desired curvature in said conductor prior to the step of extending said conductor downwardly [with respect to] through and within said platform structure. 22. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of extending said well conductor downwardly with respect to said platform structure includes the step of extending the upper portion of said conductor first vertically downwardly [with respect to] within said platform structure, then curving said conductor. 23. Apparatus for use in drilling offshore wells to increase the lateral reach of the wells, said apparatus comprising:

• a platform structure disposed on the floor of a body of water;
• and
• at least one well conductor through which a well may be drilled, said conductor extending downwardly [with respect to] within said platform structure, then curved [for the major portion thereof] outwardly and downwardly through said platform structure and out the bottom thereof within the plan view periphery thereof [above] at the floor of said body of water, said conductor having a relatively smooth bore throughout substantially the entire extent thereof. 24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said platform structure includes a plurality of conductor guide means disposed vertically thereof within the plan view periphery of said platform structure and being increasingly horizontally offset at each lower location for curving said conductor from a normally vertical position and said conductor engages said guide means in a manner curving said conductor. 25. The apparatus of claim 23 including a plurality of said well conductors extending downwardly [with respect to] through said platform structure within the plan view periphery thereof, at least some of said conductors extending outwardly and downwardly [with respect to] entirely within said platform structure in a curvilinear direction different from that of an adjacent well conductor in a predetermined pattern with respect to said platform structure.

The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said conductor continually curves approximately up to 6.degree. every 100 feet. 27. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said well conductor extends first vertically downwardly with respect to said platform structure, then curves outwardly and downwardly through and within said platform along a curvilinear path . 28. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said well conductors extending downwardly with respect to said platform structure extend below said platform structure and into the floor of said body of water along a curved path . 29. A marine structure, adapted to be positioned on the floor of a body of water, for the directional drilling of underwater wells, which comprises:

• a substantially rigid structure of a height, when assembled, greater than the depth of water in which said marine structure is to be positioned,
• means carried by said marine structure for receiving anchoring means for anchoring said structure to the floor of said body of water, and
• conductor pipe guide means carried by said structure entirely within the plan view periphery thereof and at least a portion of said guide means being arranged along a downwardly curved path to receive a drill guide conductor pipe adapted to pass downwardly therethrough along a path [the major portion of] which curves outwardly and downwardly [through] within said
• marine structure.

A marine structure, adapted to be positioned on the floor of a body of water, for the directional drilling of underwater wells, which comprises:

• a substantially rigid structure of a height, when assembled, greater than the depth of water in which said marine structure is to be positioned;
• means carried by said marine structure for receiving anchoring means for anchoring said structure to the floor of said body of water;
• and
• conductor pipe guide means carried by said structure within the plan view periphery thereof to receive a drill guide conductor pipe adapted to pass downwardly therethrough along a path the major portion of which curves outwardly and downwardly through said marine structure.