Modular drilling rig system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9334667-B2
Application number	US-201514853811-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2015
Priority date	Mar 6, 2012
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

Modular transfigurable drilling rig system composed of multiple components, which system is transfigurable between a transport mode in which the components of the system are transportable and an operational mode in which the components are assembled to a drilling rig which is adapted to drill into a well centre in the ground.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A modular transfigurable drilling rig system composed of multiple components, which system is transfigurable between a transport mode in which the components of the system are transportable by vehicles and an operational mode in which the components are assembled to a drilling rig which is adapted to drill into a well center in the ground, the system comprising:
a drilling rig mast which is movable between a substantially horizontal connecting position and a substantially vertical operational position above the well center, the drilling rig mast having a top end and a foot;
a base structure adapted to be positioned in the operational mode on a surface near the well center to support the drilling rig mast thereon, the base structure comprising an assembly of interconnected parts, including:
a cross beam adapted to be positioned on the surface near the well center;
two support beams placed on the surface defining a first space configured to accommodate the well center, the two support beams extending in a first direction; and
at least two elongated base units placed on the surface extending in a second direction opposite to the first direction and away from the first space defined by the two support beams, and defining a second space, the second space being dimensioned to receive a vehicle carrying at least a foot portion of the drilling rig mast in the substantially horizontal connecting position;
wherein the base structure is formed in an H shape in the operational mode;

a pedestal, comprising:
an arm adapted to be, in a substantially horizontal connecting position thereof, pivotally connected at a lower end thereof to the base structure, about a pedestal pivot axis; and
a cantilevered mast support connected to an upper end of the arm, the cantilevered mast support extending upwardly and being connected to the foot of the drilling rig mast in the substantially horizontal connecting position of the pedestal, and extending forward of the arm in the first direction and supporting the drilling rig mast above the well center in the substantially vertical operational position,
wherein the pedestal is operable to pivot between the substantially horizontal connecting position and the substantially vertical operational position,

at least one drive assembly configured to pivot the connected pedestal and drilling rig mast as a unit between the substantially horizontal connecting position and the substantially vertical operational position, such that in the vertical operating position the drilling rig mast is positioned above the well center; and
a pipe loader for loading pipes into the drilling rig mast, the pipe loader being received in the second space between the at least two elongated base units when the drilling rig is in the substantially vertical operational position.

2. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more drill floor members adapted to form a drill floor in the operational mode, said drilling floor in the operational mode being located at an elevated position above said base structure, wherein the one or more drill floor members are adapted to be installed in the drilling rig mast once it is in the vertical operating position thereof.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said drive assembly engages on the pedestal.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the drive assembly includes one or more hydraulic jacks.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the cantilevered mast support includes a first end connected to an upper end of the arm, and a second end extending toward the first space, and the one or more hydraulic jacks extends to the second end of the cantilevered mast support.

6. System according to claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism that is adapted to lock the pedestal in its raised position, the locking mechanism comprising a locking bar that extends between the pedestal and the base structure.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein an upper end of the locking bar is provided with a latch connecting the upper end to the pedestal in the raised position thereof.

8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the locking bar is provided with a damper, to dampen motion of the drilling rig mast when reaching the vertical operational position.

9. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising drilling drawworks, and wherein the drilling rig mast or the pedestal is provided with drawworks connection members adapted to connect the drawworks to the drilling rig mast or the pedestal at an elevated drawworks position.

10. The system at least according to claim 9 , wherein the pedestal with the drilling mast connected thereto is operable to move from the substantially horizontal connecting position, via the substantially vertical operational position to a tilted position beyond the vertical operating position thereof, in which position the drilling rig mast is able to connect the drilling drawworks to the drilling rig mast.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the drilling rig mast is provided with a hoist device adapted to hoist a drilling drawworks—with the drilling rig mast in its vertical operational position—to the elevated drawworks position on the drilling rig mast.

12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a guide mechanism to guide the foot of the drilling rig mast—when supplied in substantially horizontal position—to the pedestal.

13. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a lifting mechanism to lift the foot of the drilling rig mast, when supplied in substantially horizontal position, to the pedestal.

14. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the drilling rig mast is composed of multiple transportable mast sections, and wherein the drive assembly is adapted to move the drilling rig mast composed from said mast sections in substantially horizontal orientation from said horizontal position to its vertical operational position.

15. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the pedestal is shaped as an inverted L.

16. A method for bringing into operational mode a modular transfigurable drilling rig system according to claim 1 , said method comprising the steps of:
positioning the cross beam on the surface near the well center;
positioning the elongated base units on the surface adjacent the well center;
positioning the base units to form a H-shaped base structure when seen from above;
connecting the pedestal to the base structure;
positioning the drilling rig mast in the substantially horizontal connecting position and connecting the foot of the drilling rig mast to the pedestal; and

operating the at least one drive assembly such that the connected pedestal and drilling rig mast are pivoted as a unit from the substantially horizontal connecting position to the substantially vertical operational position, such that in the vertical operating position the drilling rig mast is positioned above the well center.

Assignees

• Itrec Bv

Inventors

• Wijning Diederick Bernardus
• Roodenburg Joop

Classifications

• E21B19/20

  Combined feeding from rack and connecting, e.g. automatically · CPC title

• E21B15/00

  Supports for the drilling machine, e.g. derricks or masts · CPC title

• E04H12/345 Primary

  Arrangements for tilting up whole structures or sections thereof (E04H12/347 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E04H12/187

  with hinged sections · CPC title

• E04B1/34336

  Structures movable as a whole, e.g. mobile home structures (vehicles comprising living accommodation for people, e.g. caravans, camping or like vehicles B60P3/32) · CPC title