Performing simultaneous operations on multiple wellbore locations using a single mobile drilling rig

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9464488-B2
Application number	US-201314040837-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2013
Priority date	Sep 30, 2013
Publication date	Oct 11, 2016
Grant date	Oct 11, 2016

Abstract

A system includes a drilling rig having a substructure, the drilling rig being adapted to be positioned above a plurality of wellbore location such that each of the plurality of wellbore locations is simultaneously positioned below the substructure. Equipment movement means is included for moving pressure control equipment between positions proximate each of the plurality of wellbore locations, the equipment movement means being adapted to move the pressure control equipment between the positions while the drilling rig is performing a rig operation on at least a first one of the plurality of wellbore locations. Equipment positioning means is included for positioning pressure control equipment on one or more of the plurality of wellbore locations, the equipment positioning means being adapted to position the pressure control equipment on a second one of the plurality of wellbore locations while the rig operation is being performed on the first wellbore location.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A system, comprising:
a drilling rig comprising a substructure, said drilling rig being adapted to be positioned above a plurality of wellbore location such that each of said plurality of wellbore locations is simultaneously positioned below said substructure, said drilling rig being further adapted to be moved along a line of wellbore locations comprising at least said plurality of wellbore locations;
equipment movement means for moving one or more pieces of pressure control equipment between positions proximate each of said plurality of wellbore locations, said equipment movement means being adapted to move at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment between said positions while said drilling rig is performing a rig operation on at least a first one of said plurality of wellbore locations; and
equipment positioning means for positioning said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment on one or more of said plurality of wellbore locations, said equipment positioning means being adapted to position at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment on a second one of said plurality of wellbore locations while said rig operation is being performed on said first wellbore location.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said equipment positioning means is adapted to lift at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment from said equipment movement means prior to positioning said lifted pressure control equipment on one of said plurality of wellbore locations.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said equipment movement means comprises a trolley system.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein said trolley system comprises a rail system and a plurality of trolley cars movably mounted on said rail system, each of said trolley cars being adapted to support at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment while moving said supported pressure control equipment along said rail system to said positions proximate each of said plurality of wellbore locations, wherein said rail system runs across a width of said substructure from a driller's side of said drilling rig to an off-driller's side of said drilling rig.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising equipment hoisting means for lifting said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment from said equipment movement means and moving said lifted pressure control equipment into an equipment workshop area within said substructure, wherein said equipment hoisting means is adapted to lift and move at least one of said one or more pieces of said pressure control equipment while said rig operation is being performed on said first wellbore location.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein said equipment positioning means comprises first positioning means for positioning at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment on a third one of said plurality of wellbore locations and second positioning means for positioning at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment on said second wellbore location, said first and second positioning means being adapted to position at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment on said respective third and second wellbore locations while said rig operation is being performed on said first wellbore location.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein at least one of said first and second equipment positioning means comprises a bridge crane.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein said first positioning means, said equipment movement means, and said second positioning means are adapted to sequentially move at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment from a wellhead at said third wellbore location to a wellhead at said second wellbore location while said rig operation is being performed on said first wellbore location.

9. A system, comprising:
a drilling rig comprising a substructure and a drill floor positioned above said substructure, said drilling rig being adapted to be positioned above a plurality of wellbore location such that each of said plurality of wellbore locations is simultaneously positioned below said substructure, said drilling rig being further adapted to be moved along a line of wellbore locations comprising at least said plurality of wellbore locations;
a plurality of openings in said drill floor, each of said plurality of drill floor openings being adapted to be positioned vertically above and substantially aligned with one of said plurality of wellbore locations;
equipment movement means for moving one or more pieces of pressure control equipment between positions proximate each of said plurality of wellbore locations, said equipment movement means being adapted to move at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment between said positions while said drilling rig is performing a first rig operation on a first one of said plurality of wellbore locations through a first one of said plurality of drill floor openings; and
equipment positioning means for positioning at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment on one or more of said plurality of wellbore locations, said equipment positioning means being adapted to position at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment on a second one of said plurality of wellbore locations while said first rig operation is being performed on said first wellbore location through said first drill floor opening.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein said first drill floor opening is substantially vertically aligned with a drilling rig mast of said drilling rig and said first rig operation comprises drilling operation.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein a second one of said plurality of drill floor openings is positioned laterally adjacent to and spaced apart from said first drill floor opening, said second drill floor opening being substantially vertically aligned with a drilling rig mast of said drilling rig.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein said equipment movement means is adapted to move at least one of said one or more pieces of pressure control equipment to a position proximate said second wellbore location and said equipment positioning means is adapted to lift said moved pressure control equipment from said equipment movement means and position said lifted pressure control equipment on said second wellbore location while said drilling rig is performing said first rig operation on said first wellbore location and simultaneously performing a second rig operation on a third one of said plurality of wellbore locations through said second drill floor opening, said first rig operation comprising a cementing operation and said second rig operation comprising a drilling operation.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein said substructure comprises a plurality upper substructure boxes positioned above and removably attached to each of a plurality of lower substructure boxes, a length of each of said plurality of upper substructure boxes running substantially perpendicular to a length of each of said plurality of lower substructure boxes.

14. A system, comprising:
a mobile drilling rig that is adapted to be positioned above a plurality of wellbore locations, said mobile drilling rig comprising a drilling rig mast and a substructure that is configured so that each of said plurality of wellbore locations is simultaneously positioned within a cellar area of said substructure, wherein said mobile drilling rig is adapted to perform an on-line drilling operation on a first one of said plurality of wellbore lo

Assignees

• Nat Oilwell Varco Lp

Inventors

• Thiessen Jay John

Classifications

• E21B33/14

  for cementing casings into boreholes · CPC title

• E21B15/003 Primary

  adapted to be moved on their substructure, e.g. with skidding means; adapted to drill a plurality of wells · CPC title

• E21B33/06

  Blow-out preventers {, i.e. apparatus closing around a drill pipe, e.g. annular blow-out preventers (rotating blow-out preventers E21B33/085)} · CPC title