Expandable drilling template system

Abstract

A template that can be used for drilling subsea wells in proximity at the seafloor is provided. The template is first placed over an existing protuberance above the seafloor, which is usually the conductor casing of an existing well. The template has a plurality of cans or guide slots, of which one has a J-slot that can be engaged by a running tool. The template is placed near the seafloor and plates are released to rest on the seafloor and support the template. After wells are drilled through the slots, the template can be rotated or moved to additional well casings for the drilling of additional wells.

What I claim is:  
     
         1 . A drilling template for subsea drilling, comprising: 
 a plurality of cans supported by a frame and cross-supports, one of the cans having a J-slot therein for support of the template in a horizontal plane and being adapted to be lowered over a selected protrusion extending from a seafloor location;    a plurality of leveling plate rod guides affixed to the frame and a plurality of leveling plate rods, each of the leveling plate rod guides having a mechanism for controlling movement of one of the leveling plate rods through the rod guide; and    a leveling plate affixed to each of the leveling plate rods.    
     
     
         2 . The template of  claim 1  further comprising a level-measuring device attached to the frame and cross-supports for determining if the frame is horizontal.  
     
     
         3 . The template of  claim 1  wherein each of the cans adapted to be lowered over the protrusion is adapted by gussets affixed therein.  
     
     
         4 . The template of  claim 1  wherein the mechanism for controlling movement of the leveling plate rods is a bracket having bolts therein.  
     
     
         5 . The template of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of cans is three cans.  
     
     
         6 . The template of  claim 1  further comprising a shipping bracket attached to the frame.  
     
     
         7 . A running tool for placing a subsea drilling template, comprising: 
 a body, the body having an outside diameter and an inside surface and being sized to be lowered inside a selected can of the drilling template, the can having a J-slot therein;    a plurality of lugs attached to the outside diameter of the body, the lugs being adapted to move inside the J-slot; and    a support attached to the body.    
     
     
         8 . The running tool of  claim 7  further comprising a stripe painted on the inside surface for adjusting the position of a TV camera in the body.  
     
     
         9 . A method for placing a drilling template over a protrusion extending above a seafloor location, comprising: 
 assembling the template, the template having a frame, a plurality of cans including a can adapted for lowering over the protrusion, the can having a J-slot therein, and a plurality of leveling plates attached to a plurality of leveling plate rods, each of the leveling plate rods being attached to the frame by a mechanism to control movement of the leveling plate rods with respect to the frame;    lowering the template with drill pipe, the drill pipe supporting the template by a J-mechanism, to place the can having the J-slot therein over the protrusion with the template a selected distance above the seafloor location;    operating the mechanism to control movement of the leveling plate rods to release the plurality of leveling plate rods such that the plurality of leveling plates rest on the seafloor location;    operating the mechanism to control movement of the leveling plate rods to prevent further movement of the leveling plate rods; and    operating the J-mechanism to release the drill pipe from the template.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising determining if the frame of the template is in a horizontal plane before operating the J-mechanism to release the drill pipe from the template.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising operating an orienting device to determine compass orientation of the drilling template.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising operating a TV camera while lowering the drill pipe.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising operating a jet sub to assist in the step of placing the can having the J-slot therein over the protrusion.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the protrusion is a conductor casing of a well.  
     
     
         15 . A method for drilling a plurality of subsea wells through a drilling template, the drilling template comprising a plurality of cans supported by a frame and cross-supports, one of the cans having a J-slot therein for support of the template in a horizontal plane and being adapted to be lowered over a conductor casing extending from a seafloor location, a plurality of leveling plate rod guides affixed to the frame and a plurality of leveling plate rods, each of the leveling plate rod guides having a mechanism for controlling movement of one of the leveling plate rods through the rod guide, and a leveling plate affixed to each of the leveling plate rods, comprising: 
 assembling the template, lowering the template with drill pipe, the drill pipe supporting a running tool having lugs to engage the template by the J-slot, to place the can having the J-slot therein over the conductor casing with the template a selected distance above the seafloor location;    operating the mechanism to control movement of the leveling plate rods to release the plurality of leveling plates and leveling plate rods such that the leveling plates rest on the seafloor location;    operating the mechanism to control movement of the leveling plate rods to prevent further movement of the leveling plate rods;    operating the J-mechanism to release the drill pipe from the template and retrieving the drill pipe;    drilling at least one well through at least one of the cans and placing an added conductor casing therein;    running the running tool with drill pipe and engaging the running tool and the can having the J-slot therein;    rotating the template through a selected angle by rotating the drill pipe;    operating the J-mechanism to release the drill pipe from the template and retrieving the drill pipe; and    drilling at least one well through at least one of the cans and placing an added conductor casing therein.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising running drill pipe with the running tool and engaging the running tool and the can having the J-slot therein, removing the template from the conductor casing and placing a can of the template not having a J-slot therein on the added conductor casing; and 
 drilling at least one well through one of the cans.  
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising operating a jet sub to assist in the step of placing the can having the J-slot therein over the added conductor casing.