Arrangement for self-elevating drilling rig

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an arrangement for a drilling rig and a process for erecting, disassembling, and laterally moving the drilling rig. In particular, the present invention is directed to an arrangement which permits moving the drilling rig to a closely spaced nearby well following the completion of one or more previous adjacent wells without disassembling the entire structure. Further, the present invention is directed to an arrangement that facilitates the rapid erection and later disassembly of a drilling rig.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A drilling rig comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of parallel foundation beams;    (b) an elevatable platform adapted for erection above the foundation beams;    (c) a rig floor forming a top of the elevatable platform, wherein the rig floor has 
 (i) a drawworks attached to the rig floor on a first side of the rig floor,  
 (ii) a pair of coaxial mast pivot pin mounts attached to the rig floor on a second side of the rig floor opposite the first side of the rig floor;  
 (iii) a rotary table positioned between the drawworks and the mast pivot pin mounts; and  
 (iv) a pair of coaxial mast connection pin mounts attached to the rig floor between the drawworks and the rotary table; and  
   (d) a mast having a rectangular cross-section, a lower mast end and an upper mast end, the lower mast end pivotably attached on a first side to the mast pivot pin mounts such that the mast is pivotable in a vertical plane perpendicular to the foundation beams, the lower mast end further secured on a second side to the mast connection pins whenever the mast is in a vertical position.    
     
     
         2 . The drilling rig of  claim 1 , wherein the foundation beams are longer than the platform.  
     
     
         3 . The drilling rig of  claim 1 , wherein the platform is supported by the foundation beams.  
     
     
         4 . The drilling rig of  claim 1 , wherein the elevatable platform is supported on each foundation beam by an erectable four-bar linkage that lies in a vertical plane containing the supporting foundation beam.  
     
     
         5 . The drilling rig of  claim 1 , wherein whenever the platform is elevated the platform has a clearance space between the foundation beams and the rig floor sufficient to pass over a pre-existing well head.  
     
     
         6 . The drilling rig of  claim 1 , wherein the platform is elevated using an auxiliary winch and a plurality of gin pole assemblies.  
     
     
         8 . The drilling rig of  claim 6 , wherein the auxiliary winch and the gin pole assemblies are attached to the foundation beams.  
     
     
         9 . The drilling rig of claim, wherein the gin pole assemblies provide lateral stability to the elevated platform.  
     
     
         10 . The drilling rig of  claim 1 , wherein the axis of rotation of the drawworks is parallel to the foundation beams.  
     
     
         11 . The drilling rig of  claim 1 , wherein the mast is a telescoping mast.  
     
     
         12 . The drilling rig of  claim 11 , wherein the mast is made in two sections comprising a lower section containing the lower mast end and an upper section containing the upper mast end, such that the upper section of the mast is telescopable within the lower section of the mast.  
     
     
         13 . The drilling rig of  claim 11 , wherein the telescoping mast is extended using the drawworks.  
     
     
         14 . The drilling rig of  claim 1 , further comprising a pipe ramp attached to the platform proximal to the second side of the rig floor.  
     
     
         15 . The drilling rig of  claim 14 , wherein the pipe ramp is perpendicular to the foundation beams.  
     
     
         16 . The drilling rig of  claim 14 , wherein the pipe ramp supports the mast whenever the mast is in a horizontal position.  
     
     
         17 . The drilling rig of  claim 14 , wherein the pipe ramp has a triangular prismatic shape.  
     
     
         18 . The drilling rig of  claim 14 , wherein the pipe ramp has a reinforced upper face with lateral rims and a lower face that serves as a foundation to support the loadings associated with raising and lowering the mast.  
     
     
         19 . The drilling rig of  claim 14 , wherein the mast has a lower section containing the lower mast end and an upper section containing the upper mast end.  
     
     
         20 . The drilling rig of  claim 19 , wherein the lower section of the mast has a vee door adjacent the pipe ramp.  
     
     
         21 . The drilling rig of  claim 14 , further comprising one or more extensible hydraulic cylinders, the hydraulic cylinder pivotably attached to the pipe ramp on a cylinder bottom end.  
     
     
         22 . The drilling rig of  claim 21 , wherein the extensible hydraulic cylinders pivot the mast between an up position and a down position.  
     
     
         23 . The drilling rig of  claim 19 , further comprising a pair of hydraulic cylinders symmetrically mounted on opposed sides of the lower section of (the mast at a top cylinder end of each hydraulic cylinder and symmetrically mounted on opposed sides of the ramp at a bottom cylinder end of each hydraulic cylinder.  
     
     
         24 . A drilling rig comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of parallel foundation beams;    (b) an elevatable platform adapted for erection above the foundation beams;    (c) a rig floor forming a top of the elevatable platform, wherein the rig floor has 
 (i) a drawworks attached to the rig floor on a first side of the rig floor,  
 (ii) a pair of coaxial mast pivot pin mounts attached to the rig floor on a second side of the rig floor opposite the first side of the rig floor,  
 (iii) a rotary table positioned between the drawworks and the mast pivot pin mounts, and  
 (iv) a pair of coaxial mast connection pin mounts attached to the rig floor between the drawworks and the rotary table;  
   (d) a pipe ramp attached to the platform proximal to the second side of the rig floor;    (e) one or more hydraulic cylinders symmetrically mounted on opposed sides of the pipe ramp; and    (f) a mast having a lower mast end pivotably attached on a first side to the mast pivot pin mounts such that the mast is pivotable in a vertical plane perpendicular to the foundation beams, the lower mast end further secured on a second side to the mast connection pins whenever the mast is in a vertical position.    
     
     
         25 . A method for erecting a drilling rig, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) placing an elevatable platform attached to a plurality of parallel foundation beams on an area of ground, the platform comprising: 
 (i) a rig floor forming a top of the elevatable platform,  
 (ii) a drawworks attached to a first side of the rig floor,  
 (iii) a pair of coaxial mast pivot pin mounts attached to the rig floor on an opposed second side of the rig floor,  
 (iv) a rotary table positioned between the drawworks and the mast pivot pin mounts,  
 (v) a pair of coaxial mast connection pin mounts attached to the rig floor between the drawworks and the rotary table, and  
 (vi) a telescopic mast having a lower mast section and an upper mast section, the lower section having a vee door and four pad eyes, each pad eye positioned at a lower corner of a rectangle formed by the lower mast section;  
   (b) mounting a pipe ramp to the platform proximal to a second side of the rig floor, the pipe ramp having a cylinder end of a hydraulic cylinder attached to a side of the pipe ramp;    (c) attaching a first pair of pad eyes, located on a bottom end of the lower section of the mast on opposed sides of the vee door, to the pivot pins such that the mast is pivotable in a vertical plane perpendicular to the foundation beams;    (d) attaching a rod end of the hydraulic cylinder to an upper side of the lower section of the mast;    (e) extending the hydraulic cylinder to pivot the mast about the pivot pin mounts to a vertical position;    (f) connecting a second pair of pad eyes, located on a bottom end of the lower section of the mast opposite the first pair of pad eyes, to the pair of mast connection pin mounts to stabilize the mast preparatory to drilling;    (g) disconnecting the hydraulic cylinder from the mast;    (h) rigging a gin pole system to the platform, the gin pole system being attached to the foundation beams;    (i) elevating the platform using the gin pole system; and    (j) telescopically elevate the mast using the drawworks.