Method to transport and operate a small footprint tower to reduce environmental impact

Abstract

A method to construct and transport a modular drilling rig comprising drilling equipment in the form of a transfigurable container begins by transporting transfigurable shipping containers comprising drilling equipment to a drilling location. The method continues by unfolding the transfigurable shipping containers and the drilling equipment at the drilling location, and connecting two or more of the unfolded transfigurable shipping containers to form operable drilling equipment. The operable drilling equipment is erected into a drilling rig, wherein the operable drilling equipment comprises a drill floor, a mast substructure; a mast; a control cabin, a drawworks; a blow out preventer; a choke and kill manifold; a blow out preventer (BOP) control unit ( 38 ), not shown. The method ends by connecting piping and cabling for communication and power cabling to the erected operable drilling equipment and, then, operating the drilling rig.

1 . A method to construct and transport a modular drilling rig, wherein the method comprises the steps of: 
 a. transporting a transfigurable container comprising drilling equipment to a drilling location;    b. unfolding the transfigurable container to the drilling location, thereby forming unfolded transfigurable container;    c. connecting at least two unfolded transfigurable containers and the drilling equipment to form the module drilling rig;    d. erecting the modular drilling rig at the drilling location;    e. connecting piping and cabling for communication and power cabling to drilling equipment on the modular drilling rig; and    f. operating the modular drilling rig.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of stacking two or more transfigurable containers on skid beams to present a small footprint for the modular drilling rig.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of stacking two or more transfigurable containers on top of one another to present a small footprint for the modular drilling rig.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of erecting the modular drilling rig is performed by using a crane.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the crane is remotely controlled.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the crane folds inside a second transfigurable container.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transfigurable container is compliant with ISO standards.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of adapting a containerized straddle carrier to fold inside the transfigurable container.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of attaching the drilling equipment to either a load bearing support or a load bearing bottom with a telescoping, rotatable connector.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of attaching the drilling equipment to either a load bearing support or a load bearing bottom with a pivotable, rotatable connector.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of coupling the drilling equipment to a load bearing support or a load bearing bottom with a moveable coupling, wherein the moveable coupling is selected from the group consisting of: 
 a. a rotatable coupling between the drilling equipment;    b. a rotatable coupling between two or more load supports;    c. a device for elevating the drilling equipment above the load bearing support or the load bearing bottom; and    d. a container connector that removably connects at least two transfigurable shipping containers together.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of forming a mast from the transfigurable shipping container.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of forming a derrick from the transfigurable container.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the drilling equipment comprises: a winch, a crown block, a top drive, a rotary table, a pump, solids control equipment, a power source, a hydraulic power unit, a tank, electrical control equipment, a pipe rack, pipe handling equipment, a crane, a traveling block, a blow out preventer and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transfigurable container is lifted on an offshore platform using a crane that is available on the offshore platform.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the offshore platform is a selected from the group consisting of a semi-submersible, a tension leg platform, a jack up platform, a floating vessel and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the offshore platform is a selected from the group consisting of a gravity based platform, a compliant tower, and a platform connected to the seafloor.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the modular drilling rig is adapted to be deployed on land or offshore.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transfigurable shipping container further comprises a blow out preventer contains and a portion of a drill floor.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of using a crane to lift the drilling equipment into an operational position.