Drilling arrangement and methodology

Abstract

Provided is a drilling arrangement (10) comprising a truck-mounted rotary table stage (12), a truck-mounted drilling mast (16) comprising a rotary head drive (18) displaceable along said mast (16) to effect drilling, a truck-mounted drill pipe gripper (20) to grip and hold a drill string (22), and a truck-mounted drill pipe loading assembly (24) configured automatically to load sections of drill pipe to said drilling mast (16) to form a drill string (22). Drilling arrangement (10) also includes at least one section of torque transference pipe (28) which comprises rotary head couplings (30) defined proximate either end (32) thereof, the torque transference pipe engageable with the drill string (22). In this manner, the drilling arrangement (10) is configured to drill a well by the pipe loading assembly (24) interchanging drill pipe sections (26) with the at least one section of torque transference pipe (28) within the drill string, the rotary head drive (18) applying drilling torque only when engaged with the rotary head couplings (30) of the torque transference pipe (28), and the gripper (20) gripping the drill string (22) to facilitate the interchanging of drill pipe and torque transference pipe and the rotary head drive moving between rotary head couplings (30).

1 . A drilling arrangement comprising:
 a truck-mounted rotary table stage for placement over a blowout preventor (BOP) operatively installed in a pilot hole where a well is to be drilled;   a truck-mounted drilling mast comprising a rotary head drive displaceable along said mast to effect drilling, said drilling mast engageable with the rotary table stage;   a truck-mounted drill pipe gripper configured to engage with the rotary table stage and selectively to grip and hold a drill string;   a truck-mounted drill pipe loading assembly configured automatically to load sections of drill pipe to said drilling mast to form a drill string; and   at least one section of torque transference pipe which comprises rotary head couplings defined proximate either end thereof, the torque transference pipe engageable with the drill string;   
       wherein the drilling arrangement is configured to drill a well by: 
       i. the pipe loading assembly interchanging drill pipe sections with the at least one section of torque transference pipe within the drill string; 
       ii. the rotary head drive applying drilling torque only when engaged with the rotary head couplings of the torque transference pipe; and 
       iii. the gripper gripping the drill string to facilitate the interchanging of drill pipe and torque transference pipe and the rotary head drive moving between rotary head couplings. 
     
     
         2 . The drilling arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein a truck on which a component, i.e. rotary table stage, drilling mast, drill pipe gripper and/or drill pipe loading assembly, is mounted comprises an automated and/or autonomous platform. 
     
     
         3 . The drilling arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein a truck-mounted component is mounted in a deployable manner where a component is deployable from a stowed position with a reduced footprint for transport purposes, and a deployed position to perform a task as described. 
     
     
         4 . The drilling arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the drilling mast is pivotably arranged on the truck so that the mast is deployable between a transport position, in which the mast lies along the truck, and a drilling position, in which the mast is in a substantially upright position to effect drilling. 
     
     
         5 . The drilling arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein a truck-mounted component includes stabilisers configured to stabilise said component on a surface in which the well is to be drilled. 
     
     
         6 . The drilling arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the drill pipe loading assembly comprises a handling arm for handling a drill pipe section or a torque transference pipe section, and a handler mechanism configured automatically to displace, orientate and/or rotate said pipe section for engagement with the drill string. 
     
     
         7 . The drilling arrangement of  claim 1 , which comprises a truck-mounted mud system which is configured to supply drilling mud to the drill string. 
     
     
         8 . A method of drilling comprising the steps of:
 positioning a truck-mounted rotary table stage over a blowout preventor (BOP) installed in a pilot hole where a well is to be drilled;   engaging a truck-mounted drilling mast comprising a rotary head drive displaceable along said mast to effect drilling with the rotary table stage;   engaging a truck-mounted drill pipe gripper configured selectively to grip and hold a drill string with the rotary table stage;   positioning a truck-mounted drill pipe loading assembly configured automatically to load sections of drill pipe to the drilling mast to form a drill string; and   drilling a well by   
       i. interchanging, via the pipe loading assembly, within the drill string between drill pipe sections and at least one section of torque transference pipe which comprises rotary head couplings defined proximate either end thereof; 
       ii. applying drilling torque, via the rotary head drive, to the rotary head couplings of the torque transference pipe; and 
       iii. gripping as necessary, via the gripper, the drill string to facilitate the interchanging of drill pipe and torque transference pipe sections and when the rotary head drive moves between rotary head couplings along the torque transference pipe section. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , which includes the step of supplying drilling mud to the drill string via a truck-mounted mud system. 
     
     
         10 . A method of drilling a well comprising the step of drilling by means of a drilling arrangement in accordance with  claim 1 .