Telescopic drill rod supporting device and offshore directional drilling system

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of ocean engineering, in particular to a telescopic drill rod supporting device and an offshore directional drilling system, and aims to relieve the technical problem of low construction efficiency of offshore directional drilling in related technologies. The telescopic drill rod supporting device comprises a supporting ship. The multiple sections of supporting boxes are distributed in a straight line and connected to form a supporting unit, and one end of the supporting unit is hinged to the stern of the supporting ship; the buoyancy tanks are arranged at the ends, away from the supporting ship, of the supporting tanks; and the driving mechanism is arranged between the two adjacent supporting boxes and used for driving one section of supporting box, away from the supporting ship, in the two adjacent supporting boxes to retract into or extend out of the other section of supporting box. The offshore directional drilling system includes a retractable drill rod support device. According to the telescopic drill rod supporting device, rapid building and withdrawing of an offshore directional drilling system can be achieved, the efficiency of offshore directional drilling operation is improved, and meanwhile safety and reliability during offshore directional drilling operation can be guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of marine engineering, and more particularly to a telescopic drill pipe support device and an offshore directional drilling system. Background Technology

[0002] With the further development of offshore oil and gas resources, the environment for laying marine pipelines is becoming increasingly complex. Pipelines are crossing waterways, existing pipelines, and fiber optic cables in more and more locations, making conventional trenching and sinking methods insufficient for construction requirements. Therefore, sea-to-sea / land-to-sea directional drilling technology is being increasingly applied in the field of marine pipeline laying to solve problems such as crossing seawalls, waterways, fiber optic cables, pipelines, scour zones, and obstacles, minimizing the impact of subsea pipeline construction on the marine environment.

[0003] To date, the main construction method for offshore directional drilling is a barge + pile-supported drill rod system. This involves arranging multiple rows of support piles at the drilling entry point at sea, with crossbeams and hand-operated hoists between the piles to adjust the casing's attitude in the water. The drill rod, constrained within the casing, guides the drilling of the pilot hole. This method requires pre-construction of locating piles, significantly impacting construction time, consuming substantial construction resources, and hindering rapid site relocation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a retractable drill pipe support device and an offshore directional drilling system to alleviate the technical problem of low construction efficiency in offshore directional drilling in related technologies.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution provided by the present invention is as follows:

[0006] In a first aspect, the retractable drill pipe support device provided by the present invention includes: a support vessel; multiple support boxes arranged in a straight line and connected to form a support unit, one end of the support unit being hinged to the stern of the support vessel; a buoy disposed at the end of each support box away from the support vessel; and a drive mechanism disposed between two adjacent support boxes for driving the support boxes to move, causing one support box away from the support vessel to retract or extend into the other support box.

[0007] Furthermore, the drive mechanism includes a gear, a rack, and a rotary driver;

[0008] In two adjacent support boxes, the gear is rotatably connected to the support box section closest to the support vessel, the rack meshes with the gear and is fixed to the other support box section, and its extension direction is consistent with the length direction of the support box. The rotary drive is fixed to the support box section closest to the support vessel and is connected to the gear drive.

[0009] Furthermore, in the two adjacent support boxes, the support box closer to the support vessel has a set of rollers on its two opposite inner walls, and there is a gap between its inner wall and the outer wall of the other support box. The other support box rolls with the rollers when it is retracted or extended.

[0010] Furthermore, the support box is provided with a support assembly to support the sleeve;

[0011] On the support box near the support vessel, a plurality of support components are spaced apart along the length of the support box;

[0012] On the remaining support boxes, the support assembly is located at the end of the support box away from the support vessel.

[0013] Furthermore, the support assembly includes a support frame and two rollers;

[0014] The two idlers are spaced apart, forming a V-shape, and are both rotatably connected to the support frame so that they can rotate about their respective axes.

[0015] Furthermore, the support frame is slidably connected to the support box, and the sliding path coincides with the angle bisector of the V-shape;

[0016] The support assembly also includes a linear actuator, which is fixed to the support box and has its output connected to the support frame to drive the support frame to move on the sliding path.

[0017] Furthermore, the support assembly also includes a limiting member connected to the support frame and covering the opening formed by the two idlers.

[0018] Furthermore, the floating box includes a box body, a water inlet / air valve, a water outlet valve, and an air outlet valve;

[0019] The box body is fixed to the support box;

[0020] The water inlet / air valve, the water outlet valve, and the air outlet valve are all connected to the housing;

[0021] The support vessel is equipped with a pressure pump, which is connected to the water / air inlet valve via a connecting pipe.

[0022] Furthermore, the retractable drill pipe support device also includes a reinforcing rod and a crane;

[0023] One end of the reinforcing rod is hinged to the stern of the ship, and the other end is connected to a section of the support box near the support vessel;

[0024] The crane is mounted on the support vessel, and its hook is connected to a section of the support box near the support vessel via a steel wire rope.

[0025] In summary, the technical effects achieved by the telescopic drill pipe support device provided by this invention are as follows:

[0026] In this retractable drill pipe support device, the support box is composed of multiple sections, which can be extended individually via a drive mechanism. By adjusting the ballast water in each pontoon, the front end of the first support box of the support unit composed of multiple support boxes can contact the seabed, allowing the support unit to be tilted into the sea from the support vessel. In application, the casing is placed on the support box, and then, through the cooperation of the drive mechanism and the pontoons, the casing can tilt at a certain angle with the support box, thereby providing effective support for the drill pipe.

[0027] It can be seen that, compared with existing technologies, this telescopic drill pipe support device can realize the rapid setup and dismantling of offshore directional drilling systems, improve the efficiency of offshore directional drilling operations, and at the same time ensure the safety and reliability of offshore directional drilling operations.

[0028] Secondly, the present invention provides an offshore directional drilling system comprising a casing, a drilling rig, and the aforementioned retractable drill pipe support device;

[0029] The sleeve is placed on the support box;

[0030] The drilling rig is mounted on the support vessel, and its drill rod passes through the casing.

[0031] The beneficial effects of the offshore directional drilling system provided by this invention are as follows:

[0032] The offshore directional drilling system provided by this invention includes a telescopic drill pipe support device. Therefore, the technical advantages and effects achieved by this offshore directional drilling system also include the technical advantages and effects achieved by the aforementioned telescopic drill pipe support device, which will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0034] Figure 1 and Figure 2 These are schematic diagrams of the retractable drill pipe support device provided in the embodiments of the present invention under different states.

[0035] Figure 3 and Figure 4 These are schematic diagrams of the offshore directional drilling system provided in different drilling conditions according to embodiments of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the arrangement of the drive mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the drive mechanism;

[0038] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the arrangement of the support components provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pontoon provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Icons: 100 - Support boat; 200 - Support box;

[0041] 300 - Float box; 310 - Box body; 320 - Inlet / outlet valve; 330 - Outlet valve; 340 - Outlet valve; 350 - Flow meter;

[0042] 400 - Drive mechanism; 410 - Gear; 420 - Rack; 430 - Rotary actuator; 440 - Bearing; 450 - Transmission rod;

[0043] 500-roller;

[0044] 600 - Support assembly; 610 - Support frame; 620 - Idler roller; 630 - Linear drive; 640 - Limiting element;

[0045] 700 - Casing; 800 - Pressure pump; 900 - Connecting pipe; 1000 - Reinforcing rod; 1100 - Crane; 1200 - Drilling rig; 1300 - Reamer. Detailed Implementation

[0046] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0047] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0048] The following detailed description of some embodiments of the present invention is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0049] Currently, the main construction method for offshore directional drilling is a barge + pile-supported drill rod system. This involves arranging multiple rows of support piles at the drilling entry point at sea, with crossbeams and hand-operated hoists between the piles to adjust the casing's attitude in the water. The drill rod, constrained within the casing, guides the drilling of the pilot hole. This method requires pre-construction of locating piles, significantly impacting construction time, consuming substantial construction resources, and hindering rapid site relocation.

[0050] In view of this, the present invention provides a retractable drill pipe support device, including a support vessel 100; multiple support boxes 200 arranged in a straight line and connected to form a support unit, one end of which is hinged to the stern of the support vessel 100; optionally, the support box 200 has four sections; a buoy 300 disposed at the end of each support box 200 away from the support vessel 100; and a drive mechanism 400 disposed between two adjacent support boxes 200 for driving the support boxes 200 to move, causing one support box 200 away from the support vessel 100 to retract or extend from the other support box 200.

[0051] In this retractable drill pipe support device, the support box 200 has multiple sections, which can be extended individually via the drive mechanism 400. By adjusting the ballast water of each pontoon 300, the front end of the first support box 200 of the support unit composed of multiple support boxes 200 can contact the seabed, allowing the support unit to be tilted into the sea from the support vessel 100. In application, the casing 700 is placed on the support box 200, and then, through the cooperation of the drive mechanism 400 and the pontoons 300, the casing 700 can tilt at a certain angle with the support box 200, thereby providing effective support for the drill pipe.

[0052] It can be seen that, compared with existing technologies, this telescopic drill pipe support device can realize the rapid setup and dismantling of offshore directional drilling systems, improve the efficiency of offshore directional drilling operations, and at the same time ensure the safety and reliability of offshore directional drilling operations.

[0053] The following combination Figures 1 to 8 The structure and shape of the telescopic drill pipe support device provided in this embodiment will be described in detail:

[0054] refer to Figures 1 to 4 The telescopic drill pipe support device also includes a reinforcing rod 1000 and a crane 1100. The end of a support box 200 (hereinafter referred to as the first support box 200, and subsequently the second, third, fourth, etc.) near the support vessel 100 is hinged to the stern. The reinforcing rod 1000 is made of steel, with two reinforcing rods 1000 symmetrically arranged on both sides of the first support box 200. One end of the reinforcing rod 1000 is hinged to the stern, and the other end is connected to the first support box 200. This reduces the lateral working force of the support box 200 on the wave and ensures the stability of the connection between the support box 200 and the support vessel 100. The crane 1100 is located on the support vessel 100, and its hook is connected to the lifting lugs on both sides of the first support box 200 by two steel wire ropes. This reduces the stress on the support box 200 during construction by lifting the hook.

[0055] Regarding the drive mechanism 400, specifically:

[0056] A drive mechanism 400 is provided between the inner wall of the first support box 200 and the outer wall of the second support box 200, between the inner wall of the second support box 200 and the outer wall of the third support box 200, and between the inner wall of the third support box 200 and the outer wall of the fourth support box 200. (Reference) Figure 5 and Figure 6 The drive mechanism 400 includes a gear 410, a rack 420, and a rotary driver 430.

[0057] Following the above, taking the drive mechanism 400 between the first support box 200 and the second support box 200 as an example, two racks 420 are fixed at the bottom of the second support box 200; a bearing 440 is welded and fixed at both ends of the groove at the bottom of the first support box 200, and the transmission rod 450 is interference-fitted with the two bearings 440; two gears 410 are provided and fixed to the transmission rod 450, respectively meshing with the two racks 420; the rotary drive 430 adopts a hydraulic motor reducer, which is fixed to the first support box 200, and its output is connected to the transmission rod 450.

[0058] When the hydraulic motor reducer is running, it drives the transmission rod 450 to rotate, causing the gear 410 to move the rack 420 in a straight line. By adjusting the direction of the gear 410, the second support box 200 retracts or extends relative to the first support box 200 along with the rack 420. After the support vessel 100 is in place, each support box 200 in front of the first support box 200 can extend sequentially through this drive mechanism 400.

[0059] Furthermore, in the two adjacent support boxes 200, the support box 200 closer to the support vessel 100 has a set of rollers 500 on its two opposite inner walls. There is a gap between its inner wall and the outer wall of the other support box 200. The other support box 200 rolls with the rollers 500 when it is retracted or extended.

[0060] Specifically, with Figure 5 For example, the left and right side walls of the first support box 200 are each equipped with a vertical rotating shaft, which can rotate around its own axis. Rollers 500 are fixedly sleeved on the rotating shafts, with their sides contacting the outer wall of the second support box 200. When the second support box 200 moves under the drive of the drive mechanism 400, it generates rolling friction with the rollers 500, thus ensuring the smooth movement of the support box 200. Furthermore, the two sets of rollers 500 cooperate to limit the movement of the second support box 200, ensuring the consistency of its direction of movement.

[0061] In this embodiment, reference Figures 1 to 4 The support box 200 is provided with a support component 600 to support the sleeve 700; on the support box 200 close to the support vessel 100, multiple support components 600 are distributed at intervals along the length direction of the support box 200; on the other support boxes 200, the support components 600 are located at the end of the support box 200 away from the support vessel 100.

[0062] In the above design, the support assembly 600 provides support for the sleeve 700. The distribution of the support assembly 600 avoids interference with the support box 200, ensuring that the support box 200 can retract and extend smoothly. It should also be noted that, for the support boxes 200 in the second section and subsequent sections, their corresponding floats 300 remain outside the support box 200 during telescopic operations.

[0063] Regarding support component 600, specifically:

[0064] refer to Figure 7 The support assembly 600 includes a support frame 610 and two rollers 620; the two rollers 620 are spaced apart to form a V-shape and are rotatably connected to the support frame 610 so that they can rotate about their respective axes.

[0065] For details, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 7 The support frame 610 is slidably connected to the support box 200 and can slide longitudinally on the support box 200; the support assembly 600 also includes a linear driver 630, which optionally adopts a telescopic jack, is fixed to the support box 200, and its output is connected to the support frame 610.

[0066] In application, each pair of idler rollers 620 provides support for the casing 700. The telescopic jack adjusts the height of each pair of idler rollers 620 on each support box 200 through its stroke, thereby adjusting the shape of the drill rod underwater and further controlling the radius of curvature of the drill rod under different water depths, so that the drill rod drills in a "J" shape, achieving control over the angle at which the drill rod enters the soil. In addition, by designing this support assembly 600, the number of support boxes 200 can be reduced, thereby reducing the overall length of the support unit.

[0067] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 7 The support assembly 600 also includes a limiting member 640. Optionally, the limiting member 640 is an arc-shaped rod, one end of which is hinged to the support frame 610, and the other end is detachably connected to the support frame 610. The limiting member 640 covers the opening formed by the two idler rollers 620. This design provides constraint for the casing 700, preventing the casing 700 from detaching from the telescopic drill rod support device during directional drilling of the guide hole.

[0068] Regarding the pontoon 300, specifically:

[0069] refer to Figure 8 A pontoon 300 is installed at the front end of each support box 200. The pontoon 300 includes a box body 310, a water inlet / air valve 320, a water outlet valve 330, and an air outlet valve 340. The box body 310 is fixed to the support box 200. The water inlet / air valve 320, the water outlet valve 330, and the air outlet valve 340 are all connected to the box body 310. The water inlet / air valve 320 is also equipped with a flow meter 350. The power source, namely the pressure pump 800, is installed on the deck of the support vessel 100 and is connected to the water inlet / air valve 320 through a connecting pipe 900. Here, the flow meter 350 is used to detect the water injection volume, the water outlet valve 330 is used to discharge the ballast water in the box body 310, and the air outlet valve 340 is used to discharge the air in the box body 310.

[0070] When the pressure pump 800 injects ballast water through the connecting pipe 900, the air outlet valve 340 is opened until the tank 310 is full of ballast water, and then the air outlet valve 340 and the water inlet / air valve 320 are closed. Ballast water is injected into each section of the tank 310 in sequence, from the first support tank 200 to the subsequent support tanks 200, until the fourth support tank 200 is connected to the seabed.

[0071] The present invention also provides an offshore directional drilling system, including a casing 700, a drilling rig 1200 and a retractable drill rod support device; the casing 700 is placed on a support box 200; the drilling rig 1200 is set on a support vessel 100, and its drill rod passes through the casing 700.

[0072] The working process of the offshore directional drilling system provided in this embodiment is as follows:

[0073] refer to Figures 1 to 4 and combined Figures 5 to 8 As shown, during the preparation period for the support vessel 100 to enter the site, the ballast water in the pontoon 300 is adjusted by the pressure pump 800, so that the support unit floats on the water surface and is in a retracted state at this time. After the support vessel 100 is in place, the hydraulic motor reducers are started in sequence, so that the second support box 200, the third support box 200, and the fourth support box 200 are extended in sequence. Then, the pressure pumps 800 inject ballast water into each pontoon 300 through the connecting pipes 900 until the fourth support box 200 is connected to the seabed. Then, the casing 700 and drill rod are installed, and drilling begins. It should be added here that during drilling, in order to meet the construction requirements, the height of each pair of rollers 620 on each support box 200 can be adjusted by telescopic jacks, and the shape of the drill rod underwater can be adjusted so that the drill rod drills in a "J" shape, controlling the angle of entry of the drill rod into the soil.

[0074] During the directional drilling reaming stage, the second, third, and fourth support boxes 200 are retracted by the hydraulic motor reducer, and the end of the arc-shaped rod that is detachably connected to the support frame 610 is opened to pass through the reamer 1300. Then, the end is reconnected to the support frame 610 to carry out multi-stage reaming construction. At the same time, the telescopic drill rod support device also provides support and constraint for the drill rod.

[0075] Traditional offshore directional drilling methods typically employ a floating or fixed platform combined with a pile-support system. This system requires a piling vessel to drive steel piles at the entry / exit points, demanding high precision and only suitable for water depths not exceeding 18 meters. It struggles to adapt to varying environmental conditions and drill rod lengths. This retractable drill rod support device features a lightweight design. The articulation between its support unit and the floating platform (support vessel 100) allows it to adapt to complex marine environments and varying water depths. The support unit is telescopic, and the support assembly 600 can adjust the drill rod's shape. Based on tidal changes, the relative position and elevation of the rollers 620 are adjusted in real-time to ensure the drill rod's stress remains within a reasonable range. This results in more even and reasonable stress distribution on the drill rod within the retractable support device, preventing localized stress concentration and reducing the risk of bending, deformation, or breakage due to uneven stress. This offshore directional drilling system features telescopic and drill pipe guiding functions, solving the problem of drill pipe support and constraint mechanism construction in offshore directional drilling. It enables offshore directional drilling to be quickly positioned and has the advantages of rapid transportation, assembly, adjustment, construction, and relocation.

[0076] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A telescopic drill pipe support device, characterized in that, include: Support vessel (100); multiple support boxes (200), the multiple support boxes (200) are arranged in a straight line and connected to form a support unit, one end of the support unit is hinged to the stern of the support vessel (100); pontoon (300), the pontoon (300) is disposed at the end of each support box (200) away from the support vessel (100); drive mechanism (400), the drive mechanism (400) is disposed between two adjacent support boxes (200) for driving the support boxes (200) to move, so that the support box (200) away from the support vessel (100) retracts or extends from the other support box (200).

2. The telescopic drill pipe support device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive mechanism (400) includes a gear (410), a rack (420), and a rotary driver (430); In two adjacent support boxes (200), the gear (410) is rotatably connected to one section of the support box (200) near the support vessel (100), the rack (420) meshes with the gear (410) and is fixed to the other section of the support box (200), and its extension direction is consistent with the length direction of the support box (200). The rotary drive (430) is fixed to one section of the support box (200) near the support vessel (100) and is drively connected to the gear (410).

3. The telescopic drill pipe support device according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the two adjacent support boxes (200), the support box (200) closer to the support vessel (100) has a set of rollers (500) on its two opposite inner walls. There is a gap between its inner wall and the outer wall of the other support box (200). The other support box (200) rolls with the rollers (500) when it is retracted or extended.

4. The telescopic drill pipe support device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support box (200) is provided with a support assembly (600) to support the sleeve (700); On the support box (200) near the support vessel (100), a plurality of support components (600) are spaced apart along the length of the support box (200); On the remaining support boxes (200), the support assembly (600) is located at one end of the support box (200) away from the support vessel (100).

5. The telescopic drill pipe support device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The support assembly (600) includes a support frame (610) and two rollers (620); The two rollers (620) are spaced apart to form a V-shape and are rotatably connected to the support frame (610) so that they can rotate about their respective axes.

6. The telescopic drill pipe support device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The support frame (610) is slidably connected to the support box (200), and the sliding path coincides with the angle bisector of the V-shape; The support assembly (600) further includes a linear actuator (630), which is fixed to the support box (200) and its output is connected to the support frame (610) to drive the support frame (610) to move on the sliding path.

7. The telescopic drill pipe support device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The support assembly (600) further includes a limiting member (640) connected to the support frame (610) and covering the opening formed by the two idlers (620).

8. The telescopic drill pipe support device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The float box (300) includes a box body (310), a water inlet / air valve (320), a water outlet valve (330), and an air outlet valve (340); The box (310) is fixed to the support box (200); The water inlet / air valve (320), the water outlet valve (330), and the air outlet valve (340) are all connected to the housing (310); The support vessel (100) is equipped with a pressure pump (800), which is connected to the water / air valve (320) via a connecting pipe (900).

9. The telescopic drill pipe support device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The retractable drill pipe support device also includes a reinforcing rod (1000) and a crane (1100); One end of the reinforcing rod (1000) is hinged to the stern, and the other end is connected to a section of the support box (200) near the support vessel (100); The crane (1100) is located on the support vessel (100), and its hook is connected to a section of the support box (200) near the support vessel (100) by a wire rope.

10. A marine directional drilling system, characterized in that, Includes casing (700), drilling rig (1200), and retractable drill pipe support device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9; The sleeve (700) is placed on the support box (200); The drilling rig (1200) is mounted on the support vessel (100), and its drill rod passes through the casing (700).

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