Underwater drilling apparatus and method for constructing a casing under water

Abstract

The invention relates to an underwater drilling device with a lowerable platform designed for placement on a body of water, at least one support tube which is axially displaceable and rotatably mounted on the platform, at least one pipe drive which is arranged on the platform and designed for rotating the support tube in order to insert the support tube into the body of water in a rotating manner, and an in-hole drilling device which is arranged in the support tube, wherein the in-hole drilling device comprises: a device base, at least one clamping device for clamping and securing the in-hole drilling device in the support tube, and a drill head which is axially displaceable and rotatable on the device base and can be rotated by means of a drill drive. According to the invention, it is provided that when the support tube is rotated, the in-hole drilling device is arranged in the support tube and axially clamped to it.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an underwater drilling device for creating a cased borehole under water with a lowerable platform, according to claim 1.

[0002] The invention further relates to a method for creating a cased borehole under water with such an underwater drilling device, according to claim 12.

[0003] EP 2 930 275 B1 discloses a drilling device and a method for creating a foundation for a structure in water. A guide device is placed on the surface of the watercourse. A support tube is arranged in the guide device. A drilling rig, which is inserted into the support tube, creates a borehole into which the support tube is lowered. After removing the down-the-hole drilling rig, a foundation element can be inserted into the support tube. The support tube is then withdrawn, filling any gap between the borehole wall and the inserted foundation element.

[0004] EP 2 615 239 B1 discloses a device and method for constructing an underwater foundation. Here, a support pipe is also inserted into the ground, within which a down-the-hole drilling rig is positioned. The down-the-hole drilling rig removes soil material, allowing the surrounding support pipe to be advanced axially.

[0005] Another known device and method for producing a foundation for a structure in water are disclosed in EP 3 333 324 A1.

[0006] EP 2 562 348 A1 and EP 2 527 539 A1 respectively disclose the preamble of claim 1.

[0007] The invention is based on the Task The aim is to provide a drilling device and a method with which a cased underwater borehole can be created particularly efficiently.

[0008] According to the invention, the object is achieved, on the one hand, by an underwater drilling device having the features of claim 1 and, on the other hand, by a method having the features of claim 12. Preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0009] The underwater drilling device according to the invention for creating a cased borehole under water comprises a lowerable platform which is designed to be placed on a waterbed, at least one support pipe which is mounted on the platform so as to be axially displaceable and rotatable, at least one pipe drive which is arranged on the platform and is designed to drive the support pipe in rotation in order to insert the support pipe into the waterbed in a rotating manner, at least one down-the-hole drilling device which is arranged in the support pipe, wherein the down-the-hole drilling device has: a device base body, at least one clamping device for clamping and securing the down-the-hole drilling device in the support tube, a drill drive on the device base body and a drill head which is mounted axially displaceably and rotatably on the device base body and can be driven in rotation by means of the drill drive, wherein when the support tube is driven in rotation, the down-the-hole drilling device is arranged in the support tube and is axially clamped thereto.

[0010] A first aspect of the invention is to provide at least one pipe drive for rotatingly driving the support pipe on the lowerable platform in an underwater drilling device, wherein the pipe drive is designed to rotately insert the support pipe into the waterbed.

[0011] According to a further aspect, the underwater drilling device with the pipe drive is designed such that a down-the-hole drilling rig arranged in the support pipe is clamped to the support pipe when the support pipe is rotated, so that the support pipe rotates with the rotating support pipe. This allows for efficient step-by-step drilling of the support pipe and drilling rig. Depending on the type of soil, either the support pipe or the drill head of the drilling rig can advance. While the drill head is rotating, the drill rig can be clamped to the stationary support pipe. After one drilling step with the drill head of the drilling rig, the support pipe can be rotated for a further advance into the ground, with the down-the-hole drilling rig remaining non-rotatably connected to the support pipe.When the support tube is driven in a rotating manner, the drill head can be driven in a rotating manner relative to the main body of the device at the same time, in the same or opposite direction of rotation as the support tube.

[0012] In principle, the tubular drive on the lowerable platform can be designed in any suitable manner for rotating the support tube. A preferred embodiment of the invention consists in the fact that, to form the tubular drive on the platform, a collet device for clamping the support tube is arranged on its outer side in a rotatable or pivotable manner and axially movable, whereby a torque of the tubular drive can be transmitted to the support tube.

[0013] The pipe drive can be designed similarly to a casing rigging device, with a collet chuck allowing a releasable grip on the outside of the support pipe. The collet chuck can be rotated around the pipe's longitudinal axis, preferably using hydraulic cylinders.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the invention, it is particularly advantageous that the tubular drive is designed to transmit a continuous rotary movement to the support tube. This allows for a continuous rotary drive. Furthermore, two or more collets, each with a rotation cylinder, can be provided, with each arrangement with a collet performing a specific rotation through a predetermined angular range. Through coordinated, sequential rotation by at least two such arrangements, a continuous or quasi-continuous rotation of the support tube can be achieved.

[0015] Alternatively or additionally, according to a further development of the invention, the tube drive is designed to transmit an oscillating rotary movement to the support tube. This oscillating or step-by-step rotary movement can be achieved, in particular, by an arrangement with a single collet device.

[0016] The down-the-hole drilling rig can be suspended in the support tube via a suspension cable, so that the feed force can be applied solely by the weight of the down-the-hole drilling rig. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is preferred that the down-the-hole drilling rig has an axial feed device with which the drill head can be axially displaced relative to the device base. The device base can have a frame structure which can be rotationally fixed in the inner wall of the support tube, preferably via radially extendable hydraulic clamping cylinders. The feed device can have one or more hydraulic actuating cylinders which are aligned in the axial direction. This allows a rotationally driven drill head to be axially displaced relative to the device base.The drill drive, which preferably comprises one or more hydraulic rotary motors, can be axially fixed to the base body, with a drill drive shaft being axially telescopic by means of a corresponding spline or other suitable configuration. This allows torque to be transmitted from the drill drive to the axially displaceable drill head.

[0017] In principle, the feed device can be designed in any suitable manner. According to one embodiment of the invention, it is particularly advantageous for the feed device to have at least one hydraulic feed cylinder. The feed cylinder can be a single-acting or double-acting actuating cylinder.

[0018] For efficient drilling of a cased borehole, it is advantageous according to a development of the invention that two or more support pipes are mounted on the platform so as to be rotatable and axially displaceable. The platform can be designed as a template for a predetermined arrangement of support pipes in a body of water. In principle, a separate down-the-hole drilling rig can be arranged in each support pipe. Alternatively, a single down-the-hole drilling rig can be provided, which is initially inserted into a first support pipe to create a first borehole. After the first borehole has been created, the down-the-hole drilling rig can be released and withdrawn from the first support pipe and inserted into a second support pipe to create a second cased borehole. This process can be repeated according to the number of support pipes present. Pipe drives are preferably arranged on the platform according to the number of support pipes provided.

[0019] During drilling operations, the down-the-hole drilling rig is connected to a supply unit, in particular a supply vessel, on the water surface via one or more lines, in particular a so-called umbilical. Energy, in particular electrical energy and / or hydraulic energy, is transmitted via these one or more lines. When rotating the support tube together with the down-the-hole drilling rig fastened therein, care must be taken to ensure that the one or more lines do not become twisted. For this purpose, the at least one line can be connected to the down-the-hole drilling rig via a corresponding rotary coupling in an upper region of the down-the-hole drilling rig. A rotary union can be provided, in particular, for the passage of hydraulic fluid.

[0020] A simplified embodiment of the invention for preventing twisting of the at least one cable consists in arranging at least one upper clamping device on the tool body and at least one lower clamping device on the drill head. This allows for targeted, alternating clamping of the drill head and / or the tool body.

[0021] In principle, it is possible that when the support tube is driven in rotation, the at least one lower clamping device on the drill head is extended radially and the drill head is clamped to the support tube, and the at least one upper clamping device on the tool base is retracted radially and detached from the support tube. In this state, the rotary drive can be uncoupled from the drill head or a freewheel can be selected. With this arrangement, when the support tube is driven in rotation, the drill head can rotate, while due to the selected freewheel of the drill drive, the tool base does not follow the rotary movement. In this way, the tool base with the cables connected to it can remain stationary while the drill head is rotated with the rotating support tube.With this arrangement, twisting of at least one connected cable can be avoided without the need for a special cable coupling or a rotary union on the cable.

[0022] According to the invention, the device base body is clamped and fixed to the support tube so that the down-the-hole drilling device is screwed in with the support tube.

[0023] If the support tube is not screwed in circumferentially but in an oscillating manner, a special line coupling or rotary union is also not necessary.

[0024] A further preferred embodiment of the invention consists in that the platform has a supply device on the waterbed, which is connected to an above-water supply unit via at least one main supply line, and that the at least one pipe drive and the at least one down-the-hole drilling rig are connected to the supply device of the platform for energy supply, in particular via supply lines. The supply device on the platform can preferably store energy to a certain extent, for example electrical energy through provided accumulators or hydraulic energy through corresponding pressure accumulators. The platform can thus be operated autonomously for a certain period of time, which may be necessary, for example, in harsh weather conditions and the associated disconnection of the main supply line.The supply system on the platform is connected to a surface supply unit via the preferably detachable main supply line. The surface supply unit can, in particular, be a ship.

[0025] The invention further comprises a method for creating a cased borehole underwater using an underwater drilling device according to the invention, wherein at least one support pipe is arranged on a platform of the underwater drilling device, at least one down-the-hole drilling device in which at least one support pipe is arranged, the platform is lowered onto a body of water, the at least one support pipe is driven in rotation via a pipe drive on the platform and drilled into the body of water, before and / or after drilling into the support pipe, the drill head of the down-the-hole drilling device arranged in the support pipe is driven in rotation and drilled into the body of water to create the borehole, while the support pipe is held on the platform in a rotationally fixed manner, and when the support pipe is driven in rotation, the down-the-hole drilling device remains in the support pipe and is axially clamped thereto.

[0026] The method can be carried out in particular with the underwater drilling device according to the invention described above. The advantages described in this context can be achieved. The method according to the invention comprises the method steps specified in claim 1, but is not limited to a specific sequence of the method steps. Individual method steps can also be carried out before or after other method steps.

[0027] The invention will be further described below with reference to preferred embodiments, which are schematically illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a down-the-hole drilling device according to the invention with the drill head retracted; Fig. 2 is a side view of the down-the-hole drilling device in the state of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 a perspective view of the down-the-hole drilling rig of the Figures 1 and 2with extended drill head; Fig. 4 a side view of the down-the-hole drilling rig in the state of Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 is a side view of a platform for forming the underwater drilling device according to the invention.

[0028] In the Figures 1 to 4 An exemplary embodiment of a down-the-hole drilling rig 10 for forming an underwater drilling device 100 according to the invention is shown. The down-the-hole drilling rig 10 has a frame-like device base body 12, which comprises a first annular frame section 14. A drilling drive 40 is arranged on the upper side of this plate-like first frame section 14, which in the illustrated exemplary embodiment is formed by three hydraulic rotary drives 42, which are arranged evenly distributed around a longitudinal or drilling axis of the down-the-hole drilling rig 10.

[0029] Attached to the underside of the first frame section 14 is the clamping device 50, which is designed for radially clamping and securing the down-the-hole drilling device 10 against a wall of a support tube and / or a borehole. In the illustrated embodiment, the annular clamping device 50 has six radially directed clamping cylinders (not shown), on the outside of which stamp-like clamping plates 52 are attached. The clamping cylinders with the clamping plates 52 are arranged evenly distributed around the longitudinal or drilling axis of the down-the-hole drilling device 10.

[0030] An upper frame section 15 is arranged at the upper end of the frame 12. Between the upper frame section 15 and the underlying first frame section 14 is arranged a plate-shaped, ring-like intermediate section 16, which is connected via vertically directed connecting struts 18 on the one hand to the first frame section 14 and on the other hand to the upper frame section 15.

[0031] A connecting device 28 for a cable suspension of the down-the-hole drilling rig 10 is arranged centrally on an upper side of the upper frame section 15, as well as two line feeds 29 arranged laterally thereon. The line feeds 29 serve, on the one hand, to feed a hydraulic hose line and, on the other hand, to feed and hold a drilling slurry discharge line.

[0032] Additional supplies for compressed air for an air lifting process as well as electrical power and data lines as well as other supply lines may be provided.

[0033] Control components 19 can be arranged on the plate-like intermediate section 16. Overall, the upper region of the device base body 12, comprising the first frame section 14, the upper frame section 15, and the intermediate section 16, can be constructed in a modular manner, so that the down-the-hole drilling device 10 can be easily adapted to different borehole sizes and areas of application.

[0034] Below the clamping device 50 on the first frame section 14, the feed device 70 with hydraulic feed cylinders 72 is arranged. The feed cylinders 72 are fastened with their cylinder housings to the first frame section 14. With the extendable cylinder piston, the feed cylinders 72 are, on the other hand, articulated to a second annular, plate-like second frame section 20. The annular second frame section 20 is fastened to an outer side of a tubular bearing sleeve 24, in which a tubular drill string 38, which is only partially inserted into the Figures 3 and 4 is visible, rotatable but axially fixed. A drill head 30 is attached to the lower end of the drill string 38. The drill head 30 has a central pilot tip 32 and radially directed removal elements 34, which are designed to remove soil material. The second frame section 20 is mounted so as to be axially adjustable relative to the first frame section 14.

[0035] In an upper end region of the tubular drill string 38, a drive shaft 44 of the drill drive 40 extends into the tubular drill string 38. The drive shaft 44 has outer, axially extending drive bars 46, which interact with corresponding inner drive bars on the inside of the tubular drill string 38 to transmit torque. The drive shaft 44 drives the drill string 38 with the drill head 30 in rotation, allowing it to remove soil material.

[0036] In the Figures 1 and 2The down-the-hole drilling rig 10 is shown in a state in which the drill head 30 is axially retracted. In this state, the down-the-hole drilling rig 10 can be fixed in the borehole via the clamping device 50 by radially extending the clamping plates 52 against a support tube. Subsequently, with the drill head 30 rotating, the feed device 70 can be actuated, whereby the feed cylinders 72 extend downward. This allows the second frame section 20 with the bearing sleeve 24 and the drill head 30 mounted thereon to be moved downward in order to effect a corresponding advance during drilling. Alternatively, the drill head 30 and / or the down-the-hole drilling rig can be clamped or fixed when the support tube 8 is screwed in.

[0037] When the maximum extension length of the feed cylinder 72 of the feed device 70 is reached, which is Figures 3 and 4As shown, the tensioning by the tensioning device 50 can be released by retracting the tensioning plates 52. The upper area of ​​the device base body 12 can be guided downwards by retracting the feed cylinders 72 and releasing a support cable attached to the connecting device 28 until the axially retracted state is reached according to the Figures 1 and 2 is reached again. Now, after re-clamping the tool base body 12 using the clamping device 50, another drilling step can be performed. Alternatively, the clamping plates 52 can be extended radially and remain fixed to the support tube 8. The support tube 8 can then be screwed into the ground and guided. The feed cylinders 72 can be retracted in the process.

[0038] Soil material accumulating during drilling can be removed through the frame 12 via the hollow drill string 38 and the hollow drive shaft 44 by means of a suction pump 36 as a conveying device 35 and transported outside the borehole via a partially illustrated conveying line 37. The second frame section 20 with the bearing sleeve 24 can have a third frame section 27, which can be mounted for linear displacement via linear guides 26 fixedly attached to the first frame section 14 and directed downwards. The guides 26 can absorb torsional forces in the circumferential direction, so that the feed cylinders 72 are relieved of transverse forces.

[0039] How Fig. 5shows, an underwater drilling device 100 according to the invention has a lowerable platform 80 with a working platform 82, which is suspended from a cable arrangement 97, only partially shown, and which can be lowered and set down onto a body of water 5 via this cable arrangement 97 with adjustable feet 88.

[0040] As in Fig. 5 As shown, several support tubes 8 with in-hole drilling devices 10 inserted therein can be arranged on the working platform 82, of which in the side view in Fig. 5 Two down-the-hole drilling rigs 10 can be seen. Four down-the-hole drilling rigs 10 can be arranged at the corners of the work platform 82, which is designed as a geometric rectangle, or three down-the-hole drilling rigs 10 can be arranged at the corners of the work platform, which is designed as an equilateral triangle.

[0041] The down-hole drilling rigs 10 are essentially of the same design, as previously described.

[0042] The down-the-hole drilling rig 10 is used to insert a support pipe 8 into the waterbed 5. A sleeve-like linear guide 84 and a pipe drive 85 for each down-the-hole drilling rig 10 or each borehole are arranged on the working platform 82. The linear guide 84 guides the support pipe 8 vertically displaceably on the working platform 2. The drilling unit 100 further comprises, to form the pipe drive 85, a collet device 86 for non-rotatably securing, twisting, and / or axially displacing the support pipe 8 on the working platform 82. This collet device 86 is arranged below the linear guide 84 on the working platform 82. The collet device 86 can be designed, for example, as a hydraulic clamping device and also comprises means for axially securing the support pipe 8, i.e., means for securing it against displacement in the vertical direction.The collet device 86 can thus ensure that the support tube 8 maintains its rotational position as well as its axial position relative to the work platform 82 when the work platform 82 is lowered, but also during the drilling process.

[0043] To create a borehole into which the support tube 8 is inserted, the down-the-hole drilling rig 10 is inserted. At the lower end of the down-the-hole drilling rig 10, a drill head 30 designed as a full-cut drill head or another suitable drill head equipped with rolling chisels can be provided. The drill head 30 can protrude at the lower end of the support tube 8 so that the drill head 30 can remove soil material below the support tube 8. The support tube 8 can be rotated and axially pushed along with the down-the-hole drilling rig 10 via the collet device 86. When the support tube 8 is moved, the down-the-hole drilling rig 10 can be clamped in the support tube 8 and thus moved along with it. Power can be supplied via a main supply line 92 to a central supply device 90 on the work platform 82.

Claims

1. Underwater drilling apparatus for creating a cased borehole under water, comprising - a lowerable platform (80) configured for setting down on a waterbody bottom (5), - at least one support tube (8) axially displaceable and rotatably mounted on the platform (80), - at least one tubular drive (85) arranged on the platform (80) and configured for rotationally driving the support tube (8), in order to rotationally introduce the support tube (8) into the waterbody bottom (5), - at least one in-hole drilling rig (10) arranged in the support tube (8), wherein the in-hole drilling rig (10) comprises: -- a rig base body (12), -- at least one clamping device (50) for bracing and securing the in-hole drilling rig (10) in the support tube (8), -- a drill drive (40) on the rig base body (12), and -- a drill head (30) which is axially displaceable and rotatably mounted on the rig base body (12) and can be rotationally driven by means of the drill drive (40), - wherein when rotationally driving the support tube (8), the in-hole drilling rig (10) is arranged in the support tube (8) and is axially clamped thereto, so that the in-hole drilling device (10) rotates with the rotating support tube (8), characterized in that the underwater drilling device is configured in such a way that when the support tube (8) is driven in rotation, the drill head (30) can be driven simultaneously in the same or the opposite direction of rotation to the support tube (8) relative to the rig base body (12).

2. Underwater drilling apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, in order to form the tubular drive (85) at the platform (80), a collet device (86) for clamping the support tube (8) on its outer side is arranged to be rotatably or pivotably and axially movable, wherein a torque of the tubular drive (85) can be transmitted to the support tube (8).

3. Underwater drilling apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tubular drive (85) is configured for transmitting a continuous rotary motion to the support tube (8).

4. Underwater drilling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the tubular drive (85) is configured for transmitting an oscillating rotary motion to the support tube (8).

5. Underwater drilling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the in-hole drilling rig (10) comprises an axial feed device (70) with which the drill head (30) is axially displaceable relative to the rig base body (12).

6. Underwater drilling apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the feed device (70) comprises at least one hydraulic feed cylinder (72).

7. Underwater drilling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one supply line is connected to the in-hole drilling rig (10) at an upper portion of the rig base body (12).

8. Underwater drilling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that two or more support tubes (8) are rotatably and axially displaceably mounted on the platform (80).

9. Underwater drilling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that at least one upper clamping device (50) is arranged on the rig base body (12) and at least one lower clamping device is arranged on the drill head (30).

10. Underwater drilling apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that when the support tube (8) is rotationally driven, the at least one lower clamping device on the drill head (30) is radially extended and the drill head (30) is clamped to the support tube (8) and the at least one upper clamping device (50) on the rig base body (12) is radially retracted and is released from the support tube (8).

11. Underwater drilling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the platform (80) at the waterbody bottom (5) comprises a supply device (90) connected to an overwater supply unit via at least one main supply line (92), and in that the at least one tubular drive (85) and the at least one in-hole drilling rig (10) are connected to the supply device (90) of the platform (80) for energy supply, in particular via supply lines.

12. Method for creating a cased borehole under water with an underwater drilling apparatus (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein - at least one support tube (8) is arranged on a platform (80) of the underwater drilling apparatus (100), - at least one in-hole drilling rig (10) is arranged in the at least one support tube (8), - the platform (80) is lowered onto a waterbody bottom (5), - the at least one support tube (8) is rotationally driven via a tubular drive (84) at the platform (80) and is drilled into the waterbody bottom (5), - prior and / or subsequent to the drilling of the support tube (8), the drill head (30) of the in-hole drilling rig (10) arranged in the support tube (8) is rotationally driven and is drilled into the waterbody bottom (5) to create the borehole, while the support tube (8) is held on the platform (80) in a rotationally fixed manner, and - when the support tube (80) is rotationally driven, the in-hole drilling rig (10) remains in the support tube (8) and is axially clamped thereto.

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