Drilling Rig Substructure Scissor Jack Bracing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drilling equipment for oil and gas wells is heavy and bulky, making transportation difficult, especially to remote sites with inadequate road systems, leading to increased costs and safety risks due to the complexity and time required for setup and teardown.
Innovation Solution
A substructure with scissor jack bracing and telescoping tension links allows for reduced transport weight and height, enabling easier assembly and disassembly, integration of walking systems for movement without disassembly, and maintaining a flexible operating height, while incorporating a hydraulic system for efficient positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If conventional drilling equipment is used, then the equipment can perform drilling operations, but the equipment is heavy and bulky making transportation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The drilling rig is divided into modular components including substructure modules, mast sections, and equipment packages that can be separately transported and assembled. The substructure is divided into multiple sections that can be transported on separate loads and connected at the site.
Solution Approach 2:
The substructure modules are designed to nest within each other during transport, with smaller modules fitting inside larger ones. This reduces the overall transport footprint and allows multiple components to be moved more efficiently.
2Productivity
If drilling equipment is transported to remote sites, then drilling operations can be performed, but the setup and teardown process is time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The substructure modules are pre-assembled and pre-positioned on transport equipment in advance, so that upon arrival at the drilling site, they can be quickly deployed without requiring extensive on-site assembly work. The modular design allows for pre-preparation of connection interfaces and alignment features.
Solution Approach 2:
The drilling rig incorporates movable and adjustable components that can be quickly reconfigured. The substructure modules can be dynamically assembled and disassembled using standardized connection mechanisms that reduce setup time while maintaining structural integrity during drilling operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If drilling equipment is transported over extensive distances, then remote well sites can be accessed, but essential equipment can be forgotten or misplaced increasing safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
Equipment is organized into defined modular packages with clear inventories and tracking systems. Each module contains specific components that are accounted for during loading, transport, and unloading, reducing the risk of items being forgotten or misplaced during extensive transportation to remote sites.
4Loss of time
If walking systems are used to move heavy loads, then disassembly is avoided, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The walking system is integrated with the modular substructure design, combining the movement function with the existing structural components. This reduces overall system complexity compared to adding a separate walking system to a conventional rig, while still enabling movement without full disassembly.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces the number of transport loads, simplifies assembly and disassembly, enhances safety by minimizing the need for extensive setup and teardown, and supports multi-well development pads with increased operational flexibility and reduced overhead costs.
Implementation Method 1
Instead of using wheels driven by rotational forces to move heavy loads, walking machines typically use hydraulic lift cylinders to lift the load above a supporting surface
Implementation Method 2
The substructure has side boxes support bracing that are in a 'scissor jack' (or 'grand plié') style bracing
Implementation Method 3
The tension link secures the opposing link pins and support arms and bracing to maintain the integrity of the sub structure
Data Source
AI summary
An improved system and method for bracing, transporting, assembling, and disassembly of drilling equipment at oil and gas land-based well sites. The system has a substructure with side boxes support bracing that are in a scissor jack (or grand plié) style bracing with telescoping tension link(s), linking pins, and vertical hydraulic cylinders. These linking pins are set after raising the substructure and secure the telescoping tension link, support arms, and support bracing in place to maintain the integrity of the substructure. Alternatively the system has a substructure with side boxes support bracing that are in a scissor jack (or grand plié) style bracing with screw jacks and a means of stabilization during substructure raising. The substructure bracing reduces the overall length, reduces the upper and lower box spans, and balances the raising loads, subsequently lowering the transport weight of the side box such that a commercial walking system may be integrated into the side box and remain there during transport while maximizing the operating drill floor height while minimizing the transport height.