Modular Drilling Rig Top Drive Handling and Drawworks Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modular drilling rigs face challenges in efficiently handling and exchanging top drive units, which are complex and expensive, and in transporting and assembling drilling drawworks, which are voluminous and heavy, requiring careful handling and specific configurations for different drilling activities.
Innovation Solution
A modular transfigurable drilling rig system with a temporary removable vehicle transportable top drive unit installation device and a vehicle transportable drilling drawworks ramp, allowing for safe transfer and alignment of the top drive unit and drawworks using alignment members, rails, and drives like winches, enabling easy handling and efficient assembly between transport and operational modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If top drive units are handled and exchanged during drilling operations, then drilling activities can be adapted to different requirements, but the complexity and time required for handling increases due to the expensive and complex nature of top drive units
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the top drive unit into separable components and uses a dedicated installation device that can be detached. The top drive unit itself is segmented into functional parts that can be independently handled, reducing the complexity of exchange operations while maintaining adaptability to different drilling activities.
Solution Approach 2:
A temporary removable installation device serves as an intermediary between the transport vehicle and the drilling rig mast. This intermediary device facilitates the transfer of top drive units without requiring direct manual handling or complex assembly operations, thereby reducing handling complexity while enabling versatility in drilling configurations.
2Productivity
If drilling drawworks are transported and assembled on-site, then the rig can be deployed to different locations, but the process becomes more difficult due to the voluminous and heavy nature of drawworks requiring careful handling
Solution Approach 1:
The drilling drawworks are divided into modular sections that can be separately transported and assembled on-site. This segmentation allows heavy components to be handled in smaller, more manageable units while maintaining the capability to deploy the complete rig system to different locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes a ramp structure that changes the dimensional approach to loading drawworks. Instead of vertical lifting which is difficult for heavy components, the ramp provides an inclined plane that allows drawworks to be rolled or pushed into position, significantly easing the handling operation while maintaining deployment capability.
3Productivity
If the drilling rig is fully disassembled for transport between well centers, then mobility is improved, but operational downtime increases due to complete disassembly and reassembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The rig system is segmented into modular components that can be independently transported. Critical components like the top drive unit and drawworks can be detached and transported separately using dedicated vehicles, allowing the main rig structure to remain assembled or be quickly reconfigured, thereby reducing overall disassembly time while maintaining mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The installation device for the top drive unit is prepared and positioned in advance before the actual transfer operation. Alignment members are pre-positioned to guide the top drive unit into correct placement. This preliminary preparation significantly reduces the time required for the actual exchange operation, minimizing operational downtime while maintaining rig mobility.
4Measurement precision
If alignment members and rails are used for precise positioning of top drive units, then handling precision is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional alignment components
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment members are integrated into the installation device structure itself rather than being separate components. The rails are combined with the support framework of the installation device, creating a unified structure that provides precise positioning functionality without adding significant complexity. This merging reduces the number of separate components while maintaining positioning precision.
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
Facilitates safe and efficient handling, exchange, and assembly of top drive units and drawworks, reducing operational downtime and enhancing on-site efficiency by allowing for precise alignment and transfer of delicate equipment without full disassembly during transport between well centers.
Implementation Method 1
The translation drive comprises a winch and a winch driven cable connectable to the top drive unit and adapted to transfer, e.g. slide, the top drive unit into the mast in its substantially horizontal assembly position
Implementation Method 2
Once the mast is completely assembled the mast is raised or erected into its vertical operation position, e.g. by means of one or more hydraulic actuators
Implementation Method 3
The top mast section comprises a crown block assembly with cable sheaves mounted to the top mast section and a travelling block assembly with cable sheaves, wherein, preferably, one or more cables are pre-reeved over said crown block and travelling block assemblies
Data Source
Figure 1a~1c
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
The present invention relates to a modular transfigurable drilling rig system composed of multiple components, which system is transfigurable between a field transport mode in which components of the system are transportable on the field by vehicles between multiple well centers, and an operational mode in which the components are assembled to a drilling rig which is adapted to drill into a well centre in the ground of the field. The invention also relates to a method for bringing such a modular transfigurable drilling rig system from a field transport mode into an operational mode. Aspects of the invention relate to the installation of a top drive, drilling drawworks and transport of the base structure as a whole.