Nested Center Drill Floor Assembly for Drilling Rig
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly and disassembly of drilling rig structures, particularly those with 'box-on-box' substructure configurations, are cumbersome and time-consuming due to the need for cranes to lift and position individual components, which can be affected by environmental conditions and increase overall assembly time and costs.
Innovation Solution
A center drill floor assembly that includes a center floor structure and a drilling rig mast section nested within it, allowing for transportation as a single modular assembly and easy attachment to substructure box assemblies, reducing the need for multiple crane operations and simplifying the assembly process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If drilling rig components are transported separately on multiple truck/trailer combinations, then transportation flexibility is improved, but assembly complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the center floor structure and mast section into a single integrated modular assembly that can be transported as one unit. This merging reduces the number of separate components that need to be handled during assembly, directly reducing assembly complexity while maintaining transportation flexibility through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The mast section is nested within the center floor structure during transportation, with the mast positioned inside the hollow space of the center floor assembly. This nesting arrangement allows both components to be transported together in a compact configuration, reducing assembly steps while preserving the ability to deploy them as functional components.
2Manufacturing precision
If cranes are used to lift and position individual components during assembly, then positioning precision is improved, but assembly time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the center floor and mast into a single modular assembly, the patent reduces the number of crane operations required. Instead of multiple separate lifts and positionings, the entire assembly can be installed as one unit, maintaining positioning precision while significantly reducing assembly time and crane usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The center floor structure and mast section are pre-assembled and pre-positioned relative to each other during manufacturing, forming a ready-to-install modular unit. This preliminary action eliminates the need for precise field positioning of individual components, reducing both assembly time and the need for multiple crane operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate components are assembled at the drilling site, then adaptability to site conditions is improved, but assembly simplicity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the drilling rig into modular assemblies (center floor-mast combination, substructure, etc.) that can be transported independently and assembled at the site. This segmentation maintains adaptability to different site conditions while simplifying assembly through standardized modular interfaces and reduced component count.
Solution Approach 2:
The nested configuration of the mast within the center floor structure creates a compact modular assembly that is easy to transport and install. This nesting maintains the functional separability of components while presenting a simplified single-unit assembly operation at the drilling site.
Data Source
AI summary
A center drill floor assembly of a drilling rig structure includes a center floor structure and a drilling rig mast section that is at least partially nested within the center floor structure, wherein the center drill floor assembly is adapted to be transported to a drilling site as a single modular assembly and removably attached as a single modular assembly to a drilling rig substructure during assembly of the drilling rig structure.