Configurable Support Structure for Offshore Wellhead Conductors

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Solution Overview

Problem

The inefficiency in repositioning well processing stations on offshore wellhead platforms increases non-productive time when processing multiple wells, as each well requires the well center to be moved to a new location, leading to decreased productivity and increased time consumption.

Innovation Solution

A configurable support structure on the offshore wellhead platform allows the upper parts of conductors to be moved between a first and a shared second position, enabling well processing tasks to be performed without lateral displacement of the well processing station, thereby reducing the need for frequent repositioning of the well center and station.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the well center is repositioned for each well on offshore wellhead platforms, then multiple wells can be processed, but the repositioning time increases non-productive time and decreases productivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to process multiple wellsVSAvoidprocessing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of moving the well processing station to each well location, the invention moves the well itself (specifically the conductor and wellhead assembly) to a centralized well processing station. This inversion of the movement direction eliminates the need for repeated repositioning of expensive equipment and allows multiple wells to be processed sequentially at a fixed location, thereby resolving the contradiction between multi-well capability and processing efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the well center is moved to new locations for each well, then different wells can be accessed, but time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to different wellsVSAvoidrepositioning time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The invention employs preliminary action by pre-positioning conductors with movable wellheads at various locations around the platform during the setup phase. The conductors are equipped with wellheads that can be moved along the conductors to predetermined positions. When well processing is needed, the wellhead is simply moved to the centralized processing station along the pre-laid conductor, eliminating the need for time-consuming repositioning operations and reducing time loss while maintaining access to multiple wells

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11028549B2Offshore drilling and a configurable support structure for the same

Publication Date: 2021.06.08 NOBLE DRILLING AS

AI summary

Without limitation, embodiments of the present invention relates to an offshore wellhead platform (100), the offshore wellhead platform (100) comprising a configurable support structure (200) for supporting upper parts of a plurality of conductors (210) through which one or more well processing tasks can be performed, wherein the configurable support structure (200) further provides a first position (150) and a second position (160) for the conductors (210), and the offshore wellhead platform (100) allows movement of an upper part of a conductor (210) between its first (150) and second position (160). In this way, efficiency when processing a plurality of wells is provided since repositioning of the well center is not needed or needed significantly less. Effectively, the wells are brought to the well center so-to-speak instead of the well center needing to be moved to each well.