Seabed Drilling Rig with Modular Cylindrical Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drilling oil and gas wells at great ocean depths requires expensive floating platforms, which are costly and risky due to hazardous operations during extreme weather conditions, and existing seabed drilling solutions are limited in equipment interchangeability.
Innovation Solution
A seabed-based drilling rig with a watertight cylindrical structure, a separate drilling module, and a pipe-handling robot, anchored to the seabed with hydraulic legs and a blowout preventer, allowing remote operation and maintenance, and facilitating the use of smaller vessels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If floating platforms are used for deep water drilling, then drilling operations can be performed at great ocean depths, but the cost and risk increase due to expensive platforms and hazardous operations during extreme weather
Solution Approach 1:
The drilling rig is extracted from the floating platform and placed directly on the seabed, eliminating the platform structure entirely. This separates the drilling function from the support structure, allowing operations to continue in extreme weather without platform interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The drilling system is segmented into modular components: the seabed-based drilling rig, the drilling ship, and the BOP stack. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates remote operation and maintenance capabilities.
2Productivity
If floating platforms are used for drilling, then drilling operations can be conducted, but large and costly structures are required due to bulky and heavy drilling equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The heavy drilling equipment is extracted from the floating platform and positioned directly on the seabed, eliminating the need for large platform structures. The drilling rig operates from the seabed while the drilling ship provides only the necessary lifting capacity for drill pipes and equipment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If open structure seabed drilling rig is used, then drill pipe cartridges can be supplied from surface vessel, but equipment interchangeability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The watertight cylindrical structure with standardized hatchways serves multiple functions: it provides a sealed environment for the drilling module, accommodates various equipment configurations, and enables different operational modes. The modular design with standardized interfaces allows different equipment to be interchanged while maintaining system integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The drilling module is nested within the watertight cylindrical structure, which itself is part of the larger seabed drilling rig system. This nested configuration allows the drilling module to be passed through transfer openings in the top of the structure, facilitating equipment interchangeability while maintaining a compact overall design.
4Weight of moving object
If drilling rig is placed on seabed, then surface vessel requirements are reduced, but remote control and maintenance capabilities must be implemented
Solution Approach 1:
The drilling rig is equipped with autonomous capabilities including automated drill pipe handling, remote-operated drilling functions, and self-monitoring systems. This self-service capability enables the rig to operate independently on the seabed while reducing the need for large vessels and extensive personnel intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
A drilling placed on the seabed and arranged for drilling of oil and gas wells is remote controlled from a light drilling vessel (2) through pipes and signal cables (3). The main structure of the drilling rig is made up of two cylindrical structures (1 and 10), in connection with which there is provided a number of cylindrical silos (8) for storing drill pipe magazines (23). A complete drilling module (17) can be lowered and retrieved through hatchways (11) at the top of the first cylindrical structure 10 The drilling rig is anchored to a foundation frame (7) by hydraulic legs (9). A cylindrical skirt (34) encloses the BOP (33) to prevent pollution of the environment.