Method and apparatus for drilling underwater wells

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR DRILLING AN UNDERWATER WELL FROM A FLOATING VESSEL POSITIONED AT AN OFFSHORE LOCATION, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: (A) A FLOATING VESSEL: (B) A DRILLING WELLHEAD STRUCTURE POSITIONED BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE WATER BENEATH SAID VESSEL, SAID WELLHEAD STRUCTURE HAVING A VERTICAL THROUGHBORE ALIGNED WITH A WELL IN THE OCEAN FLOOR; (C) A DRILL STRING ADAPTED TO EXTEND FROM SAID VESSEL (D) PACKER MEANS ADAPTED TO BE IN OPERATIVE SEALING ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN SAID WELLHEAD STRUCTURE AND THE ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN SAID WELLHEAD STRUCTURE AND THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID DRILL STRING TO SEAL THE THROUGHBORE OF SAID WELLHEAD STRUCTURE ABOUT SAID DRILL STRING AND PREVENT ALL FLUID FROM LEAVING THE WELL EXCEPT THROUGH SAID DRILL STRING; (E) SAID DRILL STRING HAVING MULTIPLE CONDUIT MEANS AT LEAST EXTENDING FROM A POINT ADJACENT SAID VESSEL TO A POINT BELOW SAID PACKER MEANS OF SAID WELLHEAD STRUCTURE; AND (F) SAID MULTIPLE CONDUIT MEANS BEING SIMULTANEOUSLY ROTATABLE TOGETHER AND AXIALLY SUBSTANTIAL SEALING PACKET MEANS WHILE REMAINING IN SUBSTANTIAL SEALING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH DURING DRILLING OPERATIONS.