US3603386A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Subsea guideline anchoring method and apparatus
Assignee: Mobil Oil AS
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Filing: 1969-09-17
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Granted: 1971-09-07
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Expires: 1989-09-17
Abstract
Abstract A method and an apparatus for locating and anchoring bottom-tosurface guidelines of a subsea guidance and alignment system to be utilized in conjunction with servicing or drilling subaqueous wells by lowering a pair of self-anchoring ends of unanchored guidelines on a spacer frame which is guided to the subaqueous bottom on a pair of previously anchored guidelines. The free guidelines are anchored upon contact of the self-anchoring ends with predetermined anchorage locations on the subaqueous bottom. The operation may be repeated to anchor other guidelines at other anchorage locations on the subaqueous bottom by utilizing the initially free and subsequently anchored guidelines as guides for lowering the space frame carrying the self-anchoring ends of other free guidelines.
Inventors
- 👤 William A Talley Jr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 11:30
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B41/00; E21B41/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of locating and anchoring bottom-to-surface guidelines for use as part of a subsea guidance and alignment system in drilling or servicing a selected one of a plurality of subaqueous wells which comprises: lowering at least one free guideline along a predetermined path in reference to previously anchored guidelines; anchoring a free end of said at least one free guideline at a predetermined position at said subaqueous bottom upon contact therewith; disconnecting said previously anchored guidelines from the bottom after said at least one free guideline has been anchored; and repeating the above steps for anchoring additional guidelines to the bottom in additional predetermined positions.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of locating and anchoring bottom-to-surface guidelines for use as part of a subsea guidance and alignment system in drilling or servicing a selected one of a plurality of subaqueous wells which comprises: lowering at least one free guideline along a predetermined path in reference to previously anchored guidelines; anchoring a free end of said at least one free guideline at a predetermined position at said subaqueous bottom upon contact therewith; disconnecting said previously anchored guidelines from the bottom after said at least one free guideline has been anchored; and repeating the above steps for anchoring additional guidelines to the bottom in additional predetermined positions.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
79 words
A method of locating and anchoring bottom-to-surface guidelines for use as a part of a subaqueous guidance and alignment system in successively drilling or servicing a plurality of subaqueous wells equally serially spaced along a subaqueous bottom by using a previously anchored plurality of guidelines at one well location in the series as guides in lowering a plurality of free guidelines from the surface to the bottom and as an index for anchoring said free guidelines between well locations.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
79 words
A method of locating and anchoring bottom-to-surface guidelines for use as a part of a subaqueous guidance and alignment system in successively drilling or servicing a plurality of subaqueous wells equally serially spaced along a subaqueous bottom by using a previously anchored plurality of guidelines at one well location in the series as guides in lowering a plurality of free guidelines from the surface to the bottom and as an index for anchoring said free guidelines between well locations.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the previously anchored guidelines are removed from the subaqueous bottom and the anchored, previously free guidelines are utilized as guides in lowering a subsequent plurality of free guidelines from the surface to the bottom and as an index for anchoring said subsequent free guidelines at a subsequent subaqueous well location in the series.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
258 words
A method of locating and anchoring bottom-to-surface guidelines of a subaqueous guidance and alignment system for offshore well production operations comprising the steps of: establishing at least one group of anchorage means at a base of operations on the subaqueous bottom having predetermined spatial relationship among the individual anchorage means of said group; anchoring at least one guideline to particular anchorage means of said group; attaching a free end of at least one other guideline to a spacer means; lowering said spacer means down along said at least one guideline such that said free end of said at least one other guideline and said at least one guideline has a spatial relationship thereamong substantially identical to the spatial relationships of said anchorage means of said group; anchoring said at least one other guideline by securing said free end to another of said anchorage means of said group; raising said spacer means to the surface; reorienting said spacer frame with respect to said at least one other guideline; attaching a free end of at least one further guideline to said spacer means; lowering said spacer means down along said at least one other guideline such that said free end of said at least one further guideline and said at least one other guideline have a spatial relationship thereamong identical to the spatial relationships between said another of said anchorage means and particular anchorage means of another group; and anchoring said at least one further guideline by securing said free end to said particular anchorage means of said other group.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
258 words
A method of locating and anchoring bottom-to-surface guidelines of a subaqueous guidance and alignment system for offshore well production operations comprising the steps of: establishing at least one group of anchorage means at a base of operations on the subaqueous bottom having predetermined spatial relationship among the individual anchorage means of said group; anchoring at least one guideline to particular anchorage means of said group; attaching a free end of at least one other guideline to a spacer means; lowering said spacer means down along said at least one guideline such that said free end of said at least one other guideline and said at least one guideline has a spatial relationship thereamong substantially identical to the spatial relationships of said anchorage means of said group; anchoring said at least one other guideline by securing said free end to another of said anchorage means of said group; raising said spacer means to the surface; reorienting said spacer frame with respect to said at least one other guideline; attaching a free end of at least one further guideline to said spacer means; lowering said spacer means down along said at least one other guideline such that said free end of said at least one further guideline and said at least one other guideline have a spatial relationship thereamong identical to the spatial relationships between said another of said anchorage means and particular anchorage means of another group; and anchoring said at least one further guideline by securing said free end to said particular anchorage means of said other group.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 4 including the step of withdrawing said at least one guideline before anchoring said at least one further guideline.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 4 including the step of withdrawing said at least one guideline before raising said spacer means to the surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 4 including the steps of: raising said spacer means off said subaqueous bottom; and testing the anchorage of said at least one other guideline by applying tension thereto before withdrawing said at least one guideline.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of sequentially anchoring groups of guidelines at a plurality of serially arranged subaqueous well locations, one group being associated with each well by utilizing a plurality of anchored guidelines as guides for a spacer means while lowering a next plurality of guidelines thereon to the subaqueous bottom and anchoring the next plurality of guidelines at a predetermined location, utilizing the next plurality of guidelines as guides for a spacer means while lowering a subsequent plurality of guidelines to the subaqueous bottom and anchoring the subsequent plurality of guidelines at a predetermined location, and continuing the sequential anchoring in the foregoing manner until all of the groups of guidelines have been anchored.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of sequentially anchoring groups of guidelines at a plurality of serially arranged subaqueous well locations, one group being associated with each well by utilizing a plurality of anchored guidelines as guides for a spacer means while lowering a next plurality of guidelines thereon to the subaqueous bottom and anchoring the next plurality of guidelines at a predetermined location, utilizing the next plurality of guidelines as guides for a spacer means while lowering a subsequent plurality of guidelines to the subaqueous bottom and anchoring the subsequent plurality of guidelines at a predetermined location, and continuing the sequential anchoring in the foregoing manner until all of the groups of guidelines have been anchored.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
184 words
Apparatus for locating and anchoring bottom-to-surface guidelines of a subaqueous guidance and alignment system comprising: a base adapted to be located at a subaqueous bottom including a well location means and anchorage means near said well location means and having predetermined spatial relationships thereamong, each of said anchorage means comprising receptacles having recesses therein; a plurality of guidelines having self-anchoring means adapted to automatically anchor at said anchorage means upon engagement therewith, each of said self-anchoring means comprising a pin having a spring-loaded anchor-latching element thereon which is shearable from said pin, said anchor-latching element being adapted to engage said recess on said anchorage means upon contact a spacer frame including a plurality of guideline-receiving means having said predetermined spatial relationships thereamong, more than one of said receiving means adapted to be guided along previously anchored guidelines when said spacer frame is lowered along said previously anchored guidelines carrying said self-anchoring means of at least one other of said plurality of guidelines at other of said guideline-receiving means; and means for raising and lowering said spacer frame between the surface and said anchorage means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
184 words
Apparatus for locating and anchoring bottom-to-surface guidelines of a subaqueous guidance and alignment system comprising: a base adapted to be located at a subaqueous bottom including a well location means and anchorage means near said well location means and having predetermined spatial relationships thereamong, each of said anchorage means comprising receptacles having recesses therein; a plurality of guidelines having self-anchoring means adapted to automatically anchor at said anchorage means upon engagement therewith, each of said self-anchoring means comprising a pin having a spring-loaded anchor-latching element thereon which is shearable from said pin, said anchor-latching element being adapted to engage said recess on said anchorage means upon contact a spacer frame including a plurality of guideline-receiving means having said predetermined spatial relationships thereamong, more than one of said receiving means adapted to be guided along previously anchored guidelines when said spacer frame is lowered along said previously anchored guidelines carrying said self-anchoring means of at least one other of said plurality of guidelines at other of said guideline-receiving means; and means for raising and lowering said spacer frame between the surface and said anchorage means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said anchoring means includes a flange extending from said pin for support of said spacer frame.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein each said anchoring means includes a spacer frame latching element extending from said pin above said flange, and said guideline-receiving means comprises an aperture extending through said frame having a latching recess for receiving said spacer frame latching element.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said spacer frame comprises a yoke and said guideline-receiving means comprise apertures located at the ends and center of said yoke.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein two of said apertures are located at said center of said yoke and one of said apertures is located at each of said ends of said yoke.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-06 | 1975-03-08 | 1975-09-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-06 | 1979-03-08 | 1979-09-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-06 | 1983-03-08 | 1983-09-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |