Under water wells

Claim 2

In combination with a well drilling string, apparatus for drilling a well in a formation under water, comprising: a support; a casing positioned in said formation and having its upper end substantially at the surface thereof, said casing being fixed to said formation; a safety release joint mandrel secured to the upper end of said casing; a guide extending between points in fixed relation to said upper end of said casing and said support; a vertical assembly of series connected devices terminating at their lower end in a safety release joint barrel unit, said unit being matable with said mandrel; and means on said assembly for slidable engagement with said guide.

Claim 3

In combination with a well drilling string, apparatus for drilling a well in a formation under water, comprising: a support; a casing positioned in said formation and having its upper end substantially at the surface thereof, said casing being sealingly cemented in said formation; a safety release joint mandrel secured to the upper end of said casing; an anchor device secured to said casing; guide means extending between said anchor and said support; a vertical assembly of submerged devices including a safety release joint barrel unit, said unit being matable with said mandrel; means on said assembly for slidable engagement with said guide means; and means including connections and apparatus extending from said support for operating said submerged devices of said apparatus.

Claim 4

In combination with a well drilling string, apparatus for drilling a well in a formation under water, comprising: a support; a casing positioned in said formation and having its upper end substantially at the surface thereof, said casing being sealingly cemented in said formation; a safety release joint mandrel secured to the upper end of said casing; an anchor device secured to said casing; guide means extending between said anchor and said support; a vertical assembly of submerged devices including a safety release joint barrel unit, said unit being matable with said mandrel; means on said assembly for slidable engagement with said guide means; and means including connections and apparatus extending from said support for operating said submerged devices of said apparatus.

Claim 5

Apparatus for drilling and working in a well submerged under a body of water comprising a platform at the surface of a body of water above a submerged well site, wellhead equipment submerged in said water at said well site, a conduit extending downwardly from said platform through said water to said wellhead equipment, means on said platform for raising and lowering said conduit through said water, a remotely controllable connector for connecting and disconnecting said conduit and said wellhead equipment, said connector comprising a housing secured to the said conduit and having an opening therethrough in axial alignment with said conduit, securing means mounted in said housing and movable transversely with relation to the axis of said opening to project inwardly into said oPening and to retract outwardly from said opening, operating means to move said securing means into the opening through the housing, a remote control means on said platform for said operating means, an exterior portion of said submerged wellhead equipment constructed to be received within said opening in said housing in axial alignment therewith, a circumferential recess in said exterior portion, and complementary engaging means on said wellhead equipment and on said connector housing disposed to engage each other in concentric relationship as said conduit is lowered from said platform and to position said connector on said wellhead equipment with said securing means in transverse alignment with said circumferential recess to be disposed in said circumferential recess when said securing means is moved into the opening through the housing.

Claim 6

Apparatus for drilling and working in a well submerged under a body of water comprising a platform at the surface of a body of water above a submerged well site, wellhead equipment submerged in said water at said well site, a conduit extending downwardly from said platform through said water to said wellhead equipment, means on said platform for raising and lowering said conduit through said water, a remotely controllable connector for connecting and disconnecting said conduit and said wellhead equipment, said connector comprising a housing secured to the said conduit and having an opening therethrough in axial alignment with said conduit, securing means mounted in said housing and movable transversely with relation to the axis of said opening to project inwardly into said oPening and to retract outwardly from said opening, operating means to move said securing means into the opening through the housing, a remote control means on said platform for said operating means, an exterior portion of said submerged wellhead equipment constructed to be received within said opening in said housing in axial alignment therewith, a circumferential recess in said exterior portion, and complementary engaging means on said wellhead equipment and on said connector housing disposed to engage each other in concentric relationship as said conduit is lowered from said platform and to position said connector on said wellhead equipment with said securing means in transverse alignment with said circumferential recess to be disposed in said circumferential recess when said securing means is moved into the opening through the housing.

Claim 7

Apparatus for drilling and working in a well submerged under a body of water comprising a platform at the surface of a body of water above a submerged well site, wellhead equipment submerged in said water at said well site, a conduit extending downwardly from said platform through said water to said wellhead equipment, means on said platform for raising and lowering said conduit through said water, a remotely controllable connector for connecting and disconnecting said conduit and said wellhead equipment, said connector comprising a housing secured to by the said conduit and having an opening therethrough in axial alignment with said conduit, securing means mounted in said housing and movable transversely with relation to the axis of said opening to project inwardly into said opening and to retract outwardly from said opening, operating means to move said securing means into the opening through the housing, a remote control means on said platform for said operating means, an exterior portion of said submerged wellhead equipment constructed to be received within said opening in said housing in axial alignment therewith, and complementary engaging means on said wellhead equipment and on said connector housing disposed to engage each other in concentric relationship as said conduit is lowered from said platform and to position said connector on said wellhead equipment with said securing means in transverse alignment with said exterior portion to be disposed against said exterior portion when said securing means is moved into the opening through the housing.

Claim 8

Apparatus for drilling and working in a well submerged under a body of water comprising a platform at the surface of a body of water above a submerged well site, wellhead equipment submerged in said water at said well site, a conduit extending downwardly from said platform through said water to said wellhead equipment, means on said platform for raising and lowering said conduit through said water, a remotely controllable connector for connecting and disconnecting said conduit and said wellhead equipment, said connector comprising a housing secured to by the said conduit and having an opening therethrough in axial alignment with said conduit, securing means mounted in said housing and movable transversely with relation to the axis of said opening to project inwardly into said opening and to retract outwardly from said opening, operating means to move said securing means into the opening through the housing, a remote control means on said platform for said operating means, an exterior portion of said submerged wellhead equipment constructed to be received within said opening in said housing in axial alignment therewith, and complementary engaging means on said wellhead equipment and on said connector housing disposed to engage each other in concentric relationship as said conduit is lowered from said platform and to position said connector on said wellhead equipment with said securing means in transverse alignment with said exterior portion to be disposed against said exterior portion when said securing means is moved into the opening through the housing.

Claim 9

Apparatus for drilling and working in a well submerged under a body of water comprising a platform at the surface of a body of water above a submerged well sit, a wellhead equipment pipe submerged in said water at said well site and opening toward the water surface, a conduit pipe extending downwardly from said platform through said water to said wellhead equipment pipe, means on said platform for raising and lowering said conduit pipe through the water, a remotely controllable connector secured to one of the said pipes for connecting and disconnecting said conduit pipe and said wellhead equipment pipe, said connector comprising a housing portion secured to one of the pipes and having an opening therethrough in axial alignment with said conduit, securing means mounted in said housing portion and movable transversely with relation to the axis of said opening, remote control means on said platform for moving said securing means, the other said pipe being constructed to be received within said opening in said housing in axial alignment therewith, and guide means adjacent the wellhead pipe to guide the conduit pipe into alignment with the wellhead pipe as the said conduit pipe is lowered from the platform and to position the two pipes and said connector with said securing means in transverse alignment with said other pipe so that said other pipe can be engaged by the said securing means.

Claim 10

Apparatus for drilling and working in a well submerged under a body of water comprising a platform at the surface of a body of water above a submerged well sit, a wellhead equipment pipe submerged in said water at said well site and opening toward the water surface, a conduit pipe extending downwardly from said platform through said water to said wellhead equipment pipe, means on said platform for raising and lowering said conduit pipe through the water, a remotely controllable connector secured to one of the said pipes for connecting and disconnecting said conduit pipe and said wellhead equipment pipe, said connector comprising a housing portion secured to one of the pipes and having an opening therethrough in axial alignment with said conduit, securing means mounted in said housing portion and movable transversely with relation to the axis of said opening, remote control means on said platform for moving said securing means, the other said pipe being constructed to be received within said opening in said housing in axial alignment therewith, and guide means adjacent the wellhead pipe to guide the conduit pipe into alignment with the wellhead pipe as the said conduit pipe is lowered from the platform and to position the two pipes and said connector with said securing means in transverse alignment with said other pipe so that said other pipe can be engaged by the said securing means.

Claim 11

Apparatus for drilling and working in a well submerged under a body of water comprising a platform at the surface of a body of water above a submerged well site, wellhead equipment submerged iN said water at said well site, a conduit extending downwardly from said platform through said water to said wellhead equipment, means on said platform for raising and lowering said conduit through said water, a remotely controllable connector for connecting and disconnecting said conduit and said wellhead equipment, said connector comprising a housing secured to the said conduit and having an opening therethrough in axial alignment with said conduit, an elastic sleeve sealed at its ends in said housing and disposed around the housing opening to be movable transversely with relation to the axis of said opening to project inwardly into said opening and to retract outwardly from said opening, operating means to move said sleeve into the opening through the housing, a remote control means on said platform for said operating means, an exterior portion of said submerged wellhead equipment constructed to be received within said opening in said housing in axial alignment therewith, and complementary engaging means on said wellhead equipment and on said connector housing disposed to engage each other in concentric relationship as said conduit is lowered from said platform and to position said connector on said wellhead equipment with said sleeve in transverse alignment with said exterior portion to be disposed against said exterior portion when said sleeve is moved into the opening through the housing.

Claim 12

Apparatus for drilling and working in a well submerged under a body of water comprising a platform at the surface of a body of water above a submerged well site, wellhead equipment submerged iN said water at said well site, a conduit extending downwardly from said platform through said water to said wellhead equipment, means on said platform for raising and lowering said conduit through said water, a remotely controllable connector for connecting and disconnecting said conduit and said wellhead equipment, said connector comprising a housing secured to the said conduit and having an opening therethrough in axial alignment with said conduit, an elastic sleeve sealed at its ends in said housing and disposed around the housing opening to be movable transversely with relation to the axis of said opening to project inwardly into said opening and to retract outwardly from said opening, operating means to move said sleeve into the opening through the housing, a remote control means on said platform for said operating means, an exterior portion of said submerged wellhead equipment constructed to be received within said opening in said housing in axial alignment therewith, and complementary engaging means on said wellhead equipment and on said connector housing disposed to engage each other in concentric relationship as said conduit is lowered from said platform and to position said connector on said wellhead equipment with said sleeve in transverse alignment with said exterior portion to be disposed against said exterior portion when said sleeve is moved into the opening through the housing.

Claim 13

In combination with a well drilling string, apparatus for drilling a well in a formation under water, comprising: a support; a casing positioned in said formation and having its upper end substantially at the surface thereof, said casing being sealingly cemented in said formation; a safety release joint mandrel secured to the upper end of said casing; an anchor device secured to said casing; flexible guides secured to and extending between said anchor and said support; a vertical assembly of series connected drilling devices including a control gate having a gate ram and a safety release joint barrel unit, said unit being matable with said mandrel, said assembly defining a drill pipe passageway and said gate ram being operable into a position closing off said drill pipe passageway; means on said assembly for slidable engagement with said flexible guides; and means including connections and apparatus extending from said support for operating said control gate.

Claim 14

In combination with a well drilling string, apparatus for drilling a well in a formation under water, comprising: a support; a casing positioned in said formation and having its upper end substantially at the surface thereof, said casing being sealingly cemented in said formation; a safety release joint mandrel secured to the upper end of said casing; an anchor device secured to said casing; flexible guides secured to and extending between said anchor and said support; a vertical assembly of series connected drilling devices including a control gate having a gate ram and a safety release joint barrel unit, said unit being matable with said mandrel, said assembly defining a drill pipe passageway and said gate ram being operable into a position closing off said drill pipe passageway; means on said assembly for slidable engagement with said flexible guides; and means including connections and apparatus extending from said support for operating said control gate.