The apparatus and method to establish and sustain a subaqueous strata drilling system

Claim 2

In a system to establish a vertical array of assembled objects in cooperating arrangement with a surface service station to automatically and uninterruptedly bore a hole in subaqueous strata with an integral drill string of a length commensurate with the array extending from the surface to the floor of a body of water said string having a drill bit at its lower end with the array comprising: a. an elongated first member formed with a buoyant chamber to supplement support established on the floor for transmitting torque to rotate the string; b. a second member for buoyant support of the drill string to selectively control bearing pressure of the drill bit upon said strata; c. an elongated third member comprising the following components; 1. immersed buoys to provide compensating support for this third member respective said surface; 2. a conduit for fluid communicating relationship between said service station and said drill string; and, d. flexible elements adjustably interconnecting the three members conveys means for coordinating control of the said bearing pressure and descent of the integral drill strIng and conduit corresponding to progress in boring said hole; the improvement comprising: 1. a barge is adapted with chocks fitted to the deck to accommodate mounting said first, second and third members to safely convey the assembled array to and from situations; 2. said barge is sectionalized into independently buoyant portions selectively locked together as a unit, having an end section in support of said first member, a mid section with vertical well formed in it for passage therethrough of the said second member supported therewith and another end section in support of said third member; 3. said third member overhanging the deck is disposed to employ its buoys as outrigger buoyant support to the stability of the barge bearing the elongated first and third members comprising the barge deck load; 4. the end sections pivotally hinged to the mid section by equal length parallel mounted linkage permit selective vertical displacement of either end section while retaining parallelism of the planes of the three decks; 5. an arrangement to establish and maintain freeboard and trim of the barge comprises a ballast system regulating the exchange of water to and from the holds of said sections with the hold of each said section compartmentized by partitions penetrated by small holes to provide common fluid communication yet avoids horizontal surging of water introduced; 6. the deck of the end sections are immersible to enable said buoyant chambers and buoys associated with the first and third members respectively to assume support of a then released member; and, 7. said buoyant chambers are regulated through said interconnecting flexible elements extending to said service station to afford manipulation of said elongated members to or from the barge in compliance with the displacement of an end section.

Claim 5

a conduit for fluid communicating relationship between said service station and said drill string; and, d. flexible elements adjustably interconnecting the three members conveys means for coordinating control of the said bearing pressure and descent of the integral drill strIng and conduit corresponding to progress in boring said hole; the improvement comprising:

Claim 6

a conduit for fluid communicating relationship between said service station and said drill string; and, d. flexible elements adjustably interconnecting the three members conveys means for coordinating control of the said bearing pressure and descent of the integral drill strIng and conduit corresponding to progress in boring said hole; the improvement comprising:

Claim 7

said barge is sectionalized into independently buoyant portions selectively locked together as a unit, having an end section in support of said first member, a mid section with vertical well formed in it for passage therethrough of the said second member supported therewith and another end section in support of said third member;

Claim 8

said barge is sectionalized into independently buoyant portions selectively locked together as a unit, having an end section in support of said first member, a mid section with vertical well formed in it for passage therethrough of the said second member supported therewith and another end section in support of said third member;

Claim 9

said third member overhanging the deck is disposed to employ its buoys as outrigger buoyant support to the stability of the barge bearing the elongated first and third members comprising the barge deck load;

Claim 10

said third member overhanging the deck is disposed to employ its buoys as outrigger buoyant support to the stability of the barge bearing the elongated first and third members comprising the barge deck load;

Claim 11

A subaqueous strata drilling station, responsive to remote control from a surfaced control station and a service station therewith, to be automatically parted into a portable portion and a stationary portion supported by legs bearing with the floor of a body of water to an immersed position accommodating a diverter assembly likewise adapted to be automatically parted into a top section in sliding engagement with said portable portion and a bottom section secured to a strata fixed surface well casing concentric with the drilling station providing uninterrupted torqued translation therethrough of an independently supported drill string terminating with a drill bit to bore a well in said strata, the improvement comprising: a. a conduit system comprises, said diverter assembly accommodating the fluid sealed passage of the operating drill string therethrough and limiting fluid from the well to flow through a formed conduit portion connected to a coupling fixed to said stationary portion therewith to compensate for limited alternating vertical position of a remote conduit assembly buoyantly supported for fluid transmission to said surfaced service station; b. said diverter assembly is journalled to the drilling station for tolerable axial space relationship therewith accommodating dimensional discrepancies between a member common to two independent bases temporarily engaged upon removal of said portable portion and top section from said stationary portion and bottom section respectively; c. said drilling station is remotely and selectively separable into a stationary portion designated as the receptive permanent fixture to the floor and the upper superstructure formed portable portion optionally disposed to divest the well of the drill string with the top section of the diverter assembly; d. said drill station is sustained to an erect posture and stable position by a support means comprising, a pontoon formed integral with the portable portion and individually powered and adjustable telescopic legs extending as foundations for said stationary portion to firm footing with the floor; e. antirotational means applied during descent of the portable portion for correct oriented reengagement with the stationary portion comprises, said portable portion bears protrudences for slid-ing bearing with the sloping contour of said receptive permanent fixture to provide guided return of the portable portion to re-engage cooperating members between said portions comprising matching gears selectively employed to transmit said same power to said legs as dually adapted also to power said drill string; and, f. the drilling station support means further comprises, said pontoon formed into compartments provide an adjustable gas volume for each of at least three said legs for mutual support of the drilling station with each automatically responsive to a leveling device sensing said erect posture for selective monitoring and controlling both said individually powered legs and a liquid level controller adjustably contained in said chamber adapted to regulate the gas volume therein.

Claim 12

A subaqueous strata drilling station, responsive to remote control from a surfaced control station and a service station therewith, to be automatically parted into a portable portion and a stationary portion supported by legs bearing with the floor of a body of water to an immersed position accommodating a diverter assembly likewise adapted to be automatically parted into a top section in sliding engagement with said portable portion and a bottom section secured to a strata fixed surface well casing concentric with the drilling station providing uninterrupted torqued translation therethrough of an independently supported drill string terminating with a drill bit to bore a well in said strata, the improvement comprising: a. a conduit system comprises, said diverter assembly accommodating the fluid sealed passage of the operating drill string therethrough and limiting fluid from the well to flow through a formed conduit portion connected to a coupling fixed to said stationary portion therewith to compensate for limited alternating vertical position of a remote conduit assembly buoyantly supported for fluid transmission to said surfaced service station; b. said diverter assembly is journalled to the drilling station for tolerable axial space relationship therewith accommodating dimensional discrepancies between a member common to two independent bases temporarily engaged upon removal of said portable portion and top section from said stationary portion and bottom section respectively; c. said drilling station is remotely and selectively separable into a stationary portion designated as the receptive permanent fixture to the floor and the upper superstructure formed portable portion optionally disposed to divest the well of the drill string with the top section of the diverter assembly; d. said drill station is sustained to an erect posture and stable position by a support means comprising, a pontoon formed integral with the portable portion and individually powered and adjustable telescopic legs extending as foundations for said stationary portion to firm footing with the floor; e. antirotational means applied during descent of the portable portion for correct oriented reengagement with the stationary portion comprises, said portable portion bears protrudences for slid-ing bearing with the sloping contour of said receptive permanent fixture to provide guided return of the portable portion to re-engage cooperating members between said portions comprising matching gears selectively employed to transmit said same power to said legs as dually adapted also to power said drill string; and, f. the drilling station support means further comprises, said pontoon formed into compartments provide an adjustable gas volume for each of at least three said legs for mutual support of the drilling station with each automatically responsive to a leveling device sensing said erect posture for selective monitoring and controlling both said individually powered legs and a liquid level controller adjustably contained in said chamber adapted to regulate the gas volume therein.

Claim 13

A drilling station according to claim 3, wherein said remote conduit extends from the surfaced service station as a vertical array supported by buoyant means permitting axial surging of the conduit and is connected through a compensating coupling by a formed conduit portion to said diverter assembly, the improvement comprising: a. an accommodating housing provides for the central location thereto of the terminal of the formed conduit portion connected at the central horizontal axes and to one end of the accommodating housing; b. an end cover rotatably fitted to and enclosing said accommodating housing provides for the connection of said remote conduit with inlet axis offset And parallel to said horizontal axis; c. an offset fitting provides fluid communication between said formed and remote conduits with fluid tight journal-like fit therebetween and within said accommodating housing; d. said offset fitting pivots about said horizontal axis through an arc defining a lower and upper remote conduit inlet position as sustained by the rotatability of said cover to accommodate said surges; and, e. a supply of lubricant for said journal fits in pressure balance with that of the fluid transported through the coupling.

Claim 14

the end sections pivotally hinged to the mid section by equal length parallel mounted linkage permit selective vertical displacement of either end section while retaining parallelism of the planes of the three decks;

Claim 15

the end sections pivotally hinged to the mid section by equal length parallel mounted linkage permit selective vertical displacement of either end section while retaining parallelism of the planes of the three decks;

Claim 16

an arrangement to establish and maintain freeboard and trim of the barge comprises a ballast system regulating the exchange of water to and from the holds of said sections with the hold of each said section compartmentized by partitions penetrated by small holes to provide common fluid communication yet avoids horizontal surging of water introduced;

Claim 17

an arrangement to establish and maintain freeboard and trim of the barge comprises a ballast system regulating the exchange of water to and from the holds of said sections with the hold of each said section compartmentized by partitions penetrated by small holes to provide common fluid communication yet avoids horizontal surging of water introduced;

Claim 18

A drilling station according to claim 3, wherein the bottom section of the diverter assembly is dominated by at least one blow-out preventor manipulated by a remote control system integral with the said remote conduit to selectively seal off the well at any time with or without removal of the drill string, said top section of the diverter further comprises: a. joined cylindrical bodies provide a first stagnant chamber established between said blow-out preventor and a partition supporting a throttle assembly accommodating passage therethrough of the drill string with close annulus clearance and at least one transition chamber serially established thereabove by addition of like partitions and throttle assemblies for each, all in space relationship in excess of the coupling length joining tubing segments of the drill string; b. a sealing means, operatively incorporated with a partition establishes the uppermost transition chamber to provide said fluid sealed passage of the drill string with close fit to said segments; c. all said throttle assemblies and the sealing assembly are split axially into halves movable to and from the drill string segments to provide an open passageway for said couplings between chambers; and, d. a power means connected to each of the halves are serially operated to pass a coupling and means urge the halves together before another throttle assembly is parted.

Claim 19

the deck of the end sections are immersible to enable said buoyant chambers and buoys associated with the first and third members respectively to assume support of a then released member; and,

Claim 20

the deck of the end sections are immersible to enable said buoyant chambers and buoys associated with the first and third members respectively to assume support of a then released member; and,

Claim 21

A drillinG station according to claim 5, wherein the said close annulus clearance restricts leakage flow from the well to the said serially disposed chambers, the improvement comprising: a. an external bypass effected around each throttle assembly transmits said leakage back to a transition chamber beneath from which it escaped; and, b. said transmission of leakage further comprises, the drainage of leakage flow from a transition chamber to a sump for ejection therefrom by an extension of the gas volume control system for the drilling station.

Claim 22

said buoyant chambers are regulated through said interconnecting flexible elements extending to said service station to afford manipulation of said elongated members to or from the barge in compliance with the displacement of an end section.

Claim 23

said buoyant chambers are regulated through said interconnecting flexible elements extending to said service station to afford manipulation of said elongated members to or from the barge in compliance with the displacement of an end section.

Claim 24

A drilling station according to claim 5, wherein said independently supported drill string suspends from a thrust bearing mounted on a buoyant support station stabilized for controlled vertical travel to feed the drill string bit into the strata below the drilling station as revealed by flexible members adjustable interconnected as taut wires between the two stations, the improvement comprising: a. a wire length adjustment means periodically spools said wires, to retain a limited store of wire, corresponding to change in elevation of the support station above the drilling station; b. a weighted sheave establishes said taut wires as supported in the loop developed in the return of a wire on itself to accommodate the change of accumulated wire responsive with movement of the support station with the store of wire trained below said adjustment means; c. said periodic spooling transfers a wire length commensurate with the span of equally spaced said couplings and effects the vertical travel of the sheave in a distance measurably one half of said span; d. said sheave is correlated with couplings of the string to reciprocatingly return once to a specific position coincident with the imminent position of each coupling to said diverter assembly; and, e. monitoring means intercepted with vertical travel of said sheave for control of said throttle assemblies comprises, said interception activates magnetic switches regulating each throttle asseMbly sequentially to provide said passage of a coupling with each incidence when confronting a throttle assembly or the sealing assembly.