Deviated conductor driving system

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said method further includes the step of: e. verifying the curvature and orientation of the deviated conductor and taking any correctional steps desired to alter the deviation.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein step b said dog-leg is provided by cutting off the tip of the initial conductor segment and rewelding the tip at a slight angle to the axis of the remaining straight conductor.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 where there is further included in the initial steps the step of: adding at least one projecting flat bar along the exterior of the conductor parallel to the main longitudinal axis of the conductor to minimize or counteract any tendency of the conductor to rotate.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein in step b there is further included the step of continuously marking on each incremental segment of the conductor pipe the directional orientation of the dog-leg.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 wherein in step b the directional position of the dog-leg is recorded by painting a longitudinal line on each incremental segment of the conductor as it is added onto the preceding ones.

Claim 8

A deviated conductor system for an anchored marine structure at an offshore body of water site adapted for directional drilling of wells which comprises: conductor .[.guide.]. .Iadd.receiving .Iaddend.means carried on said structure being adapted to receive .[.and guide.]. a conductor passed downwardly therethrough .[., said conductor guide means including discrete guide units spaced vertically apart in at least substantial vertical alignment.]. ; a working deck positioned above the water's surface; at least one elongated leg supportably connected to said working deck and extending downwardly to the floor of said body of water; and an elongated open ended conductor passing downwardly and .[.registered.]. .Iadd.positioned .Iaddend.in .[.said discrete guide means of.]. said conductor .[.guide.]. .Iadd.receiving .Iaddend.means and penetrating substantially down into the substratum of said body of water, and deviated laterally into the substratum a substantial distance away from the .[.vertical.]. line defined by .[.said guide means,.]. the position of said conductor at the level of said working deck and the point of entry of said conductor into the substratum, said conductor having an open ended, offset dog-leg segment at its distal end offset a slight amount from the longitudinal axis of said conductor, which open ended, offset dog-leg portion extends over laterally past one side of the outer circumference of the main body of the conductor.

Claim 9

A deviated conductor system for an anchored marine structure at an offshore body of water site adapted for directional drilling of wells which comprises: conductor .[.guide.]. .Iadd.receiving .Iaddend.means carried on said structure being adapted to receive .[.and guide.]. a conductor passed downwardly therethrough .[., said conductor guide means including discrete guide units spaced vertically apart in at least substantial vertical alignment.]. ; a working deck positioned above the water's surface; at least one elongated leg supportably connected to said working deck and extending downwardly to the floor of said body of water; and an elongated open ended conductor passing downwardly and .[.registered.]. .Iadd.positioned .Iaddend.in .[.said discrete guide means of.]. said conductor .[.guide.]. .Iadd.receiving .Iaddend.means and penetrating substantially down into the substratum of said body of water, and deviated laterally into the substratum a substantial distance away from the .[.vertical.]. line defined by .[.said guide means,.]. the position of said conductor at the level of said working deck and the point of entry of said conductor into the substratum, said conductor having an open ended, offset dog-leg segment at its distal end offset a slight amount from the longitudinal axis of said conductor, which open ended, offset dog-leg portion extends over laterally past one side of the outer circumference of the main body of the conductor.

Claim 10

A conductor for producing a deviated conductor system for an anchored marine structure at an offshore body of water site adapted for directional drilling of wells which comprises: a substantially long, open ended conductor pipe made up of a multiple number of individual conductor pipe segments welded together; and an open ended offset dog-leg segment secured to its distal end which projects out by means of the offset laterally past one side of the main conductor pipe, the conductor otherwise being made of straight-in-line segments.

Claim 11

A conductor for producing a deviated conductor system for an anchored marine structure at an offshore body of water site adapted for directional drilling of wells which comprises: a substantially long, open ended conductor pipe made up of a multiple number of individual conductor pipe segments welded together; and an open ended offset dog-leg segment secured to its distal end which projects out by means of the offset laterally past one side of the main conductor pipe, the conductor otherwise being made of straight-in-line segments.

Claim 14

A method of providing a deviated conductor system at an offshore body of water site for directional drilling of wells comprising the following steps: a. providing a conductor casing of incremental segments; b. welding a dog-leg section on the distal end of the otherwise straight conductor; c. .[.setting.]. .Iadd.lowering .Iaddend.conductor .[.through vertically aligned guides.]. .Iadd.down .Iaddend.until the mudline is reached, maintaining or positioning the dog-leg in the desired directional orientation; d. driving said conductor with said dog-leg through the substratum causing the conductor to be laterally deviated from its entry into the substratum to its final deviated position; e. verifying the curvature and orientation of the deviated conductor and taking any correctional steps desired to alter the deviation; and f. if step "e" indicates insufficient curvature, there is further included the step of providing a dog-leg on subsequent .[.conductors.]. .Iadd.conductor segments .Iaddend.having a greater off-set than originally anticipated. .Iadd. 11. The method of claims 1, 9 or 10 wherein there is included a set of vertically aligned guides and step "c" includes the step of setting said conductor through the vertically aligned guides. .Iaddend..Iadd. 12. The system of claim 7 wherein said conductor receiving means also comprise conductor guide means for guiding a conductor passed downwardly therethrough, said conductor guide means including discrete guide units spaced vertically apart in at least substantial vertical alignment, said conductor also being registered in said discrete guide means and being deviated laterally into the substratum a substantial distance away from the vertical line defined by said guide means.