ONSHORE DRILLING RIG AND METHOD FOR MOVING A TOP DRIVE IN A DRILL MAST OF AN ONSHORE DRILLING RIG

Abstract

The invention is a land drilling rig (10) having a drilling mast (12), a top drive (14) movable in the drilling mast (12) along the vertical axis of the drilling mast (12), and a crown bearing (18) at an upper end (16) of the drilling mast (12), the crown bearing (18) being movable by means of a positioning device (24), and a method of operating such a drilling rig (10) and a method of operating a top drive (14) in the drilling mast (12) of such a drilling rig (10).

Claims

1. A land drilling rig (10) with a drilling mast (12), a top drive (14) movable in the drilling mast (12) along the vertical axis of the drilling mast (12) and a crown bearing (18) at an upper end (16) of the drilling mast (12), wherein the crown bearing (18) is movable by means of a positioning device (24), and wherein the top drive (14) is vertically movable in the drilling mast (12) along a guide (38), characterized in that the top drive (14) is movable by means of an expander device (36) at least into a first plane and into a second plane each parallel to a plane defined by the guide (38), in that the expander device (36) engages the guide (38) directly or indirectly and the top drive (14) is located at the opposite end of the expander device (38), and in that the expander device (36) moves with the top drive (14) along the guide (38) in the mast (12).

2. The drilling rig according to claim 1, comprising a travel path (30) for the crown bearing (18) at the upper end of the drilling mast (12) and comprising a travelling or displacement device acting as a positioning device (24).

3. The drilling rig according to claim 2, with a drive acting on the one hand on the drilling mast (12) and on the other hand on the crown bearing (18) as a travelling or displacement device.

4. The drilling rig according to claim 2, with at least one drive wheel rotatable by means of a drive (motor drive, electric motor) and running in, on or at the travel path (30).

5. A method of moving a top drive (14) in a drilling mast (12) of a land drilling rig (10) according to claim 1, the drilling mast (12) having a crown bearing (18) at a head end (16), the top drive (14) being suspended from a pulley system (20) below the crown bearing (18), wherein the top drive (14) is moved vertically in the drilling mast (12) by means of the pulley system (20), wherein the crown bearing (18) is moved back and forth by means of a positioning device (24) at least between a first position above the borehole centre (26) and a second position remote from the position above the borehole centre (26), and wherein the crown bearing (18) is moved for a load run of the top drive (14) to the first position above the borehole centre (26), wherein the crown bearing (18) is moved for an idle run of the top drive (14) to the second position remote from the position above the borehole centre (26), wherein a top drive (14), itself movable between a first and a second position, is moved for a load run to the first position over the borehole centre (26) and for an idle run to the second position remote from the position over the borehole centre (26).

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the movement of the crown bearing (18) to the first or second position is coordinated with the movement of the top drive (14) to the first or second position.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein during a removal of a drill string (28) from the borehole, the drill string (28) is pulled out of the borehole by means of the top drive (14) piece by piece and in each case by way of a load run of the top drive (14) and an upward movement of the top drive (14) in the drilling mast (12), wherein, when the drill string (28) is removed at the end of a load run of the top drive (14), the drill string (28) is held independently of the top drive (14) and the top drive (14) is uncoupled from the drill string (28), wherein, after the top drive (14) has been uncoupled from the drill string (28), the crown bearing (18) is moved into the second position, in particular the crown bearing (18) and the top drive (14) are moved into the second position, and the top drive (14) is moved downwards in the drilling mast (12) by way of an idle run.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, during installation of a drill string (28) in a borehole, the drill string (28) is lowered into the borehole by means of the top drive (14) piece by piece and in each case by way of a load run of the top drive (14) and a downward movement of the top drive (14) in the drilling mast (12), wherein during installation of the drill string (28) at the end of a load run of the top drive (14) the drill string (28) is held independently of the top drive (14) and the top drive (14) is uncoupled from the drill string (28), wherein after uncoupling the top drive (14) from the drill string (28), the crown bearing (18) is moved into the second position, in particular the crown bearing (18) and the top drive (14) are moved into the second position, and the top drive (14) is moved upwards in the drilling mast (12) by way of an idle run.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein during a removal of a drill string (28) from the borehole, the drill string (28) is pulled out of the borehole by means of the top drive (14) piece by piece and in each case by way of a load run of the top drive (14) and an upward movement of the top drive (14) in the drilling mast (12), wherein, when the drill string (28) is removed at the end of a load run of the top drive (14), the drill string (28) is held independently of the top drive (14) and the top drive (14) is uncoupled from the drill string (28), wherein, after the top drive (14) has been uncoupled from the drill string (28), the crown bearing (18) is moved into the second position, in particular the crown bearing (18) and the top drive (14) are moved into the second position, and the top drive (14) is moved downwards in the drilling mast (12) by way of an idle run.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, during installation of a drill string (28) in a borehole, the drill string (28) is lowered into the borehole by means of the top drive (14) piece by piece and in each case by way of a load run of the top drive (14) and a downward movement of the top drive (14) in the drilling mast (12), wherein during installation of the drill string (28) at the end of a load run of the top drive (14) the drill string (28) is held independently of the top drive (14) and the top drive (14) is uncoupled from the drill string (28), wherein after uncoupling the top drive (14) from the drill string (28), the crown bearing (18) is moved into the second position, in particular the crown bearing (18) and the top drive (14) are moved into the second position, and the top drive (14) is moved upwards in the drilling mast (12) by way of an idle run.

11. The drilling rig according to claim 3, with at least one drive wheel rotatable by means of a drive (motor drive, electric motor) and running in, on or at the travel path (30).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] FIG. 1 shows a drill mast of a drilling rig with a top drive movable in the drill mast,

[0053] FIG. 2 shows the drill mast as in FIG. 1 with a crown bearing moved from a position above the borehole centre to a retracted position,

[0054] FIG. 3 shows a schematically simplified sequence of a procedure for removing a drill string from a borehole, and

[0055] FIG. 4 shows the process of removing a drill string according to the approach proposed herein.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

[0056] The illustration in FIG. 1 shows—in a schematically highly simplified form—a drilling mast 12 as part of a drilling rig 10. In the drilling mast 12, in a manner basically known per se, a top drive 14 is movable up and down along the vertical axis of the drilling mast 12, i.e. in a vertical direction.

[0057] The drilling mast 12 has a so-called crown bearing 18 at its upper end (head end 16) in a manner known per se. In the embodiment shown, this acts as the top block of a pulley system 20 (cable pulley system). A bottom block 22 of the pulley system 20 is suspended below the crown bearing 18. The top drive 14 is suspended from the bottom block 22 and overall from the pulley system 20 and below the crown bearing 18.

[0058] The crown bearing 18 is movable between at least a first position and a second position by means of a positioning device 24. As a positioning device 24, a hydraulic cylinder is shown—merely by way of example. Alternatively, the positioning device 24 may be construed as a pneumatic cylinder in the form shown. Optionally, such a positioning device 24 is implemented in the form of a paired arrangement of two hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders. The or each hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder is an example of a drive of a travelling or displacement device engaging directly or indirectly the drilling mast 12, on the one hand, and the crown bearing 18, on the other hand.

[0059] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the crown bearing 18 is in a first position, namely in a position in which the top drive 14 is suspended above the borehole machined by means of the drilling rig 10 (borehole centre 26). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the crown bearing 18 is in a second position, namely in a position in which the top drive 14 is not suspended above the borehole centre 26. The position of the borehole centre 26 is the axis (axis of rotation) of the drill string 28.

[0060] The first position of the crown bearing 18, in which the top drive 14 is suspended over the borehole centre 26, will also be referred to hereinafter in reference to the position of the crown bearing 18 as the position of the crown bearing 18 over the borehole centre 26 or, for short, borehole centre 26. The second position of the crown bearing 18, in which the top drive 14 is not suspended over the borehole centre 26, is referred to hereinafter as the retracted position for purposes of distinction.

[0061] For such mobility of the crown bearing 18 at least between the borehole centre position and the retracted position, a travel path 30 is provided at the head end 16 of the drilling mast 12 in the embodiment shown. The crown bearing 18 is movable along the travel path 30. The positioning device 24 causes movement of the crown bearing 18 along the travel path 30, i.e. movement of the crown bearing 18 to the position above the borehole centre 26 or movement of the crown bearing 18 to the retracted position.

[0062] In the position of the crown bearing 18 above the borehole centre 26, so-called load runs of the top drive 14 take place. During a load run of the top drive 14, a drill string 28 rotatable by means of the top drive 14 is suspended from the top drive 14 and is raised, lowered and/or rotated by means of the top drive 14.

[0063] In the retracted position of the crown bearing 18, so-called idle runs of the top drive 14 take place. During an idle run, the top drive 14 is uncoupled from the drill string 28. An idle run may be performed in a plane parallel to a plane defined by the borehole and spaced from the borehole centre 26, due to the mobility of the crown bearing 18.

[0064] An idle run may already occur with a crown bearing 18 movable in accordance with the innovation proposed herein and a top drive 14 itself movable between a position above the borehole centre 26 and a retracted position when a drill string 28 is still being removed and a drilling rod element 32 is uncoupled from the drill string 28 and set down adjacent to the mast 12, for example in a finger platform 34, or when a new drilling rod element 32 to be coupled to the drill string 28 is moved to the position above the borehole centre 26 during installation of a drill string 28. This saves time when installing and removing the drill string 28 because processes that previously had to be carried out strictly one after the other can now be executed in parallel or at least partially in parallel.

[0065] In the illustrations in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, with regard to the mobility of the top drive 14 between the position above the borehole centre 26 and the retracted position, a device for moving the top drive 14 from the retracted position above the borehole centre 26 as well as for moving the top drive 14 from the position above the borehole centre 26 into the retracted position is schematically shown in a highly simplified manner, which is basically known per se and is referred to here as an expander device 36. The expander device 36 engages a guide 38 in or on the drilling mast 12 on one side, and on the opposite side the expander device 36 holds and positions the top drive 14 (the top drive 14 is supported by the pulley system 20). Along the guide 38, the top drive 14 is vertically movable in the drilling mast 12. By means of the expander device 36, the top drive 14 is movable into a plane above the borehole centre 26 (first position) and movable out of the plane above the borehole centre 26 into a retracted position (second position). The top drive 14 is supported on the guide 38 when the drill string 28 is rotated. By means of the expander device 36, the top drive 14 is movable at least into a first plane and into a second plane each parallel to a plane defined by the guide 38.

[0066] In the illustration in FIG. 1, a situation is shown in which the top drive 14 is moved by means of the expander device 36 into the first plane, namely a plane which contains an imaginary line extending from the borehole centre 26 along and in continuation of the borehole. A position of the expander device 36 belonging to this plane will be referred to hereinafter—analogously to the position of the crown bearing 18—as the position above the borehole centre 26 or, for short, as the borehole centre 26. In the illustration in FIG. 2, a situation is shown in which the top drive 14 is moved by means of the expander device 36 into the second plane, namely a second plane parallel to the first plane and spaced from the first plane. A position of the expander device 36 belonging to this plane will be referred to hereinafter as a retracted position, also analogous to the position of the crown bearing 18.

[0067] In a drilling rig 10 having a movable crown bearing 18 and a top drive 14 movable by means of an expander device 36, the movements of the crown bearing 18 and the expander device 36 are at least coordinated with each other. Simultaneous movement of each of the crown bearing 18 and the expander device 36 (each in the same direction, i.e. either toward the first position or toward the second position) may be provided. In principle, the movements can also take place at different times or one after the other, but even then they always take place in the same direction.

[0068] When removing the drill string 28, for example, the following schematically simplified process steps shown in the illustration in FIG. 3 had to be carried out in succession up to now (an equally possible variant of the sequence of steps is mentioned in the introduction to the description): [0069] Extracting the drill string 28 from the borehole piece by piece by means of the top drive 14 (first step 40); [0070] fixing the drill string 28 for load transfer from the top drive 14 (second step 41); [0071] guiding the extracted drilling rod element 32 by means of another machine, for example by means of a pipe handler 50 (third step 42); [0072] uncoupling the top drive 14 from the drill string 28 (fourth step 43); [0073] separating the extracted drilling rod element 32 from the drill string 28 by means of a tong system 52 (fifth step 44); [0074] removing the drilling rod element 32 separated from the drill string 28 from the region above the borehole centre 26, for example by means of a pipe handler 50 (sixth step 45); [0075] lowering the top drive 14 towards the end of the drill string 28 (seventh step 46); [0076] coupling the top drive 14 to the drill string 28 (eighth step 47); [0077] extracting the drill string 28 from the borehole piece by piece by means of the top drive 14 (first step 40), and so on.

[0078] Now, according to the approach proposed here, the process steps “separating the extracted drilling rod element 32 from the drill string 28” (fifth step 44) and “removing the drilling rod element 32 separated from the drill string 28 from the region above the borehole centre 26” (sixth step 45) as well as the process step “lowering the top drive 14 towards the end of the drill string 28” (seventh step 46) can be carried out in parallel, as shown schematically simplified in the illustration in FIG. 4.

[0079] For this purpose, the crown bearing 18 is moved to the retracted position by means of the positioning device 24 and the top drive 14 is moved to the retracted position by means of the expander device 36 after the top drive 14 has been uncoupled from the drill string 28. Subsequently, or optionally already during the movement of the crown bearing 18 and/or the expander device 36 into the retracted position, the top drive 14 is lowered. Once the drilling rod element 32, which is separated from the drill string 28, is removed from the region above the borehole centre 26, the crown bearing 18 by means of the positioning device 24 and the top drive 14 by means of the expander device 36 can be moved back to the position above the borehole centre 26. If the top drive 14 is still in downward movement when this condition is fulfilled, these movements (downward movement of the top drive 14 on the one hand and movement of the crown bearing 18 by means of the positioning device 24 and movement of the top drive 14 by means of the expander device 36 on the other hand) can also be carried out in parallel.

[0080] In any case, when moving in the retracted position, the top drive 14 is regularly already at the level of the end of the drill string 28 when, in parallel, the sixth process step 45 (removal of the drill string element 32 from the region above the borehole centre 26) is completed. Without the innovation proposed herein, the lowering of the top drive 14 would not begin until now, i.e. until after the end of the sixth process step 45. Thus, removal of a drilling rod element 32 is now faster than in the prior art. This time saving is multiplied when removing a complete drill string 28. The same applies accordingly to the (re)installation of the drill string 28.

[0081] Although the invention has been further illustrated and described in detail by the example embodiment, the invention is not limited by the example or examples disclosed and other variations may be derived therefrom by the person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

[0082] Individual aspects of the description submitted here that are in the foreground can thus be briefly summarised as follows: Disclosed are a land drilling rig 10 having a drilling mast 12, a top drive 14 movable in the drilling mast 12 along the vertical axis of the drilling mast 12, and a crown bearing 18 at an upper end 16 of the drilling mast 12, the crown bearing 18 being movable by means of a positioning device 24, and a method of operating such a drilling rig 10 and a method of operating a top drive 14 in the drilling mast of such a drilling rig 10.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0083] 10 Drilling rig [0084] 12 Drilling mast [0085] 14 Top drive [0086] 16 Head end (of the drilling mast) [0087] 18 Crown bearing [0088] 20 Pulley system [0089] 22 Bottom block [0090] 24 Positioning device [0091] 26 Borehole centre [0092] 28 Drill string [0093] 30 Travel path [0094] 32 Drilling rod element [0095] 34 Finger stage [0096] 36 Expander device [0097] 38 Guide [0098] 40 (First) step (when removing a drill string) [0099] 41 (Second) step (when removing a drill string) [0100] 42 (Third) step (when removing a drill string) [0101] 43 (Fourth) step (when removing a drill string) [0102] 44 (Fifth) step (when removing a drill string) [0103] 45 (Sixth) step (when removing a drill string) [0104] 46 (Seventh) step (when removing a drill string) [0105] 47 (Eighth) step (when removing a drill string) [0106] 50 Pipe handler [0107] 52 Tong system