DRILLING RIG WITH ATTACHED LIGHTING SYSTEM AND METHOD

Abstract

An attachable lighting system for a drilling rig. A method of providing lighting to a drilling rig site comprising, attaching at least one light fixture directly to the crown of a drilling rig on each of at least two sides, wherein the light fixture contains a fixed or removable light fixture attachment connecting the light fixture to the crown, resulting in one or more of enhanced evenness of site lighting, reduced shadows, reduced light pollution, reduced power consumption and/or reduced diesel usage.

Claims

1. A lighting system for a rig comprising: a plurality of light fixtures; and a plurality of light fixture attachments; wherein one or more light fixtures are attached to each light fixture attachment; each light fixture attachment is separately attached to a crown of the rig; and one or more of the light fixture attachments are separately attached on each of at least two sides of the crown.

2. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein a bracket attaches the one or more light fixtures to each light fixture attachment.

3. The lighting system of claim 2, wherein each light fixture attachment comprises a post.

4. The lighting system of claim 3, wherein the one or more light fixtures are attached to the post of each light fixture attachment by a bracket.

5. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the crown has a rail on at least a portion of a perimeter thereof.

6. The lighting system of claim 5, wherein the one or more light fixtures are attached to each light fixture attachment by a bracket.

7. The lighting system of claim 6, wherein each light fixture attachment comprises a post.

8. The lighting system of claim 7, wherein each post is separately attached to the crown of the rig.

9. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein each post is attached to the rail of the crown.

10. The lighting system of claim 1, further comprising secondary containment.

11. The lighting system of claim 10, wherein the secondary containment comprises a safety net or safety cable.

12. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein each light fixture attachment is removably attached to the crown.

13. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the light fixture attachment is vertically oriented with respect to the crown.

14. A method of providing lighting to a drilling site comprising: attaching at least one light fixture to a light fixture attachment; and separately attaching a plurality of light fixture attachments to the crown of a rig, wherein the light fixture attachments are removably attached on each of at least two sides of the crown.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the crown comprises a rail on at least a portion of a perimeter thereof.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising attaching the at least one light fixture to the light fixture attachment via a bracket.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising attaching the light fixture attachment to the rail of the crown.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising installing secondary containment.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the secondary containment comprises a safety net or safety cable.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing lighting to 180 degrees to 360 degrees around the drilling site.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached Figures, wherein:

[0012] FIG. 1A is a lighting system mounted on a drilling rig as described herein.

[0013] FIG. 1B is a side view of one embodiment of a light fixture as described herein.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a light fixture as described herein.

[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of secondary containment as described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] An embodiment of a conventional drilling rig 40 with the light fixtures described herein is illustrated in FIG. 1A, where the drilling rig 40 includes a derrick 14, which provides a support structure for a majority of the equipment used to raise and lower drillstring 25 into and out of a wellbore. The drillstring 25 may be an assembled collection of drillpipe, drill collars, or any other assembled collection of assorted tools and equipment connected together and run into the wellbore to facilitate the drilling of a well. The drillstring 25 may be raised and lowered into and out of the wellbore by the draw-works 7, which includes a spool powered by a motor or other power source 5. A drill line 12, which may be a thick, stranded metal cable, is run through a travelling block 11. Typically, the crown block 13 remains stationary while travelling block 11 moves vertically with the drillstring 25. The combination of the crown block 13 and the travelling block 11 provides a significant mechanical advantage for lifting the drillstring 25. Further, a swivel 18 may be attached to the travelling block 11 to allow rotation of the drillstring 25 without twisting the travelling block 11. Drill pipes 16 and hole casing 26 are also shown.

[0017] The drilling rig 40 further includes a rotary table 20 mounted in a rig floor 21, which is used to rotate the drillstring 25 along with a kelly drive 19. Kelly drive 19, attached at an upper end to the swivel 18 and at a lower end to the drillstring 25, is inserted through the rotary table 20 to rotate the drillstring 25 (drillstring rotation shown by arrow “R”). Kelly drive 19 may be square, hexagonal, or any other polygonal-shaped tubing and is able to move freely vertically while the rotary table 20 rotates it. Alternatively, drilling rig 30 may include a top drive (not shown) in place of kelly drive 19 and rotary table 20. Additionally, blowout preventers (“BOPs”) may be located below the rig floor 21 and installed atop a wellhead 27 to prevent fluids and gases from escaping from the wellbore. An annular BOP 23 and one or more ram BOPs 24 are shown and are commonly understood in the art.

[0018] During drilling operations, drilling fluid may be circulated through the system to carry cuttings away from the bottom of the wellbore as drilling progresses. Drilling fluid may be stored in mud tanks 1 before being drawn through suction line 3 by mud pumps 4. Drilling fluid (drilling fluid route is indicated by arrows “F”) is then pumped from mud pumps 4 through a hose 6, up a stand pipe 8, through a flexible hose 9, and down into the wellbore. Drilling fluid returning from the wellbore is routed through a flow line 28 to shakers 2, which are used to separate drill cuttings from the drilling fluid before it is pumped back down the wellbore.

[0019] The light fixtures described herein (29) are shown attached directly to the crown, in this instance visible on three sides. The light fixture (101 and 203) as shown in this embodiment also in FIG. 1B and in perspective view in FIG. 2 is held by a bracket (102 and 204) which permits the light fixture to swivel both in a horizontal and vertical orientation. And in this embodiment, the light fixture is connected to the crown directly through the light fixture attachment (103 and 202). The light fixtures can be commercially purchased or custom designed with commercially available materials to suit the use and situation, including specific materials of use (e.g., carbon steel or aluminum, etc.) and light power needs or desired.

[0020] It should also be noted that the entire unit can also be built with secondary containment on all the equipment as demonstrated in FIG. 3. For example, safety certified nets (302) around each light fixture (301) can be secured to lugs or other attachment points on the crown, safety certified cables can also be attached to each light fixture and likewise be secured to lugs or other attachment points on the crown, etc. so that nothing can drop off of or fall from the unit, i.e., it is constructed to meet or exceed all industry “Drops standards”—the drop program standard to build equipment ensuring things don't fall or get dropped from heights.

[0021] The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in description of the preferred embodiments or in the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.