Patent ID: 6349764
Filing Date: 2002-02-26
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
A drilling rig, pipe, and pipe support apparatus, comprising:a) a drilling rig having a floor; b) a landing string comprised of a number of joints of drill pipe connected end to end, extending from the rig, that generate a huge tensile load at the floor; c) a drill pipe holder, located at the rig floor, that holds a joint of drill pipe of the landing string and supports the landing string during the addition or removal of a joint of drill pipe to or from the landing string; d) wherein the holder and the joint of drill pipe that is held by the holder are configured to support the tensile load of the landing string with correspondingly shaped annular shoulders that engage when the holder holds the joint of drill pipe; e) the bolder including a main body and a plurality of wedge members, the wedge members forming an interface between the body and the joint of drill pipe being held by the holder.