Patent ID: 6725936
Filing Date: 2004-04-27
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
A method of drilling and completing an underwater well, the method comprising the steps of:installing a drilling riser conduit from a surface installation to the seabed; connecting the drilling riser conduit to an inlet port disposed on a template that is fixed to the seabed, wherein the inlet port is at an angle to the vertical; passing a second conduit through drilling riser conduit, the inlet port, and into a wellhead disposed on the template, wherein the wellhead is at an angle to the vertical; drilling into the seabed through the wellhead at an angle to the vertical using the second conduit; landing and sealing a well casing and a completion string within the wellhead; and installing a valve tree in the template to direct the flow of production fluid to the surface along a line separate from the drilling riser conduit, wherein the valve tree is installed without removing the drilling riser conduit from the inlet port.