Abstract:
Methods and systems for installing a drawworks on a drilling rig, the method, in certain aspects, including moving a drawworks on movement apparatus on the ground adjacent a drill floor of a rig, connecting the drawworks to the drill floor, moving the movement apparatus away from the rig, and raising the drill floor with the drawworks thereon using raising apparatus of a rig substructure supporting the drill floor. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention is directed to drilling rigs; drilling rigs with a drawworks; and to methods for installing a drawworks (or other equipment) on a rig. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The prior art discloses a variety of rigs used in drilling and various wellbore operations; for example, and not by way of limitation, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,340,938; 3,807,109; 3,922,825; 3,942,593; 4,269,395; 4,290,495; 4,368,602; 4,489,526; 4,569,168; 4,837,992; 6,634,436; 6,523,319; and 7,306,055 and the references cited in these patents—all these patents incorporated fully herein for all purposes. The prior art discloses a variety of systems and methods for assembling and raising components of a drilling rig; for example, and not by way of limitation nor as an exhaustive listing, the disclosures in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,993,570; 3,201,091; 3,262,237; 3,749,183; 4,221,088; 4,269,009; 4,292,772; 4,305,237; 4,478,015; 4,587,778; 4,630,425; and 4,932,175. 
     Often drilling rigs and related systems, equipment, and apparatuses are delivered to a site, assembled, raised, disassembled, and transported to a new site. It is important that drilling rigs and their components be easily transported, assembled, and installed. 
     Often rig components such as a drawworks (or other equipment) are raised by a crane, positioned on a rig&#39;s drill floor, and then secured to the drill floor. Various problems and disadvantages are associated with a drawworks installation that requires using a crane. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention, in certain aspects, provides a drilling rig with a drawworks (or other equipment or apparatuses) and methods for installing a drawworks (or other equipment or apparatuses) on a drilling rig without using a crane. 
     The present invention, in certain aspects, provides a drilling rig with a drawworks (or other equipment or apparatuses) and methods for installing a drawworks (or other equipment or apparatuses) on a drilling rig using a vehicle to move the drawworks adjacent the rig and then connecting the drawworks (or other equipment or apparatuses) to the rig. 
     In certain aspects, the present invention discloses methods and systems for installing a drawworks (or other equipment or apparatuses) on a drilling rig, the method, in certain aspects, including moving a drawworks on movement apparatus on the ground adjacent a drill floor of a rig, connecting the drawworks to the drill floor, moving the movement apparatus away from the rig, and raising the drill floor with the drawworks thereon using raising apparatus of a rig substructure supporting the drill floor 
     Accordingly, the present invention includes features and advantages which are believed to enable it to advance drilling rig technology and equipment apparatus, and drawworks installation technology. Characteristics and advantages of the present invention described above and additional features and benefits will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and referring to the accompanying drawings. 
     Certain embodiments of this invention are not limited to any particular individual feature disclosed here, but include combinations of them distinguished from the prior art in their structures, functions, and/or results achieved. Features of the invention have been broadly described so that the detailed descriptions that follow may be better understood, and in order that the contributions of this invention to the arts may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional aspects of the invention described below and which may be included in the subject matter of the claims to this invention. Those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this invention, its teachings, and suggestions will appreciate that the conceptions of this disclosure may be used as a creative basis for designing other structures, methods and systems for carrying out and practicing the present invention. The claims of this invention are to be read to include any legally equivalent devices or methods which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     What follows are some of, but not all, the objects of this invention. In addition to the specific objects stated below for at least certain preferred embodiments of the invention, there are other objects and purposes which will be readily apparent to one of skill in this art who has the benefit of this invention&#39;s teachings and disclosures. It is, therefore, an object of at least certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide the embodiments and aspects listed above and: 
     New, useful, unique, efficient, non-obvious drilling rigs; drawworks installation methods; and new, useful, unique, efficient, nonobvious drawworks installation apparatus and methods; and 
     Such systems and methods that include moving a drawworks on movement apparatus (e.g., but not limited to, a drawworks on a trailer pulled by a truck) on the ground adjacent a drill floor of a rig and installing the drawworks on the drill floor without the use of a crane or cables. 
     The present invention recognizes and addresses the problems and needs in this area and provides a solution to those problems and a satisfactory meeting of those needs in its various possible embodiments and equivalents thereof. To one of skill in this art who has the benefits of this invention&#39;s realizations, teachings, disclosures, and suggestions, various purposes and advantages will be appreciated from the following description of preferred embodiments, given for the purpose of disclosure, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detail in these descriptions is not intended to thwart this patent&#39;s object to claim this invention no matter how others may later attempt to disguise it by variations in form or additions of further improvements. 
     The Abstract that is part hereof is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and scientists, engineers, researchers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent terms or legal terms of phraseology to determine quickly from a cursory inspection or review the nature and general area of the disclosure of this invention. The Abstract is neither intended to define the invention, which is done by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting of the scope of the invention or of the claims in any way. 
     It will be understood that the various embodiments of the present invention may include one, some, or all of the disclosed, described, and/or enumerated improvements and/or technical advantages and/or elements in claims to this invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more particular description of embodiments of the invention briefly summarized above may be had by references to the embodiments which are shown in the drawings which form a part of this specification. These drawings illustrate certain preferred embodiments and are not to be used to improperly limit the scope of the invention which may have other equally effective or equivalent embodiments. 
         FIG. 1A  is a side view of a drawworks according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is a bottom view of the drawworks of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 1C  is a cross-section view of a telescoping beam of the drawworks of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 1D  is an end view partially cut-away of the drawworks of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 1E  is an enlarged view of part of the drawworks as shown in  FIG. 1D . 
         FIG. 1F  is a side view of a lower skid of the drawworks of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 1G  is a top view of the lower skid of  FIG. 1F . 
         FIG. 2A  is a side view illustrating a step in a method according to the present invention for installing a drawworks on a rig. 
         FIG. 2B  is a side view illustrating a step following the step  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 2C  is an enlarged view of part of the drawworks shown in  FIG. 2B . 
         FIG. 2D  is a top view of the step of  FIG. 2B . 
         FIG. 2E  is a top view illustrating a step in the method according to the present invention following the step of  FIG. 2B . 
         FIG. 2F  is a side view illustrating the step of  FIG. 2E . 
         FIG. 2G  is an enlarged side view showing the relationship of the drawworks of  FIG. 2A  moved toward the substructure of  FIG. 2F . 
         FIG. 2H  is an enlargement of part of  FIG. 2I . 
         FIG. 2I  is a side view illustrating a step in the method according to the present invention following the step of  FIG. 2F . 
         FIG. 2J  is a top view of the step of  FIG. 2I . 
         FIG. 2K  is a side view illustrating a step in the method according to the present invention following the step of  FIG. 2I . 
         FIG. 2L  is a side view illustrating a step in the method according to the present invention following the step of  FIG. 2K . 
         FIG. 2M  is an enlarged view of part of the rig shown in the step of  FIG. 2L . 
         FIG. 2N  is a side view illustrating a step in the method according to the present invention following the step of  FIG. 2L . 
         FIG. 2O  is a side view illustrating a step in the method according to the present invention following the step of  FIG. 2N . 
         FIG. 3A  is a side view illustrating a step in a method according to the present invention for installing a drawworks on a rig. 
         FIG. 3B  is a side view illustrating a step following the step  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 3C  is a side view illustrating a step following the step  FIG. 3B . 
         FIG. 3D  is a side view illustrating a step following the step  FIG. 3C . 
         FIG. 3E  is an enlarged view showing a connection as shown in  FIG. 3D . 
         FIG. 3F  is a side view illustrating a step following the step  FIG. 3D . 
         FIG. 3G  is an enlarged view of part of the drawworks shown in  FIG. 3F . 
         FIG. 3H  is an enlarged view of part of  FIG. 3F . 
         FIG. 3I  is a side view illustrating a step following the step of  FIG. 3F . 
         FIG. 3J  is a side view illustrating a step following the step  FIG. 3I . 
         FIG. 3K  is a side view illustrating a step following the step  FIG. 3J . 
         FIG. 4A  is a side view of a drawworks according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4B  is an end view of the drawworks of  FIG. 4A . 
         FIG. 4C  is a top view of the drawworks of  FIG. 4A . 
         FIG. 4D  is a cross-section view along line  4 D- 4 D of  FIG. 4C . 
         FIG. 5A  is a side view illustrating a step in a method according to the present invention for installing a drawworks on a rig. 
         FIG. 5B  is a side view illustrating a step following the step  FIG. 5A . 
         FIG. 5C  is a side view of part of the drawworks shown in  FIG. 5B . 
         FIG. 5D  is a top view of some of the structure shown in  FIG. 5C . 
         FIG. 5E  is a partial side view of the structure shown in  FIG. 5D . 
         FIG. 5F  is an end view of part of the structure shown in  FIG. 5D . 
         FIG. 5G  is a top view of the substructure shown in  FIG. 5C . 
         FIG. 5H  is a cross-section view along line  5 H- 5 H of  FIG. 5G . 
         FIG. 5I  is a cross-section view along line  5 I- 5 I of  FIG. 5G . 
         FIG. 5J  is a side view illustrating a step following the step of  FIG. 5G . 
         FIG. 5K  is a side view illustrating a step following the step of  FIG. 5G . 
     
    
    
     Presently preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the above-identified figures and described in detail below. Various aspects and features of embodiments of the invention are described below and some are set out in the dependent claims. Any combination of aspects and/or features described below or shown in the dependent claims can be used except where such aspects and/or features are mutually exclusive. It should be understood that the appended drawings and description herein are of preferred embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention or the appended claims. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In showing and describing the preferred embodiments, like or identical reference numerals are used to identify common or similar elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features and certain views of the figures may be shown exaggerated in scale or in schematic in the interest of clarity and conciseness. [i. As used herein and throughout all the various portions (and headings) of this patent, the terms “invention”, “present invention” and variations thereof mean one or more embodiment, and are not intended to mean the claimed invention of any particular appended claim(s) or all of the appended claims. Accordingly, the subject or topic of each such reference is not automatically or necessarily part of, or required by, any particular claim(s) merely because of such reference. So long as they are not mutually exclusive or contradictory any aspect or feature or combination of aspects or features of any embodiment disclosed herein may be used in any other embodiment disclosed herein. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1A and 1D  show a drawworks  10  according to the present invention. The drawworks  10  has a housing  12  on an upper skid  14 . The upper skid  14  has an upper bearing  16  which is rotatable around a lower bearing  17 . The lower bearing  17  supports the upper skid  14 . The lower bearing  17  is mounted on a lower skid  18 . The upper skid  14  is rotatable on the lower bearing  17  to rotate the drawworks  10 . It is to be understood that it is within the scope of the present invention to move, lift, and connect any equipment (to include apparatuses, systems, devices, or a rig structure) with systems and method according to the present invention. 
     Connected to the lower skid  18  are four telescoping beams  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24  each with an inner beam part that can be released and extended.  FIG. 1C  shows the beam  21  with a pin hole  21   c , an outer beam part  21   a  and an inner beam part  21   b . For transport, e.g. on a trailer, the inner beam parts are extended so that the drawworks does not rotate. 
       FIGS. 2A-2C  illustrate steps in a method according to the present invention with a drawworks  10 . As shown in  FIG. 2A  the drawworks  10  is supported on a movement apparatus movable on the ground G such as a trailer R pulled by a truck T. During transport the four telescoping beams  21 - 24  are extended. Upon arrival near a rig  20 , the telescoping beams  21 - 24  are raised and pinned in place with pins  25  ( FIG. 2C ). The drawworks  10  is rotated with the bearings  16 ,  17  ninety degrees (or any desired angle) (see  FIG. 2E ). The telescoping beams  21 - 24  are then extended (as in  FIG. 2F ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 2F , the truck T backs up the trailer R to the rig  20 . The rig  20  has a drill floor  28  and a substructure  26  with pivotable supports  26   s  that supports and are selectively raised and lowered with the drill floor  28 . The trailer R is backed up so that the drawworks  10  is almost flush with the drill floor  28 . Using powered hydraulic cylinder apparatuses  29   a  of the substructure  26 , the substructure  26  is raised (see  FIG. 2G ) until a pin connection  27  of the substructure  26  is received and held in the hook connection  11  of the drawworks  10  (see  FIGS. 2G ,  2 H,  2 I). Then, the drawworks is lifted off the truck by the substructure  26  ( FIG. 2K ). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2J and 2K , the substructure  26  is lowered so that pins  37  (one on each side) pin together the drawworks  10  and the substructure  26 . The truck T then moves away with the trailer R (see  FIG. 2L ). Support legs  39  are connected to the lower skid  18  of the drawworks (see  FIG. 2N ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 2O , the substructure  26  raises the drill floor  28  with the drawworks  10  to a final desired height. 
     A mast raising cylinder apparatus  38  is used to raise a mast (not shown). In one aspect, the mast is as in the U.S. patent application entitled DRILLING RIG MASTS AND METHODS OF ASSEMBLY, co-owned with the present invention, filed on even date with the application for this patent, and fully incorporated herein for all purposes. The legs  39  are pinned in place to the bottom of the substructure  26 . 
       FIGS. 3A-3J  illustrate a method according to the present invention using hook-connection/pin-connection connectors as described above and a telescoping beam extendable from a rig substructure to connect to a drawworks and cantilever a drawworks from a movement support such as a trailer pulled by a truck. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3A  a truck K on the ground D has a trailer C attached thereto with a drawworks  40  on a skid  45  supported on the trailer C. The drawworks  40  has two hook structures  41  with hooks  41   a  (see  FIG. 3E ). A substructure  56  has pin connection structures  57  with connection pins  57   a  (see  FIG. 3E ) on each of two telescoping beams  52  (one shown,  FIG. 3C ; the other opposite and spaced-apart from the one shown on the other side of the substructure). The substructure  56  raises and lowers a drill floor  58 . The substructure includes a plurality of pivotably connected supports  56   s  and a substructure raising cylinder assembly  56   c.    
     The truck K moves the drawworks  40  alongside the drill floor  58  ( FIG. 3B ). Parts  52   a  of the beams  52  are extended for engagement with the hook structures  41  of the drawworks  40 . Hydraulic cylinder apparatuses  53  are used to extend the beam parts  52   a.    
     As shown in  FIG. 3D , the substructure  56  is raised by the substructure raising cylinder assembly  56   c  until the pins  57   a  of the pin connection structures  57  are moved into the hooks  41   a  of the hook structures  41 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3F , the substructure  56  is then lowered and pins  57   b  are inserted into holes in the substructure  56  and holes in the drawworks  40  to pin the substructure  56  to the drawworks  40  ( FIG. 3G ). To insure that the top of the skid  45  is level with the drill floor  58 , the substructure  56  is lowered an appropriate amount. As shown in  FIG. 3I , the telescoping beams  52  are retracted by the powered cylinder apparatus  53 , bringing the skid  45  flush with the drill floor  58 . Once the substructure  56  is connected to the drawworks  40 , the substructure  56  is raised to lift the drawworks  40  off the trailer C and the truck K and trailer C are moved away. 
     The substructure  56  with the drawworks  40  secured thereto is then lowered so that two support legs  55  (one shown in the view in  FIGS. 3J ,  3 K; another not shown spaced-apart from and parallel to the one shown) can be connected to the drawworks skid  45  ( FIG. 3J ). With the legs  55  connected, the substructure  56  raises the drill floor  58  in the drawworks  40  to a working height ( FIG. 3K ). Lower ends of the legs  55  are connected to a base  56   b  of the substructure  56 . A BOP beam  56   r  is connected to the substructure. 
       FIGS. 5A-5H  illustrate a method according to the present invention for installing a drawworks  60  (see  FIGS. 4A-4D ) on a drill floor  78  of a substructure  76 . The drawworks  60  is on a skid  65  and, initially, is supported on a trailer F pulled by a truck V on ground N. The substructure  76  has a base  76   b  to which are connected powered hydraulic cylinder apparatuses  79   a , a mast raising cylinder apparatus  79   b , and a plurality of pivotable supports  76   s  which support a drill floor  78 . Bottom ends of the apparatuses  79   a  and  79   b , and of the supports  76   s  are pivotably connected to the base  76   b . Top ends of the apparatus  79   a  and supports  76   s  are pivotably connected to the drill floor  78 . Pins  77  (as discussed below) are used to pin the drawworks skid  65  to the substructure&#39;s drill floor  78 . The drill floor  78  has an open space  78   s  into which a drawworks can be moved and into which a vehicle, e.g. a truck/trailer combination, can move e.g. to move a drawworks into place or any other equipment, structure apparatus, or device. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, and  5 C the truck V moves the drawworks  60  adjacent the substructure  76  and into the space  78   s  in the drill floor  78 . With the drawworks  60  in position, pins  77  are inserted through holes  64  in four drawworks lugs  63  and into Corresponding holes  75  in the drill floor  78 , as shown in  FIGS. 5G-5H . Lock pins  79  are installed through a beam  71  of the drill floor  78  into the skid  65 . Upon securement of the drawworks  60  to the drill floor  78  (and release from the trailer F), the truck V and trailer F are moved away ( FIG. 5J ). 
     The cylinder apparatus  79   a  (one shown in  FIGS. 5B and 5K ; another not shown spaced-apart from and parallel to the one shown) then raises the drill floor  78  with the drawworks  60 . No crane is used to install the drawworks  60 , no cables are connected and winched upwardly for the installation, and the size of the drill floor  78  can be reduced since the drawworks  60  is integrated into and connected to an end of the drill floor  78 ; the skid  65  continues to support the drawworks following connection to the drill floor  78 , and no part of the drill floor is needed beneath the skid  65  for this support. 
     The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not in necessarily all, embodiments methods for installing a drawworks (or other rig apparatus, e.g. equipment, device, system, apparatuses) on a drilling rig, the methods including: moving a drawworks on movement apparatus on the ground adjacent a drill floor of a rig, the rig having a substructure and raising apparatus on the substructure; connecting the drawworks to the drill floor; and raising the drill floor with the drawworks thereon using the raising apparatus of the rig substructure. Such methods may one or some, in any possible combination, of the following: the drawworks is rotatably mounted on the movement apparatus, the method including rotating the drawworks with respect to the movement apparatus prior to connecting the drawworks to the drill floor; the drawworks having drawworks connection apparatus and the drill floor has drill floor connector structure, the method further including raising the drill floor to connectingly engage the drill floor connector structure with the drawworks connection apparatus to connect the drawworks to the drill floor; moving the movement apparatus away from the rig; wherein a securement device secures the drawworks to the drill floor, the method further including securing the drawworks to the drill floor with the securement device; raising the drill floor with the drawworks thereon to a desired operational height; wherein the drill floor has an interior open space into which a movement apparatus is selectively movable with the drawworks thereon, the method further including moving the drawworks into the interior open space of the drill floor on the movement apparatus prior to connecting the drawworks to the drill floor; wherein the movement apparatus is a truck-trailer combination with the drawworks on a trailer of the truck-trailer combination, the trailer connected to and movable by a truck of the truck-trailer combination; the drawworks connection apparatus is hook apparatus for connection to a corresponding pin structure, and the drill floor connector structure includes a corresponding pin structure engagable by the hook apparatus; the drawworks is connected to a drawworks skid, the drawworks connection apparatus includes a plurality of lugs spaced-apart on and projecting from the skid, each lug having a lug hole, the drill floor connector structure including a drill floor hole in the drill floor corresponding to each lug hole, the method further including connecting the drawworks to the drill floor by emplacing a pin with respect to each lug hole and drill floor hole so that a first portion of the pin is in the lug hole and a second portion of the pin is in the drill floor hole; wherein the drawworks includes a skid, the method further including connecting the drawworks to the drill floor so that a top of the skid is substantially level with the drill floor; the substructure includes extension apparatus extendable to engage the drawworks, the method further including extending the substructure extension apparatus from the substructure, and engaging the drawworks with the substructure extension apparatus; and/or retracting the substructure extension apparatus while it is engaging the drawworks to move the drawworks to the drill floor. 
     The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not in necessarily all, embodiments a method for installing a drawworks (or rig apparatus) on a drilling rig, the method including moving a drawworks on movement apparatus on the ground adjacent a drill floor of a rig, the rig having a substructure and raising apparatus on the substructure; connecting the drawworks to the drill floor; and raising the drill floor with the drawworks thereon using the raising apparatus of the rig substructure; wherein the drawworks has drawworks connection apparatus and the drill floor has drill floor connector structure, raising the drill floor to connectingly engage the drill floor connector structure with the drawworks connection apparatus to connect the drawworks to the drill floor, moving the movement apparatus away from the rig, wherein a securement device secures the drawworks to the drill floor, securing the drawworks to the drill floor with the securement device, raising the drill floor with the drawworks thereon to a desired operational height, and wherein the movement apparatus is a truck-trailer combination with the drawworks on a trailer of the truck-trailer combination, the trailer connected to and movable by a truck of the truck-trailer combination. 
     The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not in necessarily all, embodiments a method for installing a drawworks on a drilling rig on ground, the method including: moving a drawworks on movement apparatus on ground adjacent a drill floor of a rig, the rig having a substructure and raising apparatus on the substructure; wherein the drill floor having an interior open space into which a movement apparatus is selectively movable with the drawworks thereon; moving the drawworks into the interior open space of the drill floor on the movement apparatus; and connecting the drawworks to the drill floor. Such a method may one or some, in any possible combination, of the following: raising the drill floor with the drawworks thereon using the raising apparatus of the rig substructure; the drawworks has drawworks connection apparatus and the drill floor has drill floor connector structure, the method further including raising the drill floor to connectingly engage the drill floor connector structure with the drawworks connection apparatus to connect the drawworks to the drill floor; wherein a securement device secures the drawworks to the drill floor, the method further including securing the drawworks to the drill floor with the securement device; and/or wherein the drawworks includes a skid, the method further including positioning the drawworks with respect to the drill floor so that a top of the skid is substantially level with the drill floor. 
     The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not in necessarily all, embodiments a drill floor including the drill floor having a floor section with an interior open space into which a movement apparatus is selectively movable with a drawworks thereon, and drill floor connector structure on the drawworks for connection to corresponding connection structure on a drawworks, the drill floor connector structure movable to engage a drawworks connection apparatus to connect a drawworks to the drill floor. 
     The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not in necessarily all, embodiments a method for installing a rig apparatus on a drilling rig, the method including: moving a rig apparatus on movement apparatus on the ground adjacent a drill floor of a rig, the rig having a substructure and raising apparatus on the substructure; connecting the rig apparatus to the drill floor; and raising the drill floor with the rig apparatus thereon using the raising apparatus of the rig substructure; wherein the rig apparatus has rig apparatus connection apparatus and the drill floor has drill floor connector structure; raising the drill floor to connectingly engage the drill floor connector structure with the rig apparatus connection apparatus to connect the rig apparatus to the drill floor; moving the movement apparatus away from the rig; wherein a securement device secures the rig apparatus to the drill floor; securing the rig apparatus to the drill floor with the securement device; raising the drill floor with the rig apparatus thereon to a desired operational height; and wherein the movement apparatus is a truck-trailer combination with the rig apparatus on a trailer of the truck-trailer combination, the trailer connected to and movable by a truck of the truck-trailer combination. 
     The systems and methods of the inventions described in the following pending U.S. patent applications, co-owned with the present invention, filed on even date herewith, naming Donnally et al as inventors, and fully incorporated herein for all purposes, may be used with certain embodiments of the present invention, the applications entitled: “Drilling Rig Masts And Methods Of Assembly and Erection”; “Drilling Rig Structure Installation And Methods”; and “Drilling Rigs and Erection Methods”. 
     In conclusion, therefore, it is seen that the present invention and the embodiments disclosed herein and those covered by the appended claims are well adapted to carry out the objectives and obtain the ends set forth. Certain changes can be made in the subject matter without departing from the spirit and the scope of this invention. It is realized that changes are possible within the scope of this invention and it is further intended that each element or step recited in any of the following claims is to be understood as referring to the step literally and/or to all equivalent elements or steps. The following claims are intended to cover the invention as broadly as legally possible in whatever form it may be utilized. The invention claimed herein is new and novel in accordance with 35 U.S.C. §102 and satisfies the conditions for patentability in §102. The invention claimed herein is not obvious in accordance with 35 U.S.C. §103 and satisfies the conditions for patentability in §103. This specification and the claims that follow are in accordance with all of the requirements of 35 U.S.C. §112. The inventors may rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the scope of their invention and of the claims that follow as they may pertain to apparatus not materially departing from, but outside of, the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. All patents and applications identified herein are incorporated fully herein for all purposes. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. Thus, although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together, whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures. It is the express intention of the applicant not to invoke 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6 for any limitations of any of the claims herein, except for those in which the claim expressly uses the words ‘means for’ together with an associated function. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are including, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements.