Patent Publication Number: US-2016222735-A1

Title: Megan underwater drilling structures and methods

Description:
FIELD OF DISCLOSURE 
     This disclosure generally relates to drilling structures and methods for oil production recovery, wherein the drill structure includes a plurality of drilling tubes having a plurality of drill casings therein that is braced for lateral and vertical movement during subsea drilling. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Drilling structures and methods are used to access hydrocarbons in subsea or subterranean environments. Comparatively, construction, maintenance, and contamination retention are more difficult in subsea than subterranean environments; deep waters exacerbate these difficulties. For instance, containment of an oil spill at sea is more difficult to contain than on land because of the liquid-liquid dispersion alongside the influences of current in the former as compared to the liquid-solid dispersion that occurs in the latter. Furthermore, drilling structures at sea often require protracted periods both for constructing, including, for example, casing wells, or otherwise assembling the drilling structure before its ultimate use, and for repairing or otherwise maintaining parts and equipment located on or associated with the drilling structure located underwater. In fact, expensive equipment may be needed just to reach these parts and equipment located underwater due to depth or maneuverability constraints. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one embodiment, the method includes a method for collecting hydrocarbons. The method includes drilling within an underwater drilling structure into an underwater terrain containing the hydrocarbon. The underwater drilling structure includes a plurality of interconnected, pre-set drilling tubes. Further, the underwater drilling structure includes multiple drill casings in each of the plurality. Further still, the underwater drilling structure includes a housing for the plurality. The method additionally includes collecting the hydrocarbons by an exploration, production, containment or storage structure in communication with the underwater drilling structure. 
     In one embodiment, an underwater drilling structure includes a plurality of interconnected, pre-set drilling tubes. Further, the underwater drilling structure includes multiple drill casings in each of the plurality. Further still, the underwater drilling structure includes a housing for the plurality. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       So that the manner in which the above recited features, advantages and objects of the present invention are attained and can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to the embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. 
       It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the disclosure may admit to other equally effective embodiments. 
         FIG. 1  depicts a top view of an example embodiment of a plurality of interconnected, pre-set drilling tubes in accordance with the disclosed methods and structures. 
         FIG. 2A  depicts a cross-sectional view of an example embodiment of a perimeter drilling tube located near the perimeter of an interior of the housing, wherein this exemplary drilling tube, which could be either a perimeter drilling tube or central drilling tube in other example embodiments, has multiple drill casings, and, in particular, thirteen drill casings, in accordance with the disclosed methods and structures. 
         FIG. 2B  depicts a cross-sectional view of an example embodiment of a central drilling tube located near the center of an interior of the housing, wherein this exemplary drilling tube, which could be either a perimeter drilling tube or central drilling tube in other example embodiments, has multiple drill casings, and, in particular, thirteen drill casings, in accordance with the disclosed methods and structures. 
         FIG. 3  depicts an example embodiment of a side view of a central drilling tube flanked by perimeter drilling tubes in accordance with the disclosed methods and structures. 
         FIG. 4  depicts an example embodiment of a side view or longitudinal cross section of a drilling structure having an adjustable containment portion that connects a structure, e.g., drill ship, to a housing having a plurality of interconnected drilling tubes therein, wherein the adjustable containment portion houses a blowout preventer (“BOP”) and allows drill pipe to traverse therethrough into the ocean floor, wherein the BOP is in relatively close proximity (e.g., SCUBA-diving proximity) to the water&#39;s surface, in accordance with the disclosed methods and structures. 
         FIG. 5  depicts an example embodiment of a connected underwater drilling structure that is the result of connecting two or more drilling underwater drilling structures, in accordance with the disclosed methods and structures. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The following is a detailed description of example embodiments of the invention depicted in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are examples and are in such detail as to clearly communicate the invention. However, the amount of detail offered is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. The detailed descriptions below are designed to make such embodiments obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
     In addition, directional terms, such as “above,” “below,” “upper,” “lower,” “front,” “back,” “top,” “bottom,” etc., are used for convenience in referring to the accompanying drawings. In general, “above,” “upper,” “upward,” “top,” and similar terms refer to a direction away the earth&#39;s surface, and “below,” “lower,” “downward,” “bottom,” and similar terms refer to a direction toward the earth&#39;s surface, but is meant for illustrative purposes only, and the terms are not meant to limit the disclosure. 
     Generally disclosed are methods and systems for drilling structures to assist in the collection, recovery, and/or production of hydrocarbons, e.g., oil. Turning to  FIG. 1 , this figure depicts an example embodiment of a top view of a structure that includes a plurality  100  of interconnected, pre-set drilling tubes  101 - 113  in a spoke-and-hub arrangement. Here, the interconnections among the plurality  100  occurs via supports  115 ,  120  that include both lateral supports, such as lateral support  115 , or radial supports, such as radial support  120 , and combinations thereof  115 ,  120 . The supports  115 ,  120  interconnect at least two interconnected, pre-set drilling tubes, e.g.,  101  and  102 , within the plurality  100 . The supports  115 ,  120 , themselves, may be made out of metal pipe, optionally treated with anti-corrosive materials; in other embodiments, the supports  115 ,  120  may be made of any material sufficient to impart integrity to the plurality  100  of interconnected, pre-set drilling tubes  101 - 113 . 
       FIG. 1 , in fact, shows many supports  115 ,  120  among the plurality  100 , and in this particular, example arrangement, the plurality  100  includes a central drilling tube  113  that is surrounded by twelve perimeter drilling tubes  101 - 112 , in a balanced arrangement. In other example embodiments, the plurality  100  may include a central drilling tube  113  interconnected with two or more perimeter drilling tubes, for example and without limitation, four perimeter drilling tubes, namely perimeter drilling tubes  101 ,  104 ,  107  and  110 . More or less drilling tubes may be in a plurality  100  in other example embodiments. In this example shown in  FIG. 1  or other examples, the central drilling tube  113  has a larger length, width or combinations thereof as compared to the perimeter drilling tubes  101 - 112 , and, thereby, the central drilling tube  113  takes on an enhanced structural support role for the plurality  100 . However, in other example embodiments, any or all of the drilling tubes  101 - 113  within the plurality  100  may be the same or different in length, width, and combinations thereof so as to result in a balanced arrangement, or, if desired, an unbalanced arrangement, when the plurality  100  is interconnected, such as through one or more supports, e.g.,  115 ,  120 . 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , these figures show example embodiments of a central drilling tube  200  and a perimeter drilling tube  250 , such as shown at  FIG. 1  in central drilling tube  113  and a perimeter drilling tube  101 .  FIGS. 2A and 2B  also show multiple drill casings  201 - 213  in central drilling tube  200  and multiple drill casings  251 - 263  in perimeter drilling tube  250 . In various example embodiments, each of the multiple drill casings, e.g.,  201 - 213  and/or  251 - 263 , may be the same or different in length, width, and combinations thereof. In one example embodiment, a drill casing, e.g.,  251 , may be two hundred feet long, but the length may be greater or lesser in other example embodiments. Although  FIGS. 2A and 2B  depict thirteen drill casings  201 - 213  or  251 - 263  in a drilling tube  200  or  250 , other example embodiments may include more or less drill casings per drilling tube. In various example embodiments, each drill casing, e.g.,  201 - 213  and/or  251 - 263 , may receive a drilling tube in order to engage in hydrocarbon recovery almost immediately after placing the disclosed drilling structure in place. In other example embodiment, one or more of the drill casings, e.g.,  201 - 213  and/or  251 - 263 , may be pre-filled or filled with concrete or other filler material that prevents drilling in such one or more of the drill casings. In still additional example embodiments, one or more directional, angled drillheads may be located on one or more of the multiple drill casings e.g.,  201 - 213  and/or  251 - 263 , which optionally guide drilling through wired or wireless communicated global positioning satellite coordinates. Such drillheads may be located, for instance, at the bottom of one or more of the multiple drill casings e.g.,  201 - 213  and/or  251 - 263  through one or more openings in a bottom  470  of a housing  420  (as depicted, for example, in  FIG. 4 ) that otherwise may sealingly encapsulate the drilling tubes, e.g.,  200 ,  250 , having multiple drill casings, e.g.,  201 - 213  and/or  251 - 263 , therein  200 ,  250 . 
     Moving on,  FIG. 3  depicts an example embodiment of a side view of a drill structure  300  that includes a central drilling tube  310  connected via two supports  315 ,  317  to and flanked by perimeter drilling tubes  320 ,  325  contained within a housing  345  having an interior  335  and an exterior  340 . In this example embodiment, disclosed are example dimensions for the drilling tubes  310 ,  320 ,  325  and two supports  315 ,  317  as well as example spacing of the two supports  315 ,  317  relative to each other  315 ,  317  and the drilling tubes  310 ,  320 ,  325 . Here,  FIG. 3  shows the perimeter drilling tubes  320 ,  325  having the same width of thirty feet and the same length of one hundred and twenty feet. The central drilling tube  310  also has the same length, but is comparatively wider at forty feet. The two supports  315 ,  317  are placed such that the upper support  315  is thirty feet below the top of the drilling tubes  310 ,  320 ,  325  and the lower support  317  is thirty feet above the bottom of the drilling tubes  310 ,  320 ,  325 . Thus, there is sixty feet between the two supports  315 ,  317 . Again, only one support or more than two supports of any kind, e.g., lateral, radial, etc., may be used in other example embodiments just as more or less drilling tubes may be used, regardless of the arrangement, including whether the arrangement of drilling tubes includes none or one or more central drilling tubes. 
       FIG. 4  depicts an example embodiment of a side view or longitudinal cross section of a drilling structure  400  having an adjustable containment portion  435  that connects a structure  405 , e.g., drill ship, to a housing  420  having an interior  425  and an exterior  430 , wherein the housing  420  has a plurality of interconnected, e.g., via one or more structures like  445 , drilling tubes  440  therein  425 , wherein the adjustable containment portion  435  houses a blowout preventer (“BOP”)  415  and allows drill pipe  410  to traverse therethrough  435  into the ocean floor  450 , wherein the BOP  415  is in relatively close proximity (e.g., SCUBA-diving proximity) to the water&#39;s surface  401 , e.g., two hundred feet underwater  401 . In other example embodiments, the top  460  of the housing  420 , which also has a bottom  470  and sides, e.g.,  465 ,  467 , is closer or farther away than two hundred feet from the water&#39;s surface  401 . The top  460  of the housing  420  may be opened or closed, wherein the closed embodiment encloses the entirety of the interconnected drilling tubes, each having non-depicted drill casings therein, save connection(s) at the top  460  of the housing  420  with the adjustable containment portion  435  for optional communication with an exploration, production, containment or storage structure  405 . The removable or non-removable connection between the top  460  of the housing  420  and the adjustable containment portion  435  may be via bolts, screws, weld, or otherwise; a non-removable connection, for instance, may be where the adjustable containment portion  435  is a mere extension and integral part of the housing  420 , itself, and, more particularly, be an extruded, metal portion, for instance, of the housing  420  that may connect by bolts, screws, weld, or otherwise to the structure  405  so as to still enable collection of hydrocarbons with decreased likelihood of spilling or contamination into the water  401 ,  450 . The effect of the housing  420  in a closed top  460 , save opening(s) made for sealed, optionally removable connection to the bottom of the adjustable containment portion  435 , is to shield the plurality of drilling tubes having multiple drill casings therein, from contact with water  401 ,  450  during drilling and collecting into a structure  405  that is also in sealed, optionally removable connection, whether directly or indirectly, with the adjustable containment portion  435 . In order to assist in placing, moving, or otherwise setting the underwater drilling structure  400 , for instance, of the drilling structure  400 , one or more jets  480  may be mounted to an exterior  430  of the housing  420 , wherein the one or more jets  480  assist in setting the underwater drilling structure  400 . 
       FIG. 5  depicts an example embodiment of a connected underwater drilling structure  520  that is the result of connecting two or more drilling underwater drilling structures, such as drilling structures  521 ,  522 , and  523 , wherein the connected underwater drilling structure  520  is housed with a top  560  that is the top of underwater drilling structure  521  and a bottom  570  that is the bottom of underwater drilling structure  570 . Just as in  FIG. 4 , connected underwater drilling structure  520  may connect to an adjustable containment portion  535  that allows a drilling tube  510  to pass therethrough  535 , wherein the BOP  515  is in relatively close to the water&#39;s surface  501 ; further, the adjustable containment portion  535  may also connect at its  535  other end to a structure  505  for exploration, production, containment or storage of hydrocarbons. Here, the connected underwater drilling structure  520  is the result of stacking and connecting individual underwater drilling structures  521 ,  522 , and  523 , such as the examples shown in the preceding  FIGS. 1-4  and discussed herein, so as to create a taller (i.e., longer) drilling structure, wherein such may be desired in deep waters, e.g., distance between the water&#39;s surface  501  and the seafloor  550 . That is, the modular stacking and connecting permits easy construction and assembly for drilling structures that still shield the plurality of drilling tubes having multiple drill casings therein, from contact with water  501 ,  550  during drilling and collecting into a structure  505  that is also in sealed, optionally removable connection, whether directly or indirectly, with the adjustable containment portion  535 . For example, one method of stacking would be to weld each of the drilling units in series, and any openings necessary for connecting components from one drilling unit, e.g.,  521 , to another drilling unit&#39;s, e.g.,  522 , components, so as to create a connected underwater drilling structure  520  that sealably protects all components, e.g., plurality of drilling tubes having multiple drill casings therein. 
     Notably, stacking and connecting individual underwater drilling structures  521 ,  522 , and  523  to form connected underwater drilling structure  520  may require that bottoms  568 ,  569 , or portions thereof, of individual underwater drilling structures  521 ,  522  are opened so that the plurality of drilling tubes, each having multiple drill casings therein, align so that drilling tube  510 , for instance, may traverse a drill casing, which in the connected underwater drilling structure  520 , goes through what may be viewed now as a “single” drill casing that extends through individual underwater drilling structure  521 ,  522 , and  523  as a result of the linear, stacked alignment of three drill casings  540 ,  541 ,  542  from individual underwater drilling structures  521 ,  522 , and  523  in order to drill into and collect hydrocarbons from beneath the seafloor  570 . 
     Although already discussed and envisaged by the foregoing, further discussion of a methodological aspect of the disclosure ensues. A method for collecting hydrocarbons is disclosed that includes drilling within an underwater drilling structure into an underwater terrain containing the hydrocarbons, wherein the underwater drilling structure comprises a plurality of interconnected, pre-set drilling tubes, where each of the plurality have multiple drill casings, and the plurality are within a housing. The method further includes collecting the hydrocarbons by an exploration, production, containment or storage structure in communication with the underwater drilling structure, such as through an optionally removable adjustable containment portion that sealingly connects the drilling structure&#39;s housing to the exploration, production, containment or storage structure, so as to prevent spillage or contamination into or out the drilling structure. Furthermore, with the BOP being close to the top of the drilling structure, e.g., about 200 feet in some example embodiments, assembly, construction, maintenance and repair of the drilling structure is possible through SCUBA-diving and avoidance of expensive equipment to access deep or otherwise difficult-to-reach, underwater locations. The drilling occurring with use of the disclosed drilling structure includes inserting and rotating drill pipe into one or more of the multiple drill casings of the drilling structure. In additional, example embodiments the drilling may include directionally drilling through directional angled drillheads located on one or more of the multiple drill casings that optionally guide the drilling through communicated global positioning satellite coordinates. 
     While the foregoing is directed to example embodiments of the disclosed invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.