Subsea Drilling System and Method for Operating the Drilling System
A subsea drilling system includes a drilling module having a tool carousel being removable and replaceable in or out of water, a skid module and an ROV to be connected to and disconnected from the skid module in or out of water, for operating the subsea drilling system with the ROV. A method for operating a subsea drilling system includes removing a tool carousel from a drilling module and replacing the tool carousel with another tool carousel, in or out of water. An ROV is connected to a skid module and disconnected from the skid module in or out of water. The subsea drilling system is operated with the ROV.
1 . A subsea drilling system, comprising:
a drilling module having a tool carousel being removable and replaceable in or out of water;
a skid module; and
an ROV to be connected to and disconnected from said skid module in or out of water for operating the subsea drilling system with said ROV.
2 . The subsea drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein said drilling module has a structural frame, and said tool carousel is guided into place on said structural frame by pins and guide receptacles.
3 . The subsea drilling system according to claim 2 , wherein said tool carousel is removable and replaceable under water by another ROV.
4 . The subsea drilling system according to claim 2 , wherein one of said pins drives said tool carousel.
5 . The subsea drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein said tool carousel has slots for receiving drilling tools.
6 . The subsea drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein said drilling module has a drilling head with a spindle assembly and a drive motor for driving drill rods, and said drilling head is moveable up and down on hydraulic elevator cylinders.
7 . The subsea drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein said drilling module has foot clamps for grasping pipes and making and breaking joints.
8 . The subsea drilling system according to claim 5 , wherein said drilling module has tool arms for inserting said drilling tools into and removing said drilling tools from said slots.
9 . The subsea drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein said drilling module has a structural frame, said skid module has a structural frame, and stabilization and leveling legs are attached to said frames to compensate for uneven terrain under water.
10 . The subsea drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein said skid module has a water pump for running water along a drill pipe to drill bits for flushing out drill shavings.
11 . The subsea drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein said skid module has a structural frame with for receiving said ROV.
12 . The subsea drilling system according to claim 11 , wherein said structural frame has pins and a connector for said ROV.
13 . The subsea drilling system according to claim 1 , which further comprises a surface controls package having a display, a monitor, a computer and interfaces for remotely controlling the subsea drilling system.
14 . The subsea drilling system according to claim 6 , wherein said drill rods are reverse circulation drill rods, and a swiveling hose is connected to said spindle assembly and leads to a catchment bag, for reverse circulation drilling.
15 . A method for operating a subsea drilling system, the method comprising the following steps:
removing a tool carousel from a drilling module and replacing the tool carousel with another tool carousel, in or out of water;
connecting an ROV to a skid module and disconnecting the ROV from the skid module in or out of water; and
operating the subsea drilling system with the ROV.
16 . The method according to claim 15 , which further comprises guiding the tool carousel into place on a structural frame of the drilling module with pins and guide receptacles.
17 . The method according to claim 15 , which further comprises carrying out the step of removing and replacing the tool carousel under water with another ROV.
18 . The method according to claim 15 , which further comprises driving the tool carousel with one of the pins.
19 . The method according to claim 15 , which further comprises placing drilling tools into and removing the drilling tools from, slots in the tool carousel.
20 . The method according to claim 15 , which further comprises driving drill rods with a spindle assembly and a drive motor on a drilling head of the drilling module, and moving the drilling head up and down on hydraulic elevator cylinders.
21 . The method according to claim 15 , which further comprises grasping pipes and making and breaking joints with foot clamps of the drilling module.
22 . The method according to claim 19 , which further comprises inserting the drilling tools into and removing the drilling tools from the slots with tool arms of the drilling module.
23 . The method according to claim 15 , which further comprises compensating for uneven terrain under water with stabilization and leveling legs attached to structural frames of the drilling module and the skid module.
24 . The method according to claim 15 , which further comprises running water along a drill pipe to drill bits for flushing out drill shavings with a water pump of the skid module.
25 . The method according to claim 15 , which further comprises mating the ROV to pins and a connector on a structural frame of the skid module.
26 . The method according to claim 15 , which further comprises remotely controlling the subsea drilling system with a surface controls package having a display, a monitor, a computer and interfaces.
27 . The method according to claim 15 , which further comprises guiding drilling cuttings from reverse circulation drill rods, through a spindle assembly and a swiveling hose into a catchment bag, for reverse circulation drilling.