Mousehole apparatus

1. A mousehole apparatus, comprising:

a main body configured for holding a drill pipe or similar elongate element, said main body comprising:

an elongate tubular element having an interaction member; and

a support device movably arranged within the elongate tubular element and being operable to be moved up and down in the elongate tubular element, the interaction member being connected to the support device for the drill pipe or similar elongate element;

a locking device configured to interlock the support device and the elongate tubular element; and

a carrier connected to a deck structure and having a support region adapted for releasable supportive interaction with an abutment element on the main body, the carrier comprising:

guiding devices for the main body; and

a movement device operable to move the main body with respect to the carrier, said movement device comprising a first winch arranged on the carrier; and a cable extending from the first winch, via the interaction member and back to a second winch or a fixture on the carrier, said movement device being connected to the interaction member of the main body and being operable to move at least a portion of the main body from one side below the carrier to an opposite top side of the carrier,

wherein the support device is releasably fixed to the elongate tubular element via the locking device, and the elongate tubular element is operable to be moved up and down with respect to the carrier by operating the movement device.

2. The mousehole apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the interaction member is a cable sheave.

3. The mousehole apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carrier is movably arranged on the deck structure, which is connected to and arranged below a drill floor.

4. The mousehole apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a compounded carrier supporting and controlling a plurality of main bodies.

5. A method of operating one or more mousehole apparatuses according to claim 1 on a drilling vessel having a drill floor and a cellar deck arranged a distance below the drill floor, thus defining a cellar compartment there between, said method comprising the step of selectively moving the main body between a mousehole working position, in which the main body extends into the cellar compartment, and a mousehole inactive position, in which the main body is retracted from the cellar compartment.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising the steps of, when in the mousehole working position, suspending the main body from a carrier and ensuring that the support device is movable within the main body.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein, to bring the mousehole to an inactive position, further comprising the steps of locking the support device to the main body, and activating the movement device to retract the main body out of the cellar compartment.

8. A drilling vessel having a drill floor and a cellar deck arranged a distance below the drill floor, thus defining a cellar compartment there between, wherein one or more of the mousehole apparatuses of claim 1 are arranged on a deck structure which is arranged underneath, and connected to, the drill floor, and wherein the main body is movable between an extended position into the cellar compartment, and a retracted position where the main body is retracted from the cellar compartment.

9. The mousehole apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the carrier is movably arranged on the deck structure, which is connected to and arranged below a drill floor.

10. The mousehole apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the carrier is movably arranged on the deck structure, which is connected to and arranged below a drill floor.

11. The mousehole apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the carrier is movably arranged on the deck structure, which is connected to and arranged below a drill floor.

12. The mousehole apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a compounded carrier supporting and controlling a plurality of main bodies.

13. The mousehole apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a compounded carrier supporting and controlling a plurality of main bodies.

14. The mousehole apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a compounded carrier supporting and controlling a plurality of main bodies.

15. The mousehole apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a compounded carrier supporting and controlling a plurality of main bodies.