Conductor pipe support system for an off-shore platform

1. A bottom-supported offshore drilling platform comprising:

a hull and one or more legs extendable from the hull downward towards the seabed of a body of water so as to elevate the hull above a surface of the body of water;

a cantilever comprising a drill floor and a well centre defined in the drill floor through which well centre drilling operations may be performed through a blow-out-preventer system located below the drill floor and through a conductor pipe extending from the blow-out-preventing system downwards towards the seabed;

a conductor pipe support system comprising:

a guide member configured for supporting the conductor pipe against horizontal movement when the conductor pipe extends from the blow-out preventer system downward towards the seabed;

a support member configured for vertically providing tension to the conductor pipe; and

an access platform, extending from said hull lower than said cantilever, for allowing personnel to access at least a bottom portion of the blow-out preventer system;

wherein the support member is connectable to the conductor pipe below the access platform.

2. A bottom-supported offshore drilling platform according to claim 1 ; wherein the guide member is connectable to the access platform.

3. A bottom-supported offshore drilling platform according to claim 1 ; wherein the support member has a plurality of connectors, each of which is connected to respective suspension elements, and thereby each defining respective suspension points of the support member.

4. A bottom-supported offshore drilling platform according to claim 3 , wherein at least two of the suspension points are spaced apart from each other along at least one direction by a distance larger than a horizontal size of the guide member so as to allow the suspension elements to pass on respective sides of the guide member.

5. A bottom-supported offshore drilling platform according to claim 1 ; wherein the access platform defines a gap through which the conductor pipe protects downwards, the gap having a periphery at least partially defined by the access platform.

6. A bottom-supported offshore drilling platform according to claim 5 ; wherein the guide member spans across the gap and is connected to the access platform on respective sides of the gap.

7. A bottom-supported offshore drilling platform according to claim 5 ; wherein the support member has a plurality of connectors for connecting respective suspension elements and defining respective suspension points of the support member; and wherein the suspension points are spaced apart by a distance smaller than a width of the gap so as to allow the suspension elements to extend upwards from the suspension points through the gap.

8. A bottom-supported offshore drilling platform according to claim 5 ; wherein the support member is sized and shaped so as to allow the support member to be lowered through the gap.

9. A bottom-supported offshore drilling platform according to claim 1 ; wherein the support member has a plurality of connectors for connecting respective suspension elements for suspending the support member underneath the cantilever wherein the suspension elements transfer at least a major part of a conductor tension load of the conductor pipe to the cantilever via respective load transfer points arranged above the access platform.

10. A bottom-supported offshore drilling rig according to claim 1 ; comprising a pressure management device located between the equipment between the blow-out-preventing system and the drill floor.

11. A bottom-supported offshore drilling platform according to claim 1 ; wherein the guide member is connected to the access platform.

12. A bottom-supported offshore drilling platform according to claim 1 ; wherein the blow-out-preventer system located at least partly below the cantilever.

13. A bottom-supported offshore drilling platform according to claim 1 ; wherein said tension is at least 100 tons.

14. A support member for a conductor pipe support system of a bottom-supported offshore drilling platform defined by claim 1 ; wherein the support member is configured for supporting at least a part of the load of a conductor pipe when the conductor pipe extends from a blow-out preventer located below a bottom-supported offshore drilling rig downward towards the seabed; wherein the support member defines an upper surface and has a hole through which the conductor pipe may extend downwards; and wherein the support member comprises a hand rail extending along a perimeter of said upper surface.

15. A method of installing a conductor pipe support system for a bottom supported offshore drilling platform, the bottom supported offshore drilling platform comprising a hull and one or more legs extendable from the hull downward towards the seabed of a body of water so as to elevate the hull above a surface of the body of water; a cantilever comprising a drill floor and a well centre defined in the drill floor though which well centre drilling operations may be performed through a blow-out-preventing system located below the cantilever and through a conductor pipe extending from the blow-out-preventer system downwards toward the seabed; the conductor pipe support system comprising:

a guide member configured for supporting the conductor pipe against horizontal movement when the conductor pipe extends from the blow-out preventer system downward towards the seabed;

a support member configured for vertically supporting at least a part of the load of the conductor pipe; and

an access platform for allowing personnel to access at least a bottom portion of the blow-out preventer system;

wherein the method comprises connecting the support member to the conductor pipe below the access platform.

16. A method according to claim 15 ; comprising attaching the guide member to the access platform while the support member is suspended below the guide member.

17. A method according to claim 15 ; further comprising installing the blow-out-preventing system and pressure management equipment between the access platform and the drill floor.