Drilling riser braking apparatus and method

Patent · Tue Oct 21 04:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:7148540

Langner, C G

A method is described of arresting and preventing further movement of the elements forming the upper end of a riser relative to a floating vessel therethrough. The vessel is provided with well drilling equipment including a derrick with associated drill string lift equipment, an elongated vertical riser provided with a riser brake contact area carried outwardly near the riser upper end thereof, a wellhead connector carried at the lower end of the riser and secured to a wellhead assembly, and adjustable buoyance means formed with the submerged portion of the riser. The riser extends in tension during normal operations down through the hull opening to a point adjacent the wellhead assembly located adjacent the ocean floor. The vessel carrying motion-compensating and tensioning means is operatively connected to the riser upper elements for vertically supporting the riser during normal operations, and provided with riser braking means apparatus. The apparatus includes at least one pair of brake elements carried by braking beams operatively connected to the vessel. The method comprises: moving the brake elements toward the riser brake contact area; engaging the brake elements with the riser brake contact area in order to dampen, arrest, and prevent further movement of the riser upper elements relative to the floating vessel; and remotely disconnecting the wellhead connector at the lower end of the riser from the wellhead assembly.

• Assignee: Shell Oil Co., Houston, TX
• Patent Number(s): US 4617998
• OSTI ID: 7148540
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
03 NATURAL GAS
030300 -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
BRAKES
CONDUCTOR DEVICES
CONNECTORS
DAMPING
DRILL PIPES
DRILLING
DRILLING EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
HOISTS
MACHINE PARTS
MARINE RISERS
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OFFSHORE DRILLING
OIL WELLS
PIPES
POSITIONING
REMOTE HANDLING
SEA BED
STRAINS
SUPPORTS
WELLHEADS
WELLS