The British Petroleum Company, P.l.c.

Subsea Equipment Associates Limited

Michael Derek Pennock

A pump is installed in a drill string above the bit and both the bit and pump are connected to the outputs of a differential gearing located therebetween. The circulation of drilling fluids is the reverse from the conventional and by operating a valve in the drill string the torque applied to the bit and pump can be controlled. Useful for drilling weak formations.

Drilling method

An apparatus for installation in a drill string to orientate equipment in or below an underwater blow out preventer has an elongate member to be corrected in the drill string and having thereon a second member moveable axially with respect thereto but having means to prevent relative rotation, the second member having a surface adapted for engagement with the rams of the blow out preventer.

Method and apparatus for orienting equipment in a well

In a method of and apparatus for laying and connecting a flow line to a submerged base structure, wherein the end portion of the line for connection to the submerged base structure comprises an elbow portion and a connection at the end of the elbow portion, which connection is capable of pivoting about the axis of the elbow portion and forms part of a basic structure for vertical connection to the base structure, the basic structure is held fixed relative to the end portion of the line by operation of a locking apparatus rigidly connecting the elbow portion to the connection, the collector line is progressively submerged in alignment with the submerged base structure until the basic structure coincides with connecting means on the submerged base structure, and the locking apparatus is unlocked so that the elbow portion of the line can pivot freely about its axis relative to the basic structure.

Method and apparatus for laying and connecting flow lines to submerged

Apparatus for guiding a load between a surface apparatus and a submerged base platform comprises at least two return pulleys mounted on the base platform, at least two cables passing over the pulleys, one run of each cable being connected to the surface apparatus by a winch and the other run acting as a guide for a load carrier, each run passing from the respective pulley to the respective winch separating from the respective guide run as it extends away from the respective pulley and the runs connected to the load carrier being orientated by the latter in the direction of the surface apparatus, and means for horizontally levelling the load carrier.

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Pinner, United Kingdom

Michael Derek Pennock