The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 05, 2002
Filed:
Dec. 11, 1998
David C. Toalson, Bellville, TX (US);
William A. Hunter, Katy, TX (US);
Roger W. Mowell, Houston, TX (US);
Ocean Drilling Technology, L.L.C., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A deep ocean drilling system is disclosed for drilling offshore wells in extremely deep water using smaller and more economical drilling vessels. The system utilizes a reduced diameter drilling riser that reduces the size and cost of conventional floating drilling unit. The reduced diameter drilling riser is detached from the blowout preventer stack and repositioned and attached to a mud return assembly. Large diameter casing is lowered into the wellbore outside of the reduced diameter riser. Thereafter, the reduced diameter drilling riser is released from the mud return assembly and repositioned over and reconnected to the blowout preventer stack.