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:
Apr. 06, 2004
Filed:
Jan. 04, 2001
Billy J. Roberts, late of Houston, TX (US);
William H. Strong, Richmond, TX (US);
Abstract
A method for assembling and delivering a drivepipe to a drill site. The method has the following steps: The drivepipe is assembled at a shoreline assembly station. Floatation devices are attached to the drivepipe and the drivepipe is floated in the ocean. The drivepipe is towed with tow vessels to a drill site. The drivepipe is delivered in a horizontal orientation to a drilling vessel at the drill site. An upper end of the drivepipe is attached to the drilling vessel and the tow vessels are detached from the drivepipe. The drivepipe is pivoted about its point of attachment to the drilling vessel until the drivepipe is vertically oriented. The buoyancy function of the floatation devices attached to the drivepipe is deactivated. The floatation devices are removed from the drivepipe. The drivepipe is equipped with a driving mechanism and the drivepipe is lowered with a running string from the drilling vessel to the sea bed.