Process and equipment for oil well drilling and completing operations in deep water

摘要

A process for oil well drilling and completing operations in deep water which allows an oil well drilled in deep water to start producing, the operations being conducted from a dynamically placed vessel, comprising: providing a permanent guide base (9) on the sea bottom containing a high pressure housing (13) having an upper free end (15) adapted to receive safety, drilling, and production (completion) equipment, the upper free end of the high pressure housing being covered by a protective cover (17) having an external conical part (18), the permanent guide base (9) also having attached thereto, by means of a releasing device, a releasable guide-funnel (10) which covers and protects the upper free end of the high pressure housing during drilling of the well but which prevents the production equipment from being installed because of its size and shape; withdrawing the releasable guide- funnel, after drilling operations are finished, by means of a remote control vehicle which activates the releasing device, thus leaving the protective cover exposed which, because of its conical part, is capable of performing the same guiding work as the guide-funnel after the guide- funnel has been removed; and lowering a production (completion) base (20) onto the permanent guide base (9) whereby the protective cover protects the upper free end of the high pressure housing from damage during the lowering step. Equipment for performing the above process is also disclosed.