Method and apparatus for deep underwater well drilling and completion

摘要

A method and apparatus for remotely establishing an underwater well under conditions of great water depth including a drilling guide structure located on the floor of the body of water; a single handling and guiding string extending upwardly from the drilling guide structure and maintained in tension by an elongated buoy; a series of drilling guide arm units, flowline guide arm units and wellhead guide arm units to be lowered down the string, oriented relative to desired well positions and then retrieved once the wells have been drilled and the wellheads and flowlines secured in place; and a production gathering assembly to be lowered down the string, oriented relative to the wellheads and flowlines, and then coupled to these wellheads and flowlines. The orientation is accomplished between an orientation member on the outer surface of a tubular member extending upwardly from the guide structure and orientation members on the inner surfaces of open-ended members in the drilling guide arm units, flowline guide arm units, wellhead guide arm units and the production gathering assembly.