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5184686A
United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 5,184,686
Gonzalez (45) Date of Patent: Feb. 9, 1993
54 METHOD FOR OFFSHORE DRILLING 3,638,721 2/1972 Harrison .. 166/0.5
UTILIZING ATWO-RISER SYSTEM 3,677,352 7/1972 Lloyd ...................................... 175/7
3,913,668 10/1975 Todd et al. .......................... 166/0.5
75 Inventor: Romulo Gonzalez, Slidell, La. 3.971,576 7/1976 Herd et al. ... 166/359 X
4,046, 191 9/1977 Neath .......... ... 66/0.5
(73) Assignee: Shell Offshore Inc., Houston, Tex. 4,147,221 4/1979 Ilfrey et al. ..... ... 175/7
(21) Appl. No.: 695,652 4,193,455 3/1980 Steddum et al. .... ... 166/55
4,427,073 1/1984 Sykora ............ 166/364
22 Filed: May 3, 1991 4,466,487 8/1984 Taylor, Jr. 166/339
51) Int. Cl. ........................ E21B 7/12: E21B 19/09; 4,901,803 2/1990 Levier ..................................... 175/5
E21B 43/O13 Primary Examiner-William P. Neuder
52) U.S.C. ........................................ 175/5; 166/367; Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Mark A. Smith
166/358; 166/359
58) Field of Search ............... 175/5,7,166/350,358, 57 ABSTRACT
166/359, 367 A method for drilling offshore wells in deep water with
56) References Cited greater safety and with fewer casing strings, maintain
ing a maximum diameter wellbore in the early stages of
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS drilling to facilitate casing operations in and beyond
3.137.348 6/1964 Ahlstone et al. ..................... 166/88 deviated sections, and providing full well control while
3,179,179 4/965 Kofahl........... ... 66/66.5 setting surface casing. This method utilizes a two-riser
3.25.203 l l/1965 Sizer ...................................... 166/77 system for drilling in which the surface casing interval
3,227,229 1/1966 Wakefield, Jr. ... 175/7 is run and set within a large diameter, light duty riser.
3,277.969 1/1966 Vincent ................................... 175/5
3.340,928 9/1967 Brown .................................. 166/0.5 Thereafter, drilling proceeds with a heavy duty riser.
3.532,162 0/1970 Fischer ................................. 66/0.5
3,554,277 1/1971 Bauer et al. .......................... 166/0.6 15 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets

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U.S. Patent Feb. 9, 1993 Sheet 3 of 8 5,184,686

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U.S. Patent Feb. 9, 1993 Sheet 4 of 8 5,184,686

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U.S. Patent Feb. 9, 1993 Sheet 5 of 8 5,184,686

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 5,184,686
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drilling to facilitate casing operations in and beyond
METHOD FOR OFFSHORE DRILLING deviated sections.
UTILIZING ATWO-RISER SYSTEM Finally, it is an object of the present invention to
provide full well control while setting surface casing
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 5 without the limitations imposed by the high-pressure
This invention relates to a method for drilling off housing and the blowout preventer stack used in the
shore wells and, more particularly, a method for drilling prior art for this interval.
in deep water. The need to develop new reserves of oil Toward the fulfillment of these and other objects, the
and gas continues to drive hydrocarbon recovery oper O present invention is a two-riser method of drilling in
ations into progressively deeper water and drives the which a surface interval is drilled through a light-duty,
need to reach ever deeper reservoirs. One problem large diameter first riser attached to a subsea wellhead
encountered in deep water development is the cost of and the surface casing is run through the first riser.
providing suitable platforms and other offshore facili After the surface casing is set and cemented in place
ties and the economics generally suggest getting the 15 within the borehole, the first riser is retrieved and a high
maxium advantage from each facility placed. The tradi pressure housing is run to the wellhead and sealed
tional approach includes extensive directional drilling against the top of the surface casing. A heavy duty
to drain the largest area of reservoir possible. These second riser is then attached to the subsea wellhead in
influences can dictate that wells be drilled to a total sealed communication with the high pressure housing
length of four miles and more. and further drilling operations are conducted through
Whether drilling onshore or offshore, it is necessary 20 the second riser.
to seal off the borehole wall as drilling progresses in
order to control the geopressures, maintain the bore BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
hole wall and isolate the zones. This is temporarily The brief description above, as well as further ob- .
accomplished for each interval of drilling with the filter jects, features and advantages of the present invention
cake deposited by drilling mud which also serves to 25
will be more fully appreciated by reference to the foll
cool the bit and flush away cuttings. After a given inter lowing detailed description of the preferred embodi
val has been drilled and the drill string pulled, the bore ments, which should be read in conjunction with the
hole is permanently sealed with casing which is ce accompanying drawings in which:
mented to the borehole wall. Thereafter, the next inter FIG. 1 generally illustrates a side elevational view of
val is drilled through the last casing and, subsequently, 30
a deep water drilling operation;
sealed off with another casing which is concentrically FIG. 2 illustrates a partially cross-sectioned, side
run through the last previous casing, hung off and ce elevational view of a wellhead and jetting assembly
mented in place. Thus, each interval results in another being run on a drill string;
concentric casing, each progressively reducing the size
of the wellbore available for further drilling, comple 35 FIG. 3 illustrates a partially cross-sectioned side ele
tion and production operations over the life of the well. vational view illustrating the jetting of the structural
Directional wells drilled for extended reach make casing of the wellhead into the ocean;
these problems worse because the reduced interior di FIG. 4 is a partially cross-sectioned side elevational
ameter is particularly difficult to run casing through view illustrating retrieval of the jetting assembly after
when there are bends and/or shallow angle sections in 40 setting the wellhead at the ocean floor;
the borehole. FIG. 5 illustrates a partially cross-sectioned side ele
Further, the offshore environment makes these oper vational view of drilling operations in which a large
ations more difficult because drilling in deep water from diameter conductor hole is created;
surface facilities requires an artificial "borehole' to be FIG. 6 is a partially cross-sectioned side elevational
maintained from the sea floor to the surface facilities. 45 view illustrating the conductor casing being run into the
This is provided by a hollow tubular member called a subsea wellhead;
riser. The riser returns cuttings to the surface and holds FIG. 7 is a partially cross-sectioned side elevational
a vertical column of drilling mud which maintains the view illustrating the conductor casing in place and
hydrostatic head necessary to provide pressure con being cemented;
trolled access to the wellbore while pulling the drill 50 FIG. 8 is a partially cross-sectioned side elevational
string, setting casing or running other tools. view of a large diameter, light duty riser connected to
However, the diameter of the riser itself is another the subsea wellhead;
limiting factor in offshore drilling operations. This limi FIG. 9 is a partially cross-sectioned side elevational
tation has, in past practice, led to removing the riser for view illustrating drilling the surface hole;
setting at least the first conductor casing in order to set 55 FIG. 10 is a partially cross-sectioned side elevational
an early casing which is too large to pass through the view illustrating the surface casing being cemented into
riser. Alternatively, the conductor interval has been place;
drilled without a riser. However, in either event the FIG. 11 is a partially cross-sectioned elevational view
conductor casing included an integral high pressure of the wellhead following removal of the light duty
housing and the surface interval was constrained by riser and illustrating the approach of the high pressure
both the housing and a blowout preventer ("BOP”) on housing to the subsea wellhead;
the riser. FIG. 12 is a partially cross-sectioned side elevational
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
view illustrating the connection of the high pressure
housing to the subsea wellhead; and
It is an object of the present invention to drill deeper, 65 FIG. 13 is a partially cross-sectioned side elevational
with greater safety and improved efficiency. view illustrating the connection of a heavy duty riser to
It is a further object of the present invention to main the subsea wellhead for proceeding with the drilling
tain a maximum diameter wellbore in the early stages of operations;
 5,184,686 4.
3
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
The conductor casing seals off this initial drilling and
extends generally into only mud and soft sediment
EMBODIMENTS which is incompetent to hold any significant geother
FIG. 1 illustrates, generally, the environment of off mal pressures. Thus, well control over this interval is
shore drilling. Here, surface facilities 10, including a not a concern and it is not necessary to maintain a hy
derrick 12, are provided above ocean surface 14. The drostatic head on the borehole wall from the riser.
surface facilities are connected to a subsea wellhead 16 Thus, drilling for this interval can safely proceed with
at ocean floor 18 through a riser 20. Several lengths of out a riser.
casing 22A, B, and C, are hung from wellhead 16 seal FIG. 7 illustrates conductor casing 22B landed within
ing off the borehole wall as drilling advances. Extended O wellhead 16 and with cementing operations in which
reach drilling plans require the well to deviate from cement is circulated into the annulus 42 between con
vertical in a controlled manner and can require bend ductor casing 22B and the wall of conductor borehole
26A in regions of shallow angle progress 26B, both of 40B. The circulation of cement 44 is generally illus
which require additional tolerances to dependably pass trated with arrows 46. Notice also that conductor cas
casing strings. w 5 ing 22B seals ports 35 and provides a load and seal area
In the preferred embodiment, practice of the present 48After for receiving a surface casing.
cementing, drill string 28 is retrieved and a first
invention begins with setting a large diameter subsea riser is lowered
wellhead 16. See FIG. 2. Alternatively, the wellhead ductor borehole,into a
place. See FIG. 8. Unlike the con
well plan to minimize the number of
may be provided on a subsea template. The drawworks casing strings and maximize the internal diameter of the
of the surface facility lowers the subsea wellhead wellbore during critical initial stages will require that
toward the ocean floor 18 on the end of drill string 28. the next interval drilled extend into
Further, in the preferred embodiment, subsea wellhead tions capable of holding [Link], depths in forma
a riser
16 is provided with a structural casing 26A and the drill is desired for drilling the next interval.
string running the wellhead terminates in a jetting as 25 This first riser 50 is a large diameter riser which, in
sembly 30 which extends through and slightly out of the the preferred embodiment, is a light duty riser designed
bottom of structural casing 26A. for use only with relatively light drilling mud. Since it is
Referring to FIG. 3, drilling fluid is pumped down designed for light weight mud, the first riser can pro
drill string 28 through jetting assembly 30 as the subsea vide a greater inside diameter without greatly increas
wellhead 16 approaches ocean floor 18. After touch 30 ing the weight or direct cost of the riser. This also helps
down, the jetting action sweeps the soft mud at the to control the indirect cost of the riser in not requiring
ocean floor up through annulus 32 between the struc the buoyancy necessary to offset the increased weight
tural casing and the jetting assembly and out ports 35. that a riser having the same large internal diameter
The passage of the drilling fluid and entrained mud is would entail if provided with the strength for using
generally illustrated with arrows 37. Structural casing 35 heavy drilling muds.
26A advances into ocean floor 18 as the soft sedimen First riser 50 receives the drill string at its top at
tary material is swept away by the force of the jets. surface facility 10 and provides an outlet 52 for the
When subsea wellhead 16 is fully set in ocean floor annular flow drilling mud and cuttings returned. Fur
18, drill string 28 is released from the subsea wellhead. ther, floating surface facilities will be subject to wave
See FIG. 4. In the preferred embodiment, each of the 40 action and a tensioned telescopic connection 54 adja
joints along the drill string are made up with a right cent surface facilities 10 is necessary to maintain com
hand rotation and a running tool connection 36 between pensated tension over the first riser in order to prevent
drill string 28 and subsea wellhead 16 makes up with a buckling failure. A flexjoint 56 near subsea wellhead 16
left hand rotation such that a right hand rotation of the also helps isolate the wellhead from motions at the sur
drill string will unscrew the connection between the 45 face by allowing angular flexure of the riser. Connector
drill string and the subsea wellhead without loosening 57, preferably an hydraulically actuated pin connection,
any joint along the drill string. FIG. 4 illustrates the secures secure the riser to the subsea wellhead.
disengaged drill string 28 with jetting assembly 30 being An annular preventer 58 helps control the well and
retrieved to the surface. diverters 60 will vent away any minor gas kicks encoun
Referring now to FIG. 5, drill string 28 is then outfit 50 tered during drilling operations over the next interval.
ted with a drill bit 38 and run back into subsea wellhead FIG. 9 illustrates the resumption of drilling with drill
16 and through structural casing 22A to drill an interval bit 38 on the end of drill string 28 extending through
forming a conductor borehole 40. Drilling fluid circu first riser 50. The large diameter of light duty first riser
lating through the bit entrains the cuttings and carries 50 permits use of a larger diameter drill bit which, pref.
those up annulus 32 through the conductor borehole 55 erably, drills a surface borehole 40C in one pass which
and through the structural casing to discharge the fluid is capable of receiving the largest diameter surface cas
returns and entrained cuttings through ports 35 of sub ing which conductor casing 22B will dependably pass.
sea wellhead 16. The flow of fluid returns is diagram Drilling mud circulated down the drill string cools
matically illustrated with arrows 37. the bit and sweeps away cuttings from the bit face,
Operations drilling this interval continue until the carrying the cuttings up annulus 32 of the borehole and
conductor borehole is at least as long as necessary to its continuation within the riser and exiting the riser
accommodate the conductor casing. Then, drill string through outlet 52. The hydrostatic head of the drilling
28 is retrieved and conductor casing 22B is made up on mud also controls the well as drilling advances through
running tool connection 36 of the drill string; see FIG. out the surface borehole interval 40C. This also controls
6 which illustrates running conductor casing 22B on 65 the wells on trips necessary to change the bit. In addi
drill string 28 for insertion through wellhead 16, struc tion, the large diameter light duty riser allows the pas
tural casing 22A and the length of conductor borehole sage of surface casing 22C, see FIG. 10, such that the
40B. well may be controlled throughout casing operations.
 5,184,686
5 6
The passage of surface casing 26C through first riser 50 vide additional tolerances for highly deviated intervals,
is also facilitated by separating the high pressure hous or to eliminate the need for under-reaming or to permit
ing from the surface casing and providing load and seal additional intervals for greater depth.
area 48 within conductor casing 22B for landing the Other modifications, changes and substitutions are
surface casing 26C. The exterior dimensions of the pro 5 intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some in
file 48A necessary to securely seat at load and seal area stances some features of the invention will be employed
48 is less than that required by the integral surface cas without a corresponding use of other features. Accord
ing and high pressure housing of the prior art. ingly, it is appropriate that the pending claims be con
After surface casing string 22C lands at load and seal strued broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit
area 48, cement 44 is pumped through drill string 28 10 and scope of the invention herein.
upon which the surface casing is run and this cement What is claimed is:
fills up the annular space 42 between the exterior of the 1. A method for offshore drilling in deepwater, com
surface casing and the wall of surface borehole 40B. prising:
Thereafter, the running tool connection 36 is disen drilling a surface interval through a light duty first
gaged from surface casing 22C and the drill string is 15 riser attached to a subsea wellhead;
retrieved through first riser 50. It is preferred to acti setting surface casing through the first riser;
vate the seal at load and seal area 48 with the running retrieving the first riser;
tool to secure the seal between the surface and conduc setting a high pressure housing in sealing engagement
tor casings after cement 44 is in place and before remov with the top of the surface casing;
ing the riser and the hydrostatic control it provides. 20 securing a heavy duty second riser to the subsea well
Thereafter, riser 50 may be safely removed from subsea head in sealed communication with the high pres
wellhead 16 and the high pressure housing may be in sure housing; and
serted into the subsea wellhead. See FIG. 11. conducting further drilling operations through the
High pressure housing 66 is run on drill string 28 after second riser.
makeup at running tool connection 36. The high pres 25 2. A method for drilling in accordance with claim 1,
sure housing has a profile providing a load shoulder and further comprising:
lockdown 68 for securing the housing within the subsea setting the subsea wellhead on the ocean floor, com
wellhead and extends to seal stab 70 or other means for prising:
effecting a seal with the top of surface casing 22C. FIG. running the subsea wellhead and an attached struc
12 illustrates the preferred embodiment of this connec 30 tural casing to the ocean floor on a drill string
tion in which the high pressure housing of lands within which carries a jetting assembly which projects
subsea wellhead 16 with the load and shoulder lock from beneath the structural casing;
down 68 engaging the top of conductor casing 22B and jetting the structural casing into the ocean floor by
seal stab 70 engaging the top of surface casing 22C at pumping drilling fluids down the drill string
tieback sleeve 72. 35 which flushes soft sediments up the annulus be
The drill string releases housing 62 and is retrieved tween the drill string and the concentric struc
after the high pressure housing is fully secured to subsea tural casing; and releasing the subsea wellhead
wellhead 16. Drilling can now proceed conventionally from the drill string.
with a traditional heavy duty second riser 80. See FIG. 3. A method for drilling in accordance with claim 2,
13. 40 further comprising:
In the preferred embodiment, heavy duty second running the drill string with a drill bit attached
riser 80 is designed to handle any mud loads necessary through the subsea wellhead and structural casing;
to control the well throughout the remainder of the driving the drill bit while pumping drilling fluid
drilling program and the interior dimensions will allow down the drill string, returning cuttings to the
passage of remaining drill bits and subsequent casing. 45 ocean floor;
Here, second riser 80 provides a ball joint 82 adjacent retrieving the drill string; and
surface facility 10. Ball joint 82 cooperates with ten setting the conductor, comprising:
sioned telescopic connection 54 in allowing for relative running the conductor casing on the drill string
motion between surface facility 10 and subsea wellhead down the subsea wellhead and through the struc
16 induced by wave action at surface 14. The riser is 50 tural casing;
preferentially provided with buoyancy means 84 such landing the top of the conductor casing in the sub
as air cans, syntactic foam or the like to lessen the load sea wellhead; and
on tensioners 55 at telescopic connection 54 and ulti pumping cement down the drill string and into the
mately on surface facility 10. annulus between the conductor casing and a con
A subsea blowout preventer 86 is provided in second 55 ductor borehole wall.
riser 80 adjacent wellhead 16 and the second riser is 4. A drilling method in accordance with claim 3,
connected to the subsea wellhead through an hydraulic wherein drilling a surface interval further comprises:
connector 88 sealingly engaging the high pressure hous clamping the first riser to the top of the conductor
Ing. casing within the subsea wellhead;
The economics of using the present two-riser method 60 running the drill string with the drill bit attached
of drilling can be enhanced with batch drilling pro through the first riser, subsea wellhead, structural
grams, drilling multiple wells through the setting of the casing and conductor casing; and
surface casing before proceeding with operations em driving the drill bit while pumping drilling fluid,
ploying the heavy duty second riser. This eliminates the returning cuttings up the annulus through the con
inefficiencies of frequent loading and offloading of first ducting casing, structural casing, and up the riser to
and second risers. discharge from an outlet at the top of the riser.
The present invention provides larger diameter early 5. A drilling method in accordance with claim 4,
risers which can be used in subsequent drilling to pro wherein setting the surface casing further comprises:
 5,184,686
7 8
running the surface casing down the riser on the drill running the drill string with the drill bit attached
string while retaining a hydrostatic head on the through the first riser, subsea wellhead, struc
formation; tural casing and conductor casing; and
landing a profile at the top of the surface casing onto driving the drill bit while pumping drilling fluid,
a load and seal area presented on the interior of the 5 returning cuttings up the annulus through the con
conductor casing; ducting casing, structural casing, and up the riser to
pumping cement down the drill string and into an discharge from an outlet at the top of the riser.
annulus between the surface borehole wall and the 11. A drilling method in accordance with claim 10,
surface casing; and wherein setting the surface casing further comprises: .
allowing the concrete to set while maintaining the 10 running the surface casing down the riser on the drill
hydrostatic head to control the well. string while retaining a hydrostatic head on the
6. A drilling method in accordance with claim 5, formation;
further comprising packing off the cemented conductor landing a profile at the top of the surface casing onto
casing and testing the seal to determine if it will retain 15 a load and seal area presented on the interior of the
pressure. conductor casing;
7. A two riser method for offshore drilling in deep pumping cement down the drill string and into an
water comprising: annulus between the surface borehole wall and the
setting a subsea wellhead having a structural casing; surface casing; and
setting a conductor casing within the structural cas 20
allowing the concrete to set while maintaining the
1ng; hydrostatic head to control the well.
securing a light duty first riser to the subsea wellhead; 12. A drilling method in accordance with claim 11,
setting a surface casing within the conductor casing further comprising packing off the cemented conductor
through the first riser; casing and testing the seal to determine if it will retain
retrieving the first riser; 25
pressure.
setting a high pressure housing in sealing engagement 13. A two-riser method for offshore drilling compris
with the top of the surface casing; ing:
securing a heavy duty second riser to the subsea well setting a subsea wellhead having a structural casing:
head in communication with the high pressure setting a conductor casing within the structural cas
housing; and 30 ing;
conducting further drilling operations through the securing a light weight first riser having a subsea
second riser. diverter system to the subsea wellhead;
8. A method for drilling in accordance with claim 7, setting a surface casing within the conductor casing
wherein setting the subsea wellhead on the ocean floor, through the first riser;
comprises: 35 retrieving the first riser;
running the subsea wellhead and an attached struc setting a high pressure housing within the wellhead in
tural casing to the ocean floor on a drill string sealing engagement with the top of the surface
which carries a jetting assembly which projects casing;
from beneath the structural casing: securing a high pressure second riser to the subsea
jetting the structural casing into the ocean floor by 40 wellhead in communication with well bore and
pumping drilling fluids down the drill string which sealed to the high pressure housing; and
flushes soft sediments up the annulus between the conducting further drilling operations through the
drill string and the concentric structural casing; second riser.
and 14. A two-riser method for offshore drilling compris
releasing the subsea wellhead from the drill string. 45 ing:
9. A method for drilling in accordance with claim 8, setting a large diameter subsea wellhead having a
further comprising: large diameter structural casing;
running the drill string with a drill bit attached setting a conductor casing within the structural cas
through the subsea wellhead and structural casing: ing;
driving the drill bit while pumping drilling fluid 50 securing a light weight first riser having a subsea
down the drill string, returning cuttings to the diverter system to the subsea wellhead;
ocean floor; setting a surface casing within the conductor casing
retrieving the drill string; and through the first riser, comprising:
wherein setting the conductor casing further com drilling a significant interval of surface hole
prises: 55 through the first riser, diverting the returns from
running the conductor casing on the drill string the riser near the mud line;
down the subsea wellhead and through the struc running surface casing into the surface hole
tural casing: through the first riser; and
landing the top of the conductor casing in the sub cementing the surface casing in secure sealing
sea wellhead; and contact with the walls of the surface hole;
pumping cement down the drill string and into the retrieving the first riser;
annulus between the conductor casing and a con setting a high pressure housing within the wellhead in
ductor borehole wall. sealing engagement with the top of the surface
10. A drilling method in accordance with claim 9, casing:
further comprising: 65 securing a high pressure second riser to the subsea
drilling a surface interval, comprising: wellhead in communication with wellbore and
clamping the first riser to the top of the conductor sealed to the high pressure housing, said second
casing within the subsea wellhead; riser having an internal diameter which is less than
 5,184,686
9 10
the outside diameter of the high pressure housing: running a large diameter conductor casing into the
and conductor borehole and securing it to the subsea
wellhead;
conducting further drilling operations through the cementing the conductor casing in place within the
second riser. conductor borehole;
15. A method of offshore drilling, comprising: running a light weight riser having a subsea diverter
securing a drill string supported by drawworks pro system to the subsea wellhead and connecting the
riser to the wellhead;
vided on a surface vessel to a large diameter subsea drilling a surface hole through the light weight riser;
wellhead and large diameter structural casing: 10 running surface casing into the surface hole through
running the drill string from the surface vessel to the light weight riser and landing the surface casing
onto receiving means at the top of the conductor
place the wellhead and structural casing at a se casing;
lected well site at a mudline on the ocean floor; cementing the surface casing in place within the sur
jetting the large diameter structural casing into the 15 face hole and testing the seal;
ocean floor through the subsea wellhead and struc displacing the light weight riser with seawater, disen
gaging and retrieving the light weight riser;
tural casing to set the structural casing and secure running a high pressure housing to the subsea well
the subsea wellhead at the ocean floor; head and securing it in a sealing engagement at the
drilling a large diameter conductor borehole through 20 top of the surface casing with a tieback receptacle;
and
the structural casing, releasing the returns at the resuming the drilling program through a high pres
mudline; sure riser.
retrieving the drill string: k : k k sk

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