METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING ASSEMBLY AND ERECTION OF A DRILLING RIG

摘要

A method for facilitating assembly and erection of a drilling rig, the drilling rig comprising a drill floor (12,112) and a substructure (16,116), the method comprising the steps of positioning a rig structure (17,40,140) adjacent the drill floor (12,112) with a vehicle (T), attaching said rig structure (40,140) to a movement apparatus (23p,26s,26t,27s,27t) of a support appa-ratus (21,22) of said drill floor (12,112) and activating said movement apparatus (23p,26s,26t,27s,27t) to move the rig structure (17,40,140) from the vehicle (T) sufficient to allow said vehicle to move away, and activating drill floor raising apparatus (16a) to raise the drill floor (12,112) and rig structure (17,117,40,140) to an operating height. A drilling rig comprising a drill floor (12,112) and a rig structure (17,117,40,140), characterised in that said drill floor (12,112) further comprises a support apparatus (21,22) comprising movement apparatus (23p,25,26), the support apparatus (21,22) for supporting the rig structure (17,117,40,140) from a side of the drill floor (12,112) and the movement apparatus (23p,26s,26t,27s,27t) for moving the rig struc-ture (17,117,40,140), the support apparatus (17,117,40,140) further comprising locking apparatus (Ps) for locking the rig structure (17,117,40,140) relative to the rig floor (12,112).