METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRILLING AN OFFSHORE UNDERWATER WELL

摘要

A method of drilling an offshore underwater well comprising the steps of installing a riser conduit (5) so that it is substantially vertically supported at a production deck (1,25). The riser conduit (5) deviates progressively further from the vertical with increasing sea depth, so that its end can be anchored at the seabed (6) by a skid (7) either at an oblique angle so that drilling into the seabed can be carried out at the oblique angle, or horizontally, so that the riser conduit can extend some considerable distance across the seabed (6) before drilling is carried out.