APPARATUS FOR USE IN DRILLING

摘要

Apparatus for use in drilling A drilling derrick (15) is provided with two upwardly extending guide rails (17). A support frame (16) is slidably mounted on the guide rails (17). The support frame (16) supports a top drive (10), a pipe wrench (26,31), and pipe positioning apparatus (23). The top drive (10) comprises a hydraulic motor having a hollow shaft (30) with threads at each end. The upper end of the hollow shaft is connected either directly or indirectly to a drilling swivel (11) which is attached by bails (12) to a travelling block (13). The other end of the hollow shaft is connected either directly or indirectly to the drill string. The top drive (10) can be pivoted in a substantially horizontal plane away from the vertical axis of the drill string. The pipe positioning apparatus (23) is mounted beneath the top drive (10) and can be used for picking up pipe and positioning it so that the pipe threads can mate precisely with the threads of the shaft thereabove.