Abstract: A crane includes a base structure; a slew bearing; a crane housing; a boom moveably mounted to the crane housing to be pivotable about a horizontal first pivot axis; three main hoisting systems; and a luffing system. The boom includes an A-frame with two boom legs that are connected at one end to the crane housing and at the opposite end to each other. Each main hoisting system includes a hoisting cable; a sheave block; a hoisting block; and a hoisting winch. The sheave block of each main hoisting system is pivotable about a horizontal second pivot axis that is perpendicular to the sheave rotation axis. The sheave blocks of the three main hoisting systems are arranged side-by-side. The luffing system includes two luffing winches; and two luffing cables extending between the respective two luffing winches. The luffing cables are connected to respective outriggers of the hammerhead structure.

Abstract: An offshore subsea wellbore activities system and method wherein use is made of a tower and a motion arm assembly with vertical drive adapted to move the motion arm along a vertical motion arm rail relative to the tower. Also use is made of a wellbore activities device comprising a riser tension frame having an upper frame section, a lower frame section provided with a riser attachment device adapted to attach a riser to said lower frame section so as to extend in a firing line, and a vertical riser load bearing structure, e.g. formed by struts. The wellbore activities device further comprises a coiled tubing injector, a wireline lubricator, and one or more pressure control devices associated with the coiled tubing injector and/or the wireline lubricator received by and individually movable within the riser tension frame.

Abstract: A semi-submersible drilling vessel has a deckbox structure and a shaker room. A downward sloping mud return line is provided that passes mud from the diverter to the shaker room. In the shaker room there are one or more shale shaker devices, one or more upstream mud tanks arranged to receive gas cut mud from the one or more shale shaker devices, and a vacuum degasser having an inlet pipe extending into an upstream mud tank, a vacuum tank, a vacuum pump, and an outlet, and a degassed mud tank receiving degassed mud from the outlet of the vacuum degasser. The degassed mud tank has an effective height between the bottom thereof to the operational mud level in said degassed mud tank that is greater than the corresponding effective height of said one or more upstream mud tanks. The degassed mud tank is mounted so that—in operation—the operational mud level in said degassed mud tank is at least 1.

Abstract: A vessel is adapted to perform subsea wellbore related operations including module handling and laying flexible pipeline, e.g. wellbore intervention. The vessel includes a hull with a moonpool and a stationary drilling mast adjacent said moonpool. The front side of the drilling mast is provided with vertical trolley rails along which—during module handling—a module handling trolley is movable. Further one or more tensioners are provided to engage a flexible pipeline, also being supported by the by the drilling mast. The tensioner frame of a tensioner is mounted pivotably about a vertical pivot axis to the drilling mast, such that the tensioner frame is pivotable between the pipeline laying configuration wherein the lower tensioner is provided in the module handling area and an open configuration wherein a vertical trolley path is unobstructed to allow module handling.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a marine pipelaying friction clamp device for frictionally retaining an offshore pipeline having a longitudinal axis, comprising multiple clamping units (20). Each clamping unit comprises a friction pad (21) and an associated force actuator (22), and further comprises a base (25) fixed to the actuator, wherein the friction pad is rotatably connected to the base via a single axis (H1, H2) hinge mechanism defining a single hinge axis parallel to the longitudinal axis. The single axis hinge mechanism comprises first and second complementary semi-cylindrical hinge surfaces, allowing a rotation of the friction pad about the single hinge axis over 2-20° relative to the base. The friction pad is also axially connected to the base via complementary axial load surfaces (31, 33) on the base (25) and on the friction pad (21).

Abstract: A double jib stewing pedestal crane includes a main jib, a secondary jib, and a secondary jib positioning device to support and position the secondary jib with respect to the main jib and actuate the pivotal movement of the secondary jib. The secondary jib positioning device includes a secondary jib positioning cable, a spoke structure fixed to the secondary jib and extending radially outward, and a tension chain connected at one end to the secondary jib positioning cable and at the other end to the secondary jib and/or to the spoke structure. The spoke structure is adapted to support the tension chain.

Abstract: A drilling vessel includes a drilling tower and a tubular string support structure for supporting a tubular string in the firing line of the drilling tower. The tubular string support structure has two parallel rails and two carts supported by those rails. Both carts have a hanger body with a central passage for supporting a tubular, and each cart can be moved between a central support position for supporting a tubular in the firing line, and a secondary position adjacent the central support position. When both carts are located in their secondary position, the carts are located on opposite sides of the firing line, such that between the carts there is a passage for passing through large objects along the firing line.

Abstract: A method for assembly of a riser string onboard a vessel for performing subsea wellbore related operations involving said riser string, the riser string extending between a subsea wellbore and the vessel in a wellbore related operation, wherein the vessel includes a hull, a riser storage storing therein, in horizontal orientation, multiple pre-assembled riser stands and/or multiple individual riser stand, a deck structure having an elongated transfer opening above said riser storage, a transfer elevator, wherein multiple pre-assembled riser stands, each being pre-assembled from multiple riser sections connected end-to-end and each having a length of at least 150 ft. (45.72 m), and/or multiple individual riser sections each having a length of at least 150 ft. (45.72 m), are stored, in said horizontal orientation, in the riser storage.

Abstract: An offshore drilling vessel includes a floating hull subjected to heave motion. The hull includes a moonpool and a drilling tower near the moonpool. A drilling tubulars storage rack is provided for storage of drilling tubulars. The vessel includes a heave motion compensation support that is adapted to support a slip device whilst performing heave compensation motion relative to the heaving motion of the vessel. A racking device is provided with a heave motion synchronization system that is adapted to bring a tubular retrieved from the storage rack in heave motion into a vertical motion that is synchronous with the heave compensation motion of the string slip device. The racking device includes vertical rails and at least two separate motion arm assemblies mounted on said vertical rails. Each separate motion arm assembly includes its own vertical drive which is electrically connected to the heave motion synchronization system.

Abstract: An offshore drilling vessel including a hull having a moonpool, a bow and a stern, an accommodation topside having crew quarters and a bridge, said accommodation topside being arranged on the hull at the bow, a main deck between the accommodation topside and the stern of the vessel, wherein a front main deck portion of the main deck extends forward of the moonpool and a rear main deck portion of the main deck extends rearward of the moonpool, a firing line hoist system mounted on the hull at said moonpool, including a drilling structure, a hoisting device supported by the drilling structure and having a load attachment device displaceable along a firing line, the hoisting device including one or more cables and one or more associated winches to manipulate the position of the load attachment device relative to the drilling structure, one or more pivotal burner booms, each burner boom having an inner portion pivotally mounted at a lateral side of the hull and an outer portion supporting a burner, the burner boo

Abstract: A directional casing drilling system includes a casing string, a drilling rig and a retrievable Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA). The drilling rig includes a casing drive for rotating the casing string in the borehole, a control system for controlling the casing drive, and a mud pump for pumping a continuous flow of drilling mud into the casing string. The BHA includes a torque transfer section, with which it is secured in the casing string, and a drill bit section held in a drilling position in the torque transfer section. It further includes a mud drive that rotates the drilling position of the drill bit section about the longitudinal axis of the torque transfer section, and a communicating device for communicating the orientation of the drill bit to the control system. The BHA is steered by adjusting the rotational speed of the casing string.

Abstract: A method for removal of a top drive device in a wellbore drilling installation, for servicing and/or exchanging a top drive device. The frame of the trolley and the top drive device are provided with cooperating vertical guide members so that the top drive device is vertically displaceable and guided relative to the frame. The top drive device has an operative position above the rotatable head clamp assembly carrier, which is releasably connected to first and second vertical frame members. In order to service and/or exchange of the top drive device, the method includes releasing the rotatable head clamp assembly carrier from the first and second frame members, removing the rotatable head clamp assembly carrier, lowering the top drive device relative to the frame of the trolley until the cooperating vertical guide members thereof disengage, moving the lowered and disengaged top drive device to a service and/or storage location remote from the firing line.

Abstract: A hoisting crane includes a slew bearing. The slew bearing includes a top bearing ring, a bottom bearing ring, a first row of axial load rollers and a second row of axial load rollers, which rows of axial load rollers are provided between a corresponding top roller raceway and bottom roller raceway. The top bearing ring has a top wall which extends above the first row of axial load rollers and in which at least one top entry port is provided. Furthermore, the top roller raceway of the first row of axial load rollers includes a removable raceway segment releasable attached in the top entry port. The removable raceway segment can be removed to enable access via the top entry port to the first row of axial load rollers to remove axial load rollers in a substantially vertical direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vessel comprising a moonpool, a firing line hoist system, a stationary main deck for storing equipment and/or tubulars, and a mobile working deck having a front deck section and a rear deck section. The working deck can be moved between a working position and a transporting position. A rear deck lift system is provided for lifting and lowering a rear deck section between the working position and the transporting position. A front deck guide system is provided for guiding a front deck section in a substantially horizontal direction between the working position and the transporting position.

Abstract: In a wellbore drilling installation and method for drilling a wellbore or other wellbore related activities, the installation includes a drilling tower, drill floor with well center, and a slip device system including a first slip device and a second slip device. A top drive trolley with top drive device is guided along a vertical trolley rail. The trolley includes a frame and the top drive device is attached to the frame independent from first and second vertical frame members. A rotatable head clamp component is adapted to be releasably connected to and suspended from the first and second vertical frame members of the trolley. The rotatable head clamp component includes a housing, an open-centered rotary body, a drilling operation thrust bearing arranged between the housing and the rotary body adapted to support the load of a drilling tubulars string during a drilling operation.

Abstract: A marine vessel and a method of operation of such a marine vessel include a crane with a boom including a main boom section and a jib section and a variable length stay mechanism. The lattice boom is movable from a hoisting position into a parking position by a routine including operating the variable length stay mechanism allowing the jib section to fold towards the main boom section. The crane is provided with a fixation device adapted to establish fixation of the jib section relative to the main boom section in a folded position. A boom rest is mounted on the hull. The routine further includes operating the luffing assembly to position the jib member of the folded jib section, fixated to the main boom section, in the parking position onto the boom rest.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a marine drilling riser joint, adapted for the securement of one or more umbilicals (36) thereto. The marine drilling riser joint comprises one or more umbilical gutter assemblies (8), connected to or formed integral in an outer surface of a buoyancy module on the exterior of the marine drilling riser joint and provided parallel to the riser pipe, the umbilical gutter assembly comprising: an umbilical gutter (8) adapted to accommodate one or more umbilicals; and a resilient gutter cover (82a, 82b), which is elastically deformable by a loom tool, which resilient gutter cover in a closed position covers the umbilical gutter and in an elastically deformed position provides a working clearance to allow the one or more umbilicals to be introduced into the umbilical gutter.

Abstract: An improved system and method for laying on the seabed a pipeline and/or installing a subsea riser including one or more accessories are disclosed. In the system, a trolley rail for an auxiliary trolley is provided which includes a retractable trolley rail part supported by the tower via an associated mobile rail support assembly. Displacement of the retractable trolley rail part together with the auxiliary trolley when arranged on said retractable trolley rail part with respect to the tower is allowed, between an active position, wherein the auxiliary trolley is positioned to engage on an accessory in the firing line, and a retracted and non-operable position wherein a clear envelope about the firing line is created.

Abstract: An offshore drilling vessel includes a floating hull having a moonpool, a drilling tower positioned on the hull at or near the moonpool, a tubular string main hoisting device including a main hoisting winch and main cable connected to the main hoisting winch, a crown block mounted on the drilling tower, a travelling block suspended from the crown block in a multiple fall arrangement of the main cable, a mobile working deck and an integrated heave compensation system including a main cable heave compensation sheave in a path of the main cable between the main hoisting winch and the travelling block, a hydraulic sheave compensator connected to the main cable heave compensation sheave to provide a heave compensated motion of the travelling block, and a hydraulic deck compensator connected to the hull and to the mobile working deck to provide a heave compensated motion of the working deck relative to the hull within the heave compensation motion range.

Abstract: The invention relates to a drilling vessel comprising a drilling tower and a tubular string support structure for supporting a tubular string in the firing line of the drilling tower. The tubular string support structure has two parallel rails and two carts supported by those rails. Both carts have a hanger body with a central passage for supporting a tubular, and each cart can be moved between a central support position for supporting a tubular in the firing line, and a secondary position adjacent the central support position. When both carts are located in their secondary position, the carts are located on opposite sides of the firing line, such that between the carts there is a passage for passing through large objects along the firing line.