Abstract: An underwater drilling rig (1) in modular form, which can be simply assembled underwater and in which standard tubulars and tubular assemblies are stored in a novel arrangement within containers (6) and can be added to, and removed from, the string in the well bore, whilst there is continuous circulation of drilling fluid and also continuous segregation of drilling fluid from the seawater.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for adding and removing tubulars whilst containing the pressure within a drill string and/or maintaining circulation of drilling fluid down a drill string using a diverter sub which is able to open up to mud flow from a side mud port and close off the flow of mud from above the drill string with or without continuous rotation of the drill string.

Abstract: Slips (1, 21, 41) for engaging any jointed, coiled or flexible tubular with substantially no scoring, gouging or scraping, such as when supporting a drill string in a borehole or gripping a tubular (2, 22) during the connection or disconnection of a tool joint or pulling a cable or pipeline; additionally, applying a pre-determined minimum gripping force in order to avoid rotary slippage when the weight of the string is insufficient to achieve a conventional slips action; additionally, including a coarse wedge (30, 50) to take up the extra travel of a worn tool joint or a tubular of smaller diameter, with a means to ensure that the coarse wedge acts before the fine wedge (29, 49) does and a means to ensure that the wedging action remains if the actuating force is removed; additionally, including a secondary slips (40) to interfere with the upset on the tool joint to avoid relying on friction to support the string and a means of integrating this with the gripping slips and ensuring that the secondary slips act

Abstract: An underwater drilling rig in modular form, which can be simply assembled underwater and in which standard tubulars and tubular assemblies are stored in a novel arrangement within containers and can be added to, and removed from, the string in the well bore, whilst there is continuous circulation of drilling fluid and also continuous segregation of drilling fluid from the seawater, additionally: with a simple means of accessing the tubulars and gripping them from inside in order to make up tool joint connection to the top drive sub, with a means to guide and centralise each tubular or tubular assembly on entering the well bore or when being returned to storage with a means to enable the top drive to snub with greatly reduced force and no risk of buckling the tubular, with a rig support vessel that, in the absence of a marine riser, drill string or drilling rig, is greatly reduced in size and can roam extensively to ride out bad weather, while the seabed rig continues to drill; lastly with the novel ability to

Abstract: An apparatus for moving and handling tubulars has a stinger (21) slidably mounted on a frame which stinger comprises a rod or tube the end of which is adapted to fit within the pipe (20) to be moved, a gripping means (23) on the end of the stinger which is inserted into the pipe and which gripping means is adapted to grip the pipe, a drive means (25) which drives a screw threaded sub (24) which drive means is adapted to slide along said stinger so that the screw threads on the sub can engage the screw threads on the end of the pipe and moving means adapted to move the sub and a pipe attached to the sub along the frame so that a tubular can be automatically removed from a container (10) or an ISO container transferred to a mast (13) the mast moved vertically above a drill head or well head and the tubular connected to the drill string in such a way that the cross section area of the stinger takes the majority of the well head pressure while the tubular is snubbed into the well using relatively little force.

Abstract: A slips assembly which comprises a plurality of slip segments which, when positioned adjacent to each other, form a collar, which collar is larger than the diameter of the tubular body of the tubular at the top of the drill string and smaller than the diameter the upset shoulder of the said tubular, there being a segment moving means which can move the segments together to from a collar slidably located around the body of the said tubular, which slips assemblies can also be utilised in conjunction with, or as part of, the couplers referred to in prior patent applications, either to support, raise or lower the string below, or restraint, lower or raise the tubular, or stand of tubulars, above.