Abstract: A double drum traction winch of which the rotatable drums are both provided with adjustable grooves is provided. Each drum includes multiple, for example three or more, curved segments, each segment defining a section of a circumferential groove, such that multiple circumferential grooves on the outer surface of the drum are each composed of several curved segments. The curved segments are each movably supported by a core body for movement in a substantial radial direction relative to the rotational axis of the drum. An actuator mechanism for the curved segments is provided, that includes actuators that cause essentially radial displacement of the curved segments, such that the circumference of the grooves can be adjusted.

Abstract: A vessel (1) adapted to perform subsea wellbore related operations involving a riser string between the subsea wellbore and the vessel, e.g. drilling and/or wellbore intervention. The vessel (1) has a hull (2) and a riser storage (40) adapted to store therein of multiple risers in horizontal orientation. The riser storage (40) is adapted to store therein, or has stored therein, multiple pre-assembled riser stands (60), e.g. at least 25 riser stands, each riser stand being assembled from multiple riser sections (60, 61) connected end-to-end, e.g.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a double jib slewing pedestal crane comprising a main jib and 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 comprises a secondary jib positioning cable; a spoke structure fixed to the secondary jib and extending radially outward; 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, wherein the spoke structure is adapted to support the tension chain.

Abstract: A marine knuckle boom crane includes a crane housing which is rotational relative to a pedestal about a vertical rotation axis and a knuckle boom assembly attached to the crane housing. The knuckle boom assembly includes a main boom, the inner end of which is connected pivotably about a first horizontal pivot axis to the crane housing; and a jib, the inner end of which is connected pivotably about a second horizontal pivot axis to the outer end of the main boom, wherein the jib is pivotable at least between an extended position in which the tip extends mainly forward from the main boom, and a folded position in which the jib is folded back, essentially parallel along the main boom. In order to position the jib with respect to the main boom, a tensioning member is provided extending between the crane housing and a curved extension guide connected to the jib.

Abstract: A marine pipeline installation system and marine pipeline installation method are disclosed. The marine pipeline installation system includes a pipeline launch tower for launching the pipeline in a firing line along the pipeline launch tower into the sea, and one or more tensioners supported by the pipeline launch tower. The system further includes a pipeline guide supported in a pipeline launch trajectory between a pipeline storage and the firing line above the one or more tensioners, wherein the pipeline guide is provided opposite the firing line relative to the pipeline launch tower. A guide support structure is provided, which is embodied as a single-sided guide support arm arranged on one side of the pipeline guide only.

Abstract: Offshore drilling system for performing subsea wellbore related activities including a drilling vessel, with a floating hull subjected to heave motion. A main cable heave compensation sheave is provided for heave compensation of a travelling block. A connection cable heave compensation sheave is provided between a connection cable winch and a top sheave assembly supported on the hull of the vessel in or above the moonpool. The main cable heave compensation cable sheave and the connection cable heave compensation sheave are mechanically interconnected so as to allow for synchronous motion thereof.

Abstract: A vessel adapted to perform subsea wellbore related operations involving a riser string that is assembled from releasably interconnected riser sections and extends between a subsea wellbore and the vessel. The riser string vertical handling system of the vessel includes a controlled motion device that is adapted to displace the riser string lifting tool in at least one horizontal direction relative to the riser spider device at least whilst travelling between the elevated and lowered position thereof loaded by the riser string suspended from the riser string lifting tool, thereby allowing to establish an inclined travel path with selectively variable inclination of the riser string lifting tool relative to an imaginary vertical line through the riser string passage of the riser spider device, e.g. said inclined travel path having an inclination selected to correspond to an actual water current induced inclination of an upper portion of the riser string during the riser string assembly process.

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 land based dynamic sea motion simulating test drilling rig has a soil bound foundation and a pivot structure secured to said foundation. A motion base is mounted on said pivot structure and pivotable about at least one horizontal pivot axis. A drilling tower is erected on said motion base and is provided with a hoisting device adapted to manipulate a drill string section in a vertical firing line. A drilling tubulars storage vertically stores drilling tubulars and a tubulars racker device moves drilling tubulars between the drilling tubulars storage device and the firing line allowing for assembly and disassembly of a drill string section in the firing line. A motion drive is provided which is adapted to impart cyclic pivoting motion about said at least one horizontal pivot axis to the assembly of the drilling tower, drilling tubulars storage, and tubulars racker device in order to simulate said assembly being subjected to a sea state induced motion.

Abstract: A tubular installation system includes a J-lay tower structure for lowering and raising a tubular or an accessory along a firing line; a tubulars supply system; an accessory supply system; and a loader system configured for transporting a tubular and an accessory between the horizontal tubular supply position and the firing line, wherein the loader system comprises: a loader device with a base and a boom which is pivotable with respect to the base between a lowered position for gripping a tubular and an accessory in the horizontal accessory supply position, and a raised position for delivering then to the firing line; a line-up tool, wherein the line-up tool is configured to exchange a tubular and an accessory with the loader device and transport a tubular between the loader device and the firing line.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for riser string handling on an offshore drilling vessel (1), the offshore drilling vessel comprising a multiple firing line hoist system, a riser tensioner system (50) arranged in the second firing line, and a suspended riser transfer device (60). The method comprising the steps of lowering a riser string in the first firing line, and simultaneously assembling and preparing a riser tensioner system in the second firing line, wherein the riser hang-off assembly displaces the riser string, leaving the top end of the riser string exposed, from the first firing line to the second firing line to be connected to the riser tensioner system.

Abstract: A marine pipeline installation system for laying an offshore pipeline and/or installing a subsea riser includes a pipeline launch tower, a pipeline guide provided at an elevated position for guiding said pipeline to the pipeline launch trajectory along said tower, one or more tensioners, an abandonment and recovery (A&R) system including at least one A&R cable and associated A&R winch and a sheave arrangement with one or more sheaves supported by the pipeline launch tower at an upper position thereof. An auxiliary trolley is provided which is adapted to support the weight of the launched pipeline and which is movable along a rail in the pipeline launch trajectory when the one or more tensioner frames are in the retracted non-operable position, from a position above the uppermost tensioner to a position below the lowermost tensioner, the rail being supported by the pipeline launch tower.

Abstract: An offshore drilling system includes a drilling tower, a tubular string hoisting device with a crown block and a travelling block suspended from the crown block in a multiple fall arrangement. A heave compensation system is adapted to provide heave compensation of the travelling block. The heave compensation system includes a hydraulic sheave compensator. The system further includes a mobile working deck which is movable with respect to the drilling tower within a motion range including a heave compensation motion range. The heave compensation system is further adapted to provide heave compensation of the mobile working deck by a hydraulic deck compensator, which is hydraulically connected via a hydraulic conduit to the hydraulic sheave compensator, such that in operation the deck compensator moves synchronously with the sheave compensator of the heave compensation system.

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: 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: The present invention relates to a method for operating a drilling vessel adapted to run large diameters surface casing joints having a diameter of over 20 inch (51 cm) and a length of 30-50 feet (9-15 meters), and build a surface casing string. According to the invention three or more surface casing joints are interconnected into pre-assembled surface casing stands having a length of over 100 feet (30 meters). These surface casing stands are substantially horizontally stored and transferred by a casing stand handling system to a surface casing string handling capacity hoisting device, which subsequently lowers the surface casing string.

Abstract: A method is provided for installing a pipeline on the seabed from a marine pipelaying vessel, including initiation, pipelaying, and abandonment of the pipeline.

Abstract: Wellbore drilling system comprising: a drilling tower, a drill floor having a well center through which a drill string passes along a firing line, a drilling tubulars storage rack adapted to store multiple drilling tubulars in vertical orientation, a tubular racking device having at least a lower first tubular racker assembly and at least a second tubular racker assembly operable at a greater height than the first tubular racker assembly, each tubular racker assembly comprises a base, a motion arm connected to said base, and a tubular gripper member connected or connectable to the motion arm and adapted to grip a tubular, wherein—with the tubular gripping member connected to the motion arm of the racker assemblies—the tubular racking device is adapted to grip and retain a drilling tubular by the tubular racker assemblies, and wherein the tubular racking device is adapted to place a tubular in and remove a tubular from the drilling tubulars storage rack, and wherein the tubular racking device has a reac

Abstract: A marine knuckle boom crane includes a crane housing which is rotational relative to a pedestal about a vertical rotation axis and a knuckle boom assembly attached to the crane housing. The knuckle boom assembly includes a main boom, the inner end of which is connected pivotably about a first horizontal pivot axis to the crane housing; and a jib, the inner end of which is connected pivotably about a second horizontal pivot axis to the outer end of the main boom, wherein the jib is pivotable at least between an extended position in which the tip extends mainly forward from the main boom, and a folded position in which the jib is folded back, essentially parallel along the main boom. In order to position the jib with respect to the main boom, a tensioning member is provided extending between the crane housing and a curved extension guide connected to the jib.

Abstract: A vessel is adapted to perform subsea wellbore related operations involving a riser string between the subsea wellbore and the vessel, e.g. drilling and/or wellbore intervention. The vessel includes a hull having a deck, and a riser storage hold present within the hull below the deck. The riser storage hold includes storage racks adapted to store therein parallel stacks of multiple riser sections and/or pre-assembled riser stands in horizontal orientation. The vessel has an elongated riser transfer opening between the deck and the roof, the riser transfer opening extending in a direction parallel to the storage racks, the riser transfer opening having a length and a width so as to allow for transfer of a single riser section or a single riser stand in horizontal orientation via the riser transfer opening out of and into the riser storage hold, wherein the risers' handling system is suitable to work at the same time with two different lengths.