Proposal for an Undersea Oil Drilling Rig
June 07, 2010
This drilling rig would be totally enclosed and submerged to the sea floor where all of the drilling action would take place. The basic structure would comprise three cylinders of the following approximate dimensions: 20' diameter x 40' long. They would be laid out in an upside-down T pattern with the cylinder in the center pointing up and the other two cylinders facing out 90° left and right and 180° apart. Additional cylinders could be added that radiate out from the center cylinder. The ends of the cylinders would be elliptical for strength. The central cylinder would be where the drilling would take place and would communicate to the two outside cylinders by watertight doors. Drill pipe would be stored vertically, soda straw fashion in the central cylinder. A means of replenishing the drill pipe would be accomplished by lowering consumables inside a separate cylinder and would "dock" with the undersea rig similar to space docking. The two outer cylinders would house shops, machinery and rest areas. The cylinders could be fabricated using submarine pressure hull technology. I think the depth this rig could operate at would be established by depths today's submarines can operate at.
The undersea drill rig would be supplied with air, water, etc from the surface from an anchored barge or barges. Drilling crews would descend and return to the surface each work shift by way of an "escape" capsule and could be housed on the barge as is currently the practice with surface drilling platforms. Once oil starts to flow, it would be transported to the surface through pipes to permanently moored barges where the oil would be loaded unto tankers. Working at deep depths would not be much different than working in underwater tunnel boring machines like those that built the English Channel tunnel.
Not knowing much about oil drilling, I can only present a very rough size estimate. The only number I know is that drill pipe comes in 39 and 45 ft lengths, so maybe the center cylinder would need to be tall enough to accommodate the 45 ft length. I toss this idea out for discussion. I'm sure greater minds than mine can improve on it. Other configurations are possibe, like a cylinder within a cylinder.
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