Odeco has upgraded a Victory class semisubmersible and a Bethlehem slot jack-up rig to accommodate the heavy loads associated with drilling wells below 20,000 feet in the Gulf of Mexico. Several world records have been set with these rigs since their upgrades.

This paper will discuss the numerous operational and economic challenges a drilling contractor is faced with in order to strengthen and upgrade a rig for drilling ultra deep wells below 20,000 feet. These include analyzing rig capacities such as drilling equipment, setback, combined substructure, well control, liquid and bulk systems, solids control, deck storage, variable deck and leg loading and power plant. A precise inspection plan must be formulated before and during the well for all of the contractors equipment. Additionally, the entire analysis and upgrade must be done economically and generally in less than 60 days in order to compete in today's marketplace.

While many rigs are capable of drilling deep wells, few rigs can safely accommodate all of the demanding aspects of ultra deep drilling. It is important that the "whole" rig, its equipment, and its operational capability meet all requirements, not just a vast majority of those requirements.

Keywords:
line strung, drilling operation, operator, drilling fluids and materials, drilling fluid management & disposal, economical approach, brake, upgrade, rig modification, mpi
Subjects:
Drilling Operations, Drilling Equipment, Drilling Fluids and Materials, Casing and Cementing, Pipelines, Flowlines and Risers, Running and setting casing, Well control equipment, Offshore drilling units, Drilling fluid management & disposal, Solids control
Copyright 1989, SPE/IADC Drilling Conference
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