Atlantis Exploration Unit

The Atlantis Exploration Unit will serve one well at a time and it will normally follow one drilling rig but it will be no problem to shift it among several. The well is brought up to the top of the unit or it is only the outer casing that is brought up as the rest is resting on the sea bed wellhead. In addition the extra tension in the tie back casing has to be accounted for. On top of the casing system the BOP is installed.

By using the Atlantis system for exploration drilling in deep waters the efficiency of the drilling operations will increase considerably, as there is no need to run the BOP and the drilling riser through the water column to the seabed, but only down to 200-400 meters.

By utilizing the Atlantis Unit together whith "shallow water" rated drilling rigs in combination with a taut-leg polyester mooring system the "water depth rating" of the drilling unit increases considerable. Such a drilling operation are also likely to be more cost effective than a higher rated drilling unit, improving the efficincy as well as reducng the total cost of the well.