DriveSHOE™
View
PDF VersionThe Caledus DriveSHOE™ range is a series of large diameter closed-end shoes used during subsea conductor driving operations for top-hole casings. Equipped with aluminium parabolic noses or flat aluminium plates the DriveSHOE™ prevents soft surface formation from entering the conductor while it is being hammered and driven in.
This form of conductor driving is carried out in areas where no cuttings or formation are permitted/desired to be spilled out onto the seabed and where formation cannot be subjected to circulation of drilling fluids. Drilling can only be carried out once all returns are closed-loop back to the drilling rig. Caledus supplies two main types of DriveSHOE™, DrillTHRU™ and DriveTHRU™.
The DrillTHRU™ design is a parabolic aluminium nose, flush with the outer diameter of the conductor, threaded and locked to the end of a prepared conductor joint or dedicated pup, and is drilled out once in position. Drillable internal guide landing rings, to accept single shot survey tools, can be provided as part of the DrillTHRU™ shoe assembly.
The DriveTHRU™ design is a flat bottomed aluminium plate shear pinned to the end of a prepared conductor joint or dedicated pup and is driven through and displaced by a subsequent conductor string, equipped with a DrillTHRU™ shoe once in position. The parabolic nose on the subsequent conductor string DriveSHOE™ lands on the Aluminium plate, allowing the hammer to be activated to shear the pins holding the plate in position. A special profile on the top of the Aluminium plate mates with the parabolic nose initially and ensures the plate is pushed aside rather than ahead while the next conductor string is driven to depth.
A DriveTHRU™ shoe followed by a DrillTHRU™ shoe means that two different sizes of conductor can be driven into place, before any drilling needs to take place.
Features:
- Available in most conductor size and wall thickness combinations
- Aluminium alloys used are easily drillable/millable