U.S. patent application number 10/373983 was filed with the patent office on 2003-10-23 for tubular handling apparatus and method.
This patent application is currently assigned to N-I Energy Development, Inc.. Invention is credited to Dunn, Michael D., Opstad, Erik A., Sawyer, Charlie W..
Application Number | 20030196791 10/373983 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27805004 |
Filed Date | 2003-10-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030196791 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dunn, Michael D. ; et
al. |
October 23, 2003 |
Tubular handling apparatus and method
Abstract
A pipe handling system comprising at least one pipe magazine, a
pipe conveyor system, and a pipe arm for handling pipes in
conjunction with a drill rig for drilling a well bore. The pipe
handling system operates to transfer pipe joints from each pipe
magazine to a pipe arm via the pipe conveyor system. The pipe arm
then moves to transfer each pipe to the drilling rig for connection
to drill string. The pipe handling system also operates to remove
each pipe from the drill string. The arm engages the pipe to be
removed and moves to transfer the pipe to the pipe conveyor system.
The pipe conveyor system then transfers the pipes to each pipe
magazine. The system is alternatively comprises electronic sensors
that measure the location of pipe. The entire system is also
alternatively operated with software and a general-purpose
computer.
Inventors: |
Dunn, Michael D.;
(Anchorage, AK) ; Sawyer, Charlie W.; (Vancouver,
WA) ; Opstad, Erik A.; (Anchorage, AK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CONLEY ROSE, P.C.
P. O. BOX 3267
HOUSTON
TX
77253-3267
US
|
Assignee: |
N-I Energy Development,
Inc.
Houston
TX
|
Family ID: |
27805004 |
Appl. No.: |
10/373983 |
Filed: |
February 25, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60359535 |
Feb 25, 2002 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
166/77.51 ;
166/380; 175/52; 175/85 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 19/155
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
166/77.51 ;
175/52; 175/85; 166/380 |
International
Class: |
E21B 019/14; E21B
019/16 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A pipe handling system for use in conjunction with a drilling
rig for drilling a well bore comprising: at least one pipe magazine
for holding at least one pipe, each pipe magazine comprising at
least one pipe rack; a pipe arm; a pipe conveyor system for
transferring each pipe from each pipe magazine to the pipe arm; and
where the pipe arm transfers each pipe to and from the drilling
rig.
2. The pipe handling system of claim 1 where each pipe magazine
comprises more than one pipe rack, each pipe rack comprising at
least one slat for holding pipes.
3. The pipe handling system of claim 1 where the pipe conveyor
system comprises a vertical pipe conveyor and more than one
horizontal pipe conveyor associated with each pipe magazine and an
external pipe conveyor for transferring each pipe to the pipe
arm.
4. The pipe handling system of claim 1 where the pipe conveyor
system further comprises shovel arms for handling each pipe.
5. The pipe handling system of claim 1 wherein the system is
capable of transferring pipe from each of the pipe magazines to the
drilling rig and also transferring pipe from the drilling rig to
each of the pipe magazines.
6. The pipe handling system of claim 1 further comprising more than
one pipe magazine where the pipe conveyor system also transfers
pipe between each pipe magazine.
7. The pipe handling system of claim 1 where the pipe handling
system further comprises sensors for sensing pipe information
during handling by the system.
8. The pipe handling system of claim 7 where a general-purpose
computer operates the pipe handling system.
9. The pipe handling system of claim 1 where each pipe rack is
capable of moving between at least two positions to gravitationally
bias each pipe.
10. The pipe handling system of claim 1 where the pipe arm moves
from a first position to a second position to transfer each pipe to
the drilling rig.
11. A method of transferring at least one pipe from a pipe magazine
to a drilling rig comprising: rotating at least one pipe rack in
the pipe magazine to gravitationally bias each pipe while on each
pipe rack; transferring each pipe from each pipe rack to a pipe arm
in a first position using a pipe conveyor system; moving the pipe
arm from the first position to a second position; and transferring
each pipe from the pipe arm to the drilling rig.
12. The method of claim 11 where the pipe conveyor system comprises
a vertical pipe conveyor and more than one horizontal pipe conveyor
associated with the pipe magazine and an external pipe conveyor
located between the pipe magazine and the pipe arm.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprising handling each pipe on
the pipe conveyor system using shovel arms.
14. The method of claim 11 further comprising multiple pipe
magazines, with the pipe conveyor system capable of transferring
pipe between the pipe magazines, and further comprising
transferring pipe from each pipe magazine to the pipe arm for
transfer to the drilling rig.
15. The method of claim 11 further comprising monitoring
information on each pipe during handling by the system.
16. The method of claim 15 further comprising controlling the pipe
handling system using a general-purpose computer.
17. A method of transferring at least one pipe from a drilling rig
to a pipe magazine comprising: rotating at least one pipe rack in
the pipe magazine to gravitationally bias each pipe while on each
pipe rack; transferring each pipe from the drilling rig to a pipe
arm in a second position; moving the pipe arm from the second
position to a first position; transferring each pipe from the pipe
arm to each of the pipe racks using a pipe conveyor system.
18. The method of claim 17 where the pipe conveyor system comprises
a vertical pipe conveyor and more than one horizontal pipe conveyor
associated with the pipe magazine and an external pipe conveyor
located between the pipe magazine and the pipe arm.
19. The method of claim 17 further comprising handling each pipe on
the pipe conveyor system using shovel arms.
20. The method of claim 17 further comprising multiple pipe
magazines, with the pipe conveyor system capable of transferring
pipe between the pipe magazines, and further comprising
transferring pipe from the pipe arm to each pipe magazine.
21. The method of claim 17 further comprising monitoring
information on each pipe during handling by the system.
22. The method of claim 21 further comprising controlling the pipe
handling system using a general-purpose computer.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.111(b) provisional application Serial No. 60/359,535 filed
Feb. 25, 2002, and entitled "Tubular Handling Apparatus and
Method", hereby incorporated herein by reference.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] 1. Field of the Invention
[0004] The present invention relates generally to handling well
bore tubulars. More particularly, the present invention relates to
a system for handling and storing the tubulars as they are inserted
into and removed from a well bore.
[0005] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0006] Drilling an oil or gas well involves two main operations:
drilling and tripping. To commence the drilling procedure, a drill
string composed of drill pipe and terminating with a drill bit is
positioned within a drilling rig. A rotating drive mechanism
rotates the drill string to bore the drill bit into the ground. The
components of the drill string, such as drill collars and drill
pipe, are threaded for interconnection. Depending on what type of
drive system is being used, the uppermost length of drill pipe in
the drill string is connected to the drive mechanism. As the drill
bit advances and the top of the drill string approaches the working
platform or drill floor of the drilling rig, additional lengths of
drill pipe must be added to the drill string in order to advance
the drill string further into the ground. Pipe is added by
temporarily supporting the top of the drill string using "slips"
and disconnecting the drive mechanism from the top of the drill
string. The rig's elevating system then lifts a new section of
drill pipe into position and the new section of pipe is connected
to the top of the drill string. The drive mechanism is then
reconnected to the drill string, and drilling operations resume
until it is again necessary to add more sections of drill pipe.
[0007] Tripping is a necessary but unproductive part of the overall
drilling operation, and involves two basic procedures. The first
procedure is extracting drill pipe from the well (referred to as
"pulling out of hole" mode, or "POH"), and the second is replacing
drill pipe in the well ("running in hole" mode, or "RIH"). Tripping
may be necessary for several reasons, such as for replacement of
worn drill bits, for recovery of damaged drill string components,
or for installation of well casing.
[0008] In POH mode, the drive mechanism is removed temporarily, the
drill string is connected to pipe elevators, and the drill string
is pulled partially out of the hole as far as the hoisting
mechanism and geometry of the drilling rig will permit. The slips
then support the drill string so that the section or sections of
the drill pipe exposed above the drill floor may be disconnected or
"broken out" and moved away from the well. The elevators then
reengage the top of the drill string so that more of the drill
string may be pulled out of the hole. This process is repeated
until the desired portion of the drill string has been extracted.
The procedure for RIH mode is essentially the reverse of that for
POH mode.
[0009] Whatever type of rig is being used, drilling operations
require a convenient storage area for drill pipe that will be
either added to or removed from the drill string during drilling or
tripping. On many rigs, drill pipe is stored vertically, resting on
the drill floor and held at the top in a rack known as a
"fingerboard." This system typically requires a "derrickman"
working on a "monkey board" high up in the rig, to manipulate the
top of the drill pipe as it is moved in and out of the fingerboard.
Other rigs use a "pipe tub", which is a sloping rack typically
located adjacent to and extending below the drill floor. Drill
ships and ocean-going drilling platforms often provide for vertical
or near-vertical storage of drill pipe in a "Texas deck" located
under the drill floor, with access being provided through a large
opening in the drill floor.
[0010] When sections of drill pipe are being added during drilling
or in RIH mode during tripping, the pipe must be transported into
position from the pipe storage area. The opposite applies in POH
mode during tripping, when pipe removed from the drill string must
be transported away from the well and then to the storage area.
With most if not all known drilling rigs, these pipe-handling
operations cannot be conveniently performed using the rig's main
hoist, because the main hoist typically is centered over the well
hole, and cannot be moved laterally. The pipe has to be moved
laterally using either manual effort or auxiliary machinery. In
addition, drilling a well bore requires pipe joints of different
size and different maximum tool-end upsets. The placement and
sizing of the pipe handling devices must take into account the
range of sizes of pipes and their maximum too-end upset so as to
contact the pipe body only and not the pipe ends.
[0011] It can readily be seen that the efficiency and economy of a
well-drilling operation will increase as the amount of time and
effort required for handling drill pipe is decreased. Drill pipe is
typically manufactured in standard-length "joints." One common
length for a pipe "joint" is 31 feet. Many known rigs handle
"stands" made up of two joints ("doubles," in industry parlance) or
three joints ("triples"), and such rigs are typically thought to
provide significant operational cost savings over rigs that can
handle only single joints of pipe.
[0012] Multiple-joint rigs have significant disadvantages, however.
To accommodate doubles and triples, they must have taller masts.
For instance, if the rig is to handle triples that are 93 feet
long, the hoist must be able to rise 100 feet or more above the
drill floor and the mast has to be even higher than that. Because
of the increased height, the mast will obviously be heavier and
therefore more expensive than a shorter mast, even though the
maximum hoisting loads that the mast must be designed for might be
the same in either case. A taller mast's weight and cost will be
even further increased by the need to design it for increased wind
loads resulting from the mast's larger lateral profile. A larger
mast also requires a larger base to support the higher structure.
The larger the size of the base, or "footprint", the greater the
overall cost of the well.
[0013] Tall, heavy rigs also have particular drawbacks when used on
ocean-going drill platforms or drill ships. Each floating platform
or drill ship has its own particular total weight limit, made up of
dead weight plus usable load capacity. Every extra pound of rig
weight adds to the dead weight and reduces the usable load capacity
correspondingly. Extra dead weight not only increases fuel costs
for transportation, but also increases expenses for supply ships,
which must make more frequent visits because the platform or drill
ship has less available load capacity for storage of supplies.
Moreover, ocean-going rigs generally need to be even taller than
comparable land-based rigs. The additional height is needed
compensate for vertical heave of up to 15 feet or more to keep the
drill bit working at the bottom of the hole under an essentially
constant vertical load when the platform or drill ship moves up or
down due to wave action.
[0014] Another shortcoming of tall rigs is that the center of
gravity of the rig, as well as that of the entire drilling
platform, generally rises higher as the mast becomes taller. This
is especially true for rigs that have heavy hoisting equipment
mounted high in the mast. In stormy conditions, drilling and
tripping operations can become impractical, unsafe, or both. This
risk increases as the rig's center of gravity rises, such that a
tall rig generally will have to be shut down to wait out bad
weather sooner than a shorter rig in the same weather. Downtime due
to weather conditions, known as "waiting on weather" time (or "WOW"
time) in drilling parlance, is extremely expensive. Experience in
drilling operations has been that WOW time averages as much as 10%
of total rig deployment time. Because the total expense of
operating an offshore rig is commonly in the range of $150,000 or
more per day, it is readily apparent that the pipe-handling
economies made possible by offshore rigs with tall masts can be
offset significantly by a corresponding risk of increased WOW
time.
[0015] Another disadvantage of high mast rigs involves the
transportation of mobile rigs from site to site. Typically,
portable rigs are loaded onto trucks and moved to different
locations. The cost and difficulty of transportation of the rigs
can increase as the size of the rig increases. Transporting rigs
can also involve travel over narrow roads and bridges and travel in
hazardous weather. Thus, large rigs can provide obstacles as to the
conditions and locations in which they can be transported.
[0016] Additionally, traditional rigs require certain manual
intervention in handling the drill pipes at various stages of the
drilling process. The process of manually moving pipe or manually
operating equipment used to lift and or rotate pipe can be tedious
and dangerous. Humans are sometimes required to load pipe onto pipe
racks, roll pipe across the racks, pull single pipes to the rig
floor, screw the threaded connections together, and stand pipe in
combinations of two or three joints into the fingers of the racking
board of a conventional derrick.
[0017] For all the reasons outlined above, there is a need in the
well-drilling industry for a drilling rig: (1) that via automation
and other means, provides for a safer work environment than that of
a conventional rig; (2) that delivers significant cost savings
derived from transporting drill pipe to and from a pipe storage
area automatically so as to eliminate or minimize the need for
time-costing manual labor; (3) that is light and easily movable to
facilitate rig moves; and (4) that can work on narrow well centers
and have a very small footprint.
SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0018] In one embodiment, the pipe handling system comprises a pipe
magazine, a pipe conveyor system, and a pipe arm for use in
automatically handling pipes in conjunction with a drill rig for
drilling a well bore. Alternatively, the pipe handling system
includes multiple pipe magazines, each with conveyor systems that
transport the pipe from one pipe magazine to another until the pipe
is delivered to the pipe arm.
[0019] In operation, the pipe handling system runs in two modes,
RIH mode where pipe is delivered from the magazine and POH mode
where pipe is delivered to the magazine.
[0020] In the RIH mode, the pipe magazine delivers joints of pipe
to the pipe conveyor system. The pipe conveyor system receives the
joint of pipe from the magazine and then delivers the joint of pipe
to the pipe arm. Clamps on the pipe arm then clamp around the pipe
joint and hold it as the pipe arm pivots from a horizontal position
to a vertical position. The pipe arm then presents the pipe joint
over the well hole center where elevators on the rig latch on to
the pipe. Once the elevators latch on to the pipe, the clamps on
the pipe arm open and the pipe arm pivots back to its horizontal
position.
[0021] The POH mode executes the opposite process from the RIH
mode. Once the pipe elevators latch on to a pipe joint and the
connection is broken from the drill string, the clamps on the pipe
arm clamp around the pipe. The elevators then unlatch, release the
pipe, and are raised out of the way of the pipe arm. The pipe arm
then pivots back down to the horizontal position to deliver the
pipe to the pipe conveyor system. "Kickers" on the pipe arm push
the pipe onto the pipe conveyor system. The pipe conveyor system
then delivers the pipe to the pipe magazine for loading and
storage.
[0022] The entire system is alternatively automated and sequenced
via electronic sensors and signals that measure the location of
pipe at specific intervals. The entire system is also alternatively
integrated with software and a general-purpose computer to ensure
the pipe is passed from one machine to the next as seamlessly as
possible.
[0023] The embodiments thus provide a pipe handling system for a
drilling rig that provides for a safer work environment than that
of a conventional rig. The system also delivers significant cost
savings derived from transporting drill pipe to and from a pipe
storage area automatically so as to eliminate or minimize the need
for time-costing manual labor. The pipe handling system is also
light and easily movable to facilitate rig moves. Finally, the pipe
handling system is part of a drilling rig that can work on narrow
well centers and have a very small footprint.
[0024] Thus, the embodiments comprise a combination of features and
advantages that enable them to overcome various shortcomings or
problems associated with prior devices. The various characteristics
described above, as well as other features, will be readily
apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following
detailed description of the embodiments and by referring to the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] For a more detailed description of the embodiments,
reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings,
wherein:
[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pipe handling
system;
[0027] FIG. 2 is a top view of the pipe handling system;
[0028] FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the pipe handling
system;
[0029] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the pipe handling
system;
[0030] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the pipe handling system
showing pipe being unloaded from the pipe magazine;
[0031] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the pipe handling system
showing pipe being loaded to the pipe magazine;
[0032] FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of the pipe handling system
showing the pipe arm delivering the pipe to the drilling rig;
[0033] FIG. 8 is a top view of a pipe handling system with multiple
pipe magazines; and
[0034] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the sensor and control system
for controlling the pipe handling system with a general-purpose
computer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0035] FIGS. 1-4 show a pipe handling system 10 comprising a pipe
magazine 12, a pipe conveyor system 13, and a pipe arm 16. The pipe
handling system 10 handles pipes 18 in conjunction with a drilling
rig 20 for drilling a well bore. The pipe magazine 12 and the pipe
conveyor system 13 are modular units that allow for easy assembly,
disassembly, and transportation of the pipe handling system 10.
[0036] As shown in FIG. 1, the pipe magazine 12 includes multiple
integral pipe racks 22 arranged horizontally and spaced along the
length of and inside the magazine 12 for supporting multiple layers
of pipes 18 horizontally. The racks 22 pivot on the longitudinal
axis of the pipes 18 to gravitationally bias the pipes 18 to one
side of the magazine 12 or the other. The racks 22 pivot depending
on whether the pipes 18 are being unloaded from or loaded onto the
racks 22. Hydraulic cylinders 23 control the position of the racks
22. Each rack 22 comprises vertically spaced horizontal supports or
slats 26 (FIG. 3) for arrangement of the pipes 18. Hydraulic
cylinders 27 control the slats 26 and selectively extend the
individual slats 26 for loading and unloading the pipes 18.
[0037] The pipe conveyor system 13 comprises vertical conveyors 30
on one side of each magazine 12 (FIG. 4). The vertical conveyors 30
can be a chain, elevator, belt, or any other suitable conveyor
type. The vertical conveyors 30 each have a shovel arm 32 facing
the rack 22 for moving the pipe 18 along the vertical conveyors 30.
A motor 33 drives a shaft 31 (FIG. 4), which drives the vertical
conveyors 30. Each magazine 12 also has a first set of three
horizontal magazine pipe conveyors 34 (FIG. 4). As best shown in
FIG. 4, the first set of magazine horizontal pipe conveyors 34
begins at the vertical conveyors 30 and extends to a second set of
three magazine horizontal pipe conveyors 36. The second set of
magazine horizontal pipe conveyors 36 begins at the end of the
first set of magazine horizontal pipe conveyors 34 and extends out
of the side of the magazine 12 to the pipe conveyor 14. A motor 37
drives a shaft 35, which drives the first set of magazine
horizontal pipe conveyors 34 (FIG. 4). The first and second set of
magazine horizontal pipe conveyors 34, 36 have a shovel arm 39 on
each conveyor for moving the pipe 18 along the conveyors 34,
36.
[0038] As shown in FIG. 3, the pipe conveyor 14 begins at the end
of the second set of the magazine horizontal pipe conveyors 36. As
part of the pipe conveyor system 13, the pipe conveyor 14 transfers
the pipe 18 back and forth between the pipe magazine 12 and the
pipe arm 16. The pipe conveyor 14 can be a chain and shovel (ledge)
arrangement, a synthetic belt with deep ridges, a push-pull machine
that pushes or pulls pipe across a smooth surface, or any other
suitable mechanism for moving pipe.
[0039] The pipe arm 16 is a large trussed or beam arm that pivots
about a pivot point 42 (FIG. 2) located near the base of the
drilling substructure 44 that supports the rig floor 46 of the rig
(not shown). The arm 16 pivots from a horizontal position to a
vertical position. At the horizontal position the arm 16 is loaded
with pipe 18 from the pipe conveyor 14. At the vertical position,
the arm 16 delivers pipe 18 to a staging position offset from the
centerline of the hole. When the support arm 16 is required to
deliver or receive a joint of pipe 18 from the well center, an
articulating platform 48 that supports the pipe 18, pushes or pulls
the pipe 18 from the staged position to wellbore centerline. A
single hydraulic cylinder (not shown) located some distance from
the pivot point 42 is used to pivot the arm 16 from the horizontal
position to the vertical position. Clamps 50 hold the pipe 18
firmly against the back of the articulating platform 48. The clamps
50 do not grip the pipe 18, but only exert enough pressure to
prevent the pipe 18 from moving. The articulating platform 48,
attached to the pipe arm 16, includes a set of parallel arms with
hydraulic cylinders (not shown) that are used to present the pipe
18 over the well center. This "articulating" distance can be
adjusted to automatically align the pipe 18 center with the well
hole center for a range of different pipe sizes. A lipped pipe stop
(not shown), which is part of the articulating platform 48, can
telescope up and down when the arm 16 is vertical. The pipe stop
provides flexibility on: (1) how and where the pipe 18 is presented
over the hole; (2) the ability to clear the pipe 18 from the pipe
stop when offloading toward the magazine 12; and (3) the ability to
engage pipe 18 in the elevators (not shown) without moving the
drive mechanism (not shown). Steel rollers (not shown), driven only
if necessary, are used to clear the pipe 18 from the pipe stop to
offload towards the pipe conveyor 14, or to load pipe 18 to the
pipe stop prior to lifting the pipe 18. "Kickers" (not shown),
integral to the arm 16, are used to push the pipe 18 either toward
the pipe conveyor 14 or toward a bottom hole assembly ("BHA")
module (not shown) on the opposite side of the arm 16 than the
magazine 12.
[0040] In operation, the pipe handling system 10 runs in two modes,
RIH mode where pipe 18 is delivered from the magazine 12 and RIH
mode where pipe 18 is delivered to the magazine 12.
[0041] As shown schematically in FIG. 5, in RIH mode, the pipe
magazine 12 delivers joints of pipe 18 to the pipe arm 16 using the
pipe conveyor system 13. The rack hydraulic pistons begin the
process by tilting the racks 22 toward the vertical conveyors 30.
The slat hydraulic cylinders then selectively extend a slat 26 to
place a pipe 18 in line with the shovel arms 32 of the vertical
conveyors 30. The shovel arms 32 of the vertical conveyors then
move the pipe 18 up where the pipe 18 is transferred to the first
set of magazine horizontal conveyors 34. The pipe 18 then travels
across the first set of magazine horizontal conveyors 34 and is
transferred to the second set of magazine horizontal conveyors 36.
The second set of magazine horizontal conveyors 36 then carry the
pipe 18 out of the magazine 12 and onto the pipe conveyor 14. The
pipe conveyor 14 finally carries the pipe 18 to the pipe arm 16.
The clamps 50 on the pipe arm 16 clamp around the pipe joint 18 and
hold it against the articulating platform 48 as the pipe arm 16
pivots from the horizontal position "A" as shown in FIG. 5 to the
vertical position "B" as shown in FIG. 7. Once in position and the
drillstring is ready to receive the pipe 18, the articulating
platform 48 presents the pipe joint 18 over the well hole center.
Elevators on the rig then latch on to the pipe 18 and lift it up.
After sensors confirm that the pipe 18 has been lifted off and
cleared the pipe stop, the clamps 50 open and the articulating
platform 48 retracts. The pipe arm 16 then pivots back to its
horizontal position "B" to await the loading of another pipe 18.
The connection is then made between the pipe 18 and the rest of the
drill string in a conventional manner and drilling or tripping is
commenced. The process is repeated with the magazine 12 emptying
one slat 26 at a time until no more pipes 18 need to be inserted
into the well bore.
[0042] As shown schematically in FIG. 6, in POH mode, the opposite
process from the RIH mode is executed. The rack hydraulic pistons
23 tilt the racks 22 away from the vertical conveyors 30. At the
rig, the pipe elevators latch on to a pipe joint 18 and the
connection is broken from the drill string in a conventional
manner. The articulating platform 48 then extends from the pipe arm
16 and the clamps 50 clamp around the pipe 18. After sensors (not
shown) sense that the articulating platform 48 and the pipe stop
have engaged the pipe 18, the elevators unlatch, release the pipe
18, and are raised out of the way of the pipe arm 16. The
articulating platform 48 then retracts and the pipe arm 16 pivots
from position "B" shown in FIG. 7 back down to the horizontal
position "A" to deliver the pipe 18 to the pipe conveyor 14.
"Kickers" (not shown) on the pipe arm 16 then push the pipe 18 onto
the pipe conveyor 14. The pipe conveyor 14 then delivers the pipe
to the second set of horizontal conveyors 36 on the pipe magazine
12. The pipe 18 travels on the second set of horizontal conveyors
36, back into the magazine 12, and onto the first set of horizontal
conveyors 34. The pipe 18 then travels across the first set of
horizontal conveyors 34 until they reach the vertical conveyors 30.
The magazine vertical conveyors 30 then lower the pipe 18 to the
selected extended slat 26. When the pipe 18 engages the extended
slat 26, it rolls to the end of the slat due to the tilt of the
rack 22. In this manner, each slat 26 of the rack 22 is filled
until the magazine 12 is full or until no more pipe joints 18 need
to be removed from the bore hole.
[0043] Alternatively, the entire pipe handling system 10 is
automated and sequenced using electronic sensors 100 and a
general-purpose computer 102 as shown in FIG. 9. The sensors
measure the location of the pipe 18 at specific intervals. The
sensors 100 and the general-purpose computer 102 are used to load
pipe 18 to and from the correct slat 26 in the magazine 12. There
is also an assortment of sensors 100 on the pipe arm 16 to control
the mechanisms that hold the pipe 18 to the arm 16, and release the
pipe 18 at the correct time. The general-purpose computer 102 uses
software to gather information from the sensors 100 and activate
controllers 104 throughout the entire pipe handling system 10. The
controllers 104 control various operations throughout the pipe
handling system 10 to handle the pipes 18 such as operating the
pipe arm 16, the conveyor system 13, the pipe racks 22, and the
pipe slats 26.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 8, in another alternative, more than one
pipe magazine 12 can be used in the pipe handling system 10. The
additional pipe magazines 12 are spaced lengthwise so that the
second set of horizontal conveyors 36 of the additional magazines
12 extend into the next magazine 12 closer to the pipe conveyor 14
and pipe arm 16. The operation is the same except the pipe joints
18 from the additional magazines 12 are transferred from pipe
magazine 12 to pipe magazine 12 across the first set of horizontal
conveyors 34 and the second set of horizontal conveyors 36 of the
next magazine 12 closest to the pipe conveyor 14. The pipe joints
18 travel across the sets of horizontal conveyors 34, 36 until they
reach the pipe conveyor 14 and the process of loading the pipe into
the drillstring is carried out for the RIH mode. In the POH mode,
the process is reversed and when one of the magazines 12 is filled,
the pipe joints 18 are transferred across the sets of horizontal
conveyors 34, 36 to the next magazine 12 and loaded as described
above. The additional magazines 12 can also be operated
independently. One magazine 22 can thus operate normally as
described above while another magazine is loaded or unloaded to or
from a forklift. In addition, pipe may be unloaded from or loaded
to any of the pipe magazines 12 in any order.
[0045] The embodiments thus provide a pipe handling system for a
drilling rig that, via automation and other means, provides for a
safer work environment than that of a conventional rig. The system
also delivers significant cost savings derived from transporting
drill pipe to and from a pipe storage area automatically so as to
minimize the need for time-costing manual labor. The pipe handling
system is also light and easily movable to facilitate rig moves.
The pipe handling system 10 is also capable of handling pipe joints
of different size and different maximum tool-end upsets to contact
the pipe 18 body only and not the pipe 18 ends. Finally, the pipe
handling system is part of a drilling rig that can work on narrow
well centers and have a very small footprint.
[0046] While embodiments have been shown and described,
modifications can be made by one skilled in the art without
departing from the spirit or teaching of this invention. The
embodiments described are exemplary only and are not limiting. Many
variations and modifications of the system and apparatus are
possible and are within the scope of the invention. Accordingly,
the scope of protection is not limited to the embodiments
described, but is only limited by the claims that follow, the scope
of which includes all equivalents of the subject matter of the
claims.
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