U.S. patent application number 11/827342 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-28 for drilling unit.
This patent application is currently assigned to DRILLMEC S.p.A.. Invention is credited to Davide Trevisani.
Application Number | 20080047755 11/827342 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38461777 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080047755 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Trevisani; Davide |
February 28, 2008 |
Drilling unit
Abstract
A drilling unit is provided with a top drive which is mobile
along a drilling axis in order to move drilling rods, with two
telescopic drilling masts which are arranged facing each other, a
cable device and a hydraulic device which co-operate with each
other to move the top drive along a support guide which is parallel
to the axis and is arranged in an intermediate position in relation
to the two drilling masts for supporting and sliding the top drive
along the axis. A hydraulic actuator for each drilling mast is
suitable for modifying a longitudinal length of the relative
drilling mast. A control station is suitable for controlling the
actuation of each hydraulic actuator either in simultaneous or
independent fashion.
Inventors: |
Trevisani; Davide; (Cesena
(FO), IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MERCHANT & GOULD PC
P.O. BOX 2903
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402-0903
US
|
Assignee: |
DRILLMEC S.p.A.
Gariga di Podenzano (PC)
IT
|
Family ID: |
38461777 |
Appl. No.: |
11/827342 |
Filed: |
July 11, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
175/85 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 15/003 20130101;
E21B 19/084 20130101; E21B 7/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
175/085 |
International
Class: |
E21B 19/20 20060101
E21B019/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 20, 2006 |
IT |
TO2006A000536 |
Claims
1. Drilling unit comprising a top drive which is mobile along a
drilling axis to move drilling rods, and a movement group of the
top drive comprising a cable device and a hydraulic device
co-operating with the cable device to move the top drive along the
drilling axis; the unit comprising two drilling masts arranged
facing and parallel to each other and a support guide arranged side
by side and in an intermediate position in relation to the two
drilling masts to support and slide the top drive along the
drilling axis; the hydraulic device being provided with a hydraulic
actuator for each drilling mast suitable for modifying a
longitudinal length of the drilling mast, and with a control
station for the actuation of the hydraulic actuators either in
simultaneous or independent fashion.
2. Drilling unit according to claim 1, wherein each drilling mast
comprises a telescopic mast having a fixed trellis and a sliding
trellis inside the fixed trellis; the relative hydraulic actuator
being interposed between the fixed trellis and the mobile trellis
to modify the length of the telescopic mast in such a way as to
move the top drive along the support guide.
3. Drilling unit according to claim 2, wherein the cable device is
provided with at least a pair of hanging sheaves for each drilling
mast arranged at the head of the relative mobile trellis, and with
at least an additional pair of hanging sheaves associated with the
top drive.
4. Drilling unit according to claim 3, comprising a trolley coupled
in sliding fashion along the guide to support the top drive and the
relative pair of hanging sheaves.
5. Drilling unit according to claim 4, wherein the cable device
comprises at least a double pull of cables, each of which is fixed
at its own opposite ends to respective dead ends and which winds
around a respective pair of hanging sheaves of each telescopic mast
and around a respective pair of hanging sheaves of the top
drive.
6. Drilling unit according to claim 5, wherein the hydraulic
actuators comprise relative hydraulic cylinders.
7. Drilling unit according to claim 6, wherein the hydraulic
cylinders present equal entities of engine power.
8. Drilling unit according to claim 1 comprising a support
structure on which are mounted the drilling masts and the support
guide.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention refers to a drilling unit.
[0002] In general, drilling units of a well known kind comprise a
drilling mast; a top drive which is supported in sliding fashion by
the mast itself in order to move the drilling rods; and a movement
group for the top drive.
[0003] In drilling units of the kind which have been described
above, the drilling mast is a telescopic mast which is defined by a
fixed trellis and a sliding trellis which is inside the fixed
trellis, and the movement group comprises a cable device which is
provided with at least a pair of hanging sheaves which are arranged
at the head of the sliding trellis, and a hydraulic device which is
suitable for modifying the length of the telescopic mast in order
to move the top drive along the telescopic mast itself.
[0004] Drilling units of the above-described kind have always been
advantageously used because they are practical to move and to
install even in places which are rather impractical, but the
increasingly pressing operating demands which have been imposed in
the drilling sector in general, and in the sector of drilling for
oil in particular, have lead to a progressive increase in the power
which is required of these units in terms of reaching their
structural and functional limits. It has in fact been noted that in
order to increase the developed power which is available to the
movement group it would be necessary to construct a telescopic mast
of such dimensions that would not only thwart the above-mentioned
characteristics of agility, but would also render extremely
difficult the use of the hydraulic devices which are currently
available on the market to the detriment, in addition, of
production costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The aim of the present invention is to produce a drilling
unit which, while maintaining characteristics of agility in terms
of positioning, will also be able to support levels of operating
power which are greater than current ones, and which will not
involve high levels of costs in terms of production, planning or
engineering.
[0006] According to the present invention a drilling unit will be
produced comprising a top drive which is mobile along a drilling
axis in order to move drilling rods, and a movement group of the
top drive comprising, in its turn, a cable device and a hydraulic
device which co-operates with the cable device in order to move the
top drive along the drilling axis; the unit comprising two drilling
masts which are arranged facing and parallel to each other and a
support guide which is arranged side by side and in an intermediate
position in relation to the two drilling masts in order to support
and slide the top drive along the drilling axis; the hydraulic
device being provided with a hydraulic actuator for each drilling
mast which is suitable for modifying a longitudinal length of the
drilling mast itself, and with a control station for the actuation
of the hydraulic actuator either in contemporary or independent
fashion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The present invention will now be described with reference
to the attached drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting form of
embodiment of the present invention, in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a lateral elevation of a preferred form
of embodiment of the drilling unit according to the present
invention; and
[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates from above, with some parts removed for
reasons of clarity, the unit which is shown in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
[0010] With reference to the attached drawings, the number 1
indicates in its entirety a drilling unit for the drilling of oil
wells.
[0011] The unit 1 comprises a support structure 2 which is defined,
in the form of embodiment which is described, by two lateral bases
3 which may be positioned on substructures or others and by a
central frame 4, which is connected to both the bases 3, and which
is raised in relation to the bases 3 themselves.
[0012] In addition, the unit 1 comprises a support guide 5 which is
positioned on the central frame parallel and frontally to a
drilling axis A, and two drilling masts 6, which are arranged
opposite the axis A and the guide 5, and which rise from the frame
4 parallel to the guide 5 itself. Each drilling mast 6 is a
telescopic mast which is defined by a fixed trellis 6' which is
hinged to the base 3 in order to rotate around a respective axis B
which is transverse to the axis A under the action of a jack 7
which is interposed between the trellis 6' itself and the relative
lateral base 3, and by a trellis 6'' which is inserted in
longitudinally sliding fashion inside the trellis 6' itself, and
which is provided with an upper head 8.
[0013] In FIG. 1, the drilling masts 6 are shown in their closed
operating condition, in which the length of each mast 6 is
substantially equal to the length of the relative trellis 6', as
well as in a possible elongated operating condition, in which the
length of each mast 6 is substantially equal to the sum of the
length of the relative trellis 6' plus the length of the relative
trellis 6''. In the case in which the masts 6 are completely
elongated, the overall length of each of these will be
substantially equal to the length of the guide 5 measured from the
starting point of the frame 4.
[0014] Finally, the unit 1 comprises a top drive 10 which is
supported in sliding fashion by the guide 5 by means of interposing
a trolley 11 in order to move the drilling rods along the axis A,
and a movement group 20 of the top drive 10 which comprises, in its
turn, a cable device 30 and a hydraulic device 40 which co-operates
with the device 30 in order to move the top drive 10 along the axis
A.
[0015] The trolley 11 is coupled to the guide 5 in order to slide
along the guide 5 itself parallel to the axis A, and the top drive
10 comprises a rod moving sleeve 12, which is arranged co-axial to
the axis A and is connected to the trolley 11 in order to slide
along the axis A itself. The top drive 10 is suitable for being
moved along the guide 5 starting from its own lower dead point
which corresponds to the closed operating condition of both the two
masts 6, as far as its own upper dead point which corresponds to
the elongated operating condition of both the masts 6.
[0016] The cable device 30 comprises four pulls of cable 31a, which
are each fixed, at their own opposite ends, to respective dead ends
32, and, for each pull 31, four pairs of hanging sheaves 33 which
are arranged in pairs on the head 8 of each mast 6, and a pair of
hanging sheaves 34 which are mounted on the trolley.
[0017] The hanging sheaves 33 and 34 are all loose pulleys which
are suitable for rotating around respective rotation axes which are
parallel to each other, and, in particular, the two hanging sheaves
33 of each pair on each head 8 are arranged facing the hanging
sheaves 33 of the other three pairs of the same head 8, and,
equally, the two hanging sheaves 34 of each pair on the trolley 11
are arranged facing the hanging sheaves 34 of the other three pairs
which are supported by the trolley 11 itself in such a way as to
arrange the four pulls 31 parallel to each other and in the same
dynamic conditions.
[0018] The device 30 comprises, in addition, two balancing systems
35, each of which is arranged in correspondence with a respective
side of each base 3, and comprises an equaliser 36 which is hinged
to the base 3 in order to rotate around an own axis which is
parallel to the axis B, and two gripping elements 37, which are
each connected to an end 32 in such a way that an end 32 of a pull
31 is opposed on the equaliser 36 to an end 32 of the immediately
adjacent pull 31.
[0019] In other words, the cable 31a of each pull 31 is engaged by
a relative element 37, and extends upwards along the relative mast
6 in order to wind around a pair of hanging sheaves 33 and return
downwards to wind, this time, around a pair of hanging sheaves 34;
then return upwards along the other mast 6 in order to wind around
the other pair of hanging sheaves 33 and descend along the same
mast 6 to be engaged by the other element 37.
[0020] The hydraulic device 40 comprises two hydraulic cylinders
41, each of which presents an engine power which is equal to the
engine power of the other cylinder 41, and is interposed between a
relative fixed trellis 6' and the corresponding mobile trellis 6''
in order to modify the length of the relative telescopic mast 6 in
such a way as to move the top drive 10 along the support guide
5.
[0021] Each cylinder 41 extends inside the trellises 6' and 6'',
and presents a respective rod which is connected at the top to the
relative head 8, and at the bottom is inserted inside a casing 41b
which is, instead, integral with the trellis 6'. In addition, each
cylinder 41 is connected to a control station 42, which is part of
the device 40, and which is suitable for controlling the activation
of the two cylinders 41 either in contemporary fashion or
independently of each other. In the form of embodiment which is
herein described and in the attached drawings, the control station
42 has been generalised and schematicised for reasons of
simplicity, being a control station which is normally used in
hydraulic circuits for controlling relative components.
[0022] In use, starting from the closed operative position, the
activation of each cylinder 41 determines the elongation along the
axis A of the relative mast 6, or rather the upward movement of the
relative hanging sheave 33. As the length of the cables 31a of each
pull 31 is fixed, and the cables 31a are blocked at both their ends
in correspondence with the balancing systems 35, the elongation of
the two masts 6 determines the raising of the top drive 10 along
the guide 3 with the advantage that, in the case that the
activation of the two cylinders 41 is not contemporary, the power
which is delivered by each cylinder 41 in order to raise the top
drive 10 is, in proportion, equal to half of the power which can be
delivered by the cylinders 41 in the case that they function in
contemporary fashion.
[0023] Consequently, it is obvious that the presence of the two
cylinders 41 and the layout of the unit 1 which has been described
above enables the supply of an overall power which is double that
which may be supplied by each mast 6 on an individual basis without
the need to double the dimensions of the mast 6 itself.
[0024] In addition, the unit 1 which has been described above may
equally function in the case of damage to or failure of one of the
two cylinders 41, permitting, however, the continuation of the
drilling operations and the repair of the damage or failure.
[0025] It is intended that the present invention should not be
limited to the forms of embodiment which are herein described and
illustrated, which are to be considered as examples of forms of
embodiment of the drilling unit, and which may instead be subject
to further modifications relating to the shape and disposition of
its parts, as well as to details pertaining to construction and
assembly.
* * * * *