Apparatus For Pipe Handling

Abstract

Apparatus for handling oil field pipe and casing in accelerated manner and which reduces likelihood of damage to bell housing or threaded ends of pipe sections during the handling process. The apparatus consists of an endless trolley rigging secured to operate through the V-doors of the derrick assembly in coaction with the pipe racks and pipe handling area, as well as a tensioning tool and hoist line which, in turn, function interactively with the trolley cable to deliver pipe sections at the V-door at proper manipulation level while avoiding contact of the more fragile pipe ends with damaging surfaces; this procedure serves to reduce greatly loss and damage to highly expensive pipe sections.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to oil well drilling procedures, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, it relates to improvements in apparatus for handling oil well casing, tubing and drill pipe as it is transferred from a standby position to a position which facilitates its insertion into the pipe string to be lowered thereafter into the well.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The prior art includes various types of mechanical rigging and power implementation equipment for moving pipe sections in the oil field, and such rigging systems have generally adhered to a well-known basic operation requiring a number of attendants. It has been general practice to merely drag the pipe sections from the rack and through the V-door of the derrick assembly one at a time for insertion, derrick-stacking, and the like. Most innovation seems to have been directed toward protective caps and slide devices for preventing damage to the fragile parts of pipe sections during the dragging operation. However, with the advent of very deep drilling operations requiring a large number of pipe sections, and such pipe sections being necessarily formed from high tensile, expensive steel materials, it has become imperative to move such pipe sections about the drilling area at much increased speed while preserving the material safety of these sections. A pertinent prior art teaching may be found in U. S. Pat. No. 3,532,229 entitled "Apparatus for Pipe Handling" and issued in the name of the present inventor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention contemplates oil well pipe transfer rigging which includes a two-way trolley cable for delivering pipe sections to or from the derrick assembly under control of a hoist line and tethering tool. In its more limited aspects, the invention includes a two-way operated trolley cable capable of delivering the pipe section along its length during each alternate half cycle as movement force is applied to the pipe sections through an associated hoist line and tethering tool. The remote end of the trolley cable is adapted for revolutional movement through a brake and/or winch line for guidance and/or direct drive maneuvering of pipe sections by an operator.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide pipe handling apparatus capable of delivering a much increased number of pipe sections between derrick V-door and the pipe rack in unit time.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an apparatus which reduces the number of personnel required in the procedure of picking-up or setting drill pipe, casing, tubing and the like.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a pipe handling apparatus for increasing pipe movement rate in relation to time which is of relatively non-complex and highly reliable nature.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide pipe handling apparatus which exhibits versatility as to the modes and types of drive applicable as well as to the operative positions relative to the derrick assembly.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a derrick assembly and pipe handling apparatus in one form of oil field disposition;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of one form of pipe gripping device as utilized in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a thimble as utilized in the pipe gripping device of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of the pipe handling apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of an alternative form of rigging utilizing the essential features of the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is yet another form of rigging which may be utilized with the essential features of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 1, a drilling rig 10 is shown as a conventional type of derrick assembly, as may be patterned generally after those assemblies utilized by larger types of deep hole drilling rigs. Drilling rig 10 consists of a derrick 12 (shown in dashed lines) having a rig floor 14 and a supporting substructure 16. The top or upper platform 18 of derrick 12 supports a crown block 20 which generally includes a plurality of pulleys supporting multiple falls of cable 22 which extend from a powered draw works 24 mounted on the rig floor 14. The multiple falls of cable 22 serve to suspend a travelling block 26 in the vertical center of derrick 12.

The travelling block 26 extends a hook 28 which is rotationally connected by virtue of a swivel 30. A casing elevator 32 is then suspended from hook 28 by means of a yoke 34 and bales 36 and 38. Casing elevator 32 may be any of various forms of conventional oil field equipment as employed for vertical manipulation of oil well casing.

The draw works 24 will power additional winch equipment such as cat head 40 controlling the extension of cat line 42, and still other auxiliary winch equipment powered from separate sources may be employed, e. g. a winch 44 and a utility or snubbing line 46. Working platforms such as a stepping board 48 and treble or fourble boards 50 are suitably placed in conventional manner, depending on the size and type of drilling rig. The center of rig floor 14 includes a conventional type of rotary table 52 which suspends a casing string, uppermost casing section 54 having a coupling 56 being shown, by means of a well-known slip assembly (not shown) which serves to seize and support the pipe string. A cylindrical casing head member 58 is shown vertically and centrally aligned beneath rig floor 14, and a typical mouse hole 60 is formed by a vertical pipe 62, mouse hole 60 serving as a stand-by pipe repository.

A plurality of pipe sections 54, shown in FIG. 1 as sections of casing singles 64 are stored on pipe racks 66 and disposed for movement onto a pipe ramp 68 after which the pipe or casing is carried up across a pipe slide 70 at the rig floor 14. A V-door 72 (shown in dashed outline) is provided in the derrick 12 on the side where the pipe slide 70 enters. Thus, an incoming section of casing 54a which includes a coupling 56a is shown in the incoming position, pipe section 54a having been delivered up the pipe slide 70 to rest on the edge of rig floor 14. Still a next casing section 54b is shown awaiting next handling from the pipe ramp 68, etc.

A stanchion 74 is securely affixed to rig floor 14 at a position allowing central access to V-door 72. A block 76 is secured to the upper extremity of stanchion 74 to enable support of a trolley cable 78. The trolley cable 78 consists of a cable loop supported for cyclical movement through block 76 and extending a cable 80 into reeled engagement with a drum 82, while the remaining portion of the loop or cable 84 extends into reeled engagement in similar manner about reeling drum 82. The reeling drum 82 may be formed as an integral portion of a suitable form of winch and/or brake mechanism as powered by conventional machinery within winch station 86. The winch station 86 is formed to be of sufficient height such that reeling drums 82 maintain the trolley cable 78 at a desired elevation above pipe ramp 68 to enable non-interfering movement of pipe sections 54 thereacross.

Each of cables 80 and 84 have respective pipe seizing loops 86 and 88, respectively. Seizing loops 86 and 88 are each secured to their respective cables 80 and 84 by means of a suitable clamping arrangement assuring non-sliding positive affixure, and they are affixed at positions along the cables such that each will assume a position of cable pick-up when the remaining cable loop has moved to the position where pipe section 54 is delivered through V-door 72.

The pipe seizing loops 86 and 88 are shown with more particularity in FIG. 2. Thus, they are formed by a loop of cable 90 having a loopeye 92 formed in the end thereof. The loopeye 92 preferably consists of a thimble 94 tightly surrounded by cable 90 and secured by a shackle 96.

FIG. 3 shows loopend 92 in section wherein thimble 94 is seized by cable 90 about an arcuate peripheral portion 98 while the center of the thimble is tapered inwardly from each side to form a relatively narrow circular central opening 100. The diameter of opening 100 is illustrated by arrow line 102 and should be slightly larger than the cable 90 diameter.

Referring again to FIG. 1, pipe ramp 68 and pipe ramp 66 are conventional forms of pipe handling or storage structure; however, pipe slide 70 is preferably constructed from a plurality of parallel aligned piped 104, each having a diameter generally the same as casing or drill pipe materials. Such a pipe slide 70 increases contact area of pipe end housings 56 thereby to distribute abrading force while providing more facile sliding contact along pipe slide 70.

In FIG. 1, pipe section 54 is primarily moved by hoist line 46 (snubbing line) from drive drum 44 of draw works 24. The hoist line is led down through a tethering tool 106 which is suitably secured between mouse hole 60 and an end block 108 restraining hoist line 46 inward toward V-door 72. As shown in FIG. 4, the tethering tool 106 is formed from a selected length of cable, depending upon the size of rig floor 14 and other dimensional considerations to be further described below, and having a hook 110 for secure affixure in standard opening structures forming mouse hole 60. The other end of tethering tool 106 then includes an end block 108 in restraining contact with hoist line 46. The bight end of hoist line 46 includes a seizing loop 112 which may be formed in similar manner to loop device illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In operation, and referring more particularly to the schematic diagram of FIG. 4, the endless-type trolley cable 78 serves to move successive pipe section 54 along pipe ramp 68, in non-contacting relationship thereto, against pipe slide 70 with minimal striking force thereafter to be slid or delivered up into V-door 72 at a position most accessible for a rig floor operator to remove the delivering cables and institute procedures for rig stacking, drilling string insertion, or whatever the next ensuing operation.

Thus, for example, as a first pipe section 54 is rolled out onto ramp 68, the seizing loop 88 will be in position to be placed over the thread end of pipe 54 while hoist line 46 is moved out for securing seizure of loop 112 over bell housing end 56 of pipe section 54. Thereafter, an operator actuates the air hoist and air hoist line 46 to draw pipe section 54 upward and toward pipe slide 70 whereupon it contacts pipe slide 70 on an upward bias to continue sliding upward along pipe slide 70 toward tethering tool cable 106. The air hoist operator then stops movement of air hoist line 46 when the bell housing 56 is situated at optimum disposition lying across the edge of rig floor 14 through V-door 72. A rig floor attendant can then remove seizing loop 112 to allow drawback of air hoist line 46, and other procedures are then undertaken to further place pipe section 54 after or just prior to removal of pipe seizing loop 88.

During the preceding traverse of first pipe section 54, the pipe seizing loop 86 of returning cable 80 will have been moved to the outboard position on pipe ramp 68. Thus, a next or second pipe section 54 is secured in pipe seizing loop 86 at the outer end and secured to seizing loop 112 of the withdrawn air hoist line 46 at its innermost or bell housing end 56. Thereafter, the air hoist operator then provides draw movement to bring the second pipe section 54 inward and upward into handling position at V-door 72.

The trolley cable 78 having reciprocating delivery cables 80 and 84 enable handling of twice as many sections of pipe in unit time as the necessity to withdraw and position the cable attachment delivering the outer end of pipe sections 54 has been eliminated through employ of the alternating positioning of the trolley cable 78. In addition, the restraining block 108 of tethering tool 106 insures that bell housing end 56 of the pipe sections engages pipe slide 70 at a minimal striking force and optimum angle to deliver the end of pipe section 54 through the V-door 72 and at rest across the edge of rig floor 14, this eliminating dangerous and unreliable delivery methods of the past wherein the forward end of pipe sections was allowed to swing freely through the V-door to be caught by one or more rig floor attendants. When the pipe section comes to rest and tension is eased on line 46, the end block 108 can be removed by the operator to enable further handling of pipe section 54 up within the derrick assembly.

The winch/brake reeling drum 82 may be a simple truck-mounted brake drum receiving one or two turns of trolley cable 78. The tensioning and angle of ascent-descent of trolley cable 78 would then be set by positioning of the truck, and simple brake operation would be utilized to control the movement and attitude of pipe sections.

FIG. 5 illustrates in schematic form an alternative form of operation which is enabled by the same essential structure of FIG. 1. In this case, primary movement to pipe section 54 is delivered by a winch/brake unit 120. Thus, an operator has reeling and brake control of a drum 122 for extension of a line 124 up through a suitable disposed block in the derrick assembly, e.g. such as shown in FIG. 1, for downward traverse through restraining block 108 of tethering cable 106 and final termination in a seizing loop 112 for attachment to the bell housing end 56 of pipe section 54. The operator also has control over a brake drum 126 which provides the outer pivotal connection for the cyclically operating trolley cable 78. Through coordination of primary drive movement of cable 124 and the braking of brake drum 126, the operator is able to deliver successive pipe sections into the V-door 72 at optimum positions, and all movement of pipe sections 54 is maintained under the control of a single operator.

In some circumstances, it may be desirable to use a guide through 128a which may be secured on pipe slide 70. The guide trough 128a is preferably formed as a semi-circular, smooth trough having a diameter at least twice that of the pipe sections being handled. An upper trough section 128b is secured at a lesser angle to the rig floor to enable optimum delivery or lay down of pipe sections to the rig floor operator.

The schematic diagram of FIG. 6 illustrates still another form of the invention wherein the trolley cable 78 is utilized for performing the entire operation of suspension and movement upward and into the V-door 72. The uppermost cable 80 of trolley cable 78 includes the usual pipe seizing loop 86 as well as a spaced pipe seizing loop 86a, also affixed on cable 80 a suitable distance therefrom; this depending upon the size of pipe, casing or tubing which is being handled in the particular operation. Similarly, cable 84 includes the pipe seizing loop 88 and a selectively spaced pipe seizing loop 88a The positioning and spacing of seizing loops 86 and 88 are again disposed so that delivery of a pipe section 54 by the first cable 84 will place the second cable 80 and its respective seizing loops 86 and 86a in position along pipe ramp 68 to pick up the next succeeding pipe section 54 to be delivered up into V-door 72. The operator may exert winch and brake control through winch unit 130 to drive trolley cable 78 in reciprocal manner thereby to deliver successive pipe sections 54 into V-door 72. The tensioning of cables 80 and 84, as well as length and disposition of respective seizing loops 86, 86a and 88, 88a, may be adjusted to provide optimum delivery traverse of pipe sections 54.

It should be understood that the various pipe handling riggings disclosed herein may be utilized for delivery of any of casing sections, drill pipe sections, tubing sections or the like. Further, the rigging may be utilized in taking down or delivering pipe sections from the V-door of the derrick assembly onto the pipe ramp and pipe rack for storage, maintenance, etc. Utilization of such rigging enables safer delivery, both as to operator danger and pipe section losses, of pipe sections at a faster rate through utilization of the endless trolley mechanism. The use of the tethering or restraining equipment further enables delivery of the pipe sections at an optimum spot for further operator handling on the rig floor.

It is contemplated that variations in spacing, height considerations and the like will vary with the exigencies of each particular application. It should also be understood that the simplification and size considerations of the drawings may not convey the full import as to the great size of present deep well rigs and the distances along which such pipe sections must be handled, i.e., the diagonal distance from the V-door downward and outward to the storage area wherein a great number of pipe sections must be stored or retained during pulling up and pipe setting operations.

Changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of elements as heretofore set forth in the specification and shown in the drawings; it being understood that changes may be made in the embodiments disclosed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An improvement in pipe section handling apparatus for oil well drilling rigs which include a derrick, derrick substructure and rig floor, rotary table, draw works, derrick V-door, a pipe slide, and a pipe rack and ramp structure disposed adjacent said drilling rig in general alignment with said V-door, the improvement comprising:

stanchion means secured to said rig floor to support block means at a predetermined position adjacent said V-door;

winch and brake means supported on a platform of selected height, said platform being disposed generally in line with said pipe ramp and said V-door in an outermost disposition;

trolley cable means extending as a first cable up through said block means for return as a second cable to said winch and brake means;

first and second seizing loop means each secured to said respective first and second cables proximate the center thereof, said loop means serving alternately for insertion over the outermost end of said alternate pipe sections as disposed on said pipe ramp;

third cable means having a seizing loop at the bight end for insertion over the innermost end of said pipe sections as disposed on said pipe ramp;

power means for reciprocally moving said third cable means; and

tethering means including at one end a removable block means for restraining affixure over said third cable means, and at the other end, a hook means for secure affixture to said rig floor.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 which is further characterized in that:

said power means is an integral portion of said derrick draw works.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 which is further characterized in that:

said power means is an integral part of said winch and brake means as located on said platform at said outermost disposition.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said winch and brake means are separately controllable.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second seizing loop means comprise:

wire rope means securely affixed to respective first and second cables and having the bight and shackled securely about a circular thimble receiving said wire rope means therethrough.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 which is further characterized in that:

said first and second seizing loop means are secured to said respective first and second cables at positions such that delivery of a pipe section into the V-door utilizing one such seizing loop means will position the remaining seizing loop means in position adjacent the outermost end of a pipe section on said pipe ramp structure thereby to enable alternate pipe section delivery while obviating necessity of retracking the seizing loop.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said pipe slide consists of a plurality of tubular members secured in parallel and side-by-side relationship, said pipe slide being secured between the lower limits of said V-door and said pipe ramp structure at an angle of approximately 45.degree..

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein:

said pipe slide includes a semi-circular trough mounted thereon with the trough opening upward and having an upper end extending across the rig floor at a lesser angle thereto.

9. An improvement in pipe section handling apparatus for oil well drilling rigs which include a derrick, derrick substructure and rig floor, rotary table, draw works, derrick V-door, a pipe slide, and a pipe rack and ramp structure disposed adjacent said drilling rig in general alignment with said V-door, the improvement comprising:

stanchion means secured to said rig floor to support end block means at a predetermined position adjacent said V-door;

winch and brake means supported on a platform of selected height, said platform being disposed generally in line with said pipe ramp and said V-door in an outermost disposition;

trolley cable means extending as a first cable up through said block means for return as a second cable to said winch and brake means;

first and second seizing loop means each secured to said respective first and second cables, said loop means serving alternately for insertion over the outermost end of alternate pipe sections as disposed on said pipe ramp;

third and fourth seizing loop means secured to said respective first and second cables at a point inward from said first and second seizing loop means, respectively, by a distance approximately equal to the length of said pipe sections, said third and fourth seizing loop means serving alternately for insertion over the innermost end of alternate pipe sections as disposed on said pipe ramp, said first and third and second and fourth seizing loop means being secured to said respective first and second cables such that delivery of a pipe section into the V-door utilizing one set of loop means will position the remaining set of loop means adjacent the ends of a pipe section awaiting handling on said pipe ramp.