Patent Application
20100296899
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the tubulars from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation. Particularly, the present invention relates to a pipe handling apparatus that position tubulars in a wellhead. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus for adjusting a position of a boom of the pipe handling apparatus when positioning tubulars at a wellhead.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
Drill rigs have utilized several methods for transferring tubular members from a pipe rack adjacent to the drill floor to a mousehole in the drill floor or the well bore for connection to a previously transferred tubular or tubular string. The term “tubular” as used herein includes all forms of pipe, drill pipe, drill collars, casing, liner, bottom hole assemblies (BHA), and other types of tubulars known in the art.
Conventionally, drill rigs have utilized a combination of the rig cranes and the traveling system for transferring a tubular from the pipe rack to a vertical position above the center of the well. The obvious disadvantage with the prior art systems is that there is a significant manual involvement in attaching the pipe elevators to the tubular and moving the pipe from the drill rack to the rotary table at the well head. This manual transfer operation in the vicinity of workers is potentially dangerous and has caused numerous injuries in drilling operations. Further, the hoisting system may allow the tubular to come into contact with the catwalk or other portions of the rig as the tubular is transferred from the pipe rack to the drill floor. This can damage the tubular and may affect the integrity of the connections between successive tubulars in the well.
In the past, various devices have been created which mechanically move a pipe from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation such that the vertically-oriented pipe can be installed into the well bore. Typically, these devices have utilized several interconnected arms that are associated with a boom. In order to move the pipe, a succession of individual movements of the levers, arms, and other components of the boom must be performed in a coordinated manner in order to achieve the desired result. Typically, a wide variety of hydraulic actuators are connected to each of the components so as to carry out the prescribed movement. A complex control mechanism is connected to each of these actuators so as to achieve the desired movement. Advanced programing is required of the controller in order to properly coordinate the movements in order to achieve this desired result.
Unfortunately, with such systems, the hydraulic actuators, along with other components, can become worn with time. Furthermore, the hydraulic integrity of each of the actuators can become compromised over time. As such, small variations in each of the actuators can occur. These variations, as they occur, can make the complex mechanism rather inaccurate. The failure of one hydraulic component can exacerbate the problems associated with the alignment of the pipe in a vertical orientation. Adjustments of the programming are often necessary to as to continue to achieve the desired results. Fundamentally, the more hydraulic actuators that are incorporated into such a system, the more likely it is to have errors, inaccuracies, and deviations in the desired delivery profile of the tubular. Typically, very experienced and knowledgeable operators are required so as to carry out this pipe movement operation. This adds significantly to the cost associated with pipe delivery.
To address these problems and needs, U.S. application Ser. No. 11/923,451, filed on Oct. 24, 2007 by the present applicant, discloses a pipe handling system that has a boom pivotally movable between a first position and a second position, a riser assembly pivotally connected to the boom, an arm pivotally connected at one end to the first portion of the riser assembly and extending outwardly therefrom, a gripper affixed to a opposite end of the arm suitable for gripping a diameter of the pipe, a link pivotally connected to the riser assembly and pivotable so as to move relative to the movement of the boom between the first and second positions, and a brace having one end pivotally connected to the boom and an opposite end pivotally connected to the arm between the ends of the arm. The riser assembly has a first portion extending outwardly at an obtuse angle with respect to the second portion.
The pipe handling system delivers a pipe to a well head when in the second position. Pipes can be of extraordinary lengths and weights. The boom of the above pipe handling system is pivotally connected to a skid so as to pivot between the first and second positions. Pipes can be of extraordinary lengths and weights; therefore, the pivotal connection between the boom and skid must be strong so as to withstand the forces created by the movement of the boom between the first and second positions. Typically, hydraulic cylinders are placed between the boom and skid so as to raise and lower the boom between the first and second positions. The hydraulic cylinders are connected to a hydraulic power system so as to raise and lower the boom between the first and second positions.
Various patents have issued relating to the movement of a boom of a pipe handling system with hydraulic cylinders or other similar means. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,077,209, issued on Jul. 18, 2006 to McCulloch, discloses a mast for lifting and suspending a coiled tubing injector and blowout preventer over a well head that is pivotally mounted on a rear portion of a truck. The mast has two side-by-side telescoping legs that extend and retract synchronously. Hydraulic cylinders pivotally move the mast between a lower position and an upper position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,840, issued on Jun. 29, 1982 to Bailey, discloses a suspension system for use with a mast. The system has two or more fluid pressure piston-and-cylinder assemblies. The cylinders are linked in pairs so that retraction of both piston rods reduces the length of the pair of assemblies to the length of a single assembly. Operation of both pistons in a pair provides an effective stroke twice the length of a single assembly stroke. In a particular embodiment, a double-cylinder system is used as a pickup system for elevating equipment along a mast in a well work over rig.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,289,871, issued on Oct. 30, 2007 to Williams, discloses a drilling apparatus that has a base from which a drilling arm is pivotally mounted. The drilling arm has an inner arm and an outer arm. The inner arm has a first end and a second end. The first end is pivotally connected by a first pivot joint to the base. The outer arm has a first end and a second end. The second end of the inner arm is pivotally connected via a second pivot joint to the first end of the outer arm. A drill-mounting assembly is positioned at the second end of the outer arm. Actuation of the inner and outer arms is achieved by hydraulic cylinders. Proper operation of the cylinders causes the second end of the outer arm to follow a substantially linear path.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,598, issued on Dec. 21, 1999 to Andrychuk, discloses a mobile hybrid rig adapted to run coiled tubing and wireline equipment for oil and gas wells. The rig has a chassis and power unit for transporting the rig. An adjustable platform with a number of hydraulically-operated stabilizers align the tubing at the wellhead. A mast is pivotable into slanted or vertical positions for coil tubing operation with a blowout preventer and an injector. A cradle supports and aligns an injector to the wellhead. A coil-tubing reel cartridge assembly is adapted to run coil-tubing reels. A winching facility is used to manipulate wireline equipment. A control cabin is used to managing rig activities.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,253, issued on May 22, 2001 to Dallas, discloses a method and apparatus for servicing a well. The apparatus has a pair of hydraulic cylinders pivotally mounted to a pair of base beams. The cylinders are moveable from a horizontal position for transportation to a vertical position for operation. In the vertical position, the cylinders flank a wellhead and are adapted to lift the wellhead and attached production tubing using a workover beam and a lifting sub. The wellhead and production tubing can be rotated during or after elevation. A motor can be mounted to the workover beam to rotate the wellhead and the tubing. A calibrated pressure gauge can be used to indicate the weight being lifted. The apparatus can be connected to a crane truck.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,128, issued on Jul. 24, 2001 to Shampine et al., discloses a levelwind system for a coiled-tubing reel that has an arcuate guide arm extending over the upper surface of the reel, a universal joint mounted to the lower end of the arm, a guide member supported on the free end of the guide arm, a lift cylinder for raising and lowering the guide arm, a balancing cylinder for moving the guide arm laterally, and a hydraulic fluid circuit that is responsive to a position sensor and a microprocessor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,431,286, issued on Aug. 13, 2002 to Andreychuk, discloses an injector arrangement for use in a rig that has a movable carrier, a derrick tiltably mounted to the carrier, and a trolley capable of sliding along the derrick. An injector cradle is movable along the trolley in at least a plane perpendicular to the derrick and is pivotally mountable beneath the trolley. An injector is supported at its upper end from the cradle. At least two hydraulic cylinders are supported at one end by the derrick. The cylinders are engaged at an opposed end to a lower end of the injector.
In the pipe handling system of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/923,451, filed on Oct. 24, 2007, by the present applicant, it was found that fine adjustments of the boom could be necessary so as to precisely align the pipe with the well head. Also, it was found desirable to properly tension the boom during movement of the boom between the stowed position to the deployed position.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an alignment device for a boom that provides fine adjustments to the boom and the associated pipe.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an alignment device that can selectively tension the boom during movement and positioning of the boom.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an alignment device that can be easily applied to the boom and easily operated.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an alignment device that can be remotely operated and automatically controlled.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.
The present invention is an alignment apparatus for a boom of a pipe handling device having a first line with a first end suitable for connection to the boom, a second line having a end connected to the first line, and an actuator means interconnected to at least one of the first and second lines for changing an angular relationship between the first and second lines. A connector member is connected to an end of the first line and to the end of the second line. The actuator means is cooperative with the connector member. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the connector member is a ring.
The second line has an opposite end suitable for connection to a fixed surface away from the boom. In particular, second line includes a first cable offset from linear alignment with the first line and a second cable extending in angular relationship to the first cable.
The actuator means comprises a hydraulic piston-and-cylinder assembly having one end affixed to a fixed surface and an opposite end interconnected to the first and second lines. The hydraulic actuator extends in angularly offset relationship to the first and second lines. This actuator means is movable between a first position in which the first and second lines are untensioned and a second position in which first and second lines are tensioned.
The present invention is also a pipe handling device that comprises a frame, a boom pivotally connected to the frame so as to be movable between a first position and a second position, an arm extending outwardly of the boom when the boom is in the second position, a first line having a first end affixed to the boom, a second line interconnected to an opposite end of the first line and interconnected to the frame, and an actuator means interconnected to the first and second lines. The actuator means serves to change an angular relationship of the first and second lines so as to selectively tension the first and second lines. The arm has a gripper at an end thereof opposite the boom so as to receive a tubular therein.
In the present invention, the second line includes a first cable offset from linear alignment with the first line and a second cable extending in angular relationship with the first cable. Each of the first and second cable has an end affixed to the frame. A connector member affixed to an opposite end the of first and second cables. The opposite end of the first line is connected to the connector member. The actuator means is connected to the connector member. The first cable extends in an inverted V-shaped orientation relative to the second cable. The actuator means includes a piston-and-cylinder assembly having one end connected to the frame and an opposite end interconnected to the first and second lines. The piston-and-cylinder assembly extends in angularly offset relationship to the first and second lines. The piston-and-cylinder assembly is movable between a first position in which the first and second lines are untensioned and the second position in which the first and second lines are tensioned.
The boom has a first end pivotally connected to the frame. The arm is pivotally connected to an opposite end of the boom. The first end of the first line is affixed to the boom between the first and second ends of the boom. A hydraulic actuator has an end connected to the frame and an opposite end connected to the boom. The hydraulic actuator is suitable for moving the boom between the first and second positions. The first and second lines of the actuator means are positioned on an opposite side of the boom from the hydraulic actuator. The piston-and-cylinder assembly has a piston rod with an end connected to the connector member and a cylinder having an end opposite the piston rod connected to the frame. A lever member is pivotally connected to an end of the boom opposite the frame. The arm is pivotally connected to the lever member. A link has one end pivotally connected to the frame and an opposite end pivotally connected to an end of the lever member opposite the arm. The gripper is affixed to the end of the arm opposite the lever member.
Referring to
The preferred embodiment of the apparatus 100 of the present invention has a first line 104 connected to the boom 16 of the pipe handling system 10. A second line arrangement 106 is connected to an end of the first line 104 opposite the boom 16. The second line arrangement has a first cable 106 connected to the first line 104. A second cable 108 is connected to the first line 104. An actuator means 102 is connected to the first line 104. An end of the actuator means 102 opposite the first line 104 is connected the frame. An end of the second cable 108 opposite the first line 104 is connected to the frame 12. An end of the first cable 106 opposite the first line 104 is connected to the frame 12. The first cable 106 is connected to the first line 104 by a connector member, such as junction ring 110. The second cable 108 is connected to the first line 104 by the junction ring 110. The actuator 102 is connected to the first line 104 by junction ring 110. The first line 104, the first cable 106, the second cable 108, and the actuator 102 are of appropriate lengths so that the apparatus 100 is tensioned when the boom 16 is in the second position. The actuator 102 can be a hydraulic cylinder, a screw or a turnbuckle. In
In
In order to install the drill pipe 18 upon the pipe 62, it is only necessary to vertically translate the grippers 30 and 32 within the body 28 of the gripping means 26. As such, the end 80 can be stabbed into the box connection 82 of pipe 62. Suitable tongs, spinners, or other mechanisms can be utilized so as to rotate the pipe 18 in order to achieve a desired connection. The grippers 30 and 32 can then be released from the exterior of the pipe 18 and returned back to the original position such that another length of drill pipe can be installed.
Referring to
In
Various techniques, such as laser measurement, can be utilized so as to properly orient the pipe with the wellhead. In this manner, proper signals can be transmitted to the hydraulic power supply 103 so as to manipulate the actuator 102 for the fine adjustment of the boom.
The present invention also allows additional tension to be applied to the boom. In certain circumstances, the weight of the load carried by the grippers of the pipe handling apparatus can cause certain movements or deflections of the boom. By placing the first line 104, along with the first cable 106 and the second cable 108, into a properly tensioned condition, the boom can achieve proper strength so as to avoid such deflections and movements. Additionally, through the use of the apparatus 100 of the present invention, the actual weight of the components of the pipe handling apparatus of the present invention can be reduced since proper tensioning can be achieved without the need for heavy structural components.
The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof. Various changes in the details of the illustrated construction and method can be made without departing from the true spirit of the invention. The present invention should only be limited by the present specification and appended claims.
