During borehole-forming and completion operations, it is necessary to make up and/or break down long strings of tubular goods such as drill pipe and casing. The string of pipe may be thousands of feet long, and it is therefore necessary to transport pipe joints (approximately 28 to 32 feet in length) from a pipe rack located away from the rig up to the rig floor. When being tripped out of the hole, the string of pipe is broken down into separate joints and returned to the pipe rack.
The handling of oil well pipe is one of the most dangerous jobs on a drilling rig. Some of the pipe joints weigh thousands of pounds, and it is difficult to move the pipe from a horizontal position below and away from the rig into a vertical position overlying hole center in the rig.
The present disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features may not be drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion.
It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of various embodiments. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed. Moreover, the formation of a first feature over or on a second feature in the description that follows may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional features may be formed interposing the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact.
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In an exemplary embodiment, the support structure 100 may additionally comprise a plurality of leveling legs 108 independently operable to adjust the height and angle of the support structure 100 relative to the underlying terrain. The leveling legs 108 may also function to align the support structure 100 with an adjacent pipe storage rack (see
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In an exemplary embodiment, the toggle mount 302 may also comprise a tubular shaft 306 extending perpendicularly downward and configured to be inserted into a toggle member 308 that may be configured to accept and seat the particular shape of the tubular shaft 306. As illustrated, the tubular shaft 306 may comprise, but is not limited to, a section of square tubing that is either mechanically coupled or welded to the toggle mount 302. In alternative embodiments, the tubular shaft 306 may also comprise varying tubular shapes, i.e., cylindrical or hexagonal tubulars. Furthermore, a pin 310 may be inserted to prevent axial disengagement between the tubular shaft 306 and the toggle member 308 during operation or transport. For example, by removing the pin 310, the combination lift arm 204 and toggle mount 302 may be detached completely from the apparatus 10, and then rotated and reinserted at an angle substantially parallel to the support structure 100 for transportation purposes.
In an exemplary embodiment, the toggle member 308 may be rotatably mounted to a shroud 312 and configured to rotate about a pivot point 314. The shroud 312 may be attached to the support structure 100 to seat the indexers 202 when not engaged and further house one or more actuators 316. The actuators 316 may be configured to move the indexers 202 and pick up arms 204, thus allowing them to work in unison to urge tubular members towards and away from the elongate trough 102. In exemplary embodiments, the actuators 316 may be hydraulically-operable linear actuators. In alternative embodiments, the actuators 316 may be powered by pneumatics or a geared electric motor.
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In exemplary embodiments, the actuators 502 may be hydraulically-operable linear actuators and/or may be powered by pneumatics or electric-geared motors. In yet another embodiment (not illustrated), a single actuator 502 may be moveably coupled to the elongate trough 102 and operable to perform the same function as multiple actuators 502.
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While the carrier 105 is being raised or lowered, the carrier end 608 is in constant engagement with a support member 610 mounted to the support structure 100. In an exemplary embodiment, the support member 610 may comprise a pair of longitudinally extending brackets that extend perpendicularly from the end of the support structure 100 a short distance. Shown more clearly in
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The lifting apparatus, as illustrated in
In operation, maximum mechanical advantage is reached when the slider link A-B becomes perpendicularly aligned with the coupler link B-C, commonly referred to as the toggle point, or dead point. For example, when reaching the toggle point, either by retracting or extending the cylinder 604, the angle of rotation of link B-C slows to a minimum. Therefore, while retracting (i.e., raising the lift arm 602) or extending (i.e., lowering the lift arm 602) the cylinder 604 (link A-B) at a constant speed, approaching the toggle point results in a non-linear decrease in the angle of rotation of coupler-link B-C. This allows for greater control over the movement of the carrier 105 as it may be brought to rest on the support structure 100 in a controlled and non-abusive fashion. The lifting apparatus is thereby configured to reduce or eliminate the need for flow controls.
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One skilled in the art will recognize that the apparatus 10 may be powered by any number of means of alternative power sources. For example, the apparatus 10 may be powered by a diesel engine, or any engine of substantially equivalent power output. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus 10 is manually operated using manual hydraulic controls. The apparatus 10 may also or alternatively be controlled via an optional wireless remote.
An apparatus capable of moving a tubular member to and from an elevated drilling rig floor has been described. The apparatus may comprise a support structure configured to be positioned adjacent a pipe rack. It may also comprise a carrier moveably coupled to the support structure, and a carriage moveably coupled to the carrier. A trough may extend longitudinally over the support structure and be moveably coupled to the carriage, wherein the trough is configured to receive a tubular member. The trough may be operable to tilt relative to the support structure thereby discharging a tubular.
The apparatus may further comprise a lift arm that is be coupled between the support structure and the carrier and operable to move the carrier and carriage relative to the support structure, thereby also moving the tubular member received in the trough The apparatus may also comprise a plurality of indexers each coupled to the support structure and operable to urge the tubular member toward the trough, and a plurality of pick up arms each slidingly engaged with a corresponding one of the plurality of indexers and operable to retrieve the tubular member from the pipe rack by tilting relative to the support structure. The support structure may further comprise a plurality of leveling legs that are collectively operable to raise, lower and tilt the support structure relative to the underlying terrain.
An apparatus has also been described that comprises a support structure having a carriage and a trough movably coupled to a carrier, wherein a lift arm may be coupled between the support structure and the carrier. The lift arm may be laterally offset from being vertically aligned with the carrier. The apparatus further comprises an actuator having a first end coupled to the support structure and a linkage coupled between the lift arm and a second end of the actuator, wherein the linkage is operable to transfer operational force of the actuator to the lift arm to raise and lower the carrier, carriage and trough relative to the support structure. Therefore, the lift arm, the actuator, and the linkage may be configured to cooperatively raise the trough from a retracted trough position in which the trough is substantially horizontal and parallel to the support structure.
A method for moving a tubular member relative to a drilling rig floor has also been disclosed, the method comprising picking up a tubular member from a pipe rack adjacent to a support structure by operating a plurality of actuators, each coupled to a corresponding one of a plurality of pick up arms. The method further comprises operating the actuators to urge the tubular member onto a plurality of indexers and into a trough extending longitudinally above the support structure, and then operating a lift arm to move the trough and the tubular member therein to an elevated position over the support structure.
A method for moving a tubular member from a drilling rig floor relative to the ground has also been disclosed, the method comprising placing the tubular member lengthwise in a trough that extends angularly from a support structure towards the rig floor and operating a lift arm to lower the trough and the tubular member therein towards the support structure. The method further comprises operating a plurality of actuators to tilt the trough to one side thereby discharging the tubular member towards a plurality of indexers. Operating the plurality of indexers to move the tubular member towards a corresponding plurality of pick up arms, and operating the plurality of pick up arms that to lower the tubular member onto a pipe rack that is proximate the support structure.
The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments so that those skilled in the art may better understand the aspects of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. For example, the present disclosure may also be used in the logging industry where the tubular members may be replaced by timbers. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and that they may make various changes, substitutions and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 10/908,951, entitled “PIPE-HANDLING APPARATUS,” filed Jun. 1, 2005, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. This application is also related to U.S. application Ser. No. 12/023,730, entitled “PIPE-HANDLING APPARATUS AND METHODS,” filed Jan. 31, 2008, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.