Patent Application
20070014653
In many well projects, a large number of well related vehicles and equipment are used at a well site to complete various procedures related to well construction. Well projects may require, for example, cementing equipment, wireline equipment, acid injection equipment and other types of equipment for numerous potential procedures. Typically, each type of equipment is mounted on its own vehicle or set of vehicles and operated by a crew dedicated to that particular type of equipment.
Preparation of the area around the wellhead often is dictated by the number and size of equipment required for a given project. Each vehicle type and corresponding crew must have sufficient room at the well site to access the well during its specific procedure. In some projects, downtime can occur while waiting for the arrival of crews to handle specific procedures in a desired sequence during the well construction project.
In general, the present invention provides a system and method of facilitating completion of well related projects. A modular well construction approach is utilized to provide flexibility that enables a reduction in the amount of equipment and number of crews, thus creating greater efficiency in well projects. The equipment used for various procedures in well projects is constructed in modules that can be loaded on a support vehicle, such as a crane truck. The support vehicle has docking units that enable the mounting of a plurality of the equipment modules onto the vehicle for transport from one well site to another. Modules for a given procedure can be interchanged to enable performance of the specific procedure, thereby eliminating the need for a separate vehicle and crew dedicated to each procedure.
Certain embodiments of the invention will hereafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements, and:
In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the present invention. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible.
The present invention generally relates to well projects in which various well procedures, e.g. services, are performed. Well equipment modules are used to perform multiple well related procedures, such as well construction procedures. The modules can be interchanged from one vehicle, e.g. a transport vehicle, to another vehicle, thus reducing the number of equipment carrying vehicles required for a given well project. The system also enables a reduction in the number of crew members while providing easy transportability of equipment from one well site to another.
Specifically, the system and methodology comprise a transport vehicle that may be in the form of a crane truck to transport the modules between well sites. The use of individual modules and a vehicle able to transport a plurality of the modules increases the efficiency and reduces the costs incurred during many types of well construction and other well related projects.
Referring generally to
As illustrated in
The modular support system 28 further comprises a plurality of equipment modules, such as modules 34, 36 and 38. The modules, e.g. modules 34, 36 and 38, comprise equipment used in a variety of well related procedures. Previously, each type of equipment would be dedicated to a specific vehicle and operated by a specific crew. However, equipment modules 34, 36 and 38 are interchangeable and can be moved from one vehicle, e.g. support vehicle 30, to another vehicle, e.g. support vehicle 32, as needed for performing specific well related procedures. A given module typically is designed for a specific phase of the well project, e.g. cementing, acid application, logging.
In the example illustrated, support vehicle 30 comprises a crane truck having a crane 40, a cab 42 and a storage area 44 for storing a plurality of modules. The modules may be selectively released and removed from storage area 44 by crane 40 and moved into a desired position for operation of the equipment contained in the module to accomplish a specific well related procedure. For example, crane 40 can be used to move specific modules from crane truck 30 to support vehicle 32 where the module is selectively mounted to support vehicle 32 via a mounting mechanism 46. Mounting mechanism 46 is designed to enable the easy connection and disconnection of each module 34, 36 and 38. The specific modules are selected for facilitating each unique phase of well construction. For example, the series of modules may be mounted to mounting mechanism 46 in a specific sequence to facilitate the sequential phases of well construction. Mounting mechanism 46 can comprise a variety of designs, including mechanical catch and release mechanisms, fasteners, e.g. bolts, hydraulically actuated locks or other mechanisms that enable the relatively rapid mounting of the module, disconnection of the module, and mounting of a subsequent module according to the desired sequence of well construction procedures for a given project.
Support vehicle 32 may comprise a variety of other features depending on the specific uses for which the vehicle is designed. For example, vehicle 32 may comprise a cab 48 and a permanent equipment area 50. Permanent equipment area 50 may be designed to accommodate many types of equipment, including a fixed cement mixing and pumping unit to facilitate, for example, cementing of liners and other well construction procedures.
In the example illustrated, modules 34, 36 and 38 are delivered to well site 20 by crane truck 30 and support vehicle 32. Crane truck 30 is used to carry two modules, although the vehicle may be designed to carry other numbers of modules depending on the size and type of equipment incorporated into the interchangeable modules. Once at well site 20, crane 40 is used to move modules 34, 36 and 38 to desired locations. For example, modules can be sequentially released and lifted from support vehicle 32 after completion of each procedure utilizing a specific module. Upon completion of the specific procedure, crane 40 is used to lift the next sequential module from crane truck 30 and to move that module into engagement with support vehicle 32 where it is secured by mounting mechanism 46 for use in the next sequential well related procedure. This process can be continued by interchanging modules, thereby allowing a minimal number of vehicles and crews to accomplish many well related procedures for a given well project. In the example illustrated in
Referring generally to
Numerous arrangements of modules can be mounted in storage area 44 depending on the procedures required for a given well project. As illustrated in
Wireline module 36 comprises, for example, a wireline 64 and a wireline winch 66 for moving wireline 64 into wellbore 24. Wireline module 36 can be used for a variety of well construction related procedures, including the logging of data from within the well. Accordingly, wireline module 36 can be released from its docking unit 58 and lifted from vehicle 30 via crane 40 for movement to a desired position of operation, e.g. mounting mechanism 46 on support vehicle 32. Upon completion of this phase of well construction, module 36 is moved back to one of the docking units 58 on crane truck 30 or to another storage location.
Referring generally to
In operation of crane truck 30 at well site 20, individual modules are selected and utilized in specific well related procedures, as generally set forth in the flowchart of
Upon completion of the specific procedure, the module can be moved to an appropriate storage location. According to one embodiment, the module is returned to one of the docking units 58 on crane truck 30, as illustrated by the flowchart of
Referring generally to
Cab 42 may be an extended cab having an extended sleeper or storage portion 92. The cab 42 is mounted on chassis 54, and crane 40 also is mounted on chassis 54 via a platform 94 to which crane base 56 is secured. In this embodiment, crane base 56 is mounted towards the rear of vehicle 30 and supports boom 52 and a transport position over the stored modules during transport of the modules from one well site to another. Also, a plurality of stabilizer mechanisms 96, such as hydraulic stabilizer arms, can be pressed against the ground to stabilize platform 94 during extension of boom 52 and movement of the modules. In the specific embodiment illustrated, storage area 44 is located on platform 94 between the crane base 56 and cab 42 and is sized to carry two modules, such as module 34 and module 36. Additionally, crane truck 52 comprises an external control console 98 by which an operator can control crane 40 and movement of modules from and to docking units 58. The overall design of crane truck 30 enables the movement of at least two separate equipment modules from one well site to another for use in a plurality of well procedures, thereby avoiding the need for separate vehicles and crews dedicated to each procedure type.
It should be noted that modular support system 28 may be used in a variety of configurations depending on the specific well project. For example, support vehicle 32 may comprise a variety of vehicle designs, and certain projects may incorporate the use of additional support vehicles that can be used in cooperation with the multi-module crane truck illustrated and discussed above. Various types of permanently affixed equipment, either mounted on vehicles or at the well site, also can be used for a given project. The size and functionality of the modules described above can be changed or adjusted according to the requirements of specific projects.
Accordingly, although only a few embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible without materially departing from the teachings of this invention. Accordingly, such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the claims.
