Patent Application
20180283112
This invention relates to methods and systems of operating a tubing spider to handle and couple tubular strings. In particular, the invention is directed to methods and systems to automatically operate a spider electro-hydraulically to handle and couple tubular strings for use in well development, construction, and production, whether offshore or on land.
Long strings of tubular pipe sections (“tubulars”) are typically used in the operation of offshore oil and gas wells. These strings are used to drill deep into the earth, in the case of a drill string; to connect the wellhead on the ocean floor to the surface platform and isolate the drill string from the ocean water, in the case of a riser string; to line the wellbore, in the case of a casing string; and to deliver the oil or gas produced from the well to the platform, in the case of a production tube string. These strings can be hundreds or thousands of feet long and made up of hundreds of tubulars joined together, so the process of coupling and decoupling these various tubulars is central to the operation of an offshore well. Land-based wells similarly utilize long tubular strings.
The coupling of tubulars generally occurs by the alternating use of a crane that lowers or supports (an “elevator”) and a mechanism through which the tubular string passes that grips and supports the string (a “tubing spider”). As the tubing spider grips and supports the tubular string, the elevator lifts a new length of tubular into alignment with the existing string. Once the new length of tubular is in alignment with the string, the elevator lowers the tubular for coupling to the string and a connection is formed. The elevator, still attached to the tubular, then lifts the entire tubular string to take the weight off the spider, and the spider disengages to release the string. Finally, the elevator lowers the string through the spider by the length of one tubular and the spider once again engages to grip and support the string and the process repeats for as many lengths of tubular as are necessary. Decoupling of the tubular string occurs by the same general process.
Each of the steps of coupling or decoupling a tubular string is traditionally performed by platform workers, often by hand. As a result, the workers may be in close proximity to high pressure fluids and heavy equipment such as the spider, the elevator, and other machinery. This results in a risk of injury to the workers, of damage to the equipment, and of costly production downtime from even minor mistakes. Tubular strings may be customarily “retrieved” and “run” (i.e., entirely dismantled and reassembled) multiple times per year, so these risks can recur throughout the life of a producing well.
Consequently, there is a need for a spider control system that automatically performs the handling, coupling, and decoupling of tubulars without the need for local or remote human input or control.
One aspect of the present invention relates to an automated electro-hydraulic system for handling tubular strings using a tubing spider. The system includes a hydraulic tubing spider with position sensor generating position data, pressure sensor generating spider pressure data, and actuating component. The spider is capable of retaining, gripping, and holding, collectively referred to as “handling” the tubulars. The system further includes a spider hydraulic control capable of supplying hydraulic pressure from the platform to the spider by way of a spider hydraulic control manifold that regulates the hydraulic pressure provided to the spider by the hydraulic supply. The manifold is coupled with a pressure sensor to generate manifold pressure data and at least one regulator valve to regulate the pressure in the spider hydraulic control manifold and the pressure supplied to the spider. The system may further include a spider electrical control which receives the position, spider pressure data, and manifold pressure data from the spider and manifold through an input module, which automatically processes the position and pressure data into spider control data in a programmable logic controller and power module based on a prescribed control algorithm, and which transmits the spider control data to the regulator valve to operate the spider's handling of tubulars via an output module.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for handling tubing using a hydraulic tubing spider for use in well development, construction, and production, whether offshore or on land. The method includes supplying hydraulic pressure to a hydraulic tubing spider having an actuating component, generating position data from a position sensor based on the position of the spider's actuating component, generating pressure data from a pressure sensor based on the pressure supplied to the spider, and automatically handling tubing with the spider by actuating the actuating component by adjusting the pressure supplied to the spider based on the position data, the pressure data, and a prescribed control algorithm.
Yet another aspect of the invention provides a method for coupling or decoupling tubulars into tubular strings that may be used in well development, construction, and production, whether offshore or on land. The system and method may be utilized to either couple or decouple tubulars, so the terms are used interchangeably. The method includes supplying hydraulic pressure to a hydraulic tubing spider having at least one actuating component, from a hydraulic control manifold that includes a manifold pressure sensor, which generates data based on the pressure within the manifold. The spider includes a position sensor which generates position data based on the position of the actuating component and a spider pressure sensor which generates spider pressure data based on the pressure supplied to the spider. These data are transmitted to an input module within a spider electrical control interface which includes an input module, an output module, and a programmable logic controller. The programmable logic controller further comprises a memory, a mass storage device containing a prescribed control algorithm, and a processor. The next steps in the method are to transmit the sensor data to the programmable logic controller from the input module, to use the programmable logic controller to generate control data based on these sensor data and transmitting the control data via the output module to at least one pressure regulator valve positioned to control the hydraulic pressure supplied to the spider. Finally, tubulars are coupled or decoupled with the spider by adjusting the pressure supplied to the spider with the valve based on the control data.
The present technology will be better understood on reading the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments thereof, and on examining the accompanying drawings, in which:
The foregoing aspects, features and advantages of the present technology will be further appreciated when considered with reference to the following description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like elements. In describing the preferred embodiments of the technology illustrated in the appended drawings, specific terminology will be used for the sake of clarity. The invention, however, is not intended to be limited to the specific terms used, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.
The position of the arm units 1001, arms 1002, and dogs 1003 may be monitored by position sensors located on, near, or within the spider. Such sensors may be linear or radial variable differential transformers, piezoelectric, incremental encoders, inductive proximity sensors, magnetic inductive, ultrasonic, capacitive, photoelectric, laser measuring, or other varieties of electronic position sensors, such as visual sensors. Based on data generated by the pressure sensors 1005 and the position sensors, the spider 1000 may automatically grip, support, and connect or disconnect a tubular string. The automatic operation of the spider may also be based on position sensors on or near the spider that detect when a tubular string has moved into position for coupling or decoupling. Automatic function of the spider 1000 may create a safer environment for workers and machinery, may reduce the likelihood of error when connecting or disconnecting tubulars, and may increase productivity of the entire rig operation by speeding up the process of making up or breaking down tubular strings.
Additionally, the spider control system or method may be part of a larger control system that coordinates the overall process of making up or breaking a tubular string, including controlling the string elevator and other machinery. The tubing spider of the present technology can be used in drill pipe spiders, spiders used to handle production tubing, and spiders utilized for other tubulars utilized in well drilling, construction, development, and production.
The spider arms 1002 are depicted making the connection between the riser flanges 2001 of the bottom riser tubular 1998 and the top riser tubular 1999. The arms, actuated by actuator 1006, lower a locking ring 2004 over a compression member 2005 to tighten the compression member around the riser string 2000 and effect a connection of the tubulars.
Position sensors 1009 may be present in the spider arms 1002, along the base of the arm units 1001, or in the dogs 1003 to detect the position of each component. Such sensors may be linear or radial variable differential transformers, incremental encoders, inductive proximity sensors, or other varieties of electronic position sensors, such as visual sensors. Alternatively, the position sensors 1009 may monitor the actuator's 1006 extension to determine the position of each spider component. Based on data generated by the pressure sensors 1005 and the position sensors 1009, the spider may automatically grip, support, and connect or disconnect a tubular string. The automatic operation of the spider may also be based on string position sensors 1010 incorporated into the dogs 1003, the arms 1002, or on or near the spider that detect when a tubular string 2000 has moved into position for coupling or decoupling. These string position sensors 1010 may be pressure-activated switches, electrical position sensors as described above, or proximity sensors using capacitance, induction, magnetism, radar, sonar or ultrasonic, infrared, laser, or optical technology to detect the position of the string 2000. Automatic function of the spider 1000 may create a safer environment for workers and machinery, may reduce the likelihood of error when connecting or disconnecting tubulars, and may increase productivity of the entire rig operation by speeding up the process of making up or breaking down tubular strings.
The present method or system may be used to effect a connection between tubulars to form a tubular string with a horizontal cam-type spider, as depicted in
The spider hydraulic control manifold 301 may be housed within an electro-hydraulic control console 300 which receives hydraulic pressure from the rig hydraulic supply 402, outputs a hydraulic return 401, and causes actuation of the spider 1000. This control console may additionally include a hand operated valve 302 to allow local control of the hydraulic pressure supplied to the spider 1000 and override the PLC 202 control. Connections between the spider hydraulic control manifold 301 and each of the solenoid valve or valves 204, pressure sensors 205, hand operated valve 302, rig hydraulic supply 402, hydraulic return 401, and the spider 1000, can be via hydraulic lines. The electro-hydraulic control console may also contain a fault notification system including LEDs (light emitting diodes) 305 or alarms 304 to visually or audibly alert operators of any system faults, which may be based on data transmitted electrically or wirelessly from the output module 203. In certain embodiments connection between the LEDs 305 and/or alarms 304, and the output module 203 can be via power cable, such as, for example, a 24 Volt DC power cable. Additionally, the spider 1000 may be operated electrically, wherein the spider's 1000 actuating components are not hydraulically actuated and the spider's automatic operation depends on position sensors on the spider or tubular, and a preprogrammed control algorithm.
The spider's automatic coupling or decoupling of the tubulars without human input or control reduces the risk of worker injury and damage to equipment from human error that is otherwise intrinsic in the manual operation of a spider. The Zone 1 Hazardous Area-approved electronics also ensure that an accidental combustion will not occur, which may have been the case if a worker brought unapproved equipment into the area surrounding the spider to connect or disconnect the tubulars. The workers who were previously tasked with connecting or disconnecting tubular strings on a rig may work safely elsewhere on the rig, so the automation of the spider also effectively increases the available workforce and productivity of the rig. The spider may also improve the speed at which a tubular string is run by reducing the time needed to couple or decouple the tubulars. This increased speed is magnified because tubular strings are constructed and deconstructed multiple times during the drilling, development, construction, and production of a well, resulting in significant time savings and productivity gains over time. Further, the consistency of automated machinery allows each tubular to be attached to the string with the same force, strength, or torque, reducing the risk of over- or under-torqueing or tightening a connection, which may otherwise damage the tubulars or worse.
Although the technology herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present technology. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present technology as defined by the appended claims.
