Tubular handling apparatus and method

Abstract

A pipe handling system comprising at least one pipe magazine, a pipe conveyor system, and a pipe arm for handling pipes in conjunction with a drill rig for drilling a well bore. The pipe handling system operates to transfer pipe joints from each pipe magazine to a pipe arm via the pipe conveyor system. The pipe arm then moves to transfer each pipe to the drilling rig for connection to drill string. The pipe handling system also operates to remove each pipe from the drill string. The arm engages the pipe to be removed and moves to transfer the pipe to the pipe conveyor system. The pipe conveyor system then transfers the pipes to each pipe magazine. The system is alternatively comprises electronic sensors that measure the location of pipe. The entire system is also alternatively operated with software and a general-purpose computer.

Description

[0001] The present application claims the benefit of 35 U.S.C. .sctn.111(b) provisional application Serial No. 60 / 359,535 filed Feb. 25, 2002, and entitled "Tubular Handling Apparatus and Method", hereby incorporated herein by reference.[0002] Not Applicable.[0003] 1. Field of the Invention[0004] The present invention relates generally to handling well bore tubulars. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system for handling and storing the tubulars as they are inserted into and removed from a well bore.[0005] 2. Description of the Related Art[0006] Drilling an oil or gas well involves two main operations: drilling and tripping. To commence the drilling procedure, a drill string composed of drill pipe and terminating with a drill bit is positioned within a drilling rig. A rotating drive mechanism rotates the drill string to bore the drill bit into the ground. The components of the drill string, such as drill collars and drill pipe, are threaded for interconnection. De...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0023] The embodiments thus provide a pipe handling system for a drilling rig that provides for a safer work environment than that of a conventional rig. The system also delivers significant cost savings derived from transporting drill pipe to and from a pipe storage area automatically so as to eliminate or minimize the need for time-costing manual labor. The pipe handling system is also light and easily movable to facilitate rig moves. Finally, the pipe handling system is part of a drilling rig that can work on narrow well centers and have a very small footprint.

Problems solved by technology

With most if not all known drilling rigs, these pipe-handling operations cannot be conveniently performed using the rig's main hoist, because the main hoist typically is centered over the well hole, and cannot be moved laterally.

Multiple-joint rigs have significant disadvantages, however.

Because of the increased height, the mast will obviously be heavier and therefore more expensive than a shorter mast, even though the maximum hoisting loads that the mast must be designed for might be the same in either case.

A taller mast's weight and cost will be even further increased by the need to design it for increased wind loads resulting from the mast's larger lateral profile.

The larger the size of the base, or "footprint", the greater the overall cost of the well.

Tall, heavy rigs also have particular drawbacks when used on ocean-going drill platforms or drill ships.

Every extra pound of rig weight adds to the dead weight and reduces the usable load capacity correspondingly.

Extra dead weight not only increases fuel costs for transportation, but also increases expenses for supply ships, which must make more frequent visits because the platform or drill ship has less available load capacity for storage of supplies.

In stormy conditions, drilling and tripping operations can become impractical, unsafe, or both.

This risk increases as the rig's center of gravity rises, such that a tall rig generally will have to be shut down to wait out bad weather sooner than a shorter rig in the same weather.

Downtime due to weather conditions, known as "waiting on weather" time (or "WOW" time) in drilling parlance, is extremely expensive.

Because the total expense of operating an offshore rig is commonly in the range of $150,000 or more per day, it is readily apparent that the pipe-handling economies made possible by offshore rigs with tall masts can be offset significantly by a corresponding risk of increased WOW time.

Another disadvantage of high mast rigs involves the transportation of mobile rigs from site to site.

The cost and difficulty of transportation of the rigs can increase as the size of the rig increases.

Transporting rigs can also involve travel over narrow roads and bridges and travel in hazardous weather.

Thus, large rigs can provide obstacles as to the conditions and locations in which they can be transported.

The process of manually moving pipe or manually operating equipment used to lift and or rotate pipe can be tedious and dangerous.

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