Multi-Faceted Gripper Block for Coiled Tubing Injector

Abstract

An improved multi-faceted gripper block to improve the interchangeability of gripper blocks when the need arises to change the size of the diameter material (e.g. tubing, cable, plastic, wire, hoses, or pipe) or to improve the interchangeability of gripper blocks when the need arises to change one or more gripper blocks due to unservicability. The gripper block assembly comprises a carrier body being connectable to a gripper chain in an injector apparatus, a removable and rotatable gripper block insert having one or more longitudinal sides created with one of many types of known gripping channels or surfaces for engaging tubing or other or other such elongated items. The gripper block insert can be secured into the carrier and can be removed and then replaced or rotated without removing a serviceable carrier.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 464,157 filed on Mar. 1, 2011.FIELD[0002]The present invention pertains to coiled tubing injection equipment used in the oil and gas exploration and production industry and more specifically pertains to coiled tubing gripper blocks that have at least two usable longsides and are installed in coiled tubing reeled tubing injection equipment. Such equipment is typically used to force coiled tubing into and out of oil and gas production wells.BACKGROUND[0003]Coiled, or reeled, tubing has been used for years to force tubing into vertical as well as horizontal wellbores in order to perform a wide variety of operations such as completions, washing, circulating, production, production enhancement, cementing, inspecting, logging, etc.[0004]There are a number of patents issued on coiled tubing injectors and related equipment. Such injectors generally use a pair of oppose...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]The blocks may be reversible or rotational, with 2 or more sides that can accommodate either the same size or different sized tubing. This would allow the same gripper blocks to be reversed and used when coiled tubing with a different outside diameter is needed during drilling and servicing operations. For example, a gripper block with 2 gripping sides may be designed to accommodate 1¼″ coiled tubing on one side and 1½″ coiled tubing on the other side. By simply reversing the side of the insertable gripper block, a single injector head can readily accommodate different sized tubing. Or, in the event that the block has the same size gripper, a damaged gripper block can merely be reversed and the injector head put back into service, thereby, drastically reducing the standby time and cost associated with well drilling and workover operations.

[0012]The gripper block can be held in place by any number of methods including a pin, bolt or similar retaining mechanism, including a spring loaded pin that can be easily turned for quick release.

[0013]The multiple sides of the reversible gripper blocks alleviate the problems of the time consuming and labor intensive chain removal process in the prior art. The present invention allows for quick and easy changing of the injector head blocks without necessitating the removal of the chains; thus, typically injector head gripper block change-out times can be reduced from 1-2 days to 1-2 hours. Furthermore, each gripping surface may have multiple grooves cut into it to aid in the gripping of the tubing but the number of grooves cut into each size gripper surface is specific to the tubing size for ease of identifying the tubing size.

Problems solved by technology

It is known to those skilled in the art that the gripper blocks are designed for a single specific outside diameter tubing size and that the gripper blocks deteriorate over time.

That is, eventually gripper blocks must be replaced because of wear and / or they must be replaced if one wishes to run different sized tubing.

The replacement process for the gripper blocks is very time consuming and laborious.

Often, especially on larger sized coiled tubing injectors, the chains are quite cumbersome and heavy, sometimes several hundreds of pounds.

These factors consume time and resources that could be better used elsewhere during the actual drilling or servicing operations.

Although these blocks are in use, the shortcomings include, but are not limited to, repeated misshaping of the tubing, scarring of the tubing, incorrect pressure on the blocks to grip the tubing, and the need to change the entire gripper block when changing over to another significantly different outer diameter size of tubing, or when only one gripper block needs to be changed due to failure or potential failure.

Hence, the additional pressure on the four relatively small-in-area contact points can cause a deformation, such as squaring or denting, of the tubing.

Each time the shape of the tubing changes it experiences material fatigue and shortens the life span of the tubing.

This operation can take many hours, require the expense of another set of gripper blocks, and take larger and more valuable equipment off-line until the gripper blocks are changed.

Images