Drilling RIG tubular handling

Abstract

A method of handling tubulars (21) on a drilling rig (30), the method comprising: storing tubulars (21) in a storage assembly (31, 32) comprising a setback area (31) and a fingerboard (32); storing, in a database (63), information for the tubulars (21), including a status and a position of each tubular (21) in the storage assembly (31, 32), the status comprising at least one of a dope status, a drift test status and a measured geometry; operating a box end servicing tool (40) to carry out a dope operation on each tubular (21), a drift test on each tubular (21), and / or a geometry measurement of each tubular (21); and updating the database (63) with a new status for each tubular (21); wherein the dope operation, the drift test and / or the geometry measurement is carried out concurrently with and independently of a well operation in a drill floor (37) operational zone.

Description

[0001] DRILLING RIG TUBULAR HANDLING

[0002] The present disclosure relates to handling of tubulars, such as sections of drill pipe, on a drilling rig.

[0003] BACKGROUND

[0004] In drilling operations, such as hydrocarbon exploration, various operations are usually carried out by specialized vessels or rigs. The operation of such vessels or rigs can be very costly and make up a substantial part of the cost of a well. Due to the high cost, operational efficiency and reliability during these processes is of great importance.

[0005] In such drilling operations, it is common to build a string of tubulars, such as a drill string, on a drill floor above a well center opening. The string is usually assembled using a series of threaded pipe sections, where the threaded connections are made up (or broken out) using appropriate machines, such as pipe handling machines and power tongs. The connections are commonly referred to as tool joints, comprising a pin end and a box end having cooperating threads and seal area(s). The process of assembling or disassembling the string is repeated a number of times during the construction of a well. Other operations, such as well intervention operations, may also be carried out using the same principles.

[0006] The integrity of the connections in the drill string is of high importance, particularly considering the high loads the drill string may be exposed to during use and that the same pipe sections may be subjected to make-up (connect) and break-out (disconnect) operations a large number of times during its lifetime. For this purpose, end parts of the pipe sections are regularly cleaned, and lubricating and surface protecting material, commonly known as dope, is applied on the pipe section threads.

[0007] Publications which may be useful to understand the field of technology include WO 02 / 08564 A1; WO 2020 / 209725 A1 and WO 2024 / 117913 A1.

[0008] There is a continuous need for improved systems and techniques for operating drilling plants efficiently. The present disclosure has the objective to provide systems and methods which can realize advantages over known solutions and techniques in the above-mentioned or other areas, or at least provide useful alternatives thereto.

[0009] SUMMARY

[0010] In an example, there is provided a method of handling tubulars on a drilling rig, the method comprising: storing a plurality of tubulars in a storage assembly comprising a setback area and a fingerboard; storing, in a database, information for each of the plurality of tubulars, the information including a position of each of the plurality of tubulars in the storage assembly, and a status for each of the plurality of tubulars, the status comprising at least one of a dope status, a drift test status and a measured geometry; operating a box end servicing tool to carry out a dope operation on each of the plurality of tubulars, a drift test on each of the plurality of tubulars, and / or a geometry measurement of each of the plurality of tubulars; and updating the database with a new status for each of the plurality of tubulars; wherein the dope operation, the drift test and / or the geometry measurement is carried out concurrently with and independently of a well operation at a well center in an operational zone of a drill floor of the drilling rig.

[0011] The detailed description and appended claims outline further inventive examples and embodiments.

[0012] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The above and other characteristics will become clear from the following description of illustrative, non-restrictive examples, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0014] Fig. 1 illustrates a drilling rig.

[0015] Fig. 2 illustrates parts of a driller’s cabin of the drilling rig.

[0016] Figs. 3-5 illustrate parts of a drilling rig having a storage assembly for tubulars. Figs. 6-11 illustrate another example of parts of a drilling rig with a support assembly and a servicing tool.

[0017] Figs. 12-15 illustrate parts of a drilling rig having a box end servicing tool and a pin end servicing tool.

[0018] Fig. 16 illustrates a drilling plant management system and associated components.

[0019] Fig. 17 illustrates an example of a display apparatus graphical interface view.

[0020] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Fig. 1 illustrates an example of a drilling rig 30. The drilling rig 30 may be used for drilling / construction of hydrocarbon wells or for other drilling purposes such as construction of geothermal wells, injection wells, or other types. The drilling rig 30 illustrated in Fig. 1 is an offshore drilling rig, however the present teaching is equally applicable to land-based rigs. The drilling system on the drilling rig 30 may comprise a derrick 34 and associated equipment (such as a hoisting system, a top drive, pipe handling equipment, power tongs, etc., not illustrated in detail here) to build a drill string 35 and construct the well in a manner familiar to the skilled reader. The drilling operation may be controlled from a driller's cabin 36 proximal to a drill floor 37. Fig.

[0022] 2 illustrates the driller’s cabin 36. An operator 77 (for example a “driller”) monitors and controls various aspects of the drilling operation, via among other things display apparatus 60 (such as computer screens) and input apparatus 61 (such as touchscreens, machine control joysticks, etc.).

[0023] When the drill string 35 is pulled out of the well, it has been exposed to drilling mud and other well fluids. Remains of mud or other matter is, however, undesirable for the tool joint threads and seal area(s), as this can disturb the torque reading when running back in, as well as increase wear and reduce component lifetime. In order to ensure the integrity of the tool joint connections, the tool joint pin and box ends may be washed and doped prior to their next deployment in the drill string 35.

[0024] Figs 3-5 illustrate parts of a drilling rig having a storage assembly for tubulars 21, such as sections of drill string, where the tubulars 21 can be temporarily stored in an upright (vertical or substantially vertical) orientation. The storage assembly comprises a setback area (not visible in Figs 3-5 but illustrated in relation to Figs 13 and 15, described below) on which a lower end of each tubular 21 can be supported. A fingerboard 32 is arranged at an elevated location relative to the setback, to support the tubulars 21 at an upper part thereof. A large number of such tubulars 21 can be seen in the top view of Fig. 3.

[0025] A box end servicing tool 40 is operable to carry out a dope operation and / or a drift test on the tubulars 21 arranged in the storage assembly, via a box end 21a of the tubular 21. The servicing tool 40 may for this purpose comprise a tool head 41 configured to engage the box end 21 a of the tubular 21. The tool head 41 may have a dope tool. (For example, a wash and dope tool having a plurality of nozzles for water or air to clean the box end 21a and a plurality of nozzles, brushes, or other features to apply dope to the box end 21a. See, for example, abovementioned document WO 02 / 08564 A1 for an example of such a tool.) Alternatively, or additionally, the servicing tool 40 may comprise a drift diameter gauge which can be lowered into the tubular 21 to carry out a drifting test on the tubular 21.

[0026] The servicing tool 40 is movable over the fingerboard 32 by means of a support assembly 50, which comprises an elongate support structure 51. The support assembly 50 is mounted at an elevated position relative to the fingerboard 32. In the example illustrated in Figs 3-5, the elongate support structure 51 is a support table, but may optionally be a support arm, a support beam, or any other suitable structure. The elongate support structure 51 carries the servicing tool 40. In the example illustrated in Figs 3-5, the elongate support structure 51 is extendable and retractable, in the illustrated example in a direction substantially perpendicular to a back side B of the fingerboard 32, to move the servicing tool 40 relative to the fingerboard 32.

[0027] The elongate support structure 51 is fixed via a support 53 fixed to the drilling rig overall (main) structure, such as to the derrick 34. The support structure 51 may, for example, be arranged at or above a back side B of the fingerboard 32, the back side B being a side opposite a front side F having access openings for tubulars 21 and at which tubulars 21 can be retrieved from or placed into the fingerboard 32. Figs 3 (top view) and 5 (side view) illustrate the elongate support structure 51 in a retracted position and Fig. 4 (top view) illustrates the elongate support structure 51 in an extended position.

[0028] The servicing tool 40 may also be arranged to be movable relative to the elongate support structure 51. In this example, the servicing tool 40 is held by an articulated arm 48, such as a robotic arm, arranged on the elongate support structure 51. By means of the articulated arm 48, the servicing tool 40 may be movable over a large number of tubulars 21 arranged in the fingerboard 32. An operating reach of the servicing tool 40 when the elongate support structure 51 is in the retracted position is indicated as R1 in Fig. 3, while an operating reach when the elongate support structure 51 is in the extended position is indicated as R2.

[0029] Advantageously, by use of an extendible elongate support structure 51 on which the articulated arm 48, such as a robotic arm, is mounted, the size and complexity of the articulated arm 48 may be reduced while providing a large reach for the servicing tool 40.

[0030] The support 53 may, additionally or alternatively, be sideways movable relative to the fingerboard 32 along the back side B (in a direction x as indicated by the double arrow in Fig. 3), similarly as described in relation to support 54 below.

[0031] The servicing tool 40 may be height-adjustable relative to the support assembly. In the example of Figs 3-5, the servicing tool 40 may be height-adjustable by means of the articulated arm 48 being operable to position the servicing tool 40 at different heights, for example to accommodate for different lengths of the tubulars 21. (See Fig. 5, where two tubulars 21 of different length is illustrated.) The servicing tool 40 may for example be height-adjustable by ±1m or more to handle a variety of tubular lengths.

[0032] Figs 6-11 illustrate another example, in which the support assembly 50 comprises an elongate support structure 52 in the form of an arm / beam carrying the servicing tool 40. The arm / beam is held by a support 54. The servicing tool 40 is linearly movable along the elongate support structure 52, as indicated by arrows in Figs 8, 9 and 10, which illustrate the servicing tool 40 in different positions along the elongate support structure 52. The outermost position of the servicing tool 40, as illustrated on the far right hand side in Fig. 8, in the bottom left of Fig. 9 and on the far left hand side in Fig. 10, may correspond spatially to an outermost slot in the fingerboard 32.

[0033] The elongate support structure 52 is in this example pivotable about a vertical axis to move the servicing tool 40 relative to the fingerboard 32. (As indicated by a curved arrow at the upper left hand side in Fig. 9.) Actuators can be arranged to control the pivot motion and the position of the servicing tool 40 along the elongate support structure 52. In this manner, the servicing tool 40 can be operated to reach a large number of tubulars 21 held in the fingerboard 32.

[0034] As in the example described in relation to Figs 3-5 above, the servicing tool 40 may be height-adjustable, for example by means of a linear actuator, such has to enable the servicing tool 40 to engage tubulars 21 of different height, as for example shown in Fig. 10.

[0035] Alternatively, or additionally, the support 54 can be sideways movable relative to the fingerboard 32, for example along a horizontal rail 47 (or a pair of rails 47, as illustrated in Figs 7 and 11). The support 54 may be sideways movable along (above) the back side B of the fingerboard 32 (in a direction x as indicated in Fig. 6). Although the support assembly 50 in these examples are fixed at or above the back side B of the fingerboard 32, it is also possible to fix the support assembly 50 for example at a side of the fingerboard 32 and / or in a structure vertically above the fingerboard 32.

[0036] Illustrated in Figs 8 and 10, the drilling rig 30 may comprises a fluid and / or communication line 49 extending between a fixed location at the drilling rig 30 and the servicing tool 40. The line 49 may, for example, be fixed at the support assembly 50, such as at the support 54. The line 49 may contain fluid supply lines extending to a dope tool in the tool head 41 , such as a compressed air line, a water (or other washing liquid) line, a dope line, etc. The line 49 may, additionally or alternatively, comprise a communication line and / or a electric power line to a drifting gauge at the servicing tool 40, such as to remotely operate the drifting gauge.

[0037] The fluid and / or communication line 49 may advantageously be flexible or at least partly flexible. This may accommodate for movement of the servicing tool 40 during operation. The fluid and / or communication line 49 may, for example, comprise flexible fluid, signal and / or power lines arranged in a rubber hose. The fluid and / or communication line 49 may, for example, be suspended as a catenary between fixation points at the servicing tool 40 and at the fixed location, rolled-up on a drum at the fixed location, etc.

[0038] Figs 12-15 illustrate another example of a drilling rig 30 having a box end servicing tool 40 and a pin end servicing tool 42. The box end servicing tool 40 is located at an elevation which is higher than that of the fingerboard 32. Figs 12 and 14 illustrate the box end servicing tool 40 operable to carry out a dope operation and / or a drift test on a tubular 21. Also visible is an upper arm 33a of a vertical pipe handler 33.

[0039] Figs 13 and 15 illustrate a pin end servicing tool 42 operable to carry out a dope operation on a pin end 21 b of a tubular 21. (See, for example, abovementioned documents WO 02 / 08564 A1 and WO 2024 / 117913 A1 for examples of such a tool.) The pin end servicing tool 42 is arranged at an elevation which generally corresponds to that of the setback area 31. The pin end servicing tool 42 and the setback area 31 may, for example, both be arranged on a common rig deck.

[0040] The box end servicing tool 40 and the pin end servicing tool 42 are arranged spaced from the storage assembly, and the vertical pipe handler 33 is operable to move tubulars 21 between the storage assembly and an operational location of the box end servicing tool 40 and the pin end servicing tool 42. In this manner, the vertical pipe handler 33 can pick up a tubular 21 from the storage assembly and move the tubular 21 to the box end servicing tool 40 and the pin end servicing tool 42. These may be operated to dope and / or carry out a drifting test while the vertical pipe handler 33 holds the tubular 21 in position. The tubular 21 may then be moved back to a vacant slot in the storage assembly and another tubular 21 may be picked up and moved for washing / doping and / or drifting test.

[0041] Advantageously, the box end servicing tool 40 and the pin end servicing tool 42 are spaced from an operational zone on the drill floor 37 The operational zone may be a zone adjacent a well center opening in the drill floor 37 where well operations are carried out. Optionally, the box end servicing tool 40 and the pin end servicing tool 42 can be operated concurrently with a well operation being carried out in the operational zone. The box end servicing tool 40 may be arranged vertically above the pin end servicing tool 42, and the vertical pipe handler 33 may be operable to position the tubular 21 between the box end servicing tool 40 and the pin end servicing tool 42. In this manner, the dope operation can be carried out concurrently on the box end 21a and on the pin end 21b.

[0042] The box end servicing tool 40 and / or the pin end servicing tool 42 may be height- adjustable, so that when the tubular 21 is positioned between these, they may be moved downwards and / or upwards to come into engagement with the box end 21a / pin end 21b. Alternatively, the box end and pin end dope operations may be carried out sequentially. The vertical pipe handler 33 may be operated to move the tubular 21 upwards and / or downwards, and / or in the horizontal plane. In this manner, the box end servicing tool 40 and / or the pin end servicing tool 42 may be fixed, and the vertical pipe handler 33 used to position the tubular 21 in a correct position prior to start of the dope operation and / or the drift test.

[0043] In one example, the drilling rig 30 comprises two vertical pipe handlers 33. A first of the two vertical pipe handlers 33 can be operable to move tubulars 21 between the storage assembly and an operational location of the box end servicing tool 40 and the pin end servicing tool 42, as described above. The second of the two vertical pipe handlers 33 cam be operable to concurrently move tubulars 21 between the storage assembly and an operational zone adjacent a well center opening in a drill floor 37 of the drilling rig 30. In this manner, both the vertical pipe handlers 33 may access the storage assembly to remove or insert tubulars 21, where one vertical pipe handler 33 is working with a dope and / or drift test operation, while the other vertical pipe handler 33 can feed tubulars 21 to the well center or retrieve tubulars from the well center. The cooperation and concurrent execution can be controlled by a vertical pipe handler control system and supporting systems.

[0044] In any of the examples or embodiments described or claimed herein, the box end servicing tool 40 and / or the pin end servicing tool 42 may be operable to seal around the tubular 21 to avoid spill of wastewater or other matter during washing, and / or to avoid dope being spread around the tool.

[0045] In any of the examples or embodiments described or claimed herein, the drilling rig 30 may comprise a control system having an operational interlock between the vertical pipe handler and the box end servicing tool 40 and / or the pin end servicing tool 42. This may prevent the vertical pipe handler to move a tubular 21 while the box end servicing tool 40 and / or the pin end servicing tool 42 is carrying out an operation on the same tubular 21.

[0046] In any of the examples or embodiments described or claimed herein, the box end servicing tool 40 may comprise both a dope tool and a drift diameter gauge built into the tool. In this manner, drifting can be done immediately after washing / doping. Alternatively, the box end servicing tool 40 may be operable to switch between a dope tool and a drift diameter gauge, for example where the articulated arm 48 can pick up the dope tool or the drift diameter gauge according to which operation should be carried out.

[0047] In any of the examples or embodiments described or claimed herein, the wash medium may be water and / or air.

[0048] In another example, the box end servicing tool 40 and / or the pin end servicing tool 42 may be operable to measure a geometry, such as the length, of the tubular 21. In the examples illustrated in Figs 3-11, this may be done by measuring a vertical position of the tool head 41 when the tool head 41 engages the box end 21a. The vertical position of the tool head 41 may, for example, be known or established based on sensors located on the support assembly 50. If the vertical position of the tool head 41 and consequently its height above the setback area 31 is known, the length of each tubular 21 can be determined when the tool head 41 engages the tubular 21. Optionally, a sensor can be used for this purpose, for example a laser distance sensor.

[0049] In the examples illustrated in Figs 12-15, the length of the tubular 21 may, for example, be established by placing the tubular 21 on a surface in the pin end servicing tool 42 with the vertical pipe handler 33, and measuring the length via the tool head 41 similarly as described above. Optionally, sensors may be arranged at or adjacent the box end servicing tool 40 and the pin end servicing tool 42 for this purpose, for example in the derrick 34. The length of the tubular 21 may then be measured when held by the vertical pipe handler 33 in a position suitable for measurement, for example as the tubular 21 is brought towards the servicing tools 40,42. Alternatively, or additionally, the geometry may include for example a measured pin or box dimension for the respective tubular 21. The geometry may, for example, include box height and / or diameter, a height of or other features relating to the threads on the pin and / or box end, or other measured geometrical parameters.

[0050] The line 49 may comprise a communication line and / or a electric power line to a geometry measurement tool at the servicing tool 40.

[0051] In other examples, the drilling rig 30 may comprise a drilling plant management system 62, illustrated in Fig. 16. The drilling plant management system 62 may be operatively connected to the display apparatus 60 (and optionally the input apparatus 61).

[0052] The drilling plant management system 62 comprises a database 63 configured to store information for each tubular 21 in a set of tubulars stored in the storage assembly, where the information includes a position of each tubular 21 in the storage assembly and a dope status, a drift test status, and / or a measured geometry of each tubular 21. Optionally, the database 63 may also hold information relating to the unique identification of each tubular 21. Providing each tubular 21 with a unique identifier may for example allow tracking of the use of each tubular 21 over time.

[0053] The database 63 may be implemented on and / or integrated with a microprocessorbased computer and hold the information on a storage medium such as RAM, ROM, or flash storage. The database 63 may be a relational database management system (RDBMS) implemented on a server with Structured Query Language (SQL) capabilities, configured to store and manage the positional and status information of each tubular 21 within the drilling plant management system 62.

[0054] The status for a given tubular 21 can, for example, be “WASHED AND DOPED” or “NOT WASHED AND DOPED”, i.e. indicating whether the tubular 21 has been washed and doped and may be ready for use. Optionally, the dope status may include a parameter indicative of the length of time since a dope operation was carried out, such as a time stamp of the last dope operation or a time lapsed since the last dope operation. In this manner, a need for a new dope operation may be identified if the previous dope operation is far in the past. Alternatively, or additionally, a drift test status can, for example, be “OK” or “NOT OK”, where OK may indicate that a drift test has been successfully carried out and NOT OK may indicate that a drift test has not been carried out or was not successful. A successful test can be the result of an internal drift diameter gauge passed through the tubular without problems.

[0055] The drilling plant management system 62 may be configured to display to an operator 77 the status for each tubular 21 in the set of tubulars 21 via the display apparatus 60. The status may be based on the information stored in the database 63. The display apparatus 60 may for this purpose comprise a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on a monitor, touchscreen, or other visual display units such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) or light-emitting diode (LED) screens, which are operatively connected to the drilling plant management system 62 and the database 63 to present the positional and status information of each tubular 21 to the operator 77. The display may be in real-time.

[0056] The drilling plant management system 62 can be configured to display to the operator 77 an indicator or a notification indicative of which tubulars 21 in the storage assembly are ready for use. The status may, for example, be displayed using color codes on the display apparatus 60, the color codes being indicative of which tubulars 21 are ready for use. The color codes (for example where each tubular 21 is indicated as being either green or red) on the display apparatus 60 may provide a quick visual identification of tubular 21 readiness, and / or the number of available, ready tubulars 21. Alternatively, the display may use another type of visual indicator, such as different thumbnails representing different tubular statuses. Yet alternatively, a combination of color codes and thumbnails may be used. This can enable efficient selection by the operator 77 of tubulars 21 that are ready for use, and assist in planning the drilling operation.

[0057] Fig. 17 illustrates an example of a graphical interface view which may be displayed on the display apparatus 60 for this purpose. A graphical overview 66 of the storage assembly indicates unique slot positions for tubulars 21 in rows in the storage assembly, and indicates graphically whether a tubular 21 is positioned in a respective slot, and a corresponding status for the tubular. The status may include information indicative of whether a tubular 21 has been washed and doped after its last use and whether it is compliant with operational requirements for deployment. Alternatively or additionally, the status may include information indicative of whether a tubular 21 has been checked by an internal drift diameter gauge after its last use and is compliant with operational requirements for deployment.

[0058] The drilling plant management system 62 and the database 63 may be configured to receive update messages containing a new status of the tubular 21, and to update the database 63 with the received new status. The update message may comprise an identification of the tubular 21 via a reference to a unique slot identifier in the storage assembly, for example where the update message contains information to the effect of “tubular in slot XX has status WASHED AND DOPED”. Alternatively, the system 62 may have a unique identifier for each tubular 21 (as described above), where the update message may contain information to the effect of “tubular YY has status WASHED AND DOPED”, optionally also with location information for the respective tubular.

[0059] The update messages may be provided by the box end servicing tool 40 and / or pin end servicing tool 42, particularly by a control system associated therewith. The system 62 can be configured to automatically update the dope status of a tubular 21 via the update message, upon completion of a washing and doping process. Alternatively, or additionally, the system can be configured to automatically update the drift test status of a tubular 21 via the update message, upon successful completion of a drift test.

[0060] The drilling plant management system 62 may comprise a controller having a processor configured to receive update messages and update the database 63 accordingly. The controller may be a programmable logic controller (PLC) or a computing device comprising a processor and memory (e.g. via a storage medium as described above) executing software instructions, which are configured to receive update messages containing new status information, and to update the database accordingly. The controller and the database may be integrated with a common (i.e. , the same) microprocessor-based infrastructure, e.g. the same computing device, where software modules are provided for receiving update messages and managing the database. The drilling plant management system 62 may comprise hardware and software modules for the above-mentioned purposes, or it may be implemented in the form of software module(s) operating on other hardware, such as computing hardware shared with other functionality on the drilling rig 30. The drilling plant management system 62 may, for example, share hardware (e.g. microprocessorbased computing infrastructure) with a drilling control system 65 which is operable to control other aspects of or other equipment on the drilling rig 30. The drilling control system 65 may, for example, be arranged in and / or implemented on hardware located in the driller’s cabin 36 (see Fig. 2).

[0061] As used herein, the term software module may comprise computer-executable instructions stored in the memory of the controller or computing device, which, when executed by the processor, perform specific functions such as processing update messages, interfacing with the database, and managing the display of information; these instructions may be organized into components or layers, such as data access layers, business logic layers, and user interface layers, and may be developed using programming languages like C++, Java, or Python. The processor may be a microprocessor or microcontroller, such as an ARM Cortex-M series, an Intel x86 processor, or a digital signal processor (DSP), capable of executing software instructions stored in memory; it may perform functions like receiving update messages, processing data, and controlling interactions with the database and other system components, and may include or be connected to associated hardware components such as storage medium units (RAM, ROM, flash storage), communication interfaces (Ethernet ports, serial interfaces, wireless modules), and bus systems for facilitating data exchange within the drilling plant management system.

[0062] The drilling plant management system 62 may comprise a planning module 64, the planning module 64 being a software module configured to collect or receive information from the database 63 indicative of tubulars 21 being ready for use based on their status, and to select one or more tubulars 21 to be deployed in a drill string 35. The planning module 64 may provide information about the selected tubular(s) 21 to a drilling control system 65, for example for use in an automatic sequence, such as an automatic trip-in sequence. The drilling control system 65 may, in response, operate the vertical pipe handler 33 and associated equipment to retrieve the selected tubular(s) 21 from the storage assembly for deployment. Alternatively, or additionally, the planning module 64 may display the selected tubular(s) 21 to the operator 77 via the display apparatus 60. The operator 77 may then operate the vertical pipe handler 33 and associated equipment to retrieve the selected tubular(s) 21 from the storage assembly for deployment. The selected tubular(s) 21 may in either case be selected based on their status and identified based on its position in the storage assembly.

[0063] Alternatively, or additionally, the planning module 64 may be configured to identify, based on a drilling plan, a subset of tubulars 21 held in the storage assembly which are to be deployed in a drill string 35, and for which a dope operation is required. The subset may, for example, be a subset of tubulars 21 for which no dope operation has been carried out since their last deployment, or for which the latest dope operation lies more than a pre-determined length of time in the past. (The length of time may vary for example according to which type and quality of dope is used, but may, for example, be a few weeks.) If the subset of tubulars 21 which should be used in the drill string 35 according to the drilling plan are not in a “ready to use” condition, a dope operation may be initiated. This dope operation may be carried out with servicing tool(s) as described above, with the tubulars 21 positioned in the storage assembly as illustrated in Figs 3-11 or by temporarily removing tubulars 21 from the storage assembly for this purpose, as illustrated in Figs 12-15.

[0064] Alternatively, or additionally, the planning module 64 may be operated to plan a sequence of tubulars 21 for use in a drill string 35, and to calculate a total length of the drill string 35 based on a measured length of each of the tubulars 21 in the sequence of tubulars 21 using information provided from the database 63. Alternatively, information relating to the measured length may be provided to the drilling control system 65, and the total length may be calculated by the drilling control system 65.

[0065] In use, a plurality of tubulars 21 can thus be stored in the storage assembly, and a dope operation on each of the plurality of tubulars 21 , a drift test on each of the plurality of tubulars 21, and / or a geometry measurement of each of the plurality of tubulars 21 be carried out. Information for each of the plurality of tubulars 21 can be stored in the database 63, the information including a position of each of the plurality of tubulars 21 in the storage assembly and a status for each of the tubulars 21 , the status comprising at least one of a dope status, a drift test status and / or a measured geometry, such as length. The different tubulars 21 may be identified via a reference to a unique slot identifier in the storage assembly, as described above.

[0066] The tubulars 21 for which information is held in the database 63 may be a subset of a total number of tubulars 21 held in the storage assembly. As such, the database 63 may hold information for some, or optionally for all (i.e. the total number of) tubulars 21 held in the storage assembly.

[0067] The method may include carrying out a dope operation on each of the plurality of tubulars 21, performing a drift test on each tubular, and / or measuring the geometry of each tubular. These operations can ensure that the tubulars are in satisfactory condition for deployment in the drill string 35.

[0068] The dope operation may involve cleaning the threaded connections (tool joints) of the tubulars to remove dirt and applying lubricant (dope) to protect the threads and seal faces. This can be performed while the tubulars 21 are in the storage assembly (for example as in Figs 3-11) or at a designated servicing position (for example as in Figs 12-15).

[0069] A drift test may be conducted to verify that the internal diameter of the tubulars 21 meets specified tolerances. A drift diameter gauge may be used for this purpose.

[0070] Measuring the exact length of each tubular 21 may be useful for planning the assembly of the drill string 35 to reach the desired depth. Length measurements can be obtained using sensors or by calculating the position of the servicing tools relative to known reference points.

[0071] These operations can be performed using specialized servicing tools, such as a box end servicing tool 40 and a pin end servicing tool 42 (as shown in Figs 3-15). In one example, the dope operation, drift test, and / or geometry measurement are carried out while the tubulars 21 are held in the storage assembly. The box end servicing tool 40 is moved over the fingerboard 32 using a support assembly 50 with an elongate support structure 51 or 52 that carries the servicing tool. The servicing tool 40 is lowered so that the tool head 41 engages the box end 21a of the tubular 21. The support assembly 50 may include an extendable arm or beam that allows the servicing tool 40 to access tubulars across the storage assembly. The tool head 41 may contain mechanisms for cleaning, lubricating, testing and / or measuring the tubulars 21 without the need to remove them from their storage positions.

[0072] Alternatively, the method may involve operating a vertical pipe handler 33 to remove a tubular 21 from the storage assembly and move it to a servicing position spaced from the storage assembly. At this position, the dope operation, drift test, and / or geometry measurement are performed, for example using the box end servicing tool 40 and / or the pin end servicing tool 42. After servicing, the vertical pipe handler 33 returns the tubular 21 to the storage assembly. This may involve placing the tubular 21 in a different storage position. The database 63 can be updated with the new position, facilitating accurate tracking and management of the tubulars 21 and their status, condition and / or deployment readiness.

[0073] These servicing steps may be carried out without moving the tubulars 21 to or from an operational zone adjacent to the well center opening on the drill floor 37. This separation prevents interference with ongoing drilling or other well center operations, which may for example enhance efficiency and safety by reducing congestion in critical areas at the drilling rig 30.

[0074] Information for each tubular 21 can be stored in the database 63, including its position in the storage assembly and status details such as dope status, drift test status, and measured geometry. The database 63 may reside within a drilling plant management system 62, for example according to the examples described above, which manages data storage and retrieval.

[0075] When a tubular 21 undergoes servicing, its status is updated in the database 63. For instance, upon successful completion of a dope operation or drift test, the status is changed to indicate readiness for use. The database 63 may store timestamps, results of tests, and other relevant data, allowing for comprehensive tracking of each tubular's condition.

[0076] Information may be retrieved or provided from the database 63 about tubulars 21 that are ready for use based on their status. In some examples, a planning module 64 may process this information to select one or more tubulars 21 for deployment in the drill string 35. The selection may be done among tubulars 21 which have a status which indicates readiness for use. The selection process may consider factors such as the tubulars' lengths, ensuring the assembled drill string meets the required specifications. The planning module 64 may optionally calculate the total length of the planned drill string using measured lengths stored in the database.

[0077] Information about the selected tubulars 21 may be provided to a drilling control system 65, which can be configured to automate equipment operations, including retrieving the selected tubulars from the storage assembly using the vertical pipe handler 33. Optionally the selected tubulars 21 may be displayed to the operator 77. This may be done via the display apparatus 60, for example as notifications. The display may utilize color codes assigned to each tubular 21 , indicating their readiness status. For example, green may signify that a tubular 21 has been successfully washed, doped, and drift tested, while red may indicate that servicing is still required or that the tubular 21 is not in a usable condition. This visual representation can assist the operator 77 in making informed decisions quickly and reliably, enhancing operational efficiency.

[0078] The method may involve rearranging the storage positions of tubulars 21 within the storage assembly. For instance, after servicing, a tubular 21 may be placed in a different storage row designated for ready-to-use tubulars 21. The database 63 is updated accordingly to reflect the new positions, ensuring accurate inventory management.

[0079] In examples where the drilling rig 30 includes two vertical pipe handlers 33, the method may involve operating the first vertical pipe handler 33 to move tubulars 21 between the storage assembly and the servicing tools 40 and 42, and concurrently operating the second vertical pipe handler 33 to move tubulars 21 between the storage assembly and the operational zone adjacent to the well center opening on the drill floor 37. The first vertical pipe handler 33 may, for example, pick up tubulars 21 which are in need of washing and doping, carry this process out, and place the ready tubulars 21 in a slot of the storage assembly from which the second vertical pipe handler 33 can pick these up for deployment in a drill string 35. This arrangement allows for simultaneous preparation of tubulars 21 and ongoing drilling operations, enhancing operational efficiency. The dope operations, drift tests, and / or geometry measurements may be scheduled based on a planned usage sequence of the tubulars 21. The planning module 64 within the drilling plant management system 62 can assist in this scheduling by analyzing the drilling plan and ensuring that tubulars 21 are serviced and ready in alignment with operational plans and timelines.

[0080] After selecting a sequence of tubulars 21 for the drill string 35, the method may involve calculating the total length of the drill string using measured lengths of each tubular 21. This calculation can ensure that the assembled drill string meets the depth requirements of the drilling operation, and provide reliable information in relation to drill string 35 geometry.

[0081] While various aspects of a method according to the present disclosure may be carried out with manual controls or with the aid of a drilling control system 65, the methods may also leverage the functionalities of a drilling plant management system 62 as described above. The drilling plant management system 62 may integrate data management, planning, and operational control, enabling seamless operation through communication with the drilling control system 65 and / or through interfaces to the operator 77. The drilling control system 65 can be operated to execute the necessary equipment operations to retrieve and deploy the tubulars 21, and to operate other relevant equipment. This integration can enhance accuracy, reduce manual errors, and improve overall efficiency.

[0082] In any of the examples or embodiments described herein, the drilling rig 30 may be an offshore drilling rig, the drilling plant management system may be arranged on an offshore drilling rig, or the method may be carried out on an offshore drilling rig.

[0083] In any of the examples or embodiments described herein, the well operation may, for example, include running a drill string into the well or pulling a drill string out of the well. Advantageously, the drilling rig, the drilling plant management system and the methods described may save time in such an operation since there is reduced (or no) need to carry out washing and doping operations on tubulars 21 as they are being moved to or from the operational zone on the drill floor 37. The well operation may also be an operation where no drill string is present in the well. In this manner, dope operations, drifting tests and / or geometry measurements may be carried out spaced from the operational zone on the drill floor 37, such as not to disturb other operations.

[0084] Dope operations, drifting tests and / or geometry measurement may consequently be carried out on tubulars 21 while they are not “in the critical line”, i.e. not on tubulars which are being moved to or from an active well operation. At the same time, dope operations and drifting tests may be carried out before drilling mud dries up and become hard to remove (as mud may over time harden / congeal). This increases efficiency of the operation of the drilling rig 30 by providing more efficient handling and / or management of tubulars 21 used in well operations.

[0085] In any of the examples or embodiments of a drilling rig, a drilling plant management system or a method described herein, the dope status may be a wash and dope status, the dope operation may be a wash and dope operation, and / or the dope tool may be a wash and dope tool.

[0086] In any of the examples or embodiments of a drilling rig, a drilling plant management system or a method described herein, the dope status may be indicative of whether a tubular 21 is compliant with operational requirements for deployment, for example whether a tubular 21 has been washed and doped after its last use.

[0087] In any of the examples or embodiments of a drilling rig, a drilling plant management system or a method described herein, the dope status may include a time stamp indicative of a time for a last dope operation carried out on the tubular 21.

[0088] In any of the examples or embodiments of a drilling rig, a drilling plant management system or a method described herein, the drift test status may be indicative of whether a tubular 21 has been checked by an internal drift diameter gauge after its last use and is compliant with operational requirements for deployment.

[0089] In any of the examples or embodiments of a drilling rig, a drilling plant management system or a method described herein, any one or any combination of dope functionality, drifting test functionality or geometry measurement functionality may be employed. For example doping, drift testing, or geometry measurements alone, any combination of two functionalities, or a combination of all three. The following numbered clauses outline further inventive examples and embodiments.

[0090] C1.A drilling plant management system (62) comprising: a database (63) configured to store information for each tubular (21) in a set of tubulars (21) located in a storage assembly (31 ,32) comprising a setback area (31) and a fingerboard (32), the information comprising a status of each tubular (21), the status comprising at least one of a dope status, a drift test status or a measured geometry of the tubular (21).

[0091] C2.The drilling plant management system of any preceding clause, wherein the information comprises a unique identifier for each tubular (21).

[0092] C3.The drilling plant management system of any preceding clause, wherein the system (62) is configured to: receive an update message containing a new status of a tubular (21), and update the database (63) with the received new status.

[0093] C4.The drilling plant management system of any preceding clause, wherein the update message comprises an identification of the tubular (21) via a reference to a unique slot identifier in the storage assembly (31 ,32).

[0094] C5.The drilling plant management system of any preceding clause, wherein the drilling plant management system is configured to update, optionally automatically update, the dope status of a tubular (21) in the database upon completion of a doping process.

[0095] C6.The drilling plant management system of any preceding clause, wherein the drilling plant management system is configured to update, optionally automatically update, the drift test status of a tubular (21) in the database upon completion of a drift test.

[0096] C7.The drilling plant management system of any preceding clause, wherein the drilling plant management system is configured to add or update, optionally automatically add or update, a measured geometry of a tubular (21) in the database upon completion of a geometry measurement of the tubular (21).

[0097] C8.The drilling plant management system of any preceding clause, wherein the drilling plant management system (62) is configured to: receive an update message containing the identification of a tubular (21) and a new position of the tubular (21) in the storage assembly (31 ,32), and update the database (63) with the new position.

[0098] C9.The drilling plant management system of any preceding clause, wherein the system (62) comprises a controller having a processor configured to receive the update message and update the database (63).

[0099] C10. The drilling plant management system of any preceding clause, wherein the system comprises a display apparatus (60) and is configured to display to an operator (77) the status for each tubular (21) in the set of tubulars (21).

[0100] C11. The drilling plant management system of any preceding clause, wherein the system is configured to display to the operator (77) a variable visual indicator, such as a thumbnail indicator, indicative of which tubulars (21) in the set of tubulars are ready for use.

[0101] C12. The drilling plant management system of any preceding clause, wherein the system is configured to display the status using color codes on the display apparatus (60), the color codes indicative of which tubulars (21) in the set of tubulars (21) are ready for use.

[0102] C13. The drilling plant management system of any preceding clause, wherein the system comprises a planning module configured to collect or receive input from the database indicative of tubulars (21) being ready for use based on their status, and to select one or more tubulars (21) to be deployed in a drill string (35).

[0103] C14. The drilling plant management system of any preceding clause, wherein the planning module is configured to provide output about the selected tubulars (21) to a drilling control system operable to retrieve the selected tubulars (21) from the storage assembly (31 ,32) for deployment.

[0104] C15. The drilling plant management system of any preceding clause, wherein the planning module is configured to display the selected tubulars (21) to an operator (77) via a display apparatus (60).

[0105] C16. The drilling plant management system of any preceding clause, wherein the planning module (64) is configured to identify, based on a drilling plan, a subset of tubulars (21) held in the storage assembly (31 ,32) to be deployed in a drill string (35) and for which a dope operation is required.

[0106] C17. A method of handling tubulars on a drilling rig (30), the method comprising: storing a plurality of tubulars (21) in a storage assembly (31 ,32) comprising a setback area (31) and a fingerboard (32); carrying out a dope operation on each of the plurality of tubulars (21), a drift test on each of the plurality of tubulars (21), and / or a geometry measurement of each of the plurality of tubulars (21); and storing, in a database (63), information for each of the plurality of tubulars (21), the information including a position of each of the plurality of tubulars (21) in the storage assembly (31 ,32), and a status for each of the plurality of tubulars (21), the status comprising at least one of a dope status, a drift test status and / or a measured geometry.

[0107] C18. The method according to any preceding clause wherein the plurality of tubulars (21) is a subset of a total number of tubulars (21) held in the storage assembly (31 ,32).

[0108] C19. The method according to any preceding clause, the method comprising collecting or receiving information from the database indicative of tubulars (21) being ready for use based on their status, and selecting one or more tubulars (21) which are ready for use to be deployed in a drill string (35).

[0109] C20. The method according to any preceding clause, the method comprising providing information about the selected tubulars (21) to a drilling control system, and operating the drilling control system to retrieve the selected tubulars (21) from the storage assembly (31 ,32) for deployment in the drill string (35).

[0110] C21. The method according to any preceding clause, the method comprising displaying a visual indicator, such as a thumbnail indicator, of tubulars (21) in the storage assembly (31 ,32) being ready for use based on their status to an operator (77) via a display apparatus (60). C22. The method according to any preceding clause, the method comprising displaying the visual indicator of tubulars (21) are ready for use using color codes on the display apparatus (60), the color codes being allocated to each of the plurality of tubulars (21) and indicative of which tubulars (21) are ready for use.

[0111] C23. The method according to any preceding clause, wherein the visual indicator is determined based on which tubulars (21) have been washed and doped successfully and / or which tubulars (21) have been drift tested successfully, and therefore are ready for use.

[0112] C24. The method according to any preceding clause, wherein the step(s) of carrying out the dope operation, the drift test and / or the geometry measurement is / are carried out with the tubular (21) held in the storage assembly (31,32).

[0113] C25. The method according to any preceding clause, wherein the step of carrying out the dope operation, the drift test and / or the geometry measurement is carried out with a box end servicing tool (40).

[0114] C26. The method according to any preceding clause, wherein the method comprises: moving the box end servicing tool (40) over the fingerboard (32) by means of a support assembly (50) having an elongate support structure (51 ,52) carrying the servicing tool (40), and lowering the servicing tool (40) to bring a tool head (41) of the servicing tool (40) into engagement with a box end (21a) of a tubular (21) in the storage assembly (31,32).

[0115] C27. The method according to any preceding clause, the method comprising operating a vertical pipe handler (33) to remove a tubular (21) from the storage assembly (31,32) and move the tubular to a servicing position which is spaced from the storage assembly (31,32); carrying out the dope operation, the drift test and / or the geometry measurement on the tubular (21) at the servicing position; and operating the vertical pipe handler (33) to move the tubular (21) to the storage assembly (31,32) and place the tubular (21) in the storage assembly (31 ,32). C28. The method according to any preceding clause, wherein the steps are carried out without the tubular (21) being moved to or from an operational zone adjacent a well center opening in a drill floor (37) of the drilling rig (30).

[0116] C29. The method according to any preceding clause, the method comprising: removing the tubular (21) from a first tubular storage position in the storage assembly (31,32), subsequent to carrying out the dope operation, the drift test and / or the geometry measurement, placing the tubular (21) in a second tubular storage position in the storage assembly (31 ,32), the second tubular storage position being different from the first tubular storage position, and updating the database with a status for the tubular (21) in the second tubular storage position.

[0117] C30. The method according to any preceding clause, wherein the storage assembly (31,32) comprises a plurality of storage rows and the first and second tubular storage positions are located in different storage rows.

[0118] C31. The method according to any preceding clause, comprising carrying out the dope operation, the drift test and / or the geometry measurement concurrently with, such as concurrently with and independently of, carrying out a well operation at a well center in an operational zone of a drill floor (37) of the drilling rig (30).

[0119] C32. The method according to any preceding clause, further comprising scheduling the dope operation, the drift test and / or the geometry measurement for a plurality of tubulars (21) located in the storage assembly (31 ,32) based on a planned usage of the plurality of tubulars (21), such as based on a planned sequence of building a drill string (35) from the plurality of tubulars (21).

[0120] C33. The method according to any preceding clause, comprising displaying a measured geometry, such as a measured length, for each of the plurality of tubulars (21) to an operator (77) via a display apparatus (60).

[0121] C34. The method according to any preceding clause, further comprising: planning a sequence of tubulars (21) selected from the plurality of tubulars (21) for use in a drill string (35), and calculating a total length of the drill string (35) based on a measured length of each of the tubulars (21) in the sequence of tubulars (21).

[0122] C35. The method according to any preceding clause, wherein the step of planning the sequence of tubulars (21) for use in the drill string (35) is carried out using a planning module (64) in a drilling plant management system (62) according to any abovementioned clause C1-C16.

[0123] C36. The method according to any preceding clause, further comprising operating a planning module (64) in a drilling plant management system (62) according to any abovementioned clause C1-C16 to select, based on their status, one or more tubulars (21) to be deployed in a drill string (35).

[0124] C37. The method according to any preceding clause, further comprising operating the drilling plant management system (62) to provide an identification of the selected tubulars (21) to a drilling control system (65) of the drilling rig (30).

[0125] C38. The method according to any preceding clause, further comprising: operating a planning module (64) in a drilling plant management system (62) according to any abovementioned clause C1-C16 to identify, based on a drilling plan, the subset of the total number of tubulars (21) held in the storage assembly (31,32).

[0126] C39. The method according to any preceding clause, further comprising building a drill string (35) using a sequence of tubulars (21) from the plurality of tubulars (21), and calculating a total length of the drill string (35) based on a measured length of each of the tubulars (21) in the sequence of tubulars (21).

[0127] C40. The method according to any preceding clause, wherein the drilling rig (30) comprises two vertical pipe handlers (33), and the method comprises operating a first of the two vertical pipe handlers (33) to move tubulars (21) between the storage assembly (31,32) and the servicing position, and concurrently, operating a second of the two vertical pipe handlers (33) to move tubulars (21) between the storage assembly (31 ,32) and an operational zone adjacent a well center opening in a drill floor (37) of the drilling rig (30). C41. The method according to any preceding clause, wherein the servicing position is an operational location of the box end servicing tool (40) and the pin end servicing tool (42), and the method comprises carrying out a dope operation on both a box end (21a) and a pin end (21b) of the tubular (21) at the servicing position.

[0128] C42. The method according to any preceding clause, wherein the method is carried out using the drilling plant management system of any preceding clause.

[0129] C43. A drilling rig (30) comprising: a storage assembly (31,32) for tubulars (21), the storage assembly (31 ,32) having a setback area (31) and a fingerboard (32); and a box end servicing tool (40), the box end servicing tool (40) operable to carry out a dope operation, a drift test and / or a geometry measurement on a tubular (21) via a box end (21a) of the tubular (21).

[0130] C44. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the box end servicing tool (40) comprises a tool head (41) configured to engage the box end (21a) of the tubular (21).

[0131] C45. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the servicing tool (40) is movable over the fingerboard (32) by means of a support assembly (50).

[0132] C46. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the servicing tool (40) is height-adjustable relative to the support assembly.

[0133] C47. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the tool head (41) comprises a dope tool.

[0134] C48. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, comprising a fluid and / or communication line (49) extending between a fixed location at the drilling rig (30) and the servicing tool (40), for example wherein the fixed location is at a / the support assembly (50) such as at the support (53,54).

[0135] C49. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the fluid and / or communication line (49) is operatively connected to a fluid supply at the fixed location and configured to provide a washing fluid and / or a doping fluid.

[0136] C50. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the fluid and / or communication line (49) is flexible or at least partly flexible. C51. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the servicing tool (40) comprises a drift diameter gauge.

[0137] C52. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the fluid and / or communication line (49) comprises a communication line and / or an electric power line to the drift diameter gauge.

[0138] C53. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the servicing tool (40) comprises a geometry measurement tool.

[0139] C54. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the fluid and / or communication line (49) comprises a communication line and / or an electric power line to the geometry measurement tool.

[0140] C55. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the support assembly (50) comprises an elongate support structure (51,52), such as a support arm, support beam or support table, the elongate support structure (51 ,52) carrying the servicing tool (40).

[0141] C56. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the servicing tool (40) is movable relative to the elongate support structure (51,52).

[0142] C57. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the servicing tool (40) is movable, such as linearly and / or longitudinally movable, along the elongate support structure (51,52).

[0143] C58. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the servicing tool (40) is held by an articulated arm, such as a robotic arm, arranged on the elongate support structure (51,52).

[0144] C59. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the elongate support structure (51,52) is fixed via a support (53,54).

[0145] C60. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the support

[0146] (53,54) is fixed to a derrick (34) on the drilling rig (30).

[0147] C61. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the support

[0148] (53,54) is arranged adjacent, such as at or above, a back side (B) of the fingerboard (32).

[0149] C62. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the support

[0150] (53,54) is movable in a direction (x) along and / or parallel to the back side (B), for example sideways movable along a track or a rail.

[0151] C63. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the elongate support structure (51,52) is extendable and retractable, such as extendable and retractable in a direction substantially perpendicular to a back side (B) of the fingerboard (32), to move the servicing tool (40) relative to the fingerboard (32).

[0152] C64. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the elongate support structure (51,52) is pivotable about a vertical axis to move the servicing tool (40) relative to the fingerboard (32).

[0153] C65. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, comprising: a pin end servicing tool (42) operable to carry out a dope operation, a drift test and / or a geometry measurement, and a vertical pipe handler (33), wherein the box end servicing tool (40) and the pin end servicing tool (42) are arranged spaced from the storage assembly (31,32), and the vertical pipe handler (33) is operable to move tubulars (21) between the storage assembly (31,32) and an operational location of the box end servicing tool (40) and the pin end servicing tool (42).

[0154] C66. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the box end servicing tool (40) is arranged vertically above the pin end servicing tool (42) and the vertical pipe handler (33) is operable to position a tubular (21) between the box end servicing tool (40) and the pin end servicing tool (42).

[0155] C67. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the box end servicing tool (40) is located at an elevation which is higher than that of the fingerboard (32).

[0156] C68. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the pin end servicing tool (42) is arranged at an elevation which corresponds, e.g. is equal or substantially equal, to that of the setback area (31).

[0157] C69. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the box end servicing tool (40) and the pin end servicing tool (42) are spaced from an operational zone on the drill floor (37), the operational zone being a zone adjacent a well center opening in the drill floor (37), for example whereby the box end servicing tool (40) and the pin end servicing tool (42) can be operated concurrently with and / or independently from a well operation being carried out in the operational zone.

[0158] C70. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, wherein the box end servicing tool (40) and / or the pin end servicing tool (42) is height-adjustable. C71. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, comprising two vertical pipe handlers (33), wherein a first of the two vertical pipe handlers (33) is operable to move tubulars (21) between the storage assembly (31,32) and an operational location of the box end servicing tool (40) and the pin end servicing tool (42), a second of the two vertical pipe handlers (33) is operable to concurrently move tubulars (21) between the storage assembly (31,32) and an operational zone adjacent a well center opening in a drill floor (37) of the drilling rig (30). C72. The drilling rig (30) of any preceding clause, comprising the drilling plant management system of any preceding clause C1-C16.

[0159] The invention is not limited by the embodiments described above; reference should be had to the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A method of handling tubulars (21) on a drilling rig (30), the method comprising: storing a plurality of tubulars (21) in a storage assembly (31 ,32) comprising a setback area (31) and a fingerboard (32); storing, in a database (63), information for each of the plurality of tubulars (21), the information including a position of each of the plurality of tubulars (21) in the storage assembly (31 ,32), and a status for each of the plurality of tubulars (21), the status comprising at least one of a dope status, a drift test status and a measured geometry; operating a box end servicing tool (40) to carry out a dope operation on each of the plurality of tubulars (21), a drift test on each of the plurality of tubulars (21), and / or a geometry measurement of each of the plurality of tubulars (21); and updating the database (63) with a new status for each of the plurality of tubulars (21); wherein the dope operation, the drift test and / or the geometry measurement is carried out concurrently with and independently of a well operation at a well center in an operational zone of a drill floor (37) of the drilling rig (30).

2. The method according to claim 1 , the method comprising displaying a visual indicator of tubulars (21) in the storage assembly (31 ,32) being ready for use based on their status to an operator (77) via a display apparatus (60).

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the visual indicator is determined based on which tubulars (21) have been washed and doped successfully and / or which tubulars (21) have been drift tested successfully, and therefore are ready for use.

4. The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the step(s) of carrying out the dope operation, the drift test and / or the geometrymeasurement is / are carried out with the tubular (21) held in the storage assembly (31,32), and the method comprises: moving the box end servicing tool (40) over the fingerboard (32) by means of a support assembly (50) having an elongate support structure (51 ,52) carrying the servicing tool (40), and lowering the servicing tool (40) to bring a tool head (41) of the servicing tool (40) into engagement with a box end (21a) of a tubular (21) in the storage assembly (31,32).

5. The method according to any of claims 1-3, the method comprising operating a vertical pipe handler (33) to remove a tubular (21) from the storage assembly (31,32) and move the tubular to a servicing position which is spaced from the storage assembly (31,32); carrying out the dope operation, the drift test and / or the geometry measurement on the tubular (21) at the servicing position; and operating the vertical pipe handler (33) to move the tubular (21) back to the storage assembly (31 ,32) and place the tubular (21) in the storage assembly (31,32).

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the steps of the method are carried out without the tubular (21) being moved to or from the operational zone adjacent the well center opening in the drill floor (37) of the drilling rig (30).

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, the method comprising: removing the tubular (21) from a first tubular storage position in the storage assembly (31,32), subsequent to carrying out the dope operation, the drift test and / or the geometry measurement, placing the tubular (21) in a second tubular storage position in the storage assembly (31,32), the second tubular storage position being different from the first tubular storage position, and updating the database (63) with a status for the tubular (21) in the second tubular storage position.

8. The method according to any of claims 5-7, wherein the servicing position is an operational location of the box end servicing tool (40) and a pin end servicing tool (42), and the method comprises carrying out a dope operation on both a box end (21a) and a pin end (21b) of the tubular (21) at the servicing position.

9. The method according to any of claims 5-8, wherein the drilling rig (30) comprises two vertical pipe handlers (33), and the method comprises operating a first of the two vertical pipe handlers (33) to move tubulars (21) between the storage assembly (31,32) and the servicing position, and concurrently, operating a second of the two vertical pipe handlers (33) to move tubulars (21) between the storage assembly (31,32) and the operational zone adjacent the well center opening in the drill floor (37) of the drilling rig (30).

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