Auger Pipe Handling System for Safe Tubular Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual handling of tubulars in the oil and gas industry poses safety risks due to the need for workers to stand on top of pipes, which can lead to injuries or fatalities, despite the use of fall arrest systems.
Innovation Solution
A pipe handling system that includes a tiering assembly and a screw conveyor (auger) to move tubulars between a catwalk and a pipe rack, allowing for automated movement without the need for workers to physically handle the tubulars, utilizing strapping and hydraulic actuators for precise positioning and movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If workers manually handle tubulars by standing on top of pipes, then the tubulars can be moved between catwalk and pipe rack, but worker safety is compromised due to high risk of falls and injuries
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables the tubulars to be moved automatically without requiring workers to physically handle them. The auger conveyor self-propels the tubulars from the pipe rack to the catwalk and back, eliminating the need for workers to stand on top of the pipes for manual handling, thus resolving the safety risk while maintaining operational capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical handling system with an automated auger conveyor system. The auger mechanism substitutes for worker labor by providing a mechanical means to transport tubulars, eliminating the dangerous practice of workers standing on pipes to move them manually
2Reliability
If fall arrest systems are used to prevent worker falls, then worker injury risk is reduced, but the system remains complex and does not fully eliminate safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the root cause of the safety problem by removing the need for workers to be positioned on top of tubulars. Instead of adding complex fall arrest systems to protect workers who must stand on pipes, the patent removes the hazardous positioning requirement entirely through automated auger conveyor handling
3Reliability
If automated auger conveyor system is implemented, then worker safety is improved by eliminating manual handling, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The auger conveyor mechanism serves multiple functions: it transports tubulars from the pipe rack to the catwalk, positions them for loading, and can return them to the rack. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate systems or manual operations into a single automated mechanism, managing complexity while improving safety
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enables safe and efficient handling of tubulars by eliminating the need for manual handling, reducing the risk of worker injuries and enhancing operational safety by automating the transfer process between the catwalk and the pipe rack.
Implementation Method 1
a screw conveyor, or auger, to move the tubulars
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect the invention provides a tubular handling system for use with a catwalk and a plurality of tubulars arranged in at least one tier and positioned substantially parallel adjacent the catwalk. The system comprises a tiering assembly positioned between said at least one tier and the catwalk and pipe rolling means adapted to move one or more of said tubular between said at least one tier and the tiering assembly in a sequential bi-directional manner. Preferably, the pipe rolling means comprises an auger, auger drive means and an auger positioning assembly.