Circulating Elevator System for Continuous Drill String Tripping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current subsurface drilling methods are inefficient, particularly in tripping drill strings, which is a time-consuming and costly process due to the need to frequently add and remove drill string sections, especially in deep wells, leading to high operational expenses.
Innovation Solution
The development of a system utilizing circulating members with elevators that move along a closed path to support and transfer the weight of drill strings, allowing for continuous tripping and handling of drill string sections, including the use of chain loops, crossheads, and mud cans to manage drilling fluid and facilitate faster and more efficient section changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If traditional tripping methods are used to retrieve drill strings from deep wells, then the drill string can be retrieved and returned, but the process takes a long time and incurs high operational costs
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the drill string into multiple sections that can be independently handled. Multiple elevators work simultaneously on different sections, allowing parallel processing of tripping operations. This segmentation enables the drill string to be retrieved in coordinated segments rather than as a single unit, significantly reducing tripping time for deep wells.
Solution Approach 2:
The circulating member continuously moves through the well bore, maintaining constant motion and eliminating idle time between operations. The system enables continuous tripping by keeping the circulating member in constant circulation, with elevators continuously engaging and disengaging from drill string sections as they pass through predetermined locations.
2Productivity
If multiple elevators are used to handle drill string sections simultaneously, then tripping speed increases, but the system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The circulating member serves multiple functions: it acts as a continuous support structure, a transportation system for elevators, and a mechanism for simultaneous multi-point engagement with the drill string. This universal design consolidates what would otherwise require separate independent systems, reducing overall complexity while enabling multiple elevators to operate simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The circulating member acts as an intermediary between the drill string and the elevators, providing a continuous medium through which multiple elevators can travel and engage the drill string at different locations. This intermediary structure simplifies the coordination between multiple elevators and the drill string, as the circulating member manages the interactions automatically through its continuous circulation.
3Loss of time
If the circulating member moves to transfer weight between elevators, then continuous tripping is enabled, but the mechanical complexity of the circulating mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static elevator positions to dynamic, moving elevators that travel along the circulating member. This dynamic arrangement allows elevators to automatically move into position as drill string sections are added or removed, enabling seamless weight transfer without requiring complex manual intervention or fixed infrastructure at every possible engagement point.
Solution Approach 2:
The circulating member is pre-positioned and continuously circulated before tripping operations begin, with elevators already in place on the circulating member. This preliminary preparation ensures that when drill string sections need to be handled, the elevators are already positioned and ready to engage, eliminating setup time and reducing the mechanical complexity of on-demand positioning systems.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus for use in subsurface drilling permits coupling and uncoupling of drill string sections while continuously moving the drill string. Tripping times can be reduced while maintaining low speeds of the drill string. In one embodiment coupling units operable to make or break couplings between drill string sections are arranged to circulate around a closed path. Each of the coupling units includes an elevator. Drill string sections may be passed off to a pipe handling system on a back side of the apparatus.