Orientation Sensors for Drilling Rig Alignment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Drilling rig systems face challenges in accurately monitoring the orientation and position of surface equipment during assembly and operation, leading to potential misalignment, uneven stress distribution, and risk of catastrophic failure.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating orientation sensors on various surface rig equipment connected to a processor, which measures and adjusts the position and orientation of the mast, substructure, and hydraulic cylinders to ensure precise alignment and optimal load handling capacity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If orientation sensors are installed on surface rig equipment, then measurement precision of equipment orientation and position is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveorientation and position measurement precisionVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The orientation sensors are designed to serve multiple functions: they monitor both orientation and position of the mast and substructure, provide data for alignment verification, and enable stress distribution analysis. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by delivering comprehensive measurement capabilities from a single sensor system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If the mast is raised without orientation monitoring, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability of the drilling rig system deteriorates due to potential misalignment and uneven stress distribution

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemast raising operation simplicityVSAvoidsystem reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The orientation sensors provide real-time feedback on the mast's orientation and position during the raising operation. This feedback enables operators to verify alignment and make necessary adjustments, ensuring the mast is properly positioned before full loading. The feedback mechanism maintains operational simplicity while significantly improving reliability by preventing misalignment-related failures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If surface equipment is operated without orientation measurements, then productivity is improved by avoiding monitoring steps, but harmful factors increase due to equipment damage and catastrophic failure risks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational efficiencyVSAvoidequipment damage and failure risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The orientation sensors are installed and configured before the mast raising operation begins. This preliminary setup ensures that measurement capabilities are already in place when the operation starts, allowing for continuous monitoring without interrupting the workflow. The sensors detect orientation and position deviations early, enabling preventive adjustments before harmful stress patterns develop, thus protecting equipment while maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11459836B2Orientation measurements for rig equipment

Publication Date: 2022.10.04 SCHLUMBERGER TECH CORP

AI summary

A drilling rig system may include a drilling rig including a plurality of surface rig equipment thereon and a plurality of orientation sensors disposed on the plurality of surface rig equipment. The plurality of orientation sensors may be configured to provide relational positioning of the plurality of surface rig equipment on the drilling rig.