Pipe Transport Assembly for Automated Drill Pipe Stand Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing well systems face inefficiencies in assembling and transporting drill pipe joints, requiring manual labor and lacking automated mechanisms for precise alignment and handling of pipe stands, which can compromise safety and increase operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A well system incorporating a pipe transport assembly with a swing arm and elevator, along with rig floor and racking board robots, enabling automated alignment and handling of drill pipe joints, allowing for precise assembly and storage of pipe stands using six degrees of freedom robots, reducing manual intervention and enhancing safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual labor is used for assembling and transporting drill pipe joints, then operational flexibility is maintained, but safety is compromised and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe transport assembly is configured to autonomously transport pipe joints from the catwalk to the rig floor and position them for assembly without requiring manual handling. The system uses its own integrated mechanisms (elevator, swing arm, positioning systems) to complete the entire transport and assembly process, eliminating the need for workers to manually handle heavy pipe joints and thereby improving safety while controlling complexity through self-contained automation.
2Productivity
If automated pipe transport assembly is implemented, then safety is improved and operational costs are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe transport assembly is designed as a multi-functional system that performs multiple operations within a single integrated structure. It includes an elevator for vertical transport, a swing arm for horizontal positioning, and integration with the catwalk system for initial pipe delivery. This universal design allows one complex assembly to handle the entire pipe transport and assembly process, improving productivity while consolidating complexity into a single coordinated system rather than multiple separate devices.
3Reliability
If manual handling of pipe joints is performed, then equipment investment is minimized, but operational costs increase and safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe transport assembly acts as an intermediary between the catwalk system and the rig floor assembly area. It receives pipe joints from the catwalk, transports them vertically via the elevator, positions them horizontally using the swing arm, and delivers them to the assembly point. This intermediary system eliminates the need for manual handling while integrating with existing rig infrastructure, thereby improving safety and controlling overall system complexity through coordinated automation.
Data Source
AI summary
A well system includes a rig floor, a first rig floor robot positioned on the rig floor, wherein the first rig floor robot is configured to guide a lower end of a pipe stand towards a setback position on the rig floor, a mast extending from the rig floor, the mast including a plurality of legs, a pipe transport assembly slidably coupled to one of the legs of the mast, wherein the pipe transport assembly includes an elevator configured to transport the pipe stand, and a winch coupled to the mast and configured to raise and lower the pipe transport assembly along the mast.