Umbilical Cart System for Drilling Rig Conduit Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The movement of drilling rigs to initiate new boreholes is labor-intensive and causes delays due to the need to disconnect and reconnect conduits, which creates safety hazards and inefficiencies, as existing solutions fail to effectively manage conduit placement and tension during rig relocation.
Innovation Solution
A conduit cart system that supports conduits above rails using sub-rail and super-rail protrusions, with vertical supports and tether posts, allowing conduits to be draped and tensioned in a way that minimizes obstruction and maintains stability, enabling unobstructed passage and efficient relocation of drilling rigs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conduits are disconnected and reconnected during rig relocation, then the rig can be moved to new borehole positions, but labor intensity increases and operational delays occur
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit system is pre-configured with sufficient length and routing capacity before rig relocation begins. The conduit is positioned and tensioned in advance to accommodate the full range of rig movements, eliminating the need for intermediate disconnection and reconnection operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary conduit management system that acts as a buffer between the fixed conduit infrastructure and the mobile rig. This intermediary system absorbs the mechanical stress and positional changes, allowing the rig to move without requiring conduit disconnection.
2Productivity
If conduits are left on the ground during rig movement, then conduit disconnection is avoided, but safety hazards increase due to trip risks and cable severing potential
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit is elevated from the ground plane to an overhead position, transitioning from two-dimensional ground-level placement to three-dimensional spatial routing. This dimensional change removes the conduit from the hazard zone while maintaining its functional connection to the rig.
Solution Approach 2:
The conduit is extracted from the ground-level environment and repositioned to an elevated location. This separation removes the conduit from the area where it could create trip hazards or be accidentally severed, while preserving its utility function.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conduits are moved into position with the rig, then conduit flexibility is maintained, but labor intensity and relocation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit system is designed with dynamic tensioning capabilities that automatically adjust to rig movement. The conduit maintains optimal tension and positioning through its engineered flexibility and routing configuration, eliminating the need for manual repositioning during relocation.
Solution Approach 2:
The conduit system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides utility connection, accommodates rig movement, maintains tension, and ensures safety. This multi-functionality is achieved through a single integrated design that eliminates the need for separate adjustment operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a conduit cart for supporting conduits above at least one rail. The conduit cart has a base; and at least two right-side protrusions, namely, a right-side sub-rail protrusion extending horizontally from the base; and a right-side super-rail protrusion extending horizontally from the base. The right-side sub-rail protrusion and right-side super-rail protrusion are adapted to straddle a flange of a first rail and the first rail is one among the at least one rail. Further, the base has at least two left-side protrusions, namely, a left-side sub-rail protrusion extending in a direction opposite to the right-side sub-rail protrusion from the base; and a left-side super-rail protrusion extending to the right-side super-rail protrusion from the base. The left-side sub-rail protrusion and left-side super-rail protrusion can straddle a substantially horizontal flange of a second rail, and the second rail is among the at least one rail.