Abstract:
Automated systems and apparatus for transferring tubulars (tubulars used in wellbore and derrick operations, such as casing, tubing, drill pipe, etc.) or stands of pipe from one location to another in a derrick, e.g. from a fingerboard to a well center are described. The system includes a fully automated drill pipe handling system to move and position the drill pipe through all the steps of the drilling process.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This present invention is directed to systems for moving tubulars, e.g., drill pipe, and pipe stands in a derrick; to systems for transferring pipe or a stand of pipe between a fingerboard area and a well center; and to methods of the use of such systems. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    The prior art discloses a wide variety of drilling systems, apparatuses, and methods including, but not limited to, the disclosures in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,944,547; 6,918,453; 6,802,378; 6,050,348; 5,465,799; 4,995,465; 4,854,397; 4,850,439; and 3,658,138, all incorporated fully herein for all purposes. The prior art discloses a wide variety of tubular handling and tubular transfer systems for wellbore operations; for example, and not by way of limitation, those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,862,973; 4,765,401; 4,725,179; 4,462,733; 4,345,864; 4,274,778; 4,269,554; 4,128,135; 4,044,895; 4,042,123; 4,013,178; 5,451,129; 5,988,299; 6,779,614; 6,821,071; 6,976,540; 7,083,007; and in U.S. Application 2006/0081379 A1 (all said U.S. references incorporated fully herein for all purposes). 
         [0005]    In certain well known well drilling methods, a string of drill pipe having a drill bit mounted on the lower end thereof is suspended from a traveling block in a drilling rig mast. The drill string is suspended from the traveling block by a swivel which enables rotational force to be applied to the drill string, typically by a rotary table at the drilling rig floor, or a power swivel or top drive in the derrick to advance the depth of the drilled bore. As the depth of the bore increases, additional lengths of drill pipe are added to the drill string at the surface. 
         [0006]    Often, for various reasons, the drill string is pulled from the bore, e.g., in order to change the drill bit or to run testing or other equipment into the bore on the end of the drill string. When pulling drill pipe from the bore, the traveling block is raised until a stand (multiple connected pieces) of pipe extends above the drilling rig floor. In the usual case, a stand comprises two or three pieces of pipe, e.g. three pieces totaling approximately 90 feet in length. Next, slips are placed between the pipe and the drilling rig floor in order to suspend the drill string in the well bore from a point beneath the pipe stand which extends above the drilling rig floor. The connection between the pipe stand and the remainder of the drill string is unthreaded and the lower end of the stand is placed on a support pad, sometimes referred to as a setback, on the drilling rig floor. Next, a man positioned in the upper portion of the rig disconnects the upper end of the stand from the traveling block and places the upper end of the stand between a set of racking fingers on a fingerboard which support the stand in a substantially vertical position. The traveling block is then lowered to pick up the drill string and the process is repeated until all of the pipe, e.g. in three piece stands, is supported at the lower ends thereof on the setback with the upper ends being constrained between pairs of racking fingers on the fingerboard. When running a new drill bit or a tool into the well bore, this process is reversed. This process is repeated until the drill string is removed or, in the reverse process, when the drill bit reaches a desired depth in the well bore. 
         [0007]    A variety of difficulties and dangers can be associated with procedures for running a drill string into or out of a well bore to personnel involved in these procedures, e.g., personnel working on a platform above a drilling rig floor. This job can entail reaching from the platform to the center line of the well in order to connect the upper end of a pipe stand to the traveling block (and to disconnect the same therefrom) and can require moving the upper end of each pipe stand between the racking fingers and the center line of the well. 
         [0008]    Various prior art efforts have been made to automate one aspect or another of the procedure for running drill pipe into and out of the well bore. Some of these procedures incorporate the use of mechanical arms mounted on the drilling rig mast adjacent the racking fingers for moving the upper ends of the pipe stands between the well center line and the racking fingers. Some include lower arms or dollies for simultaneously gripping the lower end of the stand in order to move it between the well center line and the setback. Some of the prior art devices move the stands in response to control signals generated by a computer. Some of the prior art devices have disadvantages. Many are cumbersome in their design and thus in their operation and are expensive to build. Some prior art apparatuses have a single arm for manipulating pipe at the upper end of a pipe stand. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,179 discloses an automated racking apparatus for use to facilitate coupling and uncoupling substantially vertical lengths of pipe by moving the pipe between a coupled position and a racking assembly. An arm assembly includes a gripping head mounted thereon for grasping a pipe. Apparatuses are provided for moving the arm assembly. The lower end of a pipe received in the racking assembly is supported by a support assembly which includes sensor apparatus the location of the lower end of each pipe on the support assembly. Control apparatus connected to the sensor apparatus and to the moving apparatus is provided for moving the arm assembly to a preselected position dependent upon the position of the lower end of a pipe which is set on or removed from the support assembly. In one aspect, the arm assembly includes a first arm and a second arm which are extendable and retractable along axes oriented at ninety degrees to one another. In one aspect, U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,179 discloses an automated pipe racking apparatus for use to facilitate threading and unthreading substantially vertical lengths of pipe on a drilling rig by moving the pipe between the well bore center line and a racking assembly. An arm having a gripping head mounted thereon is extendable and retractable relative to a carriage mounted on the drilling rig working board. When storing pipe, the lower end of each pipe is set on a support assembly which includes a plurality of switches which signal the position of each pipe thereon. The arm and carriage are moved under control of a computer to an appropriate slot for storing the upper end of the pipe stand. When running pipe into the well bore, the arm and carriage move the upper end of the pipe to the center line of the well and when the traveling block of the drilling rig picks up the pipe, a signal generated by the switch beneath the pipe causes the carriage and arm to move to the location for unracking the next stand of pipe; which in one particular aspect, includes an arm assembly having a gripping head mounted thereon for grasping a pipe, apparatus for moving the arm assembly, a support assembly for supporting the lower end of a pipe received in the racking assembly, apparatus for sensing the location of the lower end of each pipe on the support assembly; and control apparatus operatively connected to the sensing apparatus and to the moving apparatus for moving the arm assembly to a preselected position dependent upon the position of the lower end of a pipe which is set on or removed from the support assembly. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,821,071 discloses an automated pipe racking apparatus for a drilling rig having an elevator suspended over a well bore. An arm support member is rotatable about an axis parallel to the well bore. A gripper arm extends from the arm support member along an axis normal to the axis of rotation of the arm support member. A gripper head assembly extends from the gripper arm, the gripper head assembly having a pair of opposed, arcuate gripper fingers, each said finger rotatable by a motor. In one aspect, an automated pipe racking process is disclosed for a drilling rig with an elevator suspended over a well bore, which process includes: lifting a pipe stand having at least one pipe section with the elevator; moving a lower end of the pipe stand over a base pad; setting the lower end of the pipe stand down onto a base pad; capturing the pipe stand with a gripper head assembly having a pair of rotating arcuate fingers; releasing the pipe stand from the elevator; and moving an upper end of the pipe stand with the gripper head assembly to a chosen location. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,083,007 discloses a fingerboard having at least one fingerboard row for storing a plurality of threaded tubulars with a plurality of latches connected to the at least one fingerboard row for lockingly retaining at least one threaded tubular, wherein each of the plurality of latches is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position. A row controller is connected to each of the latches for individually and sequentially moving the latches between the locked and unlocked positions, wherein the row controller is manually operable from a location remote from the latches such that the latches are manually and remotely controlled. In one aspect, a fingerboard is disclosed that includes: at least one fingerboard row for storing a plurality of threaded tubulars; a plurality of latches connected to the at least one fingerboard row for lockingly retaining at least one threaded tubular, wherein each of the plurality of latches is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position; and a row controller connected to each of the latches for individually and sequentially moving the latches between the locked and unlocked positions, wherein the row controller is manually operable from a location remote from the latches such that the latches are manually and remotely controlled. In one aspect, a method of storing a plurality of threaded tubulars in a fingerboard is disclosed that includes: providing a fingerboard row for storing the plurality of threaded tubulars; providing a casing having a plurality of exhaust ports, wherein each of the plurality of exhaust ports corresponds to at least one of the plurality of threaded tubulars; providing a piston having an elongated rod that is movable relative to the casing; connecting a plurality of latches to the fingerboard row, wherein each of the plurality of latches is connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of exhaust ports and each latch is biased to a closed position and movable between the closed position and an opened position; connecting an air source to the casing; moving the elongated rod to a fully extended position such that each exhaust port is uncovered by the elongated rod and air from the air source enters each uncovered exhaust port and forces each of the latches into a unlocked position; adding successive ones of the plurality of threaded tubulars to a position within the fingerboard row; and moving the elongated rod to one of a plurality of retracted positions to cover the corresponding exhaust port of each added threaded tubular causing each latch to be biased from the unlocked position to the locked position to lock each added threaded tubular to the fingerboard row. 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,123 discloses a hydraulically powered pipe handling system, a general purpose digital computer is used to control the operation of hydraulically powered racker arms as well as the various auxiliary functions involved in vertical pipe racking operations. The manual pipe-racking system (that is, that which is hydraulically powered and under the control of one or more operators) is retained, the computer controlled mode of operation being an alternative system present in the overall design. There is provided to the operator, while the system is in its automatic mode of operation, visual indication of length of drill string, depth of hole, depth of drill bit and composition of the drill string, including number and type of pipe lengths making up the drill string. In one aspect, a drill pipe handling system for the automated handling of drill pipe lengths, in a well being drilled or otherwise serviced, is disclosed including: rack apparatus for receiving pipe stands and supporting the pipe stands in spaced apart vertical rows adjacent the side of a derrick, the rack apparatus including a series of parallel rows for receiving the pipe stands and fingers selectively actuable for forming rectangular openings along the parallel rows for locking the pipe stands in place; sensor apparatus for sensing the individual actuation of the fingers; racker apparatus for successively moving the drill pipe stands between a position adjacent the center of the derrick and the rack apparatus; a racker arm extending horizontally from the racker apparatus, the racker arm having a gripper at the outer end thereof for engaging the drill pipe stands; computer control apparatus for controlling the rack apparatus, the fingers, the racker apparatus, and the racker arm; the computer control apparatus including, a programmable general purpose digital computer; a computer program for providing sequential instructions to the digital computer; input-output apparatus for monitoring and controlling the digital computer; the input-output apparatus including, display apparatus for providing visual indication of the status of the computer program and for permitting data or instructions to be input to the digital computer; and a driller&#39;s console for permitting control of the drill pipe handling system by inputting instructions to the digital computer, the console including a selector for selecting automated or manual operations of the handling system, and controls and indicator apparatus for starting or stopping the automated function of the handling system and for providing visual indication of the operating status of the handling system. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    The present invention discloses, in certain aspects, systems for transferring tubulars (tubulars used in wellbore and derrick operations, such as casing, tubing, drill pipe, etc.) or stands of pipe from one location to another in a derrick, e.g. from a fingerboard to a well center. 
         [0014]    In some embodiments, the present invention may include features and advantages which are believed to enable it to advance derrick pipe transfer technology. Certain embodiments of this invention are not limited to any particular individual feature disclosed here, but include combinations of them in their structures, functions, and/or results achieved. Some features of the invention have been broadly described so that the detailed descriptions that follow may be better understood, and in order that the contributions of this invention to the arts may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional aspects of the invention described herein which may be included in the subject matter of the claims to this invention. Those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this invention, its teachings, and suggestions will appreciate that the conceptions of this disclosure may be used as a creative basis for designing other structures, methods and systems for carrying out and practicing the present invention. 
         [0015]    Disclosed herein are new, useful, unique, efficient, nonobvious systems and methods for transferring tubulars within a wellbore derrick. To one of skill in this art who has the benefits of this invention&#39;s disclosures, various purposes and advantages will be appreciated from the following description of certain preferred embodiments, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detail in these descriptions is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    A more particular description of embodiments of the invention briefly summarized above may be had by references to the embodiments which are shown in the drawings which form a part of this specification. These drawings illustrate certain preferred embodiments and are not to be used to improperly limit the scope of the invention which may have other equally effective or legally equivalent embodiments. 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a tubular handling system according to the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of a carrier supporting a drive motor which drives a shaft of part of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 2B  is a another perspective view of perspective view of a carrier supporting a drive motor which drives a shaft of part of the system of  FIGS. 1 and 2A . 
           [0020]      FIG. 2C  is a close up perspective view of the drive motors and shafts of  FIG. 2B . 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view base and fingers of the tubular handling system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the trolleys of the tubular handling system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of the jaws of tubular handling system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 5B  is another perspective view of the jaws of tubular handling system of  FIG. 1   
           [0025]      FIG. 5C  is a still another perspective view of the jaws of tubular handling system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 5D  is a partial cross-section view of the jaws of tubular handling system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 5E  is a partial cross-section view of the jaws of tubular handling system of  FIG. 1  and as also shown in  FIG. 5D . 
           [0028]      FIG. 6  is a top view of part of the system of  FIG. 1  with a pipe in a cradle between fingers of the of tubular handling system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 7A  is a top view of the system of  FIG. 1  illustrating a step in a method for using the system. 
           [0030]      FIG. 7B  is a top view illustrating a step after the step of  FIG. 7A . 
           [0031]      FIG. 7C  is a top view illustrating a step after the step of  FIG. 7B . 
           [0032]      FIG. 7D  is a top view illustrating a step after the step of  FIG. 7C . 
           [0033]      FIG. 7E  is a top view illustrating a step after the step of  FIG. 7D . 
           [0034]      FIG. 7F  is a top view illustrating a step after the step of  FIG. 7E . 
           [0035]      FIG. 7G  is a top view illustrating a step after the step of  FIG. 7F . 
           [0036]      FIG. 7H  is a top view illustrating a step after the step of  FIG. 7G . 
           [0037]      FIG. 7I  is a top view illustrating a step after the step of  FIG. 7H . 
           [0038]      FIG. 7J  is a top view illustrating a step after the step of  FIG. 7I . 
           [0039]      FIG. 7K  is a top view illustrating a step after the step of  FIG. 7J . 
           [0040]      FIG. 7L  is a top view illustrating a step after the step of  FIG. 7K . 
           [0041]      FIG. 7M  is a top view illustrating a step after the step of  FIG. 7L . 
           [0042]      FIG. 7N  is a top view illustrating a step after the step of  FIG. 7M . 
           [0043]      FIG. 7O  is a top view illustrating a step after the step of  FIG. 7N . 
           [0044]      FIG. 7P  is a top view illustrating a step after the step of  FIG. 7O . 
           [0045]      FIG. 7Q  is a top view illustrating a step after the step of  FIG. 7P . 
           [0046]      FIG. 7R  is a top view illustrating a step after the step of  FIG. 7Q . 
       
    
    
       [0047]    Presently preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the above-identified figures and described in detail below. Various aspects and features of embodiments of the invention are described below and some are set out in the dependent claims. Any combination of aspects and/or features described below or shown in the dependent claims can be used except where such aspects and/or features are mutually exclusive. It should be understood that the drawings and description herein are of preferred embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention or the appended claims. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. In showing and describing the preferred embodiments, like or identical reference numerals are used to identify common or similar elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features and certain views of the figures may be shown exaggerated in scale or in schematic in the interest of clarity and conciseness. 
         [0048]    As used herein and throughout all the various portions (and headings) of this patent, the terms “invention”, “present invention” and variations thereof mean one or more embodiment, and are not intended to mean the claimed invention of any particular appended claim(s) or all of the appended claims. Accordingly, the subject or topic of each such reference is not automatically or necessarily part of, or required by, any particular claim(s) merely because of such reference. So long as they are not mutually exclusive or contradictory, any aspect or feature or combination of aspects or features of any embodiment disclosed herein may be used in any other embodiment disclosed herein. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0049]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a system  10  according to the present invention has a base  12  with two sets of a plurality of spaced-apart fingers  14  and  14   a.  Since the two sets operate in a similar manner, the remainder of the description will be drawn to the spaced-apart fingers as indicated as numeral  14 . Drive motors  16  rotate a lead screw  18  which moves carriers  20  to a selected location with respect to a selected finger  14 . Each carrier  20  supports a drive motor  22  which drives a shaft  24  (as shown in  FIG. 2B . The shafts  24  have ends  26  which mesh with ends  28  of cradle shafts  32  as shown in  FIG. 6 . Thus one set of drive motors  22  may be used to rotate the cradle shafts  32  to move cradles  30  (as shown in  FIGS. 6 through 7E ) with respect to the fingers  14 . 
         [0050]    Each carrier  20  has top rollers  34  which move on a top rail  36  of the base  12  and bottom rollers  28  that move on a bottom rail  39  of the base  12 . 
         [0051]    Two trolleys  40  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) are movably mounted on a central mount  50 . Lead screws  42  driven by trolley motors  44  mesh with threaded channels  43  to selectively move the trolleys  40  to a desired location with respect to a selected finger  14 . Each trolley  40  has a movable cradle  46 , each with a gear-toothed end  48 . When the trolley motors  44  move the trolleys  40  to the end of the central mount  50 , each of the gear-toothed ends  48  meshes with a corresponding rack  52  (see  FIG. 7L , e.g.) so that further movement rotates the cradles  46  with a tubular as described in detail below. 
         [0052]    Each trolley  40  is supported by a support rail  54 . Rollers  45  of each trolley roll on the support rail  54 . 
         [0053]    A carriage arm  62  extends from a carriage  60  which is movable within the central mount  50 . Two jaws  71 ,  72  are pivotably connected to the carriage arm  62  on a shaft  64 . The carriage  60  has rollers  66  which facilitate its movement on the central mount  50 . Each jaw  71 ,  72  has a bowl portion  71   b,    72   b,  respectively shaped and configured to accommodate a tubular held by the jaws. A fluid-powered piston-cylinder apparatus  74  selectively moves each jaw  71 ,  72 .  FIG. 5D  shows a piston  75  of each apparatus retracted. 
         [0054]    Extension of a piston  75  moves a jaw (e.g. the second jaw  72 , as shown in  FIG. 5E ) upwardly. A lead screw  76  driven by a carriage motor  78  moves the carriage  60  with respect to the central mount  50  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 7A ). 
         [0055]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , a cradle  46  is adjacent a pipe  100  and a trolley  40  is located adjacent an opening  102  between two fingers  14 . The drive motor  22  is in position to move a shaft  32  to move the pipe  100  toward the trolley  40 . The first jaw  71  is in an “up” position. Of course the system  10  may have multiple pieces of pipe between all the fingers  14 . 
         [0056]      FIG. 7A  shows a cradle  30  moved into position about a piece of pipe  102  (which may be a single stand or may be a double or perhaps even a triple stand. Both jaws  71 ,  72  are in a “down” and “in” position. As shown in  FIG. 7B , the drive motor  22  has moved the cradle  30  and pipe  102  toward the trolley  40 . As shown in  FIG. 7C , the pipe  102  is near the interior ends of the fingers  14  and part of the cradle  30  blocks the entry of the pipe  102  into the trolley  40 . 
         [0057]      FIGS. 7D and 7E  illustrate tilting of the cradle  30  (by the further driving of the shaft  32  by the drive motor  22 ) to move the pipe  102  and to permit the pipe  102  to enter the trolley  40 .  FIG. 7F  shows the pipe  102  moved into the trolley  40 . As shown in  FIG. 7G , a trolley motor  44  has moved the trolley  40  towards the first jaw  71 .  FIGS. 7H ,  7 I, and  7 J illustrate the trolley  40  progressing toward the first jaw  71 , and the first jaw  71  has been moved up and out of the way so the pipe  102  can be positioned between the jaws  71 ,  72 , which may be adapted to swing upwards away from each other with the use of a hydraulic cylinder (not shown) or other suitable device. 
         [0058]    As shown in  FIG. 7K , the cradle  46  has been turned (with the end  48  acting on the rack  52 ) and has moved the pipe  102  toward the second jaw  72  while the first jaw  71  is up and out of the way.  FIG. 7L  shows the pipe  102  in position adjacent the second jaw  72 .  FIG. 7M  shows the first jaw  71  lowered and the pipe  102  positioned between the two jaws  71 ,  72 . 
         [0059]    As shown in  FIG. 7N , the carriage  60  has been moved to move the pipe  102  through an opening  112  between arms  110 .  FIG. 7O  illustrate further movement of the pipe  102 , supported by the jaws  71 ,  72  away from the arms  110 , e.g., to position the pipe  102  for engagement by an elevator  120 . 
         [0060]      FIG. 7P  shows the elevator  120  engaging the pipe  102 . As the elevator  120  (with the pipe  102 ) is moved up, the elevator  120  bumps the jaws  71 ,  72  moving them both up and apart, out of the way (see  FIG. 7Q ) where they will remain for the duration of the cycle. 
         [0061]    As shown in  FIG. 7R , since the jaws  71 ,  72  are hinged, they may be moved in an “up” and “out” position with a suitable hydraulic cylinder or other type of motive device (not shown). This then clears the path and allows the elevator  120  to move the pipe  102 . The jaws  71 ,  72  may remain in the up position until they are again needed to hold another pipe  102  in position. 
         [0062]    It is within the scope of the present invention to employ any suitable known movement apparatus, powered device, or motorized structure to move the cradles  30 , the trolleys  40 , and/or the carriage  60 ; including, but not limited to, piston-cylinder apparatuses and/or pneumatically and/or hydraulically and/or electrically powered equipment. 
         [0063]    In conclusion, therefore, it is seen that the present invention and the embodiments disclosed herein and those covered by the appended claims are well adapted to carry out the objectives and obtain the ends set forth. Certain changes can be made in the subject matter without departing from the spirit and the scope of this invention. It is realized that changes are possible within the scope of this invention and it is further intended that each element or step recited in any of the following claims is to be understood as referring to the step literally and/or to all equivalent elements or steps. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements. 
         [0064]    Whereas the present invention has been described in particular relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be understood that other and further modifications apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the scope and spirit of the present invention.