Abstract:
A method for positioning a pipe stand in a fingerboard having fingers with a pipe racking apparatus includes gripping the pipe stand with an upper grabber and gripping the pipe stand with a lower grabber. The method also includes moving the pipe stand until it is aligned with a rack slot between two fingers of the fingerboard and extending the upper and lower grabbers to position the pipe stand in the rack slot. The method includes tilting the pipe stand in a first direction by moving one or both of the upper and lower grabbers in the first direction and tilting the pipe stand in a second direction. The method also includes lowering the pipe stand into contact with a setback of a drill floor, moving the pipe stand in the second direction until the pipe stand leans against the fingerboard, and releasing the pipe stand.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a non-provisional application which claims priority from U.S. provisional application No. 62/265139, filed Dec. 9, 2015. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD/FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates generally to methods for drilling rig equipment and specifically to methods of racking pipe stands on a drilling rig. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0003]    When drilling a wellbore, a drill string is extended from the drilling rig into the wellbore. The drill string includes a bit at its lowermost end. The drill string is typically formed from a plurality of end-to-end joined pipe sections. As the wellbore is drilled, additional lengths of drill pipe are added to the drill string to increase the length thereof. The additional lengths of drill pipe, typically sections of two or three individual drill pipes known collectively as a pipe stand, may be stored vertically on the drilling rig. The pipe stands are typically placed standing up on the drilling floor supported by fingerboards at an upper position. The fingerboards separate the stored pipe stands into rows, and prevent the pipe stands from falling over. Typically, the pipe stands lean towards the back of the fingerboard. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The disclosure includes a method for positioning a pipe stand in a fingerboard having fingers with a pipe racking apparatus. The method includes gripping the pipe stand with an upper grabber of the pipe racking apparatus and gripping the pipe stand with a lower grabber of the pipe racking apparatus. The method also includes moving the pipe stand until it is aligned with a rack slot between two fingers of the fingerboard and extending the upper and lower grabbers to position the pipe stand in the rack slot. In addition, the method includes tilting the pipe stand in a first direction by moving one or both of the upper and lower grabbers in the first direction. The method also includes lowering the pipe stand into contact with a setback of a drill floor, moving the pipe stand in the second direction until the pipe stand leans against the fingerboard by a movement of the upper grabber, and releasing the pipe stand from the upper and lower grabbers. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The present disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  depicts a side view of a drilling rig consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  depicts a top view of a drilling rig consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3A-8C  depict a pipe racking operation consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0009]      FIG. 9  depicts a setback consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of various embodiments. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed. 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  depicts drilling rig  10  consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Drilling rig  10  may include drill floor  12  and mast  14 . Drilling rig may include pipe handling apparatus  100 . 
         [0012]    Drilling rig  10  may include fingerboard  101 . Fingerboard  101  may, as depicted in  FIG. 2 , include fingers  103 . Fingers  103  may extend parallel to each other from end plate  105  of fingerboard  101 . Fingers  103  may define rack slots  107  which may receive pipe stands  20 . Pipe stands  20  may, when stored in fingerboard  101 , rest on setback  109  on drill floor  12 . Pipe stands  20 , as discussed herein below, may be placed into fingerboard  101  by pipe handling apparatus  100 . The operations described herein may be undertaken during any drilling rig operation including, but not limited to, pipe stand preparation and tripping out of the wellbore. Pipe stands  20  may be placed into fingerboard  101  from a wellbore, mouse hole, v-door, slide, catwalk, or any other rig structure. 
         [0013]    For the purposes of this disclosure, the following coordinate system will be used for the sake of clarity in the disclosure. The “X axis” or “X direction” is defined as extending horizontally in a direction perpendicular to fingers  103 , the “Y axis” or “Y direction” is defined as extending horizontally in a direction parallel to fingers  103 , and the “Z axis” or “Z direction” is defined as the vertical axis. For the purposes of this disclosure, movement along any of these axes or directions is to be understood to include some deviation from being perpendicular or perpendicular to fingers  103 . For example, one having ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure will understand that a movement within 10°-30° of these directions is considered a movement in the corresponding direction. These axes are marked on each of the accompanying figures. Although the operations described herein are described using this coordinate system, one having ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure will understand that the specific placement of components of drilling rig  10  may vary without deviating from the scope of this disclosure. As depicted in  FIG. 1 , pipe stands  20  may be inclined along the X direction and along the Y direction as discussed further herein below. 
         [0014]    In some embodiments, as depicted in  FIG. 1 , pipe handling apparatus  100  may include upper grabber  111  and lower grabber  113 . Upper grabber  111  and lower grabber  113  may be extendable horizontally from pipe handling apparatus column  115 . In some embodiments, upper grabber  111  may be movable vertically along pipe handling apparatus column  115 . In some embodiments, pipe handling apparatus column  115  may be rotatable about the Z axis, such that upper grabber  111  and lower grabber  113  may be repositioned between mast  14  and fingerboards  101 . Pipe handing apparatus column  115  may be movable along the X direction such that, for example and without limitation, upper grabber  111  and lower grabber  113  may be selectively aligned with a particular rack slot  107  as described further herein below. 
         [0015]      FIGS. 3A-8C  depict a racking operation consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.  FIGS. 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A, and 8A  depict a side view of drilling rig  10  viewed along the X axis.  FIGS. 3B, 4B, 5B, 6B, 7B, and 8B  depict a side view of drilling rig  10  viewed along the Y axis.  FIGS. 3C, 4C, 5C, 6C, 7C, and 8C  depict a top view of drilling rig  10 . 
         [0016]    In operation, pipe stand  20 ′, i.e. the pipe stand to be racked, may be lifted by pipe handling apparatus  100 . In some embodiments, upper grabber  111  may grip pipe stand  20 ′ and move vertically along the Z direction to lift pipe stand  20 ′. In some embodiments, lower grabber  113  may grip about pipe stand  20 ′. Pipe handling apparatus column  115  may rotate and move along the X direction until pipe stand  20 ′ is aligned with rack slot  107 ′, defined as the rack slot into which pipe stand  20 ′ is to be placed, as depicted in  FIGS. 3A-3C . 
         [0017]    Upper grabber  111  and lower grabber  113  may extend along the Y direction as depicted in  FIGS. 4A-4C . In some embodiments, upper grabber  111  and lower grabber  113  may extend such that pipe stand  20 ′ extends between fingers  103 ′ about half way into rack slot  107 ′. During this operation, upper grabber  111  and lower grabber  113  may maintain pipe stand  20 ′ in a generally vertical orientation. 
         [0018]    In some embodiments, a movement of one or more components of pipe handling apparatus  100  may, as depicted in  FIGS. 5A-5C , tilt or lean pipe stand  20 ′ in a first direction, here depicted as along the X direction. In some embodiments, the top of pipe stand  20 ′ may tilt or lean in the positive X direction. In some embodiments, the top of pipe stand  20 ′ may tilt or lean in the negative X direction. In some embodiments, the tilt or lean may be caused by a movement of the bottom of pipe stand  20 ′ of between 0.5″ and 10″, between 1″ and 5″, or between 2.5″ and 4.5″. For example, one or more of upper grabber  111 , lower grabber  113 , or pipe handling apparatus column  115  may be moved horizontally along the X direction to introduce the tilt in pipe stand  20 ′. In some embodiments, one or both of upper grabber  111  and lower grabber  113  may be articulated such that they may rotate in response to the tilt in pipe stand  20 ′. In some embodiments, movement of one or more of upper grabber  111 , lower grabber  113 , or pipe handling apparatus column  115  may press the upper end of pipe stand  20 ′ against fingerboard  101 , causing the tilt in pipe stand  20 ′. In some embodiments, upper grabber  111  and lower grabber  113  may move separately along the X direction to introduce the tilt in pipe stand  20 ′. 
         [0019]    In some embodiments, as depicted in  FIGS. 6A-6C , lower grabber  113  may extend in a second direction, here depicted as a further movement in the Y direction, causing the base of pipe stand  20 ′ to extend further from pipe handling apparatus column  115  along the Y direction. In some embodiments, the base of pipe stand  20 ′ may be positioned adjacent to a base of another pipe stand (not shown) on setback  109  already placed into fingerboard  101 . In some embodiments, upper grabber  111  may remain stationary while lower grabber  113  further extends, tilting pipe stand  20 ′ along the Y direction. In some embodiments, pipe stand  20 ′ may be tilted along the Y direction before being tilted along the X direction without deviating from the scope of this disclosure. 
         [0020]    In some embodiments, as depicted in  FIGS. 7A-7C , pipe stand  20 ′ may be lowered such that the base of pipe stand  20 ′ contacts setback  109 , transferring the weight of pipe stand  20 ′ to setback  109 . In some embodiments, lower grabber  113  may release pipe stand  20 ′. In some embodiments, as depicted in  FIGS. 8A-8C , upper grabber  111  may further extend along the Y direction until pipe stand  20 ′ passes a substantially vertical position in the Y-Z plane, at which time upper grabber  111  may release pipe stand  20 ′, allowing pipe stand  20 ′ to contact fingerboard  101  and lean or tilt in the Y direction, allowing the weight of pipe stand  20 ′ to hold it against fingerboard  101 . Pipe stand  20 ′ may thereby remain in fingerboard  101  by leaning thereagainst. 
         [0021]    These operations may be repeated for each additional pipe stand  20  desired to be placed in fingerboard  101  as depicted in  FIG. 1 . In some embodiments, by leaning each pipe stand  20  along both the X direction and Y direction, the bases of each pipe stand  20  may be in contact with adjacent pipe stands  20  in both the X and Y directions as depicted in  FIG. 9 , despite the separation between pipe stands  20  by the width of each finger  103  of fingerboard  101 . Placing the bases of each pipe stand  20  in both the X and Y directions may allow, for example and without limitation, setback  109  to be smaller than if the bases of pipe stands  20  were not in contact. For example, in some embodiments, setback  109  may be narrowed by between 5″ and 96″, between 10″ and 48″, or between 12″ and 36″. 
         [0022]    The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments so that a person of ordinary skill in the art may better understand the aspects of the present disclosure. Such features may be replaced by any one of numerous equivalent alternatives, only some of which are disclosed herein. One of ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. One of ordinary skill in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure and that they may make various changes, substitutions, and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.