CN113396268A

CN113396268A - Zone management system and equipment interlocking

Info

Publication number: CN113396268A
Application number: CN201980090596.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: A.乔鲁德; S.郑; O.埃克兰
Original assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corp
Current assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corp
Priority date: 2018-12-07
Filing date: 2019-12-06
Publication date: 2021-09-14
Also published as: WO2020118140A1; NO20210689A1

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing equipment in a workspace, such as an oil rig, are disclosed. The object is given a larger area than the object. The monitoring system is capable of monitoring the objects and the area of each object. When zones intersect, a collision may occur and the monitoring system may take action to prevent the collision or mitigate damage in the event of a collision. Further, systems and methods for ensuring proper switching of a moving assembly from one support to another are disclosed.

Description

Zone management system and equipment interlocking

Background

Drilling rigs for oil and gas production are complex and sometimes dangerous machines. There are many moving components that work together to perform drilling operations, such as iron roughnecks, top drives, mud pumps, electrical systems, and tools. Some areas of the rig floor are high traffic areas where many of the mobile assemblies are operating in different ways at different times, but without proper attention all parts of the rig are potentially hazardous areas. Maintaining order and avoiding collisions and other inefficiencies is a challenging but important task.

Disclosure of Invention

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a system including a plurality of monitored objects, each monitored object having a physical characteristic, the monitored objects being deployed in a workspace, such as an oil rig. The system also includes a computing component configured to establish a region pertaining to one or more monitored objects based on the physical features, and a memory configured to store the workspace and a coordinate system of the monitored objects and to store information describing the region. The region extends beyond the physical extremity of the monitored object in at least one direction, and the computing component is configured to identify that regions of two or more monitored objects will intersect. The computing component is further configured to initiate a precautionary measure in response to the region intersection.

Further embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method that includes identifying a coordinate system of a workspace, identifying a plurality of monitored objects within the workspace, and establishing coordinates of the monitored objects in relation to the coordinate system of the workspace. The method also includes establishing a region for the one or more monitored objects that extends beyond a perimeter of the monitored object, thereby defining a buffer between the region and the monitored object, and identifying an intersection of two or more regions. The method also includes initiating a precautionary measure in response to the intersection.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a system that includes a calculation component configured to calculate the size and shape of a plurality of objects on a rig site and identify regions pertaining to each object. The region is larger than the object in at least one dimension. The computing component is further configured to monitor movement of the objects, identify when regions of two or more objects intersect, and issue an alert in response to the intersection.

Further embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a system including a computing component configured to compute a size and shape of a plurality of objects at a rig site and identify a region associated with each object. The region is larger than the object in at least one dimension. The computing component is further configured to monitor movement of the objects and identify when regions of two or more objects intersect. The computation component may issue an alert in response to the intersection.

Still other embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a system for transferring tubulars between two support structures. The system includes a first support structure configured to secure and transport a tubular configured to be connected with other tubulars to form a drill string at a drilling rig site, and a second support structure configured to receive the tubular from the first support structure. The system also includes a communication device configured to facilitate communication between the first and second support structures. The first support structure receives confirmation from the second support structure that the second support structure has secured the tubular and does not release the tubular until the confirmation is received. The first support structure is configured to release the tubular upon receipt of the confirmation.

Other embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a method comprising securing a tubular with a support, the tubular configured to be connected with other tubulars to form a drill string, and initiating transfer of the tubular from the support to a second support. The method also includes requesting confirmation that the tubular from the second support has been satisfactorily secured to the second support, and securing the tubular to the second support. The method continues by confirming to the support that the second support has secured the tubular, and after receiving the confirmation, releasing the tubular by the support.

Other embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a system comprising a support configured to hold a tubular configured to be connected with other tubulars to form a drill string for oilfield drilling operations, and a conveyor coupled to the support. The transmitter is configured to communicate with other supports. The support is configured to deliver the tubular to a second support, communicate with the second support, and request confirmation from the second support that the tubular is safe. Upon receipt of the confirmation, the support will release the tubular.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an oil rig according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2A and 2B are illustrations of an iron roughneck in a collapsed and expanded configuration, respectively, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 3A and 3B are illustrations of a region for an iron roughneck according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 depicts components that are the subject of the systems and methods of the present disclosure.

5A-D are illustrations of the interaction of two components monitored by systems and methods according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the system and method of the present disclosure encountering an unexpected object according to the present disclosure.

Fig. 7 is a block flow diagram illustrating a method according to the present disclosure.

Fig. 8 is a block flow diagram of a method in which the motion of an object is considered in defining a region according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 9 is a block flow diagram in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 10 is another block flow diagram illustrating a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a system and method for ensuring proper treatment of equipment, such as drill string tubulars, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

12A-12C illustrate a control exchange between two support structures according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 13A illustrates a tube and a support according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 13B illustrates a composite zone, a tubular, a support, and a second support and corresponding zones according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 13C shows a transfer sequence between the first support 280 and the second support.

Figure 14 is an illustration of a system for treating a series of tubulars in a well supported by various support structures according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 15 is a swim lane diagram illustrating interactions between supports and for loads such as tubulars, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of an operating environment for implementation of a computer-implemented method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

The following is a detailed description of various embodiments according to the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an oil rig 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The drilling rig 100 may have a rig floor 102, a tower 103, and a support structure 104. The equipment 106 may be on the rig floor 102, or suspended from the tower 103, or almost anywhere on, above, or around the drilling rig 100. The systems and methods of the present disclosure may be applied to any apparatus of the drilling rig 100, as will become apparent throughout the present disclosure. The drilling rig 100 may be given a coordinate system 108, which coordinate system 108 may be an x-y-z coordinate system or other suitable coordinate system, such as polar or azimuth. The coordinate system 108 may be arbitrarily assigned to the drilling rig 100 based on a reference point or based on GPS coordinates related to global coordinates. One possible reference point is a vertical line, commonly referred to as the "well center," which defines the center of the borehole drilled by the drilling rig 100.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods of monitoring equipment on drilling rigs of all sizes, shapes, etc. In accordance with the present disclosure, systems and methods define a region for each object. The region is a three-dimensional space defined according to a coordinate system 108. Each zone is associated with one or more different devices, including fixed structures or components that are part of the drilling rig. The area is attached to the device and moves with the device. The size of the area may vary (expand or contract) depending on the speed at which it is attached to the device or the speed of the surrounding devices that may be in contact with the associated device. Some machines and equipment are complex enough to warrant the use of multiple zones within the machine, and the system of the present disclosure may maintain information related to the zones of different sub-assemblies. The system and method are configured to monitor these areas to prevent collisions between components, as will be described below. Without loss of generality, zone management can be implemented on the rig using a number of different coordinate systems. For example, coordinate system 1 may be used to implement area management between devices a and B, while a different coordinate system 2 may be used to implement area management between devices A, C and D.

Fig. 2A and 2B are illustrations of an iron roughneck 120 in a collapsed and expanded configuration, respectively, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Like other components on the drilling rig, the iron roughneck 120 may expand and/or move in various ways. It has a gripping portion 122 and a support mechanism 124. When contracted (fig. 2A), the grip portion 122 is closer to the support 124 than when expanded (fig. 2B). The iron roughneck 120 may also translate and rotate about the drill. The iron roughneck shown here is typically used to grip a tube and make-up a threaded connection. Iron roughneck 120 is used in this figure to illustrate the movement of components on the drilling rig. It should be understood that an oil rig may use nearly any of the described equipment, some of which move in a particular manner and have different sizes, locations, weights, functions, etc. The illustrated iron roughneck 120 is shown as an example of a component of a drilling rig and is not used in a limiting sense.

Fig. 3A and 3B are illustrations of a region 130 of an iron roughneck 120 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In fig. 3A, iron roughneck 120 is retracted and region 130 is defined to surround iron roughneck 120. Region 130 may be a cube defined in a coordinate system with six generally planar bounds, or it may be a more complex shape that may more closely match the shape of the device. Alternatively, the region 130 may not completely surround the entire iron roughneck 120. Instead, the area may cover only the portion of the iron roughneck 120 that may collide with other rig equipment. In fig. 3B, the iron roughneck 120 is expanded. As the iron roughneck moves and/or expands, region 130 moves and/or expands as the iron roughneck moves and/or expands. The extent of expansion may depend on the speed of movement of the iron roughneck. Region 132 may be modified to account for variations in the shape, location, or orientation of iron roughneck 120.

FIG. 4 depicts a component 140 that is the subject of the systems and methods of the present disclosure. The component 140 may be any component present on an oil rig. Many components are in use on oil rigs at any time. Many of which have different sizes, weights and uses. Some components are fixed on the drilling machine; some of them move. The component 140 has a region 141 at least partially surrounding the component 140. Region 141 may be larger than component 140 such that a buffer region is created between the end of component 140 and region 141 to further help avoid undesirable collisions between components. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the database 142 is used to store characteristics of components on a drilling rig. The database 142 may store information relating to location, size, shape, weight, motion path, tolerances, impact sensitivity, reference points, center of mass 143, and attachment points. In an embodiment, the system and method includes a computation component 144 configured to perform logic and computations in accordance with the present disclosure.

Position of

The position of the assembly 140 may be expressed in terms of coordinates relative to a coordinate system, as shown in FIG. 1. The coordinate system may be an x-y-z coordinate system, a polar coordinate system, or another suitable type of coordinate system. The coordinate system of the drilling rig may be centered on any arbitrary point, such as the northwest end, the intersection of the drill center and the drill floor, or any other arbitrary coordinate system. The position of the assembly 140 is monitored and continuously compared to the positions of other related assemblies on the rig. The position information of the component, along with the size and/or shape information of the component, may be used to describe the device and its associated area in three-dimensional space of the coordinate system relative to other components on the rig. The systems and methods of the present disclosure may detect whether a collision between two or more components is imminent, and if so, issue a warning or take action to prevent the collision.

Size and shape

The size of the components may be stored by the database 142 to aid in the calculation of the area 141. The database 142 may store the sizes of the components 140 according to the coordinates at the respective ends of the components 140. Where the component 140 has a cubic shape, the dimensions may be described by the edges and orientation of the cube or any other suitable coordinate system. The shape of the component 140 may be more complex and in this case, more coordinates may be used to calculate the size and shape of the component 140. Indeed, the systems and methods of the present disclosure may track any shape and size of a component. The size and/or shape information of the component is used to define the corresponding size and/or shape of the relevant area. The region may completely surround the physical component. Alternatively, the area may cover only a portion of the physical component that may collide with other components. Furthermore, the size of the area may be expanded in a direction aligned with the movement of the component. Alternatively, the size of the region in the component may be expanded in another direction approaching the component. The extent of this expansion may depend on the speed of the moving assembly.

Weight (D)

The database 142 may further track the weight of the assembly 140, which may be used to determine how much force is required to move or stop the movement of the assembly 140. In some embodiments, the weight is known in advance, and in other embodiments, the drilling rig is equipped with a sensor configured to determine the weight of the assembly 140 at any desired time. For example, if the component 140 is a top drive connected to a drill string, the weight of the component 140 varies depending on the length of the drill string. The sensor may take measurements at any desired time to determine the weight as desired.

Path of motion

The location of various components on the drilling rig changes from time to time. The path of movement of the assembly 140 may also be stored by the database 142. The path of movement of the assembly 140 may be the complete path that the assembly 140 may travel from one location to another. Alternatively, the path of movement of the component 140 may be simply the direction of an undefined end point of travel of the component. The database 142 may store the conventional movement path of a given component. For example, an iron roughneck as shown in fig. 2 and 3 has a path of movement from a retracted position and an extended position. The trajectory of the path may be known in advance. The calculation component 144 can be informed of the proposed motion path for a given component and can calculate whether the component 140 can make the proposed motion at the proposed time without intersecting the area of another component on the rig. If so, the calculation component 144 approves the movement. Alternatively, when a component 140 is commanded to move in a particular direction, the area associated with the component may expand in the direction of the intended movement. The extent to which the region extends may depend on the speed of the associated component. With the extended region of the component 140, the calculation component 144 can calculate whether the extended region of the component 140 can intersect a region of another component on the drilling rig. If not, the calculation component 144 approves the movement. In another embodiment, when component 140 is commanded to move in a particular direction, the area associated with all surrounding components that may be in contact with component 140 may expand in the direction of entering component 140. The extent to which the zone expands may depend on the speed of the entering assembly. The calculation component 144 can perform similar calculations to evaluate whether any region intersections are likely to occur and react accordingly. Movement of the assembly may be under the direction and control of one or more different mechanisms, some of which move under their own power, such as the iron roughneck shown above. Its various forms of motion mechanisms may be approved by computing components to prevent collisions between components.

In some embodiments, movement of one or more portable components may be unplanned. The portable assembly is any object that is not part of a typical rig apparatus, but may be present on the rig during operation. For example, a rig worker (worker) may be a portable object that may enter a rig floor to interact with other rig equipment in a temporary manner. The crate (crate) may be a portable object that may be brought to the drill floor during operation. The system and method of the present disclosure is equipped to detect and monitor even unplanned movement of portable objects. Cameras, sensors and other measurement devices may be used to identify objects and detect their motion. The calculation component 144 can establish a region associated with the object, assess its risk of collision with surrounding equipment, and can issue a warning and take action to prevent the collision. The computing component 144 may move the other components away or may stop the movement of the other components to avoid collisions. The calculation component 144 can also be configured to calculate the expected damage for a given collision and can be configured with logic to allow the calculation component 144 to determine a course of action under a given set of circumstances. For example, assume that when the computing component 144 detects that a rig worker is walking toward the well center, the top drive is moving downward toward the drill floor. The calculation component 144 immediately establishes a zone around the rig worker and evaluates whether the zone intersects the zone associated with the top drive. Depending on the safety strategy established for the operation, the computing component may take a variety of measures to avoid a collision between the top drive and the rig worker, ranging from sounding an alarm, slowing the movement of the top drive to an emergency stop of the top drive movement, and the like.

Tolerance of

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, database 142 may store information related to tolerances of a given component. The tolerance may be defined as the distance from an edge of the physical structure of the component 140 and a corresponding edge of the defined region 141. The nature of the component 140 and the environment in which it is used may be factors in determining the appropriate tolerances. Generally, the faster the speed of the assembly, the greater the tolerance in the direction of movement. Alternatively, the faster the speed of entry into the component, the greater the tolerance in the direction of entry into the component. It is also possible that the more sensitive the component, the greater the tolerance may be. Environmental constraints may also dictate what tolerances are. For example, if the component 140 is to be installed in a predetermined space in which the component 140 is next to another component, the tolerances may be adjusted accordingly so as not to trigger an alarm or corrective action when installed in the desired location. In some embodiments, the tolerance may change during the movement. When a given component is stationary, the tolerances may be smaller, and as the component 140 moves around the drill, the region 141 may temporarily expand, so the tolerances are changed.

Sensitivity to shock

The various components are made of different materials, with some components being more delicate than others. The nature of the impact resistance of the assembly may be taken into account in the calculation of the region 141. In some embodiments, the concept of impact sensitivity is not just physical impact, but may also include chemical, thermal, vibration, and electromagnetic contact. The area of a particular component may be expanded or reduced depending on the sensitivity of contact with other components. For purposes of explanation, consider a component 140 that will suffer damage if the temperature rises above a predetermined threshold. If another component is hotter and brought into proximity to the component, the systems and methods of the present disclosure may be configured to trigger an alarm or automatically take corrective action if the two components are too close together. Chemical, electromagnetic and vibrational "contacting" can be treated in a similar manner. If the two components are too close to each other, an alarm is triggered.

Reference point

In many embodiments, the component 140 has a physical body, and to properly account for the location of the component 140 and its proximity to other components, a reference point may be given to the component 140, and the dimensions of the component 140 may be defined with reference to the reference point. The reference point can be chosen arbitrarily or with a certain importance. For example, the reference point may coincide with a centroid, a significant corner, an edge, or another significant point on the component 140. Some assemblies may be rotated periodically, in which case the reference points and geometry of the assemblies may be updated as the assemblies are rotated during maintenance. The area 141 associated with the component may also be updated accordingly. For some assemblies, there are attachment points, such as hooks, rails, runners, holes, bolt patterns, or other physical attachment points. This information may also be stored in the database 142 to allow processing of the components. In the event of an imminent collision, information about the location of the attachment point may prove useful, and it may be determined what measures to take to prevent or mitigate the collision. Another type of attachment point is a port, such as a valve, power outlet/port, or the like. Knowing the location and presence of these attachment points and ports may also prove useful and may determine the actions taken by the systems and methods of the present disclosure.

5A-D are illustrations of the interaction of two components monitored by systems and methods according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The depictions in fig. 5A-D are schematic and do not show many details of the interaction between these components in order to clarify aspects of the present disclosure. The figure shows a drill structure 150 having a drill surface 152, a first component 154 having a first region 156, and a second component 158 having a second region 160. In many applications, the drill floor is much more complex than the simple flat surface described herein, and the

assemblies

154, 158 may be more complex than shown, and may have more dynamic motions and features. It is to be understood that such description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive.

In fig. 5A, the first assembly 156 is positioned above the drill center 162 and the second assembly 158 is placed on the rig surface 152 and to the left of the drill center 162. The corresponding area of each component is shown. In this position, both components are fixed and the regions do not intersect. Without any movement, there is no expectation that the two assemblies will collide and therefore no alarm will be issued and no preventive action will be taken. In fig. 5B, the first assembly 156 has been moved downward toward the rig floor 152. In some embodiments, prior to making the movement, the first component 156 consults the controller 164 and expands its area in the direction of the intended movement. The controller 164 evaluates whether there are any intersections between the extended area and the area of the second component 158. When no intersection occurs, the first assembly 156 is allowed to move. As the movement of the first assembly 156 continues, its zone may be continuously adjusted according to the speed of movement, and the controller 164 continues to check for an intersection. When a pending intersection is detected, the controller 164 may initiate an action, such as slowing or stopping the movement of the first component 156. In some other embodiments, prior to making the movement, the first component may consult the controller 164 to determine if anything is en route to the movement. The proposed path for the first component 156 can be described to the controller 164, the controller 164 containing sufficient logic and data storage related to the coordinate system of the rig and the location and area of other components on the rig, at least some of which will have similar areas to the first and second components. In this case, the controller 164 determines that the path is clear and allows the first assembly 156 to move down onto the rig floor.

Fig. 5C shows a similar situation in which the second assembly 158 wishes to move to the right and into a position below the first assembly 156. A similar process may be performed to determine that the movement is not problematic.

In some embodiments, there are priorities associated with the various components. Each component may be given a priority over the others, and if there are two competing movement proposals, the higher priority component may get a green light, while the lower priority component will have to wait or find another movement path. The higher priority component may be referred to as a command component and the lower priority component may be referred to as a lower priority component or a slave component.

FIG. 5D illustrates a situation where both components wish to move to the same location and issue an alarm or take corrective action in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. If the movements shown in fig. 5A and 5B were to be performed simultaneously, the two

assemblies

156, 158 would collide. Their areas will intersect before they collide. Depending on the size of these areas relative to the components (the size of the tolerances), the controller (and associated drives, lifts, and other motion control devices) has time to issue warnings or take corrective action. Thus, the systems and methods of the present disclosure may mitigate or prevent unnecessary collisions between components on a drilling rig.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the system and method of the present disclosure encountering an unexpected object according to the present disclosure. Similar to the scenario described with respect to fig. 5A-5D, the rig floor 170 may have any number of components, each having a defined area and whose characteristics are known in advance. The size and/or shape of the defined area may vary depending on the speed of its associated component. Alternatively, the size and/or shape of the defined area may vary depending on the speed of its surrounding components. The controller 192 may perform the precautions described herein with respect to these components.

Components

178 and 182 have associated

regions

180 and 184, respectively. However, in many cases, not all objects in such an environment are identified and described prior to operation. In this case, the worker 186 unintentionally enters the drill floor. The system may include a camera 188 and a sensor 190 that may be placed throughout the rig to identify the presence of the worker 186. The sensors may be thermal, optical, vibratory, and/or electromagnetic, which may include a light curtain, or nearly any other form of sensor for detecting the presence of worker 186. In other cases, the unintended object may be an inanimate object, such as a pallet or crate that is not authorized to be placed there. Sensors 188, 190 may be used to determine the location and movement of worker 186, and an area 187 may be created around worker 186. Once in place, the controller 192 may treat the worker as the other components. In some embodiments, unintended objects like worker 186 will be given high priority and reduce the chance of further unintended actions due to possible unintended movements. In some embodiments, the controller 192 may issue a full rig-wide alarm and may alert supervisory personnel of the presence of the worker 186.

In some embodiments, worker 186 may be equipped with a beacon 189 that identifies the worker to controller 192. In many drilling rig operations, the only person who has access to the drilling rig is an employee whose information is known in advance and can be stored in a database. The height, weight, and capabilities of worker 186 may be known and stored in a database. This information can be used to perform damage mitigation and prevention procedures. For example, assume that worker 186 carries a beacon that identifies worker 186 as a skilled technician who can understand certain commands and procedures. Once he has been identified, this information can be used to correctly resolve any risks that may be posed by his presence. Beacon 189 may be an RFID tag or any other suitable communication tag or card known in the art. In some embodiments, if worker 186 does not have a beacon, the system may initiate a more thorough scanning and measurement process to determine characteristics such as height and weight. Furthermore, the unknown individual who has found access to the rig is most likely to pose a greater risk to himself and the rig due to his presence, and any alarms or warnings or stops procedures it may have been in place, depending on the controller 192.

Fig. 7 is a block flow diagram illustrating a method 200 according to the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the method 200 begins at 202 by initializing the system. This portion of the method 200 may entail recording or measuring the size and shape of various components of the drilling rig, and may further include identifying relevant characteristics of the components-such as chemical, electrical, thermal, and other characteristics that may be used to determine how to process the components. At 204, an athletic recommendation is presented. This may be performed by the controller, the computing component, or by sensors on the rig or component. The movement may describe a new location to which the component wishes to move. At 206, the method 200 includes checking whether the path is clear to the component making the proposed movement. Determining that a path is clear may include spatial, thermal, chemical, electromagnetic, and other determinations as desired in a given system. In some embodiments, the determination includes examining the coordinates of the region of the component to be moved and other components on the rig. If there are no conflicting components or regions, then all is given clear and the move is performed at 208. At 210, a new location for the component is established. In some embodiments, the regions cannot be changed here. During movement, when the possibility of collision is high, the area may expand. Now that the assembly has been safely collapsed, this area can be reduced. Of course, the situation could be the opposite — during the move, the component may not be at risk, and only when it reaches the destination, the risk increases. In this case, the area may be increased at 210. In any case, the region may change to suit the environment of the component during any given operation.

However, if the path is not clear (clear), at 212, method 200 may include stopping the movement. In some embodiments, the method may include issuing an alarm or notifying a supervisor or another automated portion of the system in addition to or instead of the stopping action. At 214, the method 200 may further include checking for alternative paths. If an alternate path is available, the method 200 moves to 208 and the move is performed. If not, the movement is stopped at 216 and the method returns to 204 to obtain a new movement proposal.

FIG. 8 is a block flow diagram of a method 220 in which the motion of an object is taken into account when defining a region according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. At 222, method 220 begins. The movement is started at 223. The movement may be initiated by a controller, or by manual operation or any other device configured to move objects around the rig. At 224, the velocity of the object is identified or measured. The speed may be measured relative to the rig or another suitable component, such as a truck or cart carrying the object. The speed and direction of movement can be obtained in various ways, for example by measuring using optical measuring devices, or from a machine responsible for moving the device itself. At 225, the region of the object is adjusted to accommodate the measured speed and/or direction. In some embodiments, this means that if the object moves faster, the area may need to be larger. The direction of movement may be used to change the area in the direction of movement rather than in other directions. The area of the surrounding object may also be adjusted. In some embodiments, an initial movement of the object is determined and an initial region is created to account for the first movement of the object. The size, shape and direction of the initial region may depend on the speed at which the object needs to be moved. In some cases, the initial region is approximately the same size as the stationary region of the object, extending in the direction of motion. The process may be iteratively performed using discrete region exploration to determine whether it is safe and clear for an object to move on a desired path. Indeed, by varying the size and shape of the motion as desired, the motion pattern may be made up of discrete motions.

In some embodiments, certain portions of the rig area may be designated as high traffic flow areas, low traffic flow areas, and areas where personnel may be present. Some areas may be designated as "highways" in which a large number of vehicles are moving. Due to the frequency of movement of these regions, the size and shape of the region expansion may be larger (if there is a known free moving region) or smaller (if the traffic changes more, collisions are more likely to occur).

In some embodiments, the adjustment to the region may be applied to other regions of other objects, which may be related to movement of the object. An object near the moving object may have its region adjusted in response to the movement of the object. The degree of adjustment may be determined based at least in part on the velocity of the object. In some embodiments, each object has two or more regions: a first region for monitoring for a collision as described herein, and a larger second region that will initiate a recalculation of the first region when intersecting another region or object. For example, the object moves as at 223 and soon intersects a second region of nearby objects. Triggering the region results in a recalculation of another region of the object, and the recalculation may be based at least in part on the speed and/or direction of the object. At 226, the area may be monitored, as explained elsewhere herein.

Fig. 9 is a block flow diagram in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, method 230 may be directed to processing portable objects found on a rig. At 232, the method includes initialization, which features storing certain parameters related to components on the drilling rig, and calculating and establishing regions for different components. At 233, the method includes identifying portable objects within the area under the scope of the systems and methods of the present disclosure. This may be an unauthorized worker wandering around the rig, a box or pallet being placed on the rig without authorization, or almost any other way in which an object may enter the rig. Identifying the object on the drilling rig may be accomplished using sensors, cameras, and other devices for measuring and detecting physical characteristics of the object. At 235, the method may include checking for a beacon or another identifier that may be used to identify the object. If no beacon is found, the method continues at 236 by analyzing the object using the presence of a sensor, camera, or other sensing/monitoring device. In some cases, the object may not be in the correct analyzed position, in which case the method may enter a shut down state to prevent damage or loss of time due to unidentified objects. If the sensor is able to analyze the object, then at 237, a region is created for the object in a manner similar to that described above. The size of the region may be set to a more conservative, larger size due to the unknown quality of the object. At 238, control transfers to monitoring the area. This portion of the method 230 may be the method shown and described above with reference to fig. 7, wherein regions of new objects are added to the object database, which is monitored for their location relative to the rig and other components on the rig under the protection of the systems and methods of the present disclosure. Returning briefly to 235, if an identifying beacon is in fact found, information for the object stored in the database is accessed, and control passes to the area where the object is monitored at 238.

These methods and systems enable almost unlimited monitoring of objects or components on a drilling rig and include new objects. In some embodiments, when a new shipment or delivery of equipment arrives at the rig, the components to be measured may be analyzed at the rig, or information for each component may be delivered to the controller. An identification beacon may be placed on the device to help identify the object when it arrives, while most of the information may be transmitted directly to the controller via electronic communication means. In other embodiments, the beacon itself carries the information payload and passes it on its own to the controller as it arrives. These methods and systems would help prevent or mitigate bumping or other undesirable contact or access of components in complex and challenging drilling rig environments.

Fig. 10 is another block flow diagram illustrating a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. At 242, the method begins. At 244, data for the monitored object is established or received. The data may be the size, shape and other parameters of a set of objects to be monitored. The data may be similar to that described above with respect to fig. 4. At 246, data relating to the region of the monitored object is established or received. The regions may be described in terms of coordinates or in another suitable manner that allows monitoring of the object. At 248, a check is made to see if two or more regions have intersected. In the case of x-y-z coordinates, this check may be performed by comparing the coordinates to identify region intersections. In some embodiments, a region may be defined to be large enough that no action is taken unless the regions actually intersect. In other embodiments, the regions may be defined to be relatively small, such that corrective action is taken when the distance between the regions is less than a given threshold. In other embodiments, a given object may have multiple regions, each region having a different priority. In any event, identifying the area allows the systems and methods of the present disclosure to take action at 250. The action to be taken may be any one or more of a number of actions, including identifying a time of collision based on the velocity of one or more objects. Using this technique, it can be determined that a collision is imminent, or may not occur. If the area is invaded but the object stops moving, it can be determined that the object does not collide. The alarm may sound locally and/or electronically transmit the sound locally and/or remotely. In some embodiments, the components may be moved to prevent or mitigate any damage that may occur. In yet another embodiment, one or more drilling rig operations may be paused, stopped, or slowed in response to a zone intersection. Safety valves may be triggered, blowout preventers may be activated, and other measures may be taken to reduce or prevent damage to the rig and release of hydrocarbons into the environment.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a system and method for ensuring proper handling of equipment, such as drill string tubulars, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The drill string consists of a tubular steel guide tube 270 (tubular) which may be fitted with a special threaded end called a tool joint. The drill string, which may also be referred to as a drill pipe, connects the rig surface equipment with the bottom hole assembly and the drill bit, both to pump drilling fluid to the drill bit and to raise, lower and rotate the bottom hole assembly and bit (not shown). Assembling the drill string presents certain challenges when the tubulars 270 are shipped to the rig site by truck or ship in an unassembled state. The tubulars 270 are individually moved from an initial unassembled state to a final configuration 272 in a wellbore 274 as shown herein. Along the way, the tubular 270 is handled by a number of transport structures, such as elevators, hoists, forklifts, etc., which move the tubular 270 from storage, to catwalks, to mouseholes, and finally to the wellbore. Some of these transport/support structures are schematically depicted as 276, 278 and 280. The support structure 280 is shown supporting the tube 270. The support structure 280 is shown as a tray-like structure 282 having an upwardly extending slot 284, the slot 284 supporting the tube 270. It should be understood that the support structure is not shown in a limiting manner, and that the support structure 280 may be virtually any type of support structure, such as a forklift, hoist, truck, and even structures commonly found in wellbores, such as slips. Any structure for physically supporting the weight of the tubular 270 may be used interchangeably with the support structure 280 shown herein. Sensors (load cells, pressure switches, proximity switches, etc.) are installed to provide an indication of whether the support structure is securely attached to the tube 270.

Support structures

276 and 278 are not depicted in detail to further illustrate that a number of different support mechanisms may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Further, the cargo described in this disclosure is a pipe 270; however, it should be understood that the systems and methods of the present disclosure may be used to transport and store other cargo.

The system and method also includes a controller 282 configured to communicate with the

support structures

276, 280, and 278. The support structures may also be configured to communicate with each other to properly and safely transport the tubulars to their final destination. When the pipe 270 is transferred from one support to another, the supports are configured to communicate with each other to ensure that the pipe has proper support throughout the transfer process. In many drilling operations, the tubular is "dumb iron" without any electronics or the ability to monitor its status.

Fig. 12A-12C illustrate a control exchange between two

support structures

280a and 280b according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In fig. 11A, the tube 270 is carried by a first support 280a, which first support 280a is used to transfer the tube 270 to a second support 280 b. The

supports

280a, 280b may be configured to communicate with each other to perform the transfer. In some embodiments, these communications may be coordinated by a controller (not shown) that sends and receives communications between the

supports

280a and 280b like a relay. The first support 280a may strike the second support 280b to alert the second support 280b of the incoming load. The second support 280b may respond with an acknowledgement. If the confirmation is delayed or not given, the first support 280a may communicate the fault to a controller or other exception handling system that may be implemented. Indeed, at any point during communication between the

supports

280a and 280b, a fault may be reported, at which point remedial steps may be taken.

The first support 280a may transmit information, such as the size, shape, and weight of the load to be transmitted, to the second support 280 b. The second support 280b may respond with an affirmative ability to handle the load. These communications help to avoid attempting to transfer things to a destination that is not equipped to handle the load adequately. Once the

supports

280a, 280b agree to the transfer, the transfer can begin. Figure 11B shows the tubular 270 during transfer between supports. It is understood that the details of the transfer may be varied without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Throughout the transfer process, the supports may communicate to verify that the load is properly supported. In some cases, the nature of the transport structure dictates that the transfer is a multi-step process, in which case there may be multiple points at which the support members may exchange information to ensure that the load is properly supported. For example, in fig. 12B, the pipe 270 is equally supported by two supports 280a, 280B for at least a short period of time. Fig. 11C shows the tube 270 fully transferred to the support 280 b. Communication between the supports again eliminates the possibility of the tubular 270 not being properly supported. In some embodiments, the first support 280a may be configured to not release the tubular 270 before the second support 280b confirms that it fully supports the tubular 270, such that there is at least partial overlap or redundancy of supports.

Fig. 13A shows a tube 270 and a support 280 according to an embodiment of the disclosure. The tube 270 and the support 280 may each have

regions

290 and 292, respectively, in a manner similar to that described elsewhere herein. These areas may be larger than the devices associated with them to enable detection of proximity. Alternatively, the size of these regions may be close to the actual size of the device to enable detection of proximity and the desired degree of intersection. These areas and monitoring equipment may be used with the pipe and support shown here. In this case, the intersection of the zones may be a welcome result, allowing for the handling of tubulars and other equipment. For example, when it is desired to load the tubular 270 onto the support 280, the machine may bring them close to each other. When two regions intersect, proximity is indicated. Once the tubular 270 is within the confines of the support 280, the tubular 270 and the support 280 may be coupled. It should be understood that the tubular 270 may be replaced with any device to be carried or moved on site at the drilling rig, and the support 280 may be any of a number of types of loading, transporting, and supporting devices. Depending on the particular equipment design, the desired extent of intersection of the

regions

290 and 292 may cause the support 280 to initiate a transfer procedure by which the support 280 controls the tubular 270. This may include grasping fasteners, actuating mechanical arms, closures, grips or magnetic closures, or other coupling mechanisms, whatever they are in a given installation. Once the pipe 270 is carried by the support 280, a new region 294 may be created to surround the pipe and support. In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, the new region 294 may be considered one of many regions and may be monitored for proximity and intersection with other regions.

Fig. 13B illustrates a composite region 294, a tubular 270, a support 280, and a second support 296, and a corresponding region 298, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Regions

294 and 298 have just begun to touch. Their intersection can be monitored by a central system that can initiate a transfer sequence by which the tubular 270 will be transferred from the support 280 to the support 296.

Regions

294 and 298 may intersect along edges or at corners to alert the system of the proximity of two objects.

Fig. 13C illustrates a transfer sequence between the first support 280 and the second support 296. The supports may exchange information during switching to ensure that the second support 296 has control before the first support 280 releases control. During the transition, the tubular 270 may maintain its zone and may be monitored by a central system to facilitate transfer and to ensure that the tubular 270 remains in place relative to the

supports

280, 296. In some embodiments, there may be a defined path for transferring the tubular 270. During the transition, the position of the tubular 270 may be monitored and compared to the expected path. Similarly, sensors (not shown) indicating whether the first and

second supports

280 and 296 have been securely attached to the tubular may be monitored to ensure that the second structure 296 is securely attached to the tubular before the tubular is released from the first support structure 280. If there is a deviation greater than some small tolerance, an alarm may be raised, or the transition may be stopped or slowed, or otherwise altered, to prevent damage to the equipment and ensure an effective transition.

Fig. 14 is an illustration of a system 300 for treating a series of tubulars in a well 308, the tubulars supported by various support structures, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The

tubulars

302, 304, and 306 are deployed in the drill string in a vertical, end-to-end manner. The tubulars typically have threaded ends or other interlocking mechanisms that allow the tubulars to be interconnected. The system 300 includes an above-ground support 310, the above-ground support 310 capable of supporting the weight of the drill string when the drill string is suspended in the well. The system 300 may include an overhead support 303 and a hoist 305 to hold the tubular. System 300 may also include slips 312 positioned in wellbore 308. Slips 312 may also support the weight of the drill string through support 310 above ground. Slips 312 may be found on many types of equipment depending on the manner in which the well is completed. The present disclosure includes slips or other tubular securing mechanisms of any suitable type.

As the drill string is constructed, a continuous tubular is attached to the drill string above ground and the drill string is lowered into the well 308. As this process progresses, the weight of the drill string from time to time needs to be supported by different components. The above ground support 310 and slips 312 may communicate with each other to ensure that the drill string is always supported. In some embodiments, the slips 312 and the above-ground support 310 are examples of supports shown and described elsewhere herein. In some embodiments, the slips 312 and the above-ground support 310 may require a redundant section of support before either is released. For example, assume that the above-ground support 310 carries the weight of the drill string via the hoist 305. It may communicate with the slips 312 (or with another component that controls the slips) and confirm that the slips 312 also support the drill string before releasing. Thus, there is a period of redundant support. Communication may occur directly between the slips 312 and the above-ground support 310, or it may occur via an intermediate controller 314.

Fig. 15 is a swim lane diagram illustrating an interaction 320 between

supports

322 and 324 for a load, such as a tubular 326, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The first support begins the process with the tube 326 secured thereto, and the second support 324 is unloaded and will receive the tube 326. In certain embodiments, the first support 322 begins to contact a strike (ping) at 330. In other embodiments, the transaction is initiated by an identified intersection between the regions. At 332, a confirmation is issued from the second support 332. At 334, the first support can tell the statement that it is intended to deliver the load. At 336, the first support may communicate information describing the load, such as weight, shape, size, identification number, and the like. The first support 322 may request confirmation of the detection of information at 338 and the second support 324 may be able to receive the load. At 340, the second support 324 confirms. The transfer of the load may be performed in various ways depending on the nature of the support and the load at 342. At 344, the first support 322 may request that the load be secured before releasing the load. At 346, the second support approves the request and confirms that the load is safe. The transition is completed at 348.

At any of these points (and possibly even at one of them), if an error occurs, the system may be configured to sound an alarm or initiate loss prevention measures. For example, if the second support fails to timely confirm that it is ready to receive the load, the process may be handed over to an exception handling process. It should also be understood that the processes and methods of the present disclosure are not limited to the descriptions set forth herein and that not all steps are necessarily required in a given installation. Certain steps may be combined, eliminated, reduced, or altered, or they may be performed in a different order. These communications may occur directly between the two supports, or they may be communicated via the controller 328. In some embodiments, there are three or more supports that operate together to achieve similar results. Perhaps one such support comprises two or more assemblies each receiving a load. The three supports may work together to secure the load and prevent damage and loss. Other embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Referring now to FIG. 16, an illustrative computer architecture for a computer 490 used in the various embodiments will be described. The computer architecture shown in fig. 16 may be configured as a desktop or mobile computer and includes a central processing unit 402 ("CPU"), a system memory 404, including a random access memory 406 ("RAM") and a read-only memory ("ROM") 408, and a system bus 410 that couples the memory to the CPU 402.

A basic input/output system containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the computer, such as during startup, is stored in the ROM 408. The computer 490 also includes a mass storage device 414 for storing an operating system 416, application programs 418, and other program modules, which will be described in greater detail below.

The mass storage device 414 is connected to the CPU 402 through a mass storage controller (not shown) connected to the bus 410. The mass storage device 414 and its associated computer-readable media provide non-volatile storage for the computer 490. Although the description of computer-readable media contained herein refers to a mass storage device, such as a hard disk or CD-ROM drive, the computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by computer 490. Storage 414 may also contain one or more databases 426.

By way of example, and not limitation, computer readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other solid state memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks ("DVD"), or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can accessed by computer 490.

According to various embodiments, the computer 490 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to remote computers through a network 420 (e.g., the Internet). The computer 490 may connect to the network 420 through a network interface unit 422 connected to the bus 410. The network connection may be wireless and/or wired. The network interface unit 422 may also be used to connect to other types of networks and remote computer systems. The computer 490 may also include an input/output controller 424 for receiving and processing input from a number of other devices, including a keyboard, mouse, or electronic stylus (not shown in FIG. 16). Similarly, an input/output controller 424 may provide output to a display screen, a printer, or other type of output device (not shown).

As mentioned briefly above, a number of program modules and data files may be stored in the mass storage device 414 and RAM 406 of the computer 490, including an operating system 416 suitable for controlling the operation of a networked personal computer. The mass storage device 414 and RAM 406 may also store one or more program modules. In particular, the mass storage device 414 and RAM 406 may store one or more application programs 418.

The foregoing disclosure herein enables one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the disclosed systems without undue experimentation. Certain examples are given for illustrative purposes and are not given by way of limitation.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of monitored objects, each monitored object having a physical characteristic, the monitored objects being deployed in a workspace, such as an oil rig;

a computing component configured to establish a zone associated with one or more monitored objects based on the physical characteristics;

a memory configured to store a coordinate system of the monitored object and the workspace, and to store information describing the region;

wherein:

these areas extend beyond the physical extremity of the monitored object in at least one direction;

the computing component is configured to identify that regions of two or more monitored objects are to intersect;

the computing component is further configured to initiate a precautionary measure in response to the regions intersecting.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the physical features comprise at least one of physical size, physical shape, weight, and location.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the physical characteristic comprises at least one of a chemical characteristic, a thermal characteristic, a vibration characteristic, and an electromagnetic characteristic associated with the monitored object.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a motor control configured to manipulate the monitored object.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the calculation component is further configured to calculate a velocity of one or more of the monitored objects and to change the region associated with the monitored object based at least in part on the velocity.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the calculation component is further configured to calculate a direction of movement of one or more monitored objects and to change an area associated with the monitored objects based at least in part on the direction.

7. The system of claim 1, the compute component further structured to establish a first region and a second region for the monitored object, the first region being smaller than the second region, wherein the preventative action initiated by the compute component in response to identifying that the second region has intersected another region comprises expanding the first region.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the computing component is further configured to obtain a velocity associated with the monitored object, and wherein expanding the first region comprises expanding the first region in proportion to the velocity.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the calculation component is further configured to calculate a velocity of one or more of the monitored objects and to change a region associated with a stationary object in the vicinity of the monitored object.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing component is configured to establish an initial motion region of the object that is adjacent to the object, and wherein the computing component is configured to confirm that no other region occupies the initial motion region.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the calculation component is configured to iteratively establish successive motion regions and confirm that each successive region is not occupied by another region.

12. The system of claim 4, wherein the motor control device is configured to submit a query describing the proposed path of motion to the computing component, the computing component configured to compute the proposed path of motion and determine whether the proposed path of motion would result in undesired contact with another monitored object.

13. The system of claim 4, wherein the motor control device is configured to manipulate one or more monitored objects in response to the computing component initiating a precautionary measure.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the precautionary measure includes at least one of issuing an alarm, stopping movement of one or more monitored objects, and stopping, pausing, or slowing operation of surrounding equipment.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a measurement device configured to measure a physical characteristic of the monitored object.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the measurement device is configured to identify a new object within the workspace and establish a region for the newly identified object.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the monitored objects is provided with an identifier structured to communicate with the computing component to establish at least one of a physical space of the monitored object and an area of the monitored object.

18. A method, comprising:

identifying a coordinate system of a workspace;

identifying a plurality of monitored objects within a workspace;

establishing coordinates of the monitored object related to a coordinate system of the working space;

establishing a region for one or more monitored objects, the region extending beyond the perimeter of the monitored objects, thereby defining a buffer between the region and the monitored objects;

identifying an intersection of two or more regions; and

a precautionary measure is initiated in response to the intersection.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the area extends beyond a perimeter of the monitored object in a direction of expected movement of the object.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein a distance that the area extends beyond a perimeter of the monitored object is proportional to a speed at which the monitored object will move.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising acquiring a velocity of one or more monitored objects and changing the zone to accommodate the velocity.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising calculating a time of collision between two or more monitored objects associated with the intersection region.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the precautionary measure includes one or more of raising an alarm, moving one or more objects in the workspace, and changing operation of equipment within the workspace.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising identifying a new object entering the workspace and identifying coordinates and regions of the new object.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising querying the new object for a beacon containing information related to the new object, wherein the precautionary measure comprises a procedure that is specific to the new object based on the information in the beacon.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein establishing the region comprises establishing a confinement of one or more of physical space, temperature, vibration, radiation, chemical properties, and electromagnetic energy.

27. A system, comprising:

a computing component configured to:

calculating a size and shape of a plurality of objects on a rig site and identifying a region associated with each object, wherein the region is larger than the object in at least one dimension;

monitoring the motion of the object;

identifying when regions of two or more objects intersect; and

an alarm is issued in response to the intersection.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the region extends beyond a perimeter of the object in a direction in which the object is expected to move.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein monitoring movement of the objects comprises monitoring a velocity of one or more of the objects, the computing assembly further configured to change the region to accommodate the velocity.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein changing the region to accommodate the velocity comprises changing a size of the region in proportion to the velocity.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the computing assembly is further configured to:

identifying a second region associated with the at least one object;

identifying when the second region intersects another region; and

the region is changed in response to the second region intersecting another region.

32. The system of claim 27, further comprising a memory configured to store information related to the object including one or more of a position, a size, a shape, a weight, a motion path, a tolerance, a collision sensitivity, and one or more reference points.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the computing component is further structured to take a preventative action in response to the intersection.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein the calculation component is configured to monitor a velocity of one or more objects and use the zone to calculate whether a collision is imminent.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the calculation component is further configured to calculate potential damage related to a collision between objects whose regions have intersected.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the alert includes one or more different severity levels, and wherein the severity level of the alert is based at least in part on the information.

37. The system of claim 27, wherein one or more of the objects has a stopping mechanism, and wherein the computing component is configured to actuate the stopping mechanism of the object in response to the intersection.

38. A system for transferring tubulars between two support structures, the system comprising:

a first support structure configured to secure and transport tubulars configured to be connected to other tubulars to form a drill string at a drilling rig site;

a second support structure configured to receive the tubular from the first support structure; and

a communication device configured to facilitate communication between the first and second support structures, wherein the first support structure receives an acknowledgement from the second support structure that the second support structure has secured the tubular and does not release the tubular until the acknowledgement is received, wherein the first support structure is configured to release the tubular after the acknowledgement is received.

39. The system of claim 38, further comprising a sensor mounted on the first and second support structures, the sensor configured to detect a position of the tubular relative to each support structure and indicate whether the respective structure secures or releases the tubular.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the communication device is mounted to the first support structure such that the first support structure can communicate directly with the second support structure.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein the communication device comprises a controller configured to send and receive communications from at least one of the first or second support structures.

42. The system of claim 38, wherein the first and second support structures comprise at least one of a storage structure, a transport structure, a catwalk, a lift, a mousehole, a drill rig, or a slip.

43. The system of claim 38, wherein the first and second support structures form part of a chain of support structures, wherein pairs of support structures are configured to exchange the tubular, and wherein each pair configured to exchange the tubular is configured to confirm that the pair of second support structures has secured the tubular before allowing the first support structure to release the tubular.

44. The system of claim 38, wherein the first support structure is configured to transmit information related to at least one of the tubular and the first support structure to the second support structure.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the information includes at least one of a weight, a size, a shape, a position, and an orientation of the tubular.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein the information relates to how a first support structure will physically transfer the tubular to a second tubular.

47. The system of claim 38, wherein the communication device is configured to sound an alarm or initiate a precautionary action if communication between the first and second support structures is not achieved.

48. A method, comprising:

securing a tubular with a support, the tubular configured to be connected with other tubulars to form a drill string;

initiating transfer of the tubular from the support to a second support;

requesting confirmation from the second support that the tubular has been satisfactorily secured to the second support;

securing the tubular to a second support;

confirming to the support that a second support has secured the tubular; and

upon receiving the confirmation, the tubular is released by the support.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein requesting confirmation and confirmation is accomplished via an electronic communication device.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein requesting confirmation and confirmation is accomplished via an intermediate controller configured to communicate with the support and a second support.

51. The method of claim 48, further comprising communicating information about the tubular to a second support, including at least one of a size, shape, weight, position, and orientation of the tubular.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the tubular is part of a drill string, and wherein the information comprises a number of tubulars in the drill string.

53. The method of claim 48, further comprising issuing an alarm or taking preventative action if one or more of initiating a transfer, requesting confirmation, securing a tubular to a second support, or confirming to the support is not satisfactorily achieved.

54. A system, comprising:

a support configured to hold an object, the object configured to interface with other objects;

a transmitter coupled to the support, the transmitter configured to communicate with other supports, wherein the support is configured to:

transporting the object to a second support;

communicating with a second support;

requesting confirmation from the second support that the object is safe; and

after receiving the confirmation, the object is released.

55. The system of claim 54, the support having a gripping device configured to mechanically grip a portion of the object, and wherein the gripping device is configured to release upon receipt of the confirmation.

56. The system of claim 54, the support having a transfer device configured to transfer the object from one place to another.

57. The system of claim 54, further comprising a memory configured to store information about the object, the transmitter configured to communicate the information to other supports.

58. The system of claim 54, wherein the support comprises at least one of a storage structure, a transport structure, a catwalk, a mousehole, a drilling rig, or slips.

59. The system of claim 54, wherein the transmitter is further configured to send an alert if communication with another support is unsuccessful.

60. The system of claim 54, wherein the object is a tubular configured to be connected with other tubulars to form a drill string for use in oilfield drilling operations.