KR20020043599A - Horizontal drill pipe racker and delivery system - Google Patents

Abstract

Stands (43) of multiple lengths of drill pipe, for oil and gas drilling are individually supported in a storage bin (28, 29) in an array of plural layers of plural numbers of stands. The individual stands are held in cooperating notches (41, 42) in vertically aligned support sleepers (38, 39) so that each stand experiences loads due only to its own weight and to motions of a bin frame (13) where, as preferred, the frame is supported on a drillship deck (12). Sleepers between stand layers are indexable between positions in the array and outside the array. A bridge crane (32, 33) spans the length of the bin and is moveable transversely above it. The bridge crane carries vertically movable magnetic lifting heads (47) for lifting, holding and releasing an individual pipe stand. The crane can move a stand between a supported position in the bin array and a supported position on a power-driven carriage (18, 49) which is movable along a path along an upper part of a side of the bin (28, 29). The carriage includes a skate cart (18) for transporting a stand as such, and a pin cart (49) drivable along the skate cart for supporting the pin end of a stand on the skate. The carriage path preferably ends inside the margin of the floor (17) of a drilling rig.

Description

Horizontal Drilling Pipe Lacquer and Transfer System {HORIZONTAL DRILL PIPE RACKER AND DELIVERY SYSTEM}

The exploration of new oil fields in the world petroleum industry is increasing the need to find oil or gas layers in environments involving the deep sea. As the depth for offshore drilling deepens, the size of the equipment needed for drilling operations increases as the number of subsea installations needed to extend well holes to the sea level increases. Thus, the cost of equipment and excavation work is increased. A preferred way to offset the increase in work costs incurred by using conventional techniques is to increase work efficiency. An effective way to increase efficiency is to shorten the working time, which makes the work faster.

Excavation pipes are one of the tools affected by deepening water. In the early stages of offshore excavation, excavation work was performed at depths of several hundred feet using 5 inch (12.7 cm) excavation pipes weighing 20 1/2 pounds (30.6 Kg / m) per linear foot, including connection tool joints. It was. The three-piece excavation pipe stand, each nominally 31 feet (9.45 m) long, is called triple and weighs about 1900 pounds (863.6 Kg). In comparison, the triple for deep-sea excavation work is a 5 inch (12.7 cm) rig pipe weighing approximately 31 pounds (46.3 Kg / m.) Per linear foot, weighing approximately 34 pounds (50.8 Kg / m.) Per linear foot. 5 1/2 inch (14.0 cm) excavation pipe, and 6 5/8 inch (16.8 cm) excavation pipe weighing 46 pounds (68.7 Kg / m.) Per foot. The weight of the excavated pipe triple made of the heavy pipe is about 2880 pounds (1309 Kg) for 5 inch rig pipes, about 3160 pounds (1436 Kg) for 5 1/2 inch rig pipes, and 6 5/8 inch rigs For pipes it is about 4300 pounds (1955 Kg).

Excavation pipes used for deep sea excavation are made of low alloy steel heat treated with high strength. Such materials are stressed in use and must be preserved to avoid significant scratches, gouges and other defects that can act to generate stresses. In order to obtain the maximum life of the rig pipe, it must be protected from scratches and gouges during handling between the pipe storage site and the rig string using the pipe. Excavated pipes damaged beyond strictly low damage limits should be discarded.

Horizontal pipe lacquers are commonly used in offshore drilling vessels, especially ship types, because they provide floating stability of the drilling vessel and lower the position in the drilling vessel of the stored rig pipe. Horizontal pipe lacquers include devices and mechanisms for storing excavated pipe triples in a horizontal position and for moving the pipe in either direction between the pipe lacquer and the excavation floor. At the drilling floor, the drilling pipe is moved from the lacquer to a vertical position and inserted (connected) into the drilling string.

Horizontal pipe lacquers used in the prior art generally store multiple excavated pipe triple stands in one bin. When the pipes are put in and out of the storage, the pipes are rolled down to an indexing device which can only place one pipe stand on the conveying device. Rolling results in sliding and impact loads between adjacent excavation pipe triples and between excavation pipe and stationary pipe stops. While the pipes are stored in storage, the pipes can roll back and forth as the ship moves itself, causing wear and damage between adjacent excavation pipe triples. Some pipe lacquers prevent digging pipe movement by storing each pipe stand in a separate locking mechanism that generally limits the digging pipe to only one dimension. Conventional methods of transferring the rig pipe stand between the rig bottom and the rig pipe lacquer further wear and scratch along the portion of the pipe in contact with the trough by sliding the pipe along an elongated trough.

U.S. Patent Nos. 3,083,842 and 3,193,084 describe the pipe lacquers described above that are currently in use.

Accordingly, it will be appreciated that there is a need for improvements in horizontal drilling pipe racking and handling systems to support deep sea oil and gas drilling operations. Preferred embodiments of this improvement include the ability to store horizontal pipes, the capacity to accommodate lacquered pipes of different diameters, the ability to store and handle the pipes so that the pipe surface does not scratch, wear or gouge, and the pipe pipe stand. Increasing the ability to move quickly and securely between the storage site and the excavation floor.

The present invention relates to structures and procedures for storing excavation pipe horizontally adjacent to the excavation bottom of an oilfield drilling rig, preferably below the excavation bottom. It also relates to structures and procedures for moving excavation pipe stands between storage sites and excavation floors.

1A and 1B are preferably elevational views of the rear (excavation bottom) and the front (horizontal lacquer) of the pipe storage and handling system as a whole provided on the main deck of the drilling vessel.

2A and 2B are plan views of the rear (excavation bottom) and the front (horizontal lacquers) of the system shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

3 is a schematic top view of the arrangement of the main vertical structural columns which are components of the horizontal lacquer;

4 is an enlarged plan view of the front and rear portions of the horizontal pipe lacquer shown in FIG. 2B;

5 is an elevation view of the front end of the lacquer;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the rear end of the lacquer, the position of the bridge crane shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 being different from FIG.

Fig. 7 shows passages and ladders for human access to other parts of the lacquer, first of all, with a broken elevation to the front of the lacquer supported on the main deck of the drilling ship.

FIG. 8 is a broken plan view of a pin cart and skate assembly that are components of the pipe handling system of the system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

9 is an elevational elevational view of the pin cart and skate assembly shown in FIG. 8;

10 is an enlarged, broken elevational view showing the low lift of the pin cart and the skate assembly at a position where the pin cart is at the limit of movement along the skate assembly adjacent to the excavation floor.

FIG. 11 is a fracture plan view showing a pipe support sleeper and slipper drive mechanism associated with an outboard column of a pipe lacquer; FIG.

FIG. 11A is an enlarged and simplified portion of FIG. 11. FIG.

FIG. 12 is a broken elevational view showing all slippers associated with an outboard pipe lacquer column indexed in a retracted position.

FIG. 13 is a schematic broken elevational view of an excavated pipe stand (shown in transverse cross section) supported between two vertically adjacent slippers. FIG.

FIG. 14 shows a schematic transverse cross-sectional elevation view of two vertically adjacent slippers in which slippers may be keyed together in an deployed position. FIG.

FIG. 15 shows a pipe stabber and pipe stand high lift mechanism with a front elevation view along the path of travel of a skate cart at the excavation bottom of a drilling line, and a pipe engaging arm disposed in a retracted position.

FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIG. 15 showing the pipe engagement arm of the high lift mechanism deployed in the working position; FIG.

Fig. 17 is a broken side view of the center of the lacquer bridge crane, with the lacquer base below and near the center right column of the lacquer, and Fig. 17 generally indexing the lacquer slippers between the deployment position and the retracted (loaded) position. And a mechanism for fixing the crane lift column and the lift head assembly in a loaded state (slightly different from that shown in FIGS. 1B, 7, 11, 11A, 11B).

18 is an enlarged, broken elevational view of the slipper indexing mechanism according to FIG. 17 associated with a stern starboard main column of the lacquer;

19 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a fracture plan view showing that the slipper end of the slipper indexing device shown in FIGS. 17 to 19 is hinged. FIG.

FIG. 21 is a breakaway plan view showing the pipe stand lifting head and nearby support structure of the lacquer bridge crane shown in FIG. 17; FIG.

FIG. 22 is an enlarged view of an end of the lifting head shown in FIG. 21; FIG.

FIG. 23 shows an end of a magnet assembly which is a component of the lifting head shown in FIGS. 21 and 22.

The present invention relates to the above-mentioned necessity and to provide a storage and handling system of horizontal drilling pipes from a structural point of view and a procedural point of view. The system solves the disadvantages and limitations of conventional horizontal pipe lacquers and pipe conveying devices. The system has the desired attributes and features described above.

The improved horizontal digging pipe lacquer provides reliable control of the digging pipe stand in the handling of all situations. Excavation pipes are safely retained while in storage. Reliable control of excavation pipes allows for higher working speeds and reduces the time required for the transfer of excavation pipes between the horizontal pipe lacquer and the excavation floor. The time required to transfer the drilling pipe from the pipe lacquer to the drilling floor is low enough to maintain the working speed of the drilling floor.

In general, a pipe storage device according to the invention comprises a pipe storage, a pipe support member for the storage, and a drive mechanism for the pipe support member. The pipe support member can be placed horizontally into a plurality of spaced stations along the length of the reservoir. This pipe support member has a function of supporting the horizontal lengths of the plurality of excavating pipes individually in a plurality of vertically spaced layers and in a plurality of pipe length arrangements of each layer. The pipe support drive mechanism can be selectively manipulated to individually move the support member between a deployed position in which the support member is in an arranged position and a retracted position in which the support member is removed from the arrangement.

In general, for the entire system, the present invention provides an excavation pipe storage and handling device for an oilfield drilling vessel. The track extends from one end near the drilling line to the opposite end spaced apart from the drilling line. An elongated carriage travels along the track and accommodates the length of the excavation pipe disposed longitudinally relative to the track. The received pipe length is supported on the carriage at positions spaced along the length of the pipe. Pipe storage is arranged transversely at the spaced end of the track. The storage includes a horizontal pipe support member cooperatively configured to individually support a plurality of vertically spaced layers and a plurality of digging pipe lengths arranged in a plurality of pipe lengths of each layer. The pipe support member on the bottom layer may index between the deployment position in the transverse direction of the arrangement and the retracted position outside the arrangement.

In a general method for oilfield and gas layer drilling pipes, the method uses a selected number of pipe lengths as a first bottom layer upwards in an area above the pipe support set disposed transversely to the pipe length at stations spaced along the length. Placing them horizontally individually in the open notches. Another step of this method is to horizontally place an additional plurality of pipe lengths in additional similarly notched pipe support members at each station above the support member to form a plurality of pipe length layer arrangements beneath it. Another step of this method is that the individual pipe lengths rise directly from the receiving notches of the pipe support member and descend directly to this notch.

Methods of storing, handling and moving excavation pipes in connection with oilfield excavation have a working step of excavating a bottom that includes raising the stand of the excavation pipes from individual storage positions arranged in a stand storage position. Another step is to place the raised stand on the carriage supporting the stand at a spaced apart position along its length. The carriage moves towards the bottom to position one end of the carriage at the bottom. Another step is to raise one end of the stand positioned above the position on the carriage as the carriage approaches the floor. The stand is raised through its one end in a vertical position on the floor and the other end of the stand is movably supported on the carriage.

The foregoing and other features in view of the structures and procedures provided by the present invention are described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The following description and the annexed drawings relate to placing a horizontal pipe lacquer in front of the derrick of the drilling line. Adjectives and horizontal terms such as "forward", "aft", "port" and "starboard" have been used to represent the desired position. It should be understood that the lacquer and its associated equipment may be positioned in different positions with respect to the drilling rig derrick in different positions, in which case the terms representing the horizontal direction may vary and the scope and content of the invention are the same. .

In general, a pipe lacquer system transfers a drilled pipe stand between the main foundation and support structure, a multi-layered structure of indexable slippers forming a rack on which the pipes are horizontally stored on top, and a slipper and an excavated pipe delivery device. Mechanisms such as bridge cranes for construction, excavation pipe conveying devices for conveying pipes between pipe lacquers and excavating pipe conveying devices, and man-machine interfaces to provide automatic control functions and control where manual control operations can be performed It includes a system. The digging pipe conveying apparatus is preferably on a skate cart which receives and supports the pins of the skate stand which can move between the vicinity of the slipper and the digging floor at the bottom level, and the pin end of the pipe stand being moved in or out of the slipper arrangement And a carriage system consisting of another cart. The excavation pipe conveying device also includes a low and high lift mechanism for raising and lowering the box end of the pipe stand from and to the excavation bottom, and at the bottom of the pipe stand between the carriage system and the vertical axis at the excavation bottom where the excavation work is carried out. It includes a pipe stabber at the bottom of the excavation to guide it.

More specifically, the structural aspect of the pipe storage and handling system according to the invention comprises a track extending from one end adjacent to the drilling line to the opposite end spaced from the excavation bottom. The skate cart travels along the track and securely supports the length of the excavation pipe disposed longitudinally with respect to the track. Pipe silos are placed transverse to the track. The storage includes horizontal pipe support slippers that are cooperatively configured to individually support a plurality of excavated pipe lengths in an array of vertically spaced plurality of pipe length layers having a plurality of pipe lengths in each layer. The arrangement of slippers effectively supports the pipes without loading any pipe lengths arranged due to the pipes and slippers on or adjacent to this arrangement. The reservoir also includes a drive mechanism connected to the pipe support slipper. This drive mechanism can be selectively manipulated to move an individual slipper between a position in which the slipper is arranged and a position where the slipper is removed from this arrangement when it does not support the drilling pipe length.

The system also includes a pipe lifter. The pipe lifter can be disposed above the slipper arrangement and can be manipulated to move individual pipe lengths between the arrangement and the carriage. More specifically, the pipe lifter may comprise a plurality of controllable magnetic pipe lifting heads spaced apart from each other along the length of the slipper arrangement. Many lifting heads are effective in raising and maintaining pipe length. The lifter also preferably includes an indexable safety support mechanism that is movable to support and release the pipe length raised by the lifting head. The pipe lifter preferably comprises a bridge crane movable between the skate cart track and the pipe storage. The crane includes a mechanism for raising and lowering a plurality of lifting heads and a safety support member when associated with the lifting head.

The control subsystem preferably monitors the position of the lifting head and allows effective demagnetization of the lifting head when the load of pipe length retention is accommodated by the head by a pipe support slipper in the carriage or storage. The control subsystem can be defined to operate in the desired order as many times as desired and in a semi-automatic manner.

The system also preferably includes a second pipe storage house on the other side of the skate cart track from the first storage room. In case the system comprises two pipe storages and two lifters, the two pipe lifters are preferably arranged such that the pipe lifter supports either surplus storage.

Pipe storage and handling systems will also be described and apparent from a procedural point of view from the following preferred embodiments.

1A, 1B and 2A, 2B are side and top views, respectively, of a pipe storage and handling system 10 according to the present invention. The system comprises a horizontal pipe lacquer system 11 supported by the substructure 13 on the main deck 12 of the deep sea rig, which is within the scope of the present invention to deck 12 the lacquer 11. It may be positioned directly on or on another base of position that may be supported and properly manipulated by the lacquer and other associated structures described below. In the preferred apparatus described above, the lacquer substructure has a height of approximately 20 feet (6.1 meters). The lacquer 11 has been shown to be positioned in front of the drilling line supported on the main deck of the hull by its own substructure 16 positioned at the bottom 17 of the drilling platform at a desired distance above the main deck. The drilling rig 15 is located throughout the vertical passageway through the drilling ship hull. First of all, the lacquer substructure acts to raise the lacquer 11 over the main deck 12 appropriately at the same level as the excavation floor above the main deck, with the entire path of the excavating pipe skate cart assembly 18 being horizontal. do. The skate cart assembly allows the carriage to transport the excavated pipe stand in the system 10 in a forward and backward direction. The skate truss 19, which supports the skate cart moving preferably along the longitudinal centerline of the hull, extends from the front end of the lacquer to the excavation bottom. As shown in FIG. 1A, the immediately preceding portion 21 of the excavation equipment of the skate truss 19 can be moved so that the mobile bridge crane 22 carries the blowout prevention device or other equipment as necessary to the vertical center axis of the well. (23), ie can be used to move to a position on the centerline of the hull before being moved back to align with the excavation axis of the excavation equipment. The movable portion of the skate truss, when installed in the position shown in FIG. 1A, is preferably supported at the opposite end on the raised rail and rail support 16 across the hull for the crane 22.

As a feature of the drilling vessel, the excavation equipment 15 is located approximately in the center of the hull throughout the vertical passage 14 (also known as a "moonpool") through the hull. The drilling rig is operable to raise and lower a derrick (not shown) with a crown block on top, a block moving in the derrick, and a block moving along the well center axis 23 above the drilling rig. It includes a drawwork. The drawwork can also be manipulated to raise and lower the lifting blocks of other blocks or derricks and to perform other functions known in the oil and gas drilling industry.

Skate cart 18 and skate truss 19 are components of the pipe handling subsystem in the overall pipe storage and handling system 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1B and 3-6, the structure of the lacquer 11 includes an assembly 26 consisting of a relatively heavy foundation 24 and a column 25. The assembly 26 is preferably rigid and rigid. An undercarriage 13 supporting the assembly on the main deck of the hull supports and secures the assembly in place as part of the ship structure and substantially prevents bending of the assembly within the hull. FIG. 3 is a plan view preferably showing nine columns indicated by reference numeral 25, having positions A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J. FIG. Positions A, B, C, positions D, E, F and positions G, H, J are respectively arranged in a straight line across the centerline of the hull behind, in the middle and in the front of the lacquer. Columns at positions A, D, and G are located on the left side of the centerline parallel to the centerline, columns at positions B, E, and H are at the centerline, and columns at positions C, F, and J are parallel to the centerline. It is located on the right side. The columns at corner locations A, G, C, and J are the same height and larger than the columns on the centerline and the columns outside the centerlines D and F. The upper ends of the pair of outer columns at the front and rear of the lacquer are interconnected by cross beams 27 extending outward from these columns as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The space below the column top on the centerline and the space between these columns and the left outer column includes a left pipe storage 28. The right pipe storage 29 is formed below the column top on the centerline and in the space between these columns and the right outer column. The column on the centerline supports the counterpart of the skate truss 19. The columns 25 are interconnected at their bases by longitudinal and transverse girders which are components of the base 24.

The upper ends of the transversely aligned outer corner columns and the crossbeams interconnecting them support and support the front and rear guides laterally placed for a pair of longitudinally extending left and right bridge cranes 32, 33, respectively. Support the rail 31.

As indicated by reference numeral 34 of FIG. 1B, an additional vertical member is located in the lacquer along the outside of the reservoirs 28, 29. A transverse vertical plate 35 attached to the structural member is positioned at each end of the vault to support the wooden buckboard 36 facing each vault. The buckboard limits the forward and backward sliding motion of the pipe stands individually supported in the lacquer without damaging the shape of the helical connections at the ends of these stands.

The hatched areas in FIG. 7 represent the vertical and forward limits of the lacquer volume, where a triple stand of excavation pipes can be found therein when stored in the lacquer or moved horizontally within the lacquer.

As mentioned above, the lacquer structure comprises means for individually supporting each of the triple stands of the excavating pipe to be stored in the lacquer at any time. These means comprise a plurality of horizontal slippers 38, 39 cooperating with each other and with the stand in the manner shown in FIG. 13. As shown in FIG. 6, the slipper 38 is movable, while the lower slipper 39 is fixed and moved by the traverse of the lacquer base 24. The movable slippers are long enough to extend across the entire width of each pipe storage between the transversely aligned columns 25 in the case of the positions in which they are placed. The pipe stands are stored in an arrangement in which each storage 28, 29 is layered, with each floor having a plurality of stands. Except for the top floor stand, each stand is placed between two vertically adjacent slippers. Vertically adjacent slippers allow the stands to be spaced apart from each other in the floor and that the vertical loads of the slippers and the stand supported by the slippers are within the slippers themselves and not through any stand in the storage arrangement (24). It is formed to be delivered to). The arrows in FIG. 13 indicate the way in which the vertical force is transmitted to the slipper disposed around the pipe stand received in the slipper. Thus, the only force acting on the stand when stored in the lacquer is the force due to the stand itself because of its own weight and because of the movement of the drilling line. When stored in a lacquer, certain stands do not receive any part of such force associated with any other stand. In the preferred lacquer shown in the figure, slippers 38 and 39 are provided in each of three positions spaced along the length of each pipe storage.

Fixed slippers 39 form notches at intervals along their top surface. Moving slippers 38 similarly form notches along the top and bottom surfaces at equal intervals. The upward opening notch 41 has an inclined side, and the downward opening notch 42 can be precisely formed. The cooperating notches are sized such that the pipe stand 43 disposed in the space formed by the notches 41 and the notches 43 contacts only the upward opening notches 41. Thus, the stand does not receive any force due to the slipper or the stand above it in the vault in which the stand is stored. If desired, the inclined surface of the upward opening notch 41 may be formed by another material or wood that is softer than the metal of the pipe stand and preferably does not participate in the electrolyte corrosion process with the pipe. Each pair of notches 41 and 42 cooperating have a sufficient opening area such that the slipper arrangement has a predetermined diameter or that varies from a true straight line to more than 0.2 percent of the pipe length deviation of this true straight line. It can accommodate pipes with a limited range.

The stacked slippers are mechanically coupled between adjacent slippers to prevent one slipper from laterally deflecting with respect to the long dimensions of the slippers (see FIG. 14). This ensures that slipper stacking causes one slipper to be aligned above the other slipper and the excavation pipe load follows the way down to the base crossbeam supporting it through the stacked pipes. Preferably the slip buffer notches (41, 42) is a notch formed to receive a drilling pipe to the diameter changes from 5 inches to _^65/8, as an alternative, a notch to receive a certain amount of slip embed pipe Can be formed, thus maximizing the number of stands that can be placed in the layers of the storage arrangement, and the slipper can be separated from its indexing drive mechanism and support base so that one slipper can be exchanged for another capacity. do. The slipper cooperates with the pipe stand in position along the stand between the pin and box features at the opposite end of each single pipe length forming the stand.

Positioning the digging pipe between the inclined side of the notch 41 increases the contact force between the slipper and the digging pipe. Since the sliding friction between the pipe and the slipper is proportional to the contact force, the sliding friction between the slipper and the digging pipe is increased. The increased friction prevents the pipe from sliding along its length when subjected to dynamic loads along its length due to the movement of the ship. When the rig pipe is subjected to dynamic load in the slipper length direction, the pipe is wedged on the inclined side of the slipper notch and does not roll in the slipper.

Slippers are mounted to lift these pipes from the lower slippers and rotate them from the pipe storage to expose the next rig pipe stand layer. Conversely, when the slipper begins to fill each notch 41 with an excavated pipe stand, the upper next slipper is rotated to a position above the lower slipper stack and then lowered until it is positioned on the lower top slipper. . The two slippers are thus locked together and a layer of excavated pipe below the slipper is included between the slippers supporting the pipes and the slippers located above the pipes.

The excavation pipe stand is moved between the slipper of the pipe storage and the pipe transporter (ie the skate cart 18) by the special bridge crane illustrated in FIGS. 1B, 2B, 4, 5 and 6. Two bridge cranes 32, 33 are preferred, one bridge crane may be provided to service both pipe storage bays, while a pair of bridge cranes are preferred for efficiency and, if desired, redundant applications. Each bridge crane measures the distance between two crane rails 31 at the end of the pipe lacquer. A self-propelled truck 44 at the end of the bridge crane moves over the rail 31 to drive the crane from one side of the pipe lacquer to the other. The rail 31 is preferably channel-shaped in cross section, and the crane truck wheel is preferably moved within the channel so that the truck is located on the rail (see FIG. 6). The trucks of each bridge crane are synchronized so that they move together integrally. Two or more (preferably three) vertical lift members 45 are mounted to the crane bridge and are limited to moving only up and down relative to the bridge. The lift columns of each bridge crane are synchronized to move together and are connected at the lower end by an elongate beam, i. E. A spread bar, called a strong back 46. The strong bag is a carrier for the permanent magnet head 47 that attaches to the pipe stand and serves to release them when the magnetic field is broken.

The magnetic lift head in contact with the rig pipe is preferably in the form of two elongated permanent magnet bars and arranged in such a way as to form an inverted trough. The trough may be in the shape of a “V” (see FIG. 23), but the trough is preferably semicircular and most preferably has a radius that fits the pipe to be handled. The trough is located parallel to the direction of the excavation pipe. The magnets are preferably attached to the strongbags so that the strongbags can rotate and move slightly so that they can be aligned with the digging pipe to be lifted. Aligning the magnetic head with the rig pipe greatly increases the contact area between the pipe wall and the magnetic head, thereby maximizing the support capacity of each magnetic pipe lifter. Next, the pipe stand lift head will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 21 to 23.

When moving the rig pipe from the pipe storage to the rig pipe transporter, one of the selected cranes of the bridge cranes 32, 33 will move the side on the bridge truck to a separate position on the rig pipe stand to be transported from the transport position on the transporter. Moving way, two cranes can operate simultaneously but it is desirable that only one crane operates at any given time. The strong bag is lowered by the vertical lift member 45 until the magnetic lift head 47 is in contact with the excavation pipe. The magnetic field generated by the lift head is effective to attach the lift head to the excavation pipe. The lift member is then lifted to the highest position of the bridge crane with the excavation pipe coupled to the strongback by a magnet. The bridge crane moves from its position in the pipe storage to a position just above the excavated pipe transporter located along the center of the lacquer below the crane's transport position. The strong bag is lowered until the excavation pipe is positioned on the transporter skate cart with the pin end of the pipe stand engaged with the pin cart, at which point the magnetic field disappears to release the excavation pipe. After the magnet releases the excavation pipe, the bridge crane raises the strongbag to its highest position and then lifts the next excavation pipe stand from the pipe storage.

Moving a rig pipe from a rig pipe transporter to a pipe storage is the opposite of moving a pipe from a pipe storage to a transporter. The bridge crane lifts the excavation pipe from the excavation pipe transporter at the transporter carriage transport position. The crane moves this excavation pipe to a predetermined open slot (position) of the pipe storage slipper set. The pipe stand is released from the lifting head after the weight of the stand is allowed by the pipe support slipper. When the bridge crane operates semi-automatically, the bridge crane always stops at the transport position above the transporter. The pipe is released onto the transporter only by direct manual indication from the control box. Likewise, when the strongback is waiting above the transporter to lift the excavation pipe, the pipe starts to descend and attaches to the excavation pipe only when commanded from the control box. This feature helps to prevent various obstacles that can result in interlocking to be prevented. The excavation pipe is not lowered and released when the transporter is not in a position to receive the pipe. The excavation pipe is not lowered and released while the transporter is moving. In this way, the control and timing of the lacquer system is simplified because the bridge crane always starts the cycle from the "hold" of the transport position and ends in the cycle of the same position. It does not need to be timed to match the rig pipe transporter.

An excavation pipe transporter (see FIGS. 8, 9 and 10) moves the excavation pipe between the horizontal pipe lacquer in which the excavation pipe is stored and the excavation floor using the pipe. The transporter pipe carriage device consists of an elongated skate cart 18, a second cart-type device, denoted as a pin cart 49, and a drive system (see FIGS. 8, 9, and 10) for moving the skate and the pin cart. It is preferable to be. The pin cart is supported by the skate cart and driven along this skate cart.

The skate cart is about 88 feet (26.8 m) long and the excavating pipe stand to be transported is preferably about 91 feet (27.7 m) to about 95.5 feet (29.1 m) long. The excavated pipe stand to be transported onto the skate cart extends 3 feet (.9 m) to 8 feet (2.4 m) at the box end past its rear or rear end of the skate cart. The remaining length of the rig pipe is supported on the skate cart, and the front pin end of the pipe stand is supported on the pin cart 49. The skate cart moves on a wheel that moves along a channel attached to the skate truss. The channel is installed on the skate truss 19 and extends from the end of the pipe lacquer farthest away from the excavation bottom to the excavation bottom.

The pin cart moves on a wheel associated with a track mounted on the skate cart so that the pin cart can move relative to the skate cart. When the rig pipe is placed on the skate cart, the pin (front) end of the pipe is located in the pin cart while the box (rear) end of the rig pipe extends over the other end of the skate cart. As the skate cart approaches the excavation bottom, the box end of the excavation pipe is lifted by the low-lift pipe lifter 52 and supported about 4-5 feet above the excavation bottom. In general, an elevator supported by a transfer block of an excavation rig derrick is attached to a box end of an excavation pipe supported above the excavation bottom, and the box end of the excavation pipe is lifted above the excavation bottom by pulling and transferring the block. When the box end of the pipe is lifted, the skate cart continues to move towards the excavation floor until it reaches its rear limit. The pin cart supporting the pin end of the excavation pipe then moves along the skate cart towards the excavation bottom with the pin end of the pipe as the pipe is raised and rotated from the horizontal position of the derrick to the vertical position. When the excavation pipe is almost vertical, it is lifted from the pin cart and installed in the working excavation string, and the pipe is placed before the pipe is lifted from the pin cart and until it is part of the work excavation string. Supported by the head 72 of 73. The pin cart preferably moves back to the other end of the skate cart when the skate cart returns to the pipe lacquer forward position.

5 and 6 are views of the port and starboard pipe storages. In each figure, one storage is shown filled and the other is shown empty, with all of the movable slippers 38 removed from the storage. As shown in FIG. 11, each slipper 38 has a deployment position extending from a supporting outboard column 25 to an adjacent centerline column. Each slipper also has a retracted position deployed at 90 degrees relative to the deployment position, in which the slipper is located outside the ship's outboard side formed by the inboard surface of the outboard column (FIGS. 1B, 4, 7). 11, 12, 17 and 18).

As shown in FIG. 5, in each reservoir 18 movable slippers can be placed in combination with each outboard lacquer column 25, providing fewer or more if desired. The 18 slipper sets consist of 9 even slippers and 9 odd slippers. By way of example, the odd number of slippers in the set (counting upwards) is coupled with the rear face of the adjacent outboard column, while the even number of slippers in the set is coupled with the front face of the same column. You will notice that a possible slipper is combined with the lacquer column.)

As shown in FIG. 11, each slipper 38 is connected to a base 54 where an L shape is desired in plan view. Each base has long legs formed by an elongated frame 55 parallel to the associated slipper. Each base also has an arm 56 extending laterally from one end of the frame and to which one end of the slipper is connected. The end of the frame 55 opposite the arm 56 defines a vertically positioned sleeved hub 57 which surrounds two vertical bearing tubes 58, which is one form of the slipper mounting and indexing device of the present invention. Form (see FIG. 11A). The bearing tubes 58 are vertically aligned with each other, one at the bottom of the hub 57 and the other at the top of the hub 57. The two bearing tubes 58 are separated about 3 inches apart. The separation between the bearing tubes 58 causes the fork 62 to move to provide an opening that can be engaged or disengaged with the vertical notch shaft 60 of FIG. 11A. Adjacent to each of these openings between the bearing tubes 58 of each slipper hub, the shaft 60 is notched in parallel opposite positions, the notch being shown as indicated by numeral 63 in FIG. 11A. Form a horizontal keyway aligned to the. Vertical shaft 60 is common to all group of slippers, and there are two shafts 60 associated with each outboard column 25, one for each group of slippers in the column, each shaft 60 being It is axially and inclined movably mounted to the column 25 via support brackets 59 spaced apart along vertical shafts 60 between vertically adjacent slippers. Each bracket 59 is composed of a tube bearing similar to a slipper hub 57 and a structure attached to one end of the column and attached to a vertically positioned sleeved hub. The vertical shaft 60 moves and rotates freely vertically in the slipper tube except when all the support brackets 59 and selected forks 62 are engaged in aligned notches of the corresponding phases on the shaft. In this case, the slipper associated with the combined fork moves inclined and vertically with the shaft 60. The axial and inclined movement of each slipper can be carried out by a suitable drive mechanism (see FIG. 1B), which can be located along the side of the lacquer base 24 and in which the lower end of the shaft extends.

As shown in Figs. 11 and 11A, each slipper base frame is coupled to a dual action ram 61, preferably a horizontally slidable fork 62 which opens toward the shaft 60 adjacent the base hub. It is desirable to support the pneumatic ram. The fork is movable horizontally through the opening between the bearing tubes 58 of adjacent hubs 57 so that two legs can be coupled to the keyway notch 63 of the shaft. The engagement of the fork and shaft connects the corresponding slipper and its base, whereby the slipper can move vertically and inclined by the axial and inclined motion of the shaft. Each fork can be completely disengaged from the shaft 60.

11 is a view of the slipper 38 located on the bottom left. The slipper is in the retracted position and is supported about halfway along its length in the holder and support bracket 64 supported by the lacquer side member 34. The slipper moves to the deployment position of the adjacent pipe storage and the other slipper shown in FIG. 11 is shown in the deployment position. The slipper moves from its retracted position to the deployed position by the next operation.

1. The ram 61 operates to engage the fork 62 with the keyway notch 63 in the shaft 60.

2, the shaft 60 is raised to lift the slipper coupled to its holder (64).

3. The shaft 60 rotates 90 degrees in the selected direction so that the slipper swings from the raised and retrieved position from the raised and retrieved position about its hinge axis located on the shaft.

4. Lower the shaft 60 to align the slipper with the slipper disposed below it and engage the chevron or tongue-and-groove bends on the contacting slipper face (see FIG. 14).

5. The ram 61 operates to disengage the slipper fork from the shaft 60.

6. The sharp is rotated 90 degrees in the opposite direction to the selected direction to return to its starting angular position, where it is later engaged by the fork of the next highest slipper along the shaft.

It is obvious that the above-described sequence of operations is naturally reversed for moving the disposed slippers to their retracted position.

The control device of the system 10 preferably includes a sensor and an interlock that monitors the recovery / placement status of each slipper in each pipe arrangement, thereby loading only the appropriate slipper into the respective pipe storage. It is ensured to be engaged and moved by the shaft 60 at any time during or during unloading from this reservoir. For some reason, if one or more slippers in the set do not deploy or contract when commanded, an alert is given to the operator and a signal is provided to the control system to lower the pipe until the working crane has determined the position of the slippers. To prevent them. It is desirable to index the set of slippers consistently for a given layer of storage.

FIG. 11 illustrates a method of mounting each movable slipper 38 to an L-shaped base 54. The slipper base shape can be a hinged structure, with the base pivoting so that the slipper is positioned adjacent to the outboard corner of the outboard column 25 of the lacquer as the slipper moves between the deployment position and the retracted position. When the slippers are retracted, these slippers are located outside of adjacent pipe storage. When the pipe is deployed, the L-shaped slipper base wraps around the adjacent column so that the slipper extends transversely across the reservoir and is caught in the space between the corresponding outboard column and the associated central column.

FIG. 11 also shows that the brace 65 can be connected from the non-hinge end of each slipper base frame to a point on the slipper close to the middle of its length. The brace 65 can be located in a plane between the top and bottom surfaces of the slipper, so that it does not interfere with the length of the excavated pipe racked on the deployed slipper.

5 and 12 illustrate how the odd and even slippers of each slipper set engage each other in their deployed position.

Each bridge crane lift column 45 is, in one method, a pair of drive motors 67 for driving a pinion that engages each one of a pair of racks supported along the opposite side of the lift column. Drive vertically). As an alternative, the lift column can be raised and lowered by one shaft with three pinions to join the corresponding racks on the three lift columns.

As described above, the control subsystem of the system 10 receives information about the current position of each bridge crane 32, 33 and information about the vertical position of the pipe lifting head 47 carried by each bridge crane. do. It is also important that all lift columns on the bridge crane can be operated with precise synchronousity and that the self-propelled truck 44 can be operated with precise synchronous at the opposite end of each bridge crane. Preferably the synchronization and position information signals are generated by each lift column drive mechanism and by each bridge crane truck on which they are operated. The signals can be generated in a similar manner. For example, when a bridge crane traverses the lacquer 11 with respect to its support rail 31, it is possible to operate switches spaced apart along each track. Also, as each crane truck moves, the rotation of its one drive shaft can actuate an encoder. The encoder output signals generated by the truck at the opposite end of the crane can be compared and the results can be used to synchronize the truck's operation. The operation of the switch along the crane rail can be used to periodically reset the encoder. The combination of the switch signal and the encoder signal can provide high precision information about the transverse position of the lacquer of the pipe lifter head carried by the crane. Similar switches and encoders can be used to drive lifter columns to synchronize the movement of multiple columns of each crane and provide high precision information about the vertical position of the pipe lifter head of the crane.

The switch actuated by the slipper indicates whether the slipper is deployed or contracted. The combination of the arrangement of the slipper and its known height relative to the vertical position of the lift column is sufficient information to precisely position the vertical lift column and the magnetic head to lift and lower the pipe in the slipper. The slipper is also preferably combined with a sensor capable of detecting the presence of a person on the slipper or on an upper pipe stand supported by the slipper.

6 shows that the bridge cranes 32, 33 load the position outboard of the pipe storage at the position of the rail 31 extending laterally away from the pipe storage. When the crane is loaded, the lift column for the crane can be lowered to essentially hang completely on the crane truss (bridge) structure and the truck. In that state, the crane lift column and the structure carried by the lower end of the column can be fixed from vibratory motion by being connected to a keeper bracket 68 which preferably extends outward from the lacquer side. This storage capacity for the bridge crane and its lift column is particularly useful in the use environment of the lacquer 10 of the floating vessel. Weather or sea conditions may make it desirable and prudent to temporarily stop the excavation work. In the meantime, the crane is loaded as described and the lift column is fixed from vibratory movements that could otherwise damage them or other components of the lacquer.

8 and 9 are a plan view and a side view of the skate card 18, respectively. The skate card has an elongated horizontal, slightly narrow truss-shaped frame 70 shown in FIG. In positions spaced along its side, the frame 70 is supported by wheels operating in position on tracks extending along the top of the skate truss 19. The skate cart can be driven back and forth along the skate truss by a drive motor 71, preferably near the rear end of the lacquer 11 in a position below the cart when the cart is at the forward or rearward travel limit. It is located under the cart rail. Preferably the motor is an electric motor that rotates the pinion engaged with the rack moved by the frame 70. Preferably the skate cart drive device includes a brake operable to stop and hold the cart at any position within its range of movement. In addition, when the skate cart moves back and forth during operation of the system 10, the horizontally disposed shock absorber is carried by the fixing structure at the opposite limit of the skate cart movement to cooperate with the skate cart.

The forward movement limit of the skate cart is shown in FIG. 1B. The rear movement limit of the skate cart is within the boundaries of the excavation equipment floor 17 from the horizontal pipe stop shown in FIG. 17 and from the front edge of the rig floor towards the space centerline 23. As is known in the oil and gas drilling industry, pipe stops are located above the equipment floor about 4 to 5 feet or near the forward movement limit of the horizontal reciprocating pipe handling head 72 of the pipe stabber 73. Horizontal bar (see FIGS. 1A and 1B). The pipe stops are engaged in the pipe elevator and from the lacquer 11, which engages the pipe stand with the upper end of the pipe string supported substantially along the space centerline, to the equipment floor or above the equipment floor while moving upwards. It restricts the rearward movement of the pipe end of the pipe stand 43 with its box end raised in the rig derrick. Pipe stops also have an effect when the pin cart 49 of the skate cart is at the rear travel limit along the skate cart. The fight stop essentially maintains the lower limit of the vertical pipe stand in the engaged position of the stand, adjacent its lower end, by a gripper mechanism that is part of the pipe stabber head 72. When the stand is joined by a pipe stab, the stand is raised so that the pin end clears the pipe stop. It is also operable to move the lower end of the pipe stand on which the stabilizer is oscillated along a fixed passageway aligned with a space centerline that can be connected to the upper end of the pipe string.

The pin cart 49 is a small carriage that moves and locks along the length of the skate cart and to the track on top. The skate cart is shown in FIGS. 2B and 9 with forward movement limits along the skate cart. The pin cart is shown in FIG. 10 with a rearward travel limit along the skate cart within the longitudinal range of the low lift mechanism 52. The pin cart is driven along the skate cart by a drive motor 75 which is preferably located at the front end of the skate cart and is preferably an electric motor. Preferably the motor 75 is connected to the pin cart by a cable loop arranged for power movement of the pin cart to either side of the skate cart. The pin cart forms a rear and top opening container into which the pipe end of the pipe stand can be fitted. The pin cart can receive a substantial vertical load from the pipe stand as the stand moves from the horizontal position of the skate to the nearly vertical position of the derrick, or vice versa. Preferably the pin cart drive device comprises an overrunning clutch and a brake capable of moving the pin cart by a pipe stand coupled with the cart at a speed different from the cart speed corresponding to the operation of the pin cart drive motor. do.

At the rearmost end, the skate cart carries the low lift mechanism 52. As a result of proper positioning of the stand box end above the pipe stop which can be reached by the elevator for raising the stand box end to the equipment derrick, when the skate cart reaches the bottom of the equipment, the low lift mechanism is located at the rear of the pipe stand. It is provided to raise the box end from the skate cart. The box end of the stand is also joined by a pipe elevator, for example supported by a moving block of equipment. Moving blocks and elevators are used to raise the stand box end to the derrick when the pin end of the stand is moved further to the equipment floor, either by the pin cart or by the pipe stand itself. The low lift mechanism contracts (falls) when the box end of the stand is raised therefrom so that the rear end of the low lift mechanism can pass under the pipe stops towards the center of the equipment floor (see FIG. 1A).

The present preferred low lift mechanism is preferably pneumatically powered and preferably comprises a pair of pneumatic rams 76 (see eg FIG. 10). The ram 76 is mounted on the side of the skate cart on the side opposite the path of travel of the pin cart. Each ram is connected to a crank arm 79 that is connected to a corresponding one of the two lift arms 77 so that the stretching and contraction of the ram causes the rear end of the lift arm to rise or descend. The preferred connection between the crank arm 79 and the lift arm 77 is a coupling gear portion supported by each arm having the same center as the pivot axis of the arm. The rear end of the lift arm mounts a pipe support roller 78 therebetween, which is rotatable about a horizontal axis, preferably having a linearly tapered hourglass shape. The lowered position of the roller 78 is formed to support the pipe stand of the skate cart at a position on the stand adjacent to the stand box end. When the support roller is lifted up from the skate cart to raise the stand box end, its shape acts to hold the pipe stand located along the center line of the skate cart. The low lift mechanism can be operated in the opposite manner to lower the box end of the pipe stand, which is transferred from the derrick to the pipe lacquer for storage, down to the skate cart.

For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the structure of the roller 78, for example, the low lift mechanism forward between the roller and the arm 76, is on the opposite side of the skate cart without the path of travel of the pin cart. Is placed. Thus, the pin cart 49 can move to the far rear end of the skate cart within the length of the low lift mechanism. The pin cart may be located within the perimeter of the machine floor in close proximity to the pipe stop 130 when the pin cart and the skate cart are at their rear travel limits.

In addition to the pipe stab 73 at the front edge of the equipment bottom 17 for handling pipes moving between the equipment bottom and the pipe lacquer 11, a high lift mechanism 80 is also present therein, preferably It is attached to the pipe stabber. There is also a pipe guard 132 which includes the pipe in the pipe passage, adjacent to the pipe stabber and also on the opposite side of the path that the pipe stand travels. See FIGS. 15 and 16. The high lift mechanism 80 can be advantageously used during excavation work. During the excavation operation, the excavation pipe string can be held by an upper drive unit that rotates the excavation string and keeps the excavation string at an essentially constant load in the excavation bit by a vertical motion compensation device known in the offshore industry. This constant bit load can be maintained even if the vessel is moving up and down at sea. If this load is necessary to add more pipe to the excavation string, the excavation pipe is fixed with a slip in the turntable and separated from the upper drive. The upper drive is raised to the top of the derrick with the next stand of pipes in the elevator. When the new stand of the pipe is vertical, the stand is lowered to the box end mechanism joint at the top of the excavation string, so excavation can continue. To prevent the excavation bit from hitting the bottom of the space while the string is suspended on slip without movement compensation, the pipe string is raised about 15 feet above the excavation bottom before slip begins. The high lift mechanism can be used to raise the rig pipe box end from a low lift level to a higher height at which the top drive elevator can be reached.

The high lift mechanism preferably has a carriage 135 which is raised and lowered by a pneumatic drive chain. FIG. 15 shows the carriage 135 in the upper and middle positions while FIG. 16 shows the carriage in the upper, middle and lower positions. The carriage may have an arm 82 that can connect down from a vertical upright position to a horizontal position, and an air arm 136 that rotates the arms from each other from one position. The arm is connected in such a way that a pipe striking the arm from below raises the arm. When the pipe is lowered from the top to the arm, the arm stops in the horizontal position and keeps the pipe in the cradle of the arm.

In general, the high lift mechanism is loaded at the highest position with an arm that is rotated to a vertical position outside the pipe that is truncated in or out of the space. If the entire length of the excavation string is within the space and excavation work, the high lift carriage is lowered to the lowest position and the arm 82 is in a horizontal position intact until the pipe skate cart is moved to the solid with the next stand of the excavation pipe. Is rotated.

1, 2 and 7 show a walkway 84 and a ladder 85 on the lacquer to enable human access to the lacquer.

The second form of the slipper indexing device is somewhat different from the device described above with reference to Figs. 11 and 11A and is illustrated in Figs. 17-20 and presently highly preferred. The vertical axis 60 is engaged with each group of slippers 38 at each slipper position in each pipe storage bay. Each axis 60 is suitably located adjacent to the front and back of the outboard corner of the lacquer column 25. Each shaft 60 is supported for rotational and axial movement in a series of bearings 90 mounted along the axis and mounted to a bracket 91 (see FIG. 20) attached to an adjacent lacquer column 25. Each bracket 91 and bearing 90 are located within and define a limit of downward movement of each slipper base 54. Immediately above each such bracket 91, the shaft forms a notch across the diametrically opposite position to form a pair of horizontal keyway slots 63. A fork 62 is installed for the slidable movement in the slipper base. The sleeper base has a terminal hub 57 which mounts the base on the shaft for rotational movement about the axis and axial movement along the axis. The fork is reciprocated in the slipper base by the dual actuating ram 61. The fork is thus movable by the ram 61 in and out of engagement with the vertical axis 60 in the keyway slot 63. The engagement of the fork 62 in the keyway slot 63 of the shaft 60 releasably connects the corresponding slipper base and hub to the shaft such that the base and hub perform the axial and angular movement of the shaft.

Each vertical slipper indexing drive shaft 60 is perpendicular to its bottom end on a platform or pedestal formed at the top of the piston 93 of the vertically disposed ram 94 located below the shaft. It is rotatably supported (see FIG. 18). The ram is operated to raise and lower the corresponding shaft. There is also an axial angular drive assembly 95 connected to each vertical axis above the corresponding vertical drive ram. Each assembly 95 preferably comprises a crank arm 96 attached to the shaft and a dual acting horizontal positioning ram 97 pinned between the end of the crank arm and the lacquer base 24. The mounting of each horizontal ram 97 between the end of its axial crank arm and the lacquer base is suitable for lifting each of the drive assemblies out of engagement with the slipper support member 64 and raising the loading slippers 38 and below them. It is arranged to accommodate and perform vertical movement of the axis in an amount suitable to raise the deployment slipper out of engagement with the slipper.

19 shows that the horizontal drive ram 97 for the rearmost axis, which is engaged with the pipe storage bay, is preferably located adjacent the rear of the lacquer base. The foremost horizontal drive ram coupled with the pipe storage bay is preferably similarly positioned relative to the front end of the lacquer base. All other horizontal drive rams are located adjacent to the sides of the lacquer base.

The operation of the vertical drive device and each drive mechanism shown in Figs. 17 to 19 follows the six steps described above.

FIG. 17 shows a presently preferred arrangement for securing the lower end of the bridge crane lift column from movement when the lift column is loaded at the lowest position of the bridge crane. A dummy section 98 of the rig pipe is supported by the horizontal vertical front and rear position outboards of the adjacent vertical 94 and angle 95 drive units for the slipper indexing drive shaft 60. The pipe dummy is located below the position vertical occupied by the corresponding magnetic lift head when the bridge crane is in its stacked position as described above. The dummy pipe portion is supported by a support bracket 99 mounted on the outer side of the lacquer base. The magnetic lift head 47 supported by the lift column may contact the top of the dummy pipe portion, and the mechanism safety latch 47 coupled with the magnetic lift head may be coupled around and below the dummy pipe portion. Such form of contact with the dummy pipe part cooperates to lock the lower end of the lift column to the dummy pipe part. The drilling pipe piles are preferably provided before and after each lifting head at each bridge crane at a position spaced along the outboard side of the lacquer base.

21-23 show details of a number of presently preferred magnetic lift units or heads 47 supported by respective lacquer bridge crane spreader bars 46 at positions spaced along the bars. The center of each lift head is occupied by an elongated magnet assembly 101 (see FIGS. 21 and 23) comprising a pair of slab-shaped permanent magnets 102. The magnets are in a parallel relationship spaced apart from each other and in a plane parallel to the length of the spreader bar. The pipe contact member 103, which is made of a material that does not interfere with the magnetic region generated by the magnets, is interchangeably supported by the bottom surface of each magnet, as shown in FIG. Each contact member has an inclined or precise curved surface that opens downward and opens toward an adjacent member 103. The material forming the pipe contact member is softer than the metal of the pipe stand 43 to prevent the pipe stand from being scratched by the contact member. Similarly, all other components of the lacquer (e.g., and also skate and pin cards, low lift and high lift mechanisms, and pipe staffs) that can or will be in contact with the pipe stand are softer than the pipe stand. And its pipe stand contact surface formed by a relatively soft and replaceable wear member or insert.

Preferably each lift head 47 also includes a pair of safety latch assemblies 105 (see FIG. 22). The latch assembly 105 may include a vertically slidable upper jaw member 106 supported by an adjacent end of the magnet assembly. Each assembly 105 is also secured around the shaft by the operation of a dual actuating ram 109 fixed to the magnet assembly and pinned between the crank arm of the jaw member 107 and the plate 110 supported on top of the magnet assembly. It may include a lower jaw member pivotable about the axis to be moved. The lower jaw member is moved to the side of the bottom groove end of the upper jaw member when the lift head is moved into or out of contact with the pipe stand, but otherwise shown in FIG. 22 when the lift head is in contact with the pipe stand. In position.

Each lift head assembly 47 may be mounted to its bridge crane spreader bar 46 by a pair of plates 112, 113. The plate 112 is attached to the upper central portion of the magnet assembly 11 of the head and is preferably in a plane parallel to the length of the magnet assembly. The plate 112 may be secured with a pin, as in 114, to the lower tongue of the plate 113 supported by the spreader bar. The plate 113 may be pinned to the spreader bar, as in 115, by the vertical slot 116 of the plate. In view of the pinned connection between the plate 112 and the plate 113, the lift head 47 can pivot about the pin 114 and allow itself to be picked up from the pipe storage bay or from the skate cart. I can adjust it to a posture. The slidable idle connection of the plate 113 of the spreader bar also allows the connection of the lift head of the spreader bar to accommodate the downward movement of the spreader bar after the lift head contacts the pipe stand. The shock absorber 118 is preferably provided at each end of the lift head 47 to cushion the movement of the spreader bar with the lift head. The shock absorber may be a dashpot in which the shaft is pressed upwards by a compression spring coupled between the upper end of the shaft and the dashpot (see FIG. 21).

Each latch assembly 105 (see FIG. 22) is a backup machine holder and safety mechanism of the lift head, and during normal operation of the system 10, the mechanism is not trusted to support the pipe stand carried by the lacquer bridge crane. . Many of the magnet assemblies supported by the bridge crane are intended to hold the pipe stand of the crane. As mentioned above, the magnetic force holding the pipe stand of the bridge crane is preferably generated by the permanent magnet. Electrical power and optional degausser 120 are included in each lift head. The device arrangement acts to invalidate the area created by the permanent magnets when the pipe stand is separated from the bridge crane or picked up by the crane.

Electrical and air power is supplied from the crane body to the lift head of each bridge crane. As shown in FIG. 17, an electrical power cable 122 is connected between the reel 123 of the crane body and the crane spreader. The compressed air supply line 124 and the return line 125 are connected to the spreader bar from the reels 126, 127 of the crane body.

As shown in FIG. 17, a pair of guide roller arrangements 128 cooperate with each crane lift column 45 to be transported to the top and bottom of the trussed body of each bridge crane. There are preferably eight rollers in each arrangement, and they engage with corresponding wear bars 129 (see FIG. 22) extending along the length of the lift column. Preferably the lift column is a square cross section. There is preferably a wear bar 129 along each corner edge of each side of the lift column. The guide roller arrangement cooperates with the lift column to restrain and maintain a rigid column against oscillating movement with respect to the crane body and to move substantially perpendicular to the bridge crane. Such vibratory motion interferes with the ability to pick up and transport the pipe stand from and to the notch 41 of the alignment set specified in the desired storage. The presence of wear bars in the lift column also reinforces and strengthens the lift column itself.

The structure and mechanism of the present preferred pipe storage and handling system are configured for operation within a temperature range of 14 ° F. to 100 ° F. (-10 ° C. to 38 ° C.). The structures and apparatus described above reflect three different sets of environmental conditions, i.e. three different sets of environmental conditions are +/- 3.7 meters of upward movement in an 8 second cycle, +/- 4 ° roll in 12 seconds. Movement, and operating conditions in which a pitch movement of +/- 4 ° in 9 seconds can be tolerated; Waiting for +/- 60 meters in 9 seconds, +/- 10 ° rotation in 12 seconds, and +/- 6 ° pitch in 10 seconds (where system components are loaded at their normal stable loading position ); And remaining conditions (fixed or used in place) of +/- 8.3 meter rise in 10 seconds, +/- 35 ° rotation in 15 seconds, and 10 ° pitch in 10 seconds. In addition, the system components are sized to withstand the load associated with drilling line movement during a 36-foot rise, 25 ° rotation, and 10 pitch of transportation in a period of 13-15 seconds.

The design operation rate of the system is one 5000 pound triple pipe stand per minute for the removal of the stand from the excavation floor as well as for the transfer of the stand to the excavation floor, using a synchronous two-bridge crane. The bridge crane has a nominal working speed of 60 to 75 feet per minute when fully loaded, and also a low speed mode in the range of 2 to 4 when subjected to 0.5 g of side force opposite the crane movement. When subjected to opposing side loads in the range of 0.5 g to 1.0 g, the crane drive can be stopped but keeps the crane in the proper position. The vertical drive mechanism of the crane has a nominal working speed of 75 to 90 feet per minute in a low speed mode within the range of 3 to 5 fpm, which is useful when opposing dynamic loads of +/- 0.5 g appear due to ship operation. The crane vertical drive can be stopped but maintains the vertical position when subjected to opposing dynamic forces of 0.5 to 1.0 g. The horizontal and vertical drive mechanism of the crane has a brake that holds the crane component in place when it is not active by the operator or by the control system; Crane brakes are effective not only in operating conditions but also in waiting conditions for the weather.

The bridge crane can be operated with one of two control stations. The first control station 138 is provided in the excavator's house at the bottom of the excavation equipment (see FIG. 2A). The station is called a pipe handling control box. The second control station 140, referred to as the pipe lacquer control, is located on the platform 141 adjacent to the front end of the skate cart truss (see FIG. 2B). During normal operation of the system 10, the crane is operated with the first control station in automatic mode. The crane can be operated in a manual mode or an automatic mode at the second control station. If the crane is not selected for operation, it is loaded on the parking position outboard of the pipe storage bay. Crane control includes local control features that prevent the crane from bumping into the structure in either mode of operation. The control linkage prevents the crane from colliding with the skate when the skate is in motion. When operating in automatic mode, the crane stops above the transfer position of the skates; Manual commands are required to lower or retrieve the pipe to or from the skate. When the pipe stand is detached or retracted on the skate, the crane's automatic cycle restarts to pick up or load the next stand of pipe from or from the desired pipe storage bay.

Appropriate control system linkages include crane linkages that prevent the cranes from operating each other, skate linkages that stop the crane above the skate track until a manual command is given to the crane, and the crane must be in the correct position for proper slipper operation. A slipper linkage that prevents the pipe lifting head from descending until the slipper rises in height, and the rescue area linkage described above.

Preferably the control of the slipper indexing mechanism is located in front of the second control box which is positioned so that the operator can clearly see both pipe bays or can easily move to irradiate any of them. Preferably the slipper related control in the control box includes controls for the following functions: selecting port or starboard bays, drilling pipe layers (1, 2, 3 ...), slippers for each pipe layer. Slipper lock useful when selecting a stacking or unfolding position of a load, moving a stacking or unfolding slipper, an alarm indicating that one or more slippers do not respond to a positioning command, and a human or pulled pipe stand command (lock) Slipper loading and position command signals are also provided such that crane control programming is associated with the slipper control interlock.

Skate cart and pin cart drive rates are consistently formed with one pipe stand transfer / recovery rate per minute. Preferably the skate drive speeds up the skate to 450 feet per minute and can be operated to accelerate to the maximum speed within 4 seconds at full stop. The pin cart drive is preferably operable to speed the pin cart up to 60 feet per minute and to accelerate the pin cart when unloading to full speed in two seconds from a full stop. The pin cart drive forces the pin cart into contact with the pin end of the pin stand while the stand is raised by the derrick elevator without pushing the stand through the elevator. As described above, the overrunning clutch of the pin cart drive allows the pin cart to overrun its drive in response to the load of the cart by a pipe stand located on the skate cart. Preferably the skate cart and the pin cart drive device are at various speeds. Skate carts can continually make 112 feet per minute. Pin cart travel is about 80 feet along the skate cart. The drive can return the empty pin cart to its receiving position in 30 seconds. The brakes for a skate cart can stop the skate cart once every 2 minutes for 2 minutes when loading. The pin cart brake can stop the pin cart at full speed in one second and achieve two brake actuations per minute in succession. There is a shock absorber at the limit of travel of the skates and pin carts. The skate and pin cart drive device is controllable at the first control station 138.

Control for operating the pipe low lift mechanism 52, the pipe stab 73, and the pipe high lift mechanism 80 is located in the first control station 138. The high lift mechanism may raise the box of the pipe stand to the elevator 22, 22 feet above the turntable located on the excavation floor on the excavation axis. The low lift mechanism and the high lift mechanism can lift 2500 pounds. Low lift operation rate is 4 feet per second. High lift operation rate is 2 feet per second.

Further information about the control functions and apparatus of the present preferred system 10 is shown in Table I and Table II, respectively, which relate to control stations 138 and 140.

The information is set forth in the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, and the tables do not exhaustively identify all forms that structures and methods in accordance with the present invention may have. Changes and modifications of the described schemes and methods will occur to those skilled in the art, and they are within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

Table I

Controls and user interface for pipe handling control box

Control function User interface Action / Response Priority Skate Drive Proportional Joystick Left-Skate Move Left Center-Skate Stop Right-Skate Move Right Main control (dual) Skate emergency stop Push-pull button Push-Skate Brake Pull-Skate Brake Release Primary control sharing (dual) Pipe lifter Push and hold button "UP" push-lifter rise "UP" release-stop "DOWN" push-lifter lower "DOWN" release-stop Main control (alone) Pipe stabber Proportional joystick and rocker switch control buttons Left-Stabber Extension Center-Stabber Stop Right-Stabber Shrink button "O" Push-Job Opening Burr "C" Push-Jaw Closed Main control (alone) High lift Push and hold button "UP" push-lifter rise "DOWN" push-lifter descend Main control (alone) Port bridge crane pipe pickup and release Push-and-hold button and rocker switch "UP" push-crane rise "UP" release-stop "DOWN" press-crane lower "DOWN" release-stop "P" fixed-pipe pick-up "R" fixed-pipe release Main control (dual) Starboard Crane Pipe Pickup & Release Push-and-hold button and rocker switch "UP" push-crane rise "UP" release-stop "DOWN" press-crane lower "DOWN" release-stop "P" fixed-pipe pick-up "R" fixed-pipe release Main control (dual)

Table II

Control and User Interface for Pipe Lacquer Control Box

Control function User interface Action / Response Priority Skate drive Proportional joystick Left-Skate Move Left Center-Skate Stop Right-Skate Move Right Maintain control (dual) Skate emergency stop Push-pull button Push-Skate Brake Pull-Skate Brake Release Primary control sharing (dual) Pipe pick up and release on port bridge crane skating Push-and-hold button and rocker switch "UP" push-crane rise "UP" release-stop "DOWN" press-crane lower "DOWN" release-stop "P" fixed-pipe pick-up "R" fixed-pipe release Subsidiary control pipe delivery maintenance (double) Pipe pick up and release on starboard crane skating Push-and-hold button and rocker switch "UP" push-crane rise "UP" release-stop "DOWN" press-crane lower "DOWN" release-stop "P" fixed-pipe pick-up "R" fixed-pipe release Subsidiary control pipe delivery maintenance (double) Port bridge cranes horizontal and vertical movement Proportional Joystick (2 Speed Push & Hold Button Optional) Center-Crain Stop Port Press-Port Move Star Press-Star Move Away-Down Pull-Up Manual sub control (double automatic control) Starboard Bridge CraneHorizontal and Vertical Moving Proportional Joystick (2 Speed Push & Hold Button Optional) Center-Crain Stop Port Press-Port Move Star Press-Star Move Away-Down Pull-Up Manual sub control (double automatic control) Pipe pick up and release from port bridge crane lacquer 2-position rocker switch Fixed-Pipe Pickup on "P" Fixed-Pipe Release on "R" Manual sub control (double automatic control) Pipe pick up and release from starboard bridge crane lacquer 2-position rocker switch Fixed-Pipe Pickup on "P" Fixed-Pipe Release on "R" Manual operator control (alone) Port Bay Slipper Position Selection 18 (17) count selector switch Positioning at the slipper level Manual sub control (double automatic control) Selected as starboard bay slipper 18 (17) count selection switch (can be integrated with Set / Stow switch) Positioning at the slipper level Manual sub control (double automatic control) Port Slipper Set / Stow Rocker switch Fixed to "Stow"-slipper stow Fixed to "Set"-slipper set Manual sub control (double automatic control) Starboard Slippers Set / Stow Rocker switch Fixed to "Stow"-slipper stow Fixed to "Set"-slipper set Manual sub control (double automatic control) Mode selection Rocker switch Fixed to "Automatic"-Automatic Control Fixed to "Automatic"-Manual Control Main control (alone)

Automatic control PLC control Automatic operation of the port and starboard cranes from the lacquer to the transfer position Main control (all manual operation dual with automatic control)

Claims (53)

Pipe storage, Horizontal pipes that can be disposed in a plurality of spaced stations along the length of the reservoir to support a plurality of horizontal lengths of excavation pipes in a plurality of vertically spaced layer arrangements and to support the plurality of lengths of excavation pipes individually on each floor. Support member, and Optionally operated drive mechanism coupled to the pipe support member and operable to individually move the member between a deployed position in which the support member is arranged and a retracted position in which the support member is not arranged Excavation pipe storage device comprising a. The method of claim 1, And the pipe support member is arranged to support the pipe length without being loaded on any pipe length due to the pipe and the support member in the arrangement. The method of claim 1, The bottom support member at each station is supported on the storage base and, when placed in alignment, the other support member at the station engages and is supported on the support member below it. The method of claim 3, And the pipe support members are fixed against relative movement in a direction along the length of the pipe supported in the reservoir when they are joined together. The method of claim 3, And a plurality of notches opening upwardly on top of each pipe support member are sized to receive the pipe length arranged on the vertically adjacent contour of the support member without direct contact on the support member. The method of claim 5, The notch receiving the pipe has an approximately straight slope. The method of claim 1, And the pipe support member drive mechanism is operable to rotate the support member about a vertical axis located outside of the arrangement. The method of claim 7, wherein And the drive mechanism is operable to raise and lower the pipe support member. The method of claim 7, wherein The drive mechanism includes a rotary vertical shaft associated with a group of pipe support members at each station, each support member of the group having an end frame through which the shaft rotates, and the shaft rotating relative to the pipe support member. A coupling selectively engageable between each pipe support member and the shaft for securing and a shaft drive device operable to rotate the shaft by a selected amount in both directions about its axis. The method of claim 9, The shaft is movable axially through each pipe support member, each coupling being operable to allow the associated pipe support member to fix the axial motion of the shaft associated therewith, and the shaft drive device moves the shaft to a selected amount. Device operable to raise and lower by as much as possible. The method of claim 9, And a support for each support member that can be engaged in the retracted position. The method of claim 9, Wherein said pipe support member at each station comprises two groups of movable support members, wherein the alternate support members are members of each group associated with each of a pair of vertical shafts. The method of claim 12, The shaft at each station is placed on a common side of the vault. The method of claim 12, The pipe support members in one group have a retracted position extending in one direction approximately parallel to the arrangement from the station, and the constricted pipe support members in another group extend in the opposite direction approximately parallel with the arrangement from the station. Device. The method of claim 12, Wherein the deployment position of the pipe support member at each station is in a transverse common vertical plane of the arrangement, wherein each support member above the bottommost member is coupled to be supported with the support member below it. The method of claim 1, And a pipe lifter overlying the arrangement and operable to move individual pipe lengths in a horizontal position between the arrangement and the transverse position transverse to the arrangement. The method of claim 16, And the pipe lifter comprises a bridge crane spanning the length of the vault and movable laterally relative to the vault. The method of claim 16, And the pipe lifter comprises a plurality of controllable magnetic pipe lift units capable of engaging the pipe length at spaced locations along the pipe length. The method of claim 18, Wherein each pipe lift unit comprises a plurality of permanent magnets and optionally operable degausser. The method of claim 18, Wherein each pipe lift unit comprises a backup mechanical holder that can be selectively engaged with and released from the pipe length. The method of claim 18, The pipe lift unit is supported on a common carrier. The method of claim 21, And the bridge crane has a stowed position spaced laterally away from the storage such that the pipe lift unit can secure the structure below the outside of the storage. The method of claim 21, And the common carrier for the pipe lift unit is movable vertically relative to the bridge crane via a plurality of vertically driveable column members of the crane. The method of claim 23, wherein The column member having a guide vertically spaced within the bridge crane arranged to operate the column member only approximately normal with respect to the crane. The method of claim 16, The storage space is spaced approximately parallel to the length of the storage space from a use position of the pipe length, and includes a pipe transport mechanism for moving the pipe in a horizontal position between the transport position near the storage space and the use position of the pipe; The pipe conveying mechanism includes a track extending from the conveying position to the pipe use position. The method of claim 25, An elongate carriage capable of driving in each of two opposite directions along the track from and to the transfer position, the carriage being aligned at a position along the pipe length near one end and the other end of the pipe length; Apparatus having a suitable length to support the pipe length. The method of claim 26, A cart that can be driven in opposite directions along the length of the carriage, the cart defining an upwardly open receptacle to receive and support one end of a pipe length supported on the carriage; Device. The method of claim 27, And a pipe support roller mounted to a carriage end near said pipe use position for rotation about a horizontal axis. The method of claim 28, Said roller having a larger diameter at the end than between the ends. The method of claim 28, And a selectively operable lift mechanism mounted between the roller and the carriage and operable to controllably raise and lower the roller relative to the carriage. The method of claim 30, And the roller lift mechanism rests on a carriage in the path of the cart along the carriage. The method of any one of claims 25 to 31, The pipe usage location is an oil well drilling facility comprising an excavation work platform. 33. The method of claim 32, The track is approximately coplanar with the excavation work platform. 33. The method of claim 32, The excavation facility is located on a floating offshore drilling structure. The method of claim 34, wherein And a second pipe storage space lying approximately parallel to said transfer position. In the drilling pipe storage and handling device for oil well drilling equipment, A track extending from one end near the drilling rig to an opposite end away from the drilling rig, An elongated carriage adapted to receive along the track and to accommodate the length of the excavating pipe longitudinally with respect to the track and to support the received pipe length in a spaced position along the track, A transverse direction of one end of the track comprising a horizontal pipe support member cooperatively configured to support a plurality of lengths of excavation pipe in a plurality of vertically spaced pipe layer arrangements and to support the plurality of lengths of pipes individually on each layer. Pipe storage room, Movable pipe lifter, which can be placed on the reservoir and operable to move individual pipe lengths between the arrangement and the carriage Including; The pipe support member on the bottom layer is indexable between the arrangement and the transverse position in the transverse direction inside and the contraction position outside the arrangement. Device. The method of claim 36, The carriage comprising a pipe lifter operable to raise the end of the received pipe length near the end of the excavation equipment to a selected distance over the carriage. The method of claim 37, Each pipe length has a pin end and a box end, and the pipe length is placed with the pin ends distant from the excavation equipment arranged, and the cart is movable along a carriage adapted to support the pin ends of the received pipe length. Containing device. The method of claim 38, The carriage is driveable along the track and the cart is driveable along the carriage. The method of claim 36, Said track and said carriage being common and placed between a pair of similar storages. The method of claim 40, And the pipe lifter is operable to move the pipe length between the reservoir and the carriage. In a method for storing oil and gas well drilling pipes, Individually laying horizontally the selected number of pipe lengths as a first bottom layer in the notched opening upwards in the upper region of the set of pipe supports laid in the transverse direction and the pipe length lying in the station spaced along the pipe length; Laying the plurality of pipe lengths horizontally in a further set of similarly notched pipe supports placed at each station at the top of the underlying support to form an arrangement of the plurality of layers of the plurality of pipe lengths, and Raising the individual pipe length directly from the receiving notch of the pipe support and descending to the receiving notch. The method of claim 42, wherein Forming the support member such that each pipe length arranged is in contact only with a surface of a notch opened upwardly of a pipe support directly below the arrangement. The method of claim 42, wherein Exposing each set of pipe supports to the next lower layer of the arrangement moves the supported layers from the supported layer to the contracted position of the arrangement, removing all pipe lengths, and then moves the set of supports of the next upper layer to the expanded position of the arrangement to fill the array with pipe lengths. A method comprising the additional step of moving. The method of claim 44, Moving the pipe support from the deployed position to the retracted position to contact the support below the arrangement to raise the deployed support, swinging each support raised horizontally about an axis at the end of the support; And lowering the raised swinged support to a holder located outside of the array. The method of claim 45, 46. The method of moving the pipe support from the retracted position to the deployed position comprises the steps performed in the reverse order of the operation of claim 45. The method of claim 42, wherein Elevating the individual pipe lengths from the pipe support includes engaging the pipe lengths from above locations spaced along the pipe length by a plurality of magnetic lift heads and raising the lift heads approximately in unison. The method of claim 42, wherein Lowering the individual pipe lengths to the pipe supports horizontally supporting the pipe lengths through a plurality of magnetic lift heads in spaced apart locations along the pipe lengths, the pipe lengths aligned approximately in line with the pipe support sets Lowering the lift head to be positioned within a notch, and releasing the magnetic field of the lift head. The method of claim 42, wherein Raising the pipe length from the pipe support includes moving the pipe length to a state supported on a carriage movable along a nearby path such that the pipe length is parallel to the arrangement in a horizontal attitude from the arrangement, the carriage being Supporting the pipe length at a position spaced along the pipe length. The method of claim 49, Raising one end of the carriage support position of the pipe to a displacement position selected from the arrangement relative to the carriage as the carriage moves, wherein the selected position is associated with the removal of the pipe length from the carriage. . The method of claim 49, The carriage having two support positions lying on the pipe length, one of which is liftable relative to the carriage, the other being movable along the carriage and adapted to support the end of the pipe length. A method of storing, handling, and moving excavation pipes associated with an oil well drilling rig having excavation working floors, Lifting the stand of the drilling pipe directly from the individual horizontal storage position, which is an array of stand storage positions, Placing the raised stand on a carriage arranged to support the laid stand at a spaced apart position along its length, Moving the carriage toward the floor to place one end of the carriage on the floor, Manipulating one end at a position in which the stand on the carriage rests as the carriage approaches the floor, and Lifting the stand through its one end to a vertical position on the floor, and the other end of the stand is movable on the carriage How to include. The method of claim 52, wherein And said elevating operation comprises elevating the position of the carriage support of said laid stand closest to one end of said stand.