US3711000A - Surface apparatus for handling an elastic column - Google Patents

Surface apparatus for handling an elastic column Download PDF

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Publication number
US3711000A
US3711000A US00178924A US3711000DA US3711000A US 3711000 A US3711000 A US 3711000A US 00178924 A US00178924 A US 00178924A US 3711000D A US3711000D A US 3711000DA US 3711000 A US3711000 A US 3711000A
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United States
Prior art keywords
gripping
elastic
column
jaws
devices
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00178924A
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English (en)
Inventor
R Reynard
R Tindy
E Daniel
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IFP Energies Nouvelles IFPEN
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IFP Energies Nouvelles IFPEN
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    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B19/00—Handling rods, casings, tubes or the like outside the borehole, e.g. in the derrick; Apparatus for feeding the rods or cables
    • E21B19/22—Handling reeled pipe or rod units, e.g. flexible drilling pipes

Definitions

  • each of said devices is constituted by a plurality of separate gripping elements arranged in series, these gripping elements being interconnected through elastic means.
  • the present invention relates to a surface apparatus enabling an elastic column, particularly a column introduced into a borehole in the ground, to be handled, i.e., lowered into the borehole and raised back to the ground surface.
  • This column may, for example, be a flexible drill pipe used in the drilling process wherein there is substituted for the usual string of rigid stems a continuous flexible pipe at the lower end of which a bottom motor ,is directly connected to a drill bit for actuation thereof.
  • the handling apparatus according to the invention is of a type provided with devices for gripping the elastic column, some of these gripping devices being movable along the column.
  • a first object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which may be associated with conventional equipment used in conventional drilling methods, such as derricks, hoisting devices using winches, cables and pulley blocks, without requiring any substantial change in these equipments.
  • the main object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for handling an elastic column capable of supporting loads which may reach many hundred tons, without imparting any sliding to this column relative to the gripping devices, under the action of the load, which sliding results in deteriorations of the wall of the column which are in contact with these gripping devices, or to creeping phenomena of this column, relative to the gripping devices applied thereto.
  • the apparatus includes at least two devices for gripping the elastic column, comprising a lower and an upper gripping device, each of said devices being associated with means for displacing at least one of said devices parallelly to the column axis, means for sequentially controlling said displacing means and for causing a gripping action on said column through either of said gripping devices, so that there is always at least one of said gripping devices in its gripping position, the displacement of said gripping devices being effected in a first direction in the gripping position of the device and in the opposite direction in the released position of this device.
  • each of said devices for gripping the column is constituted by a plurality of separate gripping elements surrounding the column, arranged in series and interconnected through elastic means.
  • the elastic connection between the gripping elements of a gripping device is constituted of plates of elastic material, each gripping element being provided with a tubular housing engaged in a sleeve member integral with the tubular housing of an adjacent gripping element, thereby forming a telescopic mounting and the plates of elastic material being secured both to the external wall of each tubular housing and to the internal wall of the sleeve member wherein this housing is inserted.
  • each gripping element from the adjacent upper gripping element might also be achieved by any other elastic means, using for example spring means or jack means connected to a source of fluid under pressure.
  • the so-constituted telescopic mounting exhibits the essential advantage of enabling the gripping jaws equipping each gripping element to follow a substantial elongation of the elastic column within the lower and the upper gripping devices.
  • FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates an overall view of the device
  • FIG. 2 illustrates a gripping element
  • FIGS. 3, 3A, 3B and 3C represent schematically particular embodiments for the arrangement of the gripping elements each consisting of lower and'upper gripping members;
  • FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the means for synchronously controlling the hoisting winch of the upper gripping device and for controlling reversible jacks adapted to move the jaws into and out of gripping position.
  • FIG. 1 which diagrammatically shows an overall view of a drilling equipment for a flexible drill pipe, including an apparatus according to the invention for handling this pipe
  • the reference numeral 1 designates the drill pipe and 2 a derrick at the top of which the pipe passes over a pulley 3.
  • the pipe 1 is stored on a winch 4 associated with means for supplying the pipe with drilling fluid through a rotary coupling and passes between this winch and pulley 3 through a tension regulating device diagrammatically represented at 5, the winch 5 and the tension regulating device 5 forming however no part of the present invention.
  • the apparatus according to the invention used for handling the flexible pipe 1, comprises a lower device 6 for gripping this pipe, this lower gripping device consisting of a series of gripping elements surrounding the flexible pipe, each of which is provided with gripping jaws and with a device for moving these jaws into and out of gripping position, adapted to reversibly displace them between a gripping position of the pipe 1 and a released position wherein the pipe can freely slide between the jaws and giving passage to the rigid metallic elements connected to the lower part of the flexible pipe, these elements comprising the drill bit and the driving motor for this bit.
  • this lower gripping device consisting of a series of gripping elements surrounding the flexible pipe, each of which is provided with gripping jaws and with a device for moving these jaws into and out of gripping position, adapted to reversibly displace them between a gripping position of the pipe 1 and a released position wherein the pipe can freely slide between the jaws and giving passage to the rigid metallic elements connected to the lower part of the flexible pipe, these elements comprising the drill bit and
  • This lower gripping device 6 is stationary, being integral with the substructure 7 of the derrick.
  • the apparatus in combination with this stationary lower gripping device, includes an upper device 8 for the pipe 1, this device also consisting of a series of gripping elements, each of which is provided with jaws associated with a reversible device for displacing these jaws in a direction transverse to the pipe.
  • This upper device is movable vertically over a stroke L along the pipe, in the released position of its jaws.
  • the means providing for the displacement of the upper gripping device 8 along the pipe 1 is constituted by a hoisting device of the type used in the rotary drilling method for handling the drill string and its elements.
  • This device includes cables 9 passing over a stationary pulley block 10 located at the top of the derrick (this stationary pulley block includes forexample two pulleys located on both sides of pulley 3) and over a travelling block 11 from which is suspended the upper gripping device 8, by means of a hook 12.
  • the vertical displacements of the travelling block 11 are achieved by means of a winch 13 on which is wound a free end 9a of cables 9;
  • the device according to the invention includes means for synchronously controlling on the one hand the means for displacing the upper gripping device 8 (winch 13 in the illustrated embodiment) and'on the other hand the means for moving the jaws of the two gripping devices 6 and 8 into and out of gripping position.
  • FIG. 2 diagrammatically illustrates the structure of an element or gripping element constituting each of the gripping devices 6 and 8.
  • This element includes at least two gripping jaws for the pipe 1 (jaws 15 and 16) which may grip the pipe 1 by means of reversible hydraulic jacks 17a, 17b which bear against a tubular-housing 18 whereon these jacks are articulated.
  • the jaws 15 and 16 roll on rollers along inclined guide paths integral with this tubular housing.
  • each of the jaws 15 and 16 is constituted by two superimposed wedges integral with each other.
  • the reference numerals 37, 38, 39 and 40 designate rollers the axes of which are carried by jaws 15 and 16, these rollers rolling along inclined guide paths carried by the tubular housing 18.
  • Each gripping element may obviously be provided with more than two gripping jaws, distributed along the periphery of the flexible pipe 1.
  • each gripping element such as the one shown by FIG. 2, the relative elongation. of the pipe 1 withrespect to the gripping jaws will be reduced since each gripping element only supports a fraction of the overall load supported by each of the gripping devices 6 and 8 and because moreover the length of the pipe 1 passing through this element is only a fraction of the overall length of the pipe 1 passing through each of the gripping devices 6 and 8.
  • each gripping I jaw such as jaw 15 or jaw 16
  • This shoe may moreover be divided into several super-imposed elements, optionally with some clearance left between the elements constituting the shoe.
  • FIG. 3 diagrammatically shoes a telescopic arrange-v ment, according to the invention, of the gripping ele-' ments constituting each of the gripping devices 6 and 8.
  • the elements mounted in series are four in number, but this number is by no way limitative.
  • the number n of gripping elements constituting each gripping device will be selected sutficiently high so that, taking into account the coefficient of elongation of the column or pipe and the maximum load T to be supported by the lower and upper gripping devices, the maximum load T/n to be supported by each gripping element will correspond to a tolerable elongation ofthe portion of column or pipe passing through this gripping element.
  • the tubular housings of three of the four gripping elements is at one of its ends, for example at its lower end, extended through a sleeve member (sleeve members 19a, 19b, 190) which is integral with this tubing and is adapted to receive the housing of an adjacent gripping element, thereby constituting a telescopic mounting in which the tubular housing 18 of an element and the sleeve member 19 surrounding this housing are interconnected through an elastic connection, for example by inserting one or more plates of elastomer, particularly an annular coating or sleeve of elastomer (coatings 20a, 20b and 200).
  • fixation of the plates of elastomer onto the external wall of the housing 18 and to the internal wall of the sleeve member 19 may for example by achieved by vulcanization.
  • FIG. 3A represents schematically another embodiment of the arrangement of the elements 18 to 18d constituting one gripping member.
  • Each gripping element is rendered integral with two crowns, a lower crown 100 and upper crown 101, the
  • end elements being equipped with only a single crown.
  • These crowns have been identified with the reference numerals 101a, 101b, and 1010, and 100b, 1001: and 100d in FIG. 3A.
  • Each upper crown carries a plurality of rods (102b, 1026 and 102d) being adapted to glide through orifices (103a, 103b and 1030) provided in the lower crown corresponding to the adjacent element positioned directly above.
  • An elastic spring (104b, 1040 and 104d) operating at the compression is placed between the lower crown of an element in a stopping plate made integral with the rods (102b, 1020 and 102d).
  • the springs thus allow, because of the action of the charge supported by the column, for a relative displacement of the consecutive gripping elements constituting the gripping member.
  • FIG. 3B is a modified embodiment as to compare to FIG. 3A in which the springs have been replaced by jacks (105a, 105b, 1050), for example, pneumatic jacks connected by means of ducts (106a, 106b and 106a) to a storage or reservoir (not shown) containing a gas whose pressure makes it possible to regulate the stiffness of the elastic means thus provided.
  • jacks 105a, 105b, 1050
  • pneumatic jacks connected by means of ducts (106a, 106b and 106a) to a storage or reservoir (not shown) containing a gas whose pressure makes it possible to regulate the stiffness of the elastic means thus provided.
  • FIG. 3C is another embodiment regarding these elastic means.
  • the castings and jackets of the successive elements glide within each other, delimiting volumes supplied with gas under pressure by means of ducts (106a, 106b and 1066).
  • the reversible jacks 21a to 28a controlling the jaws 21b to 28b of the upper gripping device 8 and the jacks 29a to 36a of the jaws 29b to 3612 of the lower gripping device 6 are supplied with hydraulic-fluid from a tank 45, by means of a motonpump unit W, through two slide-valves 46 and 47 which are mechanically interconnected, so as to be displaced synchronously.
  • An arm 49 providing for electrical contact and forming a T with the connecting rod 48 integral with this arm provides for synchronous control of the actuation of the winch 13 and of that of the jaws, by closing electrical contacts A, O and B connected respectively to elements 59, 60 and 61 adapted to achieve the control of the motor driving the winch 13 in the direction corresponding to the operation to be affected on the column.
  • These elements may comprise, for example, reversing means of the mechanical type with two positions in such a manner that for the operation of raising the pipe, the contact A assures the engagement of the winch in the direction for raising the movable upper gripping member, and the contact B assures the disconnection of the which 13, allowing for lowering the member 8 due to the effect of the charge with braking of the winch;
  • the contact A assures the disconnection of the winch 13, allowing for the lowering of the member 8 due to the effect of the charge with braking of the winch, then the contact B assures the engagement of the winch in the direction of raising the upper movable gripping member, the contact O assuring in each of these operations the stopping of the which.
  • F designates a filter
  • the devices such as 53 and 54 are non-return valves
  • 55 a pipe supplying make-up hydraulic fluid so as to compensate for the losses in hydraulic circuit (this make-up supply of fluid is for example achieved from gauged oleopneumatic accumulators)
  • 56 designates a safety valve.
  • the devices such as 57 and 58 are devices for regulating the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid supplied to the jacks during gripping or releasing movement of the jaws respectively.
  • the elements 59, 60 and 61 having been brought, for example, into the position corresponding to the operation of lowering the pipe, by moving to the right of FIG. 4 the assembly of the two distributing slide-valves 46 and 47 (which is achieved by controlling the electrovalve 50 so as to move its slide to the left) the jaws of the lower gripping device 6 are moved away from each other, while the jaws of the upper gripping device 8 remain in gripping position.
  • the arm 49 for electric contact comes unto the contact M, which so actuates the winch 13 as to raise the gripping device 8.
  • a not-illustrated device such as an electric retarding device, may be used so that the actuation of winch 13 be effected only after opening the jaws of the device 6.
  • This control may either be manual, by actuating an electrical switch (not shown) or made fully automatic by using a programming device which may be of any suitable known type, for example a drum driven in rotation at a constant speed and provided around its periphery with electrical contacts having the shape of annular sectors which will successively actuate at predetermined instants which are functions of their respective positions on the drum, a switch located in the immediate vicinity of this drum and controlling the electrovalve 50.
  • This programming may also be achieved by automatic control based on the displacements of the upper gripping device, for example by means of photoelectric cells placed at convenient levels, at the upper and lower ends of the stroke of this upper gripping device.
  • the weight of the flexible line 1 which is supported by each of the gripping devices 6 and 8 alternatively (this weight varying moreover as a function of the unreeled length of the flexible pipe) is taken up by successively moving into gripping position the different belts which constitute each .of these devices (dephased gripping), by first moving into gripping position in each gripping element the element whose displacement, under the action of the load is the smallest, the elements being moved out of gripping position by following the reverse order.
  • each of the devices 6 and 8 includes four gripping elements, i.e.', the maximum load which is to be supported by each element is 50 tons; the gripping of the flexible pipe 1 by the upper gripping element 8 in the lowermost position of the latter may be achieved by first moving into gripping position the jaws 21b and 22b (FIG. 4) of the upper element of this gripping device and by'increasing through actuation of the winch the load supported by this element up to about 40 tons, after the automatic clamping action has been initiated while the lower gripping element 6 is at the same time progressively unloaded.
  • the jaws 23b, 24b of the nearest lower element are then moved into gripping position without waiting that the jaws 21b, 22b have reached their maximum load of 50 tons.
  • the arrangement, according to the invention, of the gripping elements inside each of the gripping devices 6 and 8, such as illustrated in FIG. 3, permits a relative displacement of the elements, corresponding to the elongation of the flexible pipe between these elements in their gripping position.
  • both gripping devices may be movable along the axis of the pipe over a stroke C, so that the displacement of one of the gripping devices in its released position is effected during the displacement of the elastic column or pipe carried by the other gripping device.
  • a surface apparatus for handling an elastic column provided with at least two devices for gripping the elastic column, including a lower gripping device and an upper gripping device, each of said gripping devicesbeing associated with means for placing said devices into and out of gripping position, means for displacing at least one of said gripping devices along the axis of the column, means for actuating said displacing means, adapted to always keep at least one of said gripping devices in its gripping position and to perform the displacement of said gripping device successively in a first direction corresponding to the gripping position of this device and in the oppositedirection corresponding to the released position of said gripping device, each of said gripping devices being constituted by a plurality of separate gripping elements located in series and interconnected through elastic means.
  • each of said gripping elements includes a housing extended by a sleeve member adapted to receive the housing of an adjacent gripping element so as to constitute therewith a telescopic mounting and wherein said elastic connecting means is constituted by a sleeve of elastic material secured both to the internal wall of said housing and to the external wall of said housing inserted in said sleeve member.
  • said gripping element includes a housing provided with means for gripping the elastic column, said gripping means including at least two gripping jaws having a gripping surface substantially parallel to the axis of the column, each of said jaws being slidable along a guide path integral with said housing and inclined with respect to the column axis so as to downwardly come closer to this axis, thereby being adapted to perform an automatic clamping action on the elastic column, when the latter is subjected to a vertical downwardly directed tension, each of said jaws being actuated by jack means articulated to said housing and to said jaw, said jack means being adapted to move the jaw closer to the axis of the elastic column in its gripping position and to move the jaw away from this axis in its released position. 7 Y
  • each of said jaws is provided with at least one roller which can roll along said inclined guide path.
  • a method for operating a device wherein in each gripping device is successively actuated a first of said elements for gripping the elastic column, said first element being the one for which the displacement relative to its initial position, as a result of the applied load, is the smallest, then is actuated the gripping element adjacent to said first gripping element, when said first element is substantially in its gripping position, and so on for the different grlppmg elements of said gripping device.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Earth Drilling (AREA)
  • Forklifts And Lifting Vehicles (AREA)
  • Manipulator (AREA)
US00178924A 1968-09-04 1971-09-09 Surface apparatus for handling an elastic column Expired - Lifetime US3711000A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

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FR165109 1968-09-04

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US3711000A true US3711000A (en) 1973-01-16

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US (1) US3711000A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS49642B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE1944920C3 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ES (1) ES371176A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR1595580A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1265420A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL162711C (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
SE (1) SE356786B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
SU (1) SU639467A3 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4892202A (en) * 1988-04-28 1990-01-09 Amca International Corporation Deepwater extended hook travel attachment
EP0397270A1 (en) * 1989-05-12 1990-11-14 RIVA CALZONI S.p.A. Linear winch with multiple vices with programmed control for continuous movement of the pulling cable
US5087153A (en) * 1989-08-23 1992-02-11 Arnco Corporation Internally spiraled duct and method of installation
US5419480A (en) * 1992-05-02 1995-05-30 Rolls-Royce Plc Apparatus for continuous axial feeding of an elongate member
EP3101218A1 (en) * 2015-06-05 2016-12-07 Forum B + V Oil Tools GmbH Apparatus to support a tubular member

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1028523A (en) * 1911-05-12 1912-06-04 Nils Anderson Pipe-laying machine.
US3330459A (en) * 1965-09-30 1967-07-11 Cullen Apparatus for handling flexible pipe or similar elongate members

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1028523A (en) * 1911-05-12 1912-06-04 Nils Anderson Pipe-laying machine.
US3330459A (en) * 1965-09-30 1967-07-11 Cullen Apparatus for handling flexible pipe or similar elongate members

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4892202A (en) * 1988-04-28 1990-01-09 Amca International Corporation Deepwater extended hook travel attachment
EP0397270A1 (en) * 1989-05-12 1990-11-14 RIVA CALZONI S.p.A. Linear winch with multiple vices with programmed control for continuous movement of the pulling cable
US5087153A (en) * 1989-08-23 1992-02-11 Arnco Corporation Internally spiraled duct and method of installation
US5419480A (en) * 1992-05-02 1995-05-30 Rolls-Royce Plc Apparatus for continuous axial feeding of an elongate member
EP3101218A1 (en) * 2015-06-05 2016-12-07 Forum B + V Oil Tools GmbH Apparatus to support a tubular member
US9976365B2 (en) 2015-06-05 2018-05-22 Forum B + V Oil Tools GmbH Apparatus to support a tubular member

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1944920A1 (de) 1970-03-12
JPS49642B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-01-09
NL6913451A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-03-06
DE1944920B2 (de) 1978-08-17
NL162711B (nl) 1980-01-15
GB1265420A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-03-01
DE1944920C3 (de) 1979-04-12
SU639467A3 (ru) 1978-12-25
NL162711C (nl) 1980-06-16
ES371176A1 (es) 1971-11-01
FR1595580A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-06-15
SE356786B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-06-04

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