Classifications

• • 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
  • E21B19/24—Guiding or centralising devices for drilling rods or pipes

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a pipe centering means.
• the invention relates more particularly to a pipe centering means for pipes located in a mousehole.
• mousehole indicates a means usually connected to a drill floor at a drilling means.
• the mousehole is used in the assembling of multiple pipes to a drill string. The purpose is to save time during drilling as the work in the mousehole and the actual drilling operation can take place simultaneously.
• the dismantling of pipe sections can be performed in the mousehole .
• mousehole has changed from indicating a hole in the drill floor to comprising adjacent equipment as for instance a mousehole pipe making a lead for the pipe section and power tongs for making up connections.
• the mousehole pipe can be horizontally displaceable to enable intermediate storage of a pipe section while another mousehole pipe is in use, and can for example comprise a pipe lift.
• the mousehole pipe is oftentimes designed with a relatively large inner diameter to meet different pipe dimensions. During assembling of pipes it is necessary to centre the pipe relative to the mousehole pipe to be able to use at least partly automatic equipment for the job. This is particularly valid in interconnecting pipes with a relatively small diameter compared to the mousehole pipe.
• hydraulic centering means are relatively complex and expensive.
• Prior art centering means have in common that they often occupy a part of the available space in the mousehole pipe and thereby prevent the mousehole from being used for larger pipe dimensions without further adjustment.
• a pipe centering means located in a mouse- hole, the centering means being characterized in comprising at least one inflatable bladder that by means of a pressure fluid is expandable between an unloaded, withdrawn position and an active, expanded position.
• the bladder is designed in an elastic, preferably reinforced material that by changing the fluid pressure in the bladder changes size in radial direction relative to the pipe.
• the bladder can be provided in an opening in a structural wall, where the structural wall may be constituted by the pipe wall of a mousehole pipe. Thereby, all of or most of the bladder can be outside the inner cross section of the mousehole pipe when the bladder is unloaded.
• Two or more bladders can be distributed about a centre axis where the centre axis is typically constituted by the centre axis of the mousehole pipe and thereby the centre axis of the centering means .
• the bladder may comprise elastic, possibly rubberlike components arranged to contract the bladder when the fluid pressure in the bladder is reduced.
• the bladder can, at the side facing the pipe, be provided with a guide plate.
• the guide plate that is connected to the bladder, preferably by vulcanization, can be provided with a concave surface facing the pipe .
• Pressure fluid normally in the form of compressed air, is supplied to the bladder or bladders through at least one control valve. If there is more than one bladder, the fluid quantity supplied to each bladder can be individually regulated.
• the provided centering means makes possible a relatively accurate centering of the pipe, which is necessary in order for the coupling operation to run automatically and without interruption.
• the centering means occupies no, or only an insignificant part of the inner cross sectional area of the mousehole pipe. Thereby, the mousehole pipe can be utilized for the pipe dimensions it originally was designed for, without further adjustment.
• the centering means are furthermore relatively inexpensive, especially compared to hydraulic centering means .
• Fig. 1 shows a schematic side elevation of a mousehole which is provided with a centering means in accordance with the present invention
• Fig. 2 shows in a larger scale a cross-sectional view of III-III in fig. 3 of the centering means
• Fig. 3 shows a horizontal view of the centering means where the bladders of the centering means are activated
• Fig. 4 shows the same as fig. 3, but where the bladders are in their withdrawn position
• Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the centering means.
• the reference number 1 indicates a built-in centering means that are built-in in mousehole pipe 4 of a mousehole 2 , the mousehole pipe 4 extends downward from a drill floor 6.
• the centering means 1 comprises a pipe section 8 with an end flange 10 at every end section thereof.
• the joints between the pipe section 8 and the end flanges 10 are reinforced by bracket plates 12.
• Pipe section 8 has the same inner cross- sectional area as the mousehole pipe 4, and is connected to the mousehole pipe 4 by means of the end flanges 10.
• the pipe section 8, which forms part of the structure of the centering means 1, is designed with three openings 16 distributed around the centre axis 14 of the centering means 1, the openings being through going and elongated in axial direction.
• Three U-shaped profiles 18 extend radially outwards from the pipe section 8, and have their backs turned away from pipe section 8.
• the profiles 18, each covering one of the openings 16, are attached to the pipe section 8.
• An inflatable bladder 20, being expandable in the radial direction of the centering means 1, is provided in each of the profiles 18 and extends, at least in its activated state, through its respective opening 16.
• the bladder is provided with a guide plate 26.
• the guide plate 26, which is concave towards the centre axis 14, is arranged to abut supportingly against a pipe 28 located in the mousehole pipe 4, and thereby in the centering means 1.
• the bladders 20 are shown in their withdrawn, inactive position.
• compressed air is provided through the coupling sockets 22 to their respective bladders 20.
• Each bladder is thereby expanded in radial direction towards the pipe 28 whereby the respective guide plates 26 ledges against the pipe 28 and bring it to a centered position in the centering means 1, see fig. 2, 3 and
• the guide plates 26 are withdrawn radially from the pipe 28 due to the elastic material in the bladders.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• Pipe Accessories (AREA)
• Manipulator (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (2)

Citations (4)

• 2008
  • 2008-10-06 NO NO20084174A patent/NO333200B1/no unknown
• 2009
  • 2009-09-28 WO PCT/NO2009/000336 patent/WO2010041951A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (4)

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