WO2010125331A2

WO2010125331A2 - An improved means of pipe handling

Info

Publication number: WO2010125331A2
Application number: PCT/GB2010/000822
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert Millar
Original assignee: Derrick Services (Uk) Limited
Priority date: 2009-04-27
Filing date: 2010-04-27
Publication date: 2010-11-04
Also published as: GB0907199D0; SG175371A1; BRPI1015263A2; GB2469924A; WO2010125331A3; EP2425091A2; GB201007022D0

Abstract

An apparatus to transfer a pipe length between a well bore and a storage location, the apparatus comprising a first support means (12A, 12B) mounted for linear movement in a first horizontal direction, a second support means (15), operably mounted to the first support means (12A, 12B) and mounted for linear movement in a vertical direction; a support boom (18) pivotally mounted to the second support means (15) and having gripping means (19) to retain a pipe section, the support boom (18) being pivotable to move the gripping means (19) in a substantially horizontal direction, perpendicular to the first horizontal direction.

Description

AN IMPROVED MEANS OF PIPE HANDLING

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus to manoeuvre an oil pipe or the like. The apparatus is particularly for use in conjunction with a derrick or mast.

Background to the Invention

During a drilling operation it is often necessary to remove part or the whole of a drill string out of the hole (a process frequently referred to as "tripping out"). This is achieved by removing the string in sections, each section often comprising two or three lengths of pipe. To reduce the time for this operation the pipe sections are stored close to the hole either in a horizontal storage area, or more conveniently in a racking board which retains the section in an essentially upright position.

Typically this operation requires a derrickman to manipulate the sections at a height of over 20m above the drill floor. It will be appreciated that there are numerous dangers associated with this task and despite usually stringent safety precautions, fatalities are not unknown.

Often the derrickman' s task is to reach out from a work platform on the derrick to secure a rope about the section enabling the section to be pulled from the bore hole to the fingerboard in which the sections are stored prior to their re-use.

Attempts have been made to automate the process to an extent, but the difficulties remain of manoeuvring and relocating a length of steel pipe in a safe and controlled manner to and from a bore hole. It is an object of the current invention to provide an apparatus which seeks to address the above problems.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus to transfer a pipe length between a well bore and a storage location,

the apparatus comprising a first support means mounted for linear movement in a first horizontal direction,

a second support means, operably mounted to the first support means and mounted for linear movement in a vertical direction;

a support boom pivotally mounted to the second support means and having gripping means to retain a pipe section, the support boom being pivotable to move the gripping means in a substantially horizontal direction, perpendicular to the first horizontal direction.

Conveniently the second support means is movable in the vertical direction by means of a hydraulic cylinder. Further conveniently the second support means comprises a pair of support brackets which enables the second support means to be relatively light and to accommodate other elements of the apparatus.

Preferably the first support means comprises rollers engaging a horizontally orientated beam. Further preferably the rollers are so mounted to grip the reverse side of the beam, said reverse side yet further preferably having horizontal chamfered surfaces to engage the rollers and reduce the length of any support arms required for the rollers.

Preferably the gripping means includes opposed fingers movable between a gripping and an open configuration to respectively grip and release a pipe. Further preferably the gripping means includes a resilient means biasing the fingers together to a pipe gripping configuration, but allowing the fingers to open to admit a pipe. Yet further preferably, stop means are included, applicable to prevent opening of fingers when activated. Yet still further preferably, the stop means is operated by a motor to move the stop means between a configuration allowing the fingers to open and one preventing their opening.

Optionally, pivoting of the support boom is achieved by means of operating means acting through the provision of a force, said force not acting through the pivot point of the support boom such that the support boom acts in the manner of a lever with the pivot point as fulcrum. Further optionally, said operating means is a hydraulic cylinder whose line of action provides the required force.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show by way of example only one embodiment of a pipe handler. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a handler;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a runway beam; Figure 3 illustrates the side view through a runway beam;

Figure 4 is an exploded view of a first embodiment of a gripping member;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a gripping member;

Figures 6-9 illustrate transferral of a pipe section;

Figures 10a- 10c illustrate a further mode of transferral of a pipe section; Figures 11-13 illustrate an adapted monkey board;

Figure 14 illustrates a racking board; and

Figure 15 illustrates a retaining arm of a racking board.

Detailed Description of the Invention

When carrying out a drilling and oil extraction operation, one of the tasks which needs to be carried out is that of transferring a stand, which can comprise two or three lengths of casing or tubing pipe to and from a storage location to a well bore. Typically a fingerboard or a racking board is provided within the derrick and close to the bore, in which fingerboard, stands are stored in a vertical position, and spatially separated from one another. The problem then remains of transference of the stand between the fingerboard and the bore.

This operation requires movement of the pipe sections through three dimensions. For example a pipe section is first lifted from the surface on which it rests in the rack. The pipe section is then transported, still in the vertical position, to the well bore before being lowered, usually onto the end of another pipe section already in the bore ready for makeup of the joint. The reverse process is carried out on dismantling a string.

The most common device used to perform transference of a pipe section relies on a mounting arrangement in which most of the support provided for the pipe is moved in three mutually orthogonal directions, which arrangement requires relatively complex motion and support elements. In addition, a derrickman is required at some stages of the process, for example to secure the top of the pipe section to carry out some actions to manipulate and secure the pipe. This increases the costs and also the risks to the operator.

The apparatus of the present invention provides a solution to the above problems which reduces the complexity of the operation and can be carried out by an operator, who may or may not be in the immediate vicinity of the pipe manipulation. In addition the apparatus is able to be fitted to already existing derricks and masts, and so can improve already existing installations.

Referring initially to Figure 1 , this shows, in exploded view, the elements of the apparatus. The main support for the apparatus is through the runway beam 10, mounted securely to a derrick by means well known in the prior art and in the above embodiment through support arms HA, HB, which are welded to the runway beam 10. Two further support arms 12 A, 12B are mounted vertically to the runway beam 10 by brackets 13 A, 13B. In order to enable the support arms 12 A, 12B to be moveable along the length of the runway beam 10, the brackets 13 A, 13B are themselves mounted on runners 14 which (see Figure 2) extend around the beam 10 and engage the angled rear surfaces 1OA, 1OB of the beam 10. The runners 14 therefore provide grip on the upper and lower long edges of the beam 10 but allow movement therealong, this direction being defined herein as the x axis (see also Figure 3).

The further elements of the apparatus required to effect movement in the y and z directions are now described. The main support for these elements is provided by the brackets 15, mounted to the support arms 12 A, 12B. In order to provide vertical motion, a hydraulic cylinder 16 is housed within the brackets 15, such that the cylinder provides a force along the vertical, or z axis. It should be noted that other means can also be used, known in the art, such as pneumatic or electrically driven extension or retraction means. By this arrangement the brackets 15 and the support arms 12 can be moved relative to the runway beam 10.

During the manoeuvring of a stand, a boom, pivotally mounted to the brackets 15, is employed. The brackets 15 further co-operate to provide said pivot mounting 17 for the boom 18. At the lower end 18a of the boom 18 is a gripping member 19 to hold and retain a stand during the stand's transfer. The pivotal nature of the boom mounting therefore enables the gripped end of the stand to be moved in the y-direction. Motive force for this movement is provided by the hydraulic cylinder

20, mounted at one end to the bracket 15.

The other end of the cylinder 20 is pivotally coupled to the end 21 of an arm 22 of the boom 18, such that extension and retraction of the cylinder 20 causes the boom 18 to act as a lever with the pivot mounting 17 acting as a fulcrum. A turning force therefore acts on the boom 18 about the pivot mounting 17 to move the gripped end of a stand.

The means by which a pipe section of a stand is retained by the gripping member 19 can be more clearly seen in Figure 4. In Figure 4, a first embodiment of a gripping member 19 is shown, said gripping member comprising a lifting fork 40 having two parallel brackets 41, each bracket 41 having side retaining walls 42.

Adjacent each retaining wall 42 is a retaining finger 43, mounted on a rocker mount to enable the fingers 43 to move between an open and a gripping conformation. Moreover a spring 44 is mounted towards the end of each finger

43, which spring 44 engages the retaining wall 42 and biases the fingers 43 towards each other.

In use therefore, the gripping member 19 is brought towards a pipe until the end 35 of the fingers 43 engage the pipe wall. Continued movement towards the pipe exerts outward pressure on the fingers 43 forcing them apart. The pipe eventually enters the central space 46 which, being wider than the gap between the finger ends 45 allows these to be brought together by the force exerted by the springs 44 thus retaining the pipe within the member 19. A remotely operated locking block 47 is then lowered between the fingers 43 to prevent their opening and so releasing the pipe: the block 47 being moved by means of the motor 48. The grip on the pipe by the gripping member 19 is such as to allow some movement of the pipe so that the pipe can be at an angle to the vertical - up to about 12° - and yet retained safely. In addition, the pipe can move longitudinally with respect to the gripping member 19 so that the gripping member 19 can slide along the pipe until it engages the pipe's wider upset end. The apparatus is then in position to lift a pipe if so required and is designed to be able to bear a load of around 8 tonne.

In Figure 5, a second embodiment of a gripping member 50 is shown in which a pipe section can be retained within either of the two central spaces 51. The use of this embodiment facilitates storage of pipe sections in racking boards to either side of the derrick.

The apparatus can be used in a number of modes as described below. In a first mode, and referring to a pipe section being taken from a well bore to storage, the pipe section is lifted by the central well lifting mechanism out of the well bore. The apparatus then collects the pipe section from that well mechanism and lifts the pipe section into position in the racking board. In a second mode the central well lifting mechanism transfers the pipe section to a monkey board having a retaining means, from which board the apparatus again collects the section lifts it into the racking board.

In third and fourth modes the apparatus does not lift the pipe section, but simply retains it, whilst the lower end of the section is manually handled into position, prior to the apparatus then manoeuvring the upper end.

Referring to Figure 6, this shows the pipe section 60 having been lifted by the central lifting mechanisms in 61. The lower end of the pipe section is moved manually to the required location (Figure 7) for the section in the racking board 62. The gripping member 50 engages the pipe section (Figure 8) and then, following withdrawal of the lifting mechanism 61 manoeuvres the pipe section to the racking board 62 (Figure 9).

Figures 1 Oa-c illustrate transferral of a pipe section including an adapted monkey board which can be used as an intermediate means of retaining a pipe during transfer. In Figure 10a the apparatus 100 engages the pipe 101 which has been previously transferred to a transfer station in the form of a monkey board 102. The release mechanism 103 is opened allowing the pipe section to be moved. The apparatus then transfers the pipe section to its desired location on the racking board (Figure 10c).

Figures 11-13 illustrate the adaptations which have been made to the monkey board 110. The distal end 111 of the monkey board 110 has a receiving recess

112 into which a pipe section can be placed (Figure 13). In order to secure the section and prevent it from falling out, the recess 112 has a closure mechanism. This comprises an arm 113 activated by the pneumatic cylinder 114, to extend partway across the opening, sufficiently to stop pipe section egress.

The racking board 140 is shown in more detail in Figure 14. The board 140 comprises a series of parallel steel girders 141 which define channels 142 to receive a pipe section. A single channel 142 can therefore receive a plurality of sections in a compact manner. In order to separate neighbouring pipe sections within a channel 142 the racking board 140 includes arms 143 which extend across a channel 142. Each arm 143 is pivotally mounted at pivot point 144 to a girder 141 to open and close the channel 142. Operation is between the two positions is effected by a hydraulic cylinder 145 within each arm 143 and activated by a central control mechanism remote from the board 140.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus to transfer a pipe length between a well bore and a storage location,

the apparatus comprising a first support means (12A, 12B) mounted for linear movement in a first horizontal direction,

a second support means (15), operably mounted to the first support means (12A, 12B) and mounted for linear movement in a vertical direction;

a support boom (18) pivotally mounted to the second support means (15) and having gripping means (19) to retain a pipe section, the support boom

(18) being pivo table to move the gripping means (19) in a substantially horizontal direction, perpendicular to the first horizontal direction.

2. An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the second support means is movable in the vertical direction by means of a hydraulic cylinder.

3. An apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the second support means comprises a pair of opposed support brackets enabling the second support means to accommodate other elements of the apparatus.

4. An apparatus according to any preceding Claim, wherein the first support means comprises rollers (14) engaging a horizontally orientated beam (10).

5. An apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the rollers are so mounted to grip the reverse side of the beam.

6. An apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein said reverse side has horizontal chamfered surfaces (1OA, 10B) to engage the rollers.

7. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the gripping means includes opposed fingers (43) movable between a gripping and an open configuration to respectively grip and release a pipe.

8. An apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein the gripping means includes a resilient means (44) biasing the fingers together to a pipe gripping configuration, but allowing the fingers to open to admit a pipe.

9. An apparatus according to Claim 7 or Claim 8, wherein stop means (47) are included, applicable to prevent opening of fingers when activated.

10. An apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein the stop means is operated by a motor (48) to move the stop means between a configuration allowing the fingers to open and one preventing their opening.

11. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein pivoting of the support boom is achieved by means of operating means acting through the provision of a force, said force not acting through the pivot point of the support boom such that the support boom acts in the manner of a lever with the pivot point as fulcrum.

12. An apparatus according to Claim 11, wherein said operating means is a hydraulic cylinder whose line of action provides the required force.