Device for a Safety Connector for a Pipe String Suspension

• US 20120267117A1
• Filed: 12/15/2010
• Published: 10/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WellPartner Products AS
• Original Assignee: WellPartner Products AS
• Inventors: Skinnes, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 9,322,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/360
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/006 including heave compensators

Abstract

A device is for a release module for attaching a pipe string to a heave compensated, load bearing unit arranged on a floating installation, where two or more hydraulic cylinder units form an extendable connection between the heave compensated, load bearing unit and a portion of the pipe string.

Claims

1. A release module (4) device for attaching a pipe string (3) in a heave compensated top drive (2) arranged on a floating installation (1) and provided with two or more suspension stays interconnected via a pipe clamp (44), characterised in that each suspension stay is constituted of a hydraulic cylinder unit (41a, 41b, . . . , 41n) forming an extendable connection between the heave compensated top drive (2) and a portion of the pipe string (3).

2. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that a piston rod (416) protrudes from a downward facing cylinder end (414).

3. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the hydraulic cylinder unit (41) is arranged to be able to pull the pipe clamp (44) toward the heave compensated, load bearing unit (2).

4. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the hydraulic cylinder unit (41) is connected in a fluid communicating manner to an accumulator unit (43) via a hydraulic fluid circuit (42).

5. A device according to claim 4, characterised in that the hydraulic fluid circuit (42) comprises a safety valve (421).

6. A device according to claim 4, characterised in that the hydraulic fluid circuit (42) comprises a safety valve (421) arranged to be able to open for hydraulic fluid communication between the hydraulic cylinder units (41a, 41b, . . . , 41n) and the accumulator unit (43) when a hydraulic fluid pressure exceeds an upper limit (P1) or falls below a lower limit (P2).

7. A device according to claim 4, characterised in that the accumulator unit (43) is provided with at least one cylindrical accumulator housing (431) wherein a floating piston (435) forms a movable wall between a hydraulic fluid chamber (433) and a gas chamber (434), and where the operating volume (V2) of the accumulator unit (43) is at least as large as the sum of the operating volumes (V1a+V1b+. . . +V1n) of the hydraulic cylinder units (41).

8. A device according to claim 4, characterised in that the accumulator unit (43) gas chamber (434) in a fluid communicating manner is connected to a pressurised gas reservoir (5).

9. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that a drilling fluid line (21) arranged for fluid communication with a drilling fluid outlet (211) arranged on the top drive (2), encloses at least a portion of one or more hydraulic fluid and accumulator fluid lines (422, 45) forming a communication between the hydraulic cylinder units (41) and a pressurised gas reservoir (5).

10. A device according to claim 9, characterised in that a hydraulic fluid line (424) is inserted through a branch (212) into the drilling fluid line (21) and to a hydraulic line manifold (423) arranged at the drilling fluid outlet (211) on the top drive (2).

11. A device according to claim 4, characterised in that the hydraulic fluid circuit (42) is provided with a stop valve (6) arranged to be able to close a hydraulic fluid inlet (436) in the accumulator unit (43) at a sudden pressure drop in the hydraulic fluid circuit (42).

12. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the hydraulic cylinder unit (41a, 41b, . . . , 41n) is provided with a piston lock (419) arranged to be able to hold a piston rod (416) mechanically fixed in a releasable grip when the piston rod (416) is in a retracted position.

13. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the pipe string (3) is a workover riser.