TUBULAR HANDLING SYSTEM

• US 20160305203A1
• Filed: 04/12/2016
• Published: 10/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Forum US, Inc. (L E Simmons & Associates Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Forum US, Inc. (L E Simmons & Associates Incorporated)
• Inventors: GUERRA, Gerardo, BRYANT, Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 10,012,039 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/155 Handling between horizontal and vertical position

Abstract

A tubular handling system comprising a catwalk having a trough, a tailing member coupled to the trough, and a catcher coupled to the tailing member. The catcher is moveable relative to the tailing member. The system further includes a support structure coupled to the tailing member at one end and coupled to the trough at an opposite end. The support structure is configured to move the tailing member relative to the trough to guide a tubular from a substantially horizontal or slightly angled position to a substantially vertical position.

Claims

1. A tubular handling system, comprising:

a catwalk having a trough;

a tailing member coupled to the trough;

a catcher coupled to the tailing member, wherein the catcher is moveable relative to the tailing member; and

a support structure coupled to the tailing member at one end and coupled to the trough at an opposite end, wherein the support structure is configured to move the tailing member relative to the trough to guide a tubular from a substantially horizontal or slightly angled position to a substantially vertical position.

2. The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein the catcher is movable between a first position where a longitudinal axis of the catcher is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the tailing member, and a second position where the longitudinal axis of the catcher is perpendicular with the longitudinal axis of the tailing member.

3. The tubular handling system of claim 1, further comprising two tailing members, wherein at least one catcher is coupled to each tailing member, and wherein at least one support structure is coupled to each tailing member

4. The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein the catcher is rotatable relative to the tailing member.

5. The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein the tailing member is rotatable relative to the trough about a pivot point.

6. The tubular handling system of claim 5, wherein the support structure includes a rod member coupled at one end to the tailing member and coupled at an opposite end to the trough, wherein the rod member is extendable and retractable to move the tailing member about the pivot point.

7. The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein the support structure includes a rod member that is extendable from and retractable into a cylinder to move the tailing member relative to the trough.

8. The tubular handling system of claim 7, wherein the rod member is extendable from and retractable into the cylinder using at least one of a hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, and mechanical force.

9. The tubular handling system of claim 1, further comprising a second tailing member having a second catcher configured to support the tubular from a side opposite the tailing member.

10. A method of moving a tubular from a substantially horizontal or slightly angled position in a trough of a catwalk to a substantially vertical position on a rig floor using a tailing arm system, the method comprising:

actuating the tailing arm system into a catching position such that a tailing member and a catcher of the tailing arm system are configured to engage a tailing end of the tubular while a leading end of the tubular is lifted from the trough of the catwalk, wherein the catcher is coupled to one end of the tailing member, and wherein an opposite end of the tailing member is coupled to and movable relative to the trough;

engaging the tailing end of the tubular with the catcher as the tubular is lifted; and

guiding the tailing end of the tubular with the catcher from the trough to the rig floor by moving the tailing member relative to the trough to move the tubular into the substantially vertical position.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the tailing member is movable about a pivot point where the opposite end of the tailing member is coupled to the trough.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising moving the tailing member relative to the trough by actuating a support structure that is coupled to the tailing member at one end and coupled to the trough at an opposite end.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the support structure includes a rod member that is movable using at least one of a hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, and mechanical force.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the support structure includes a rod member that is extendable from and retractable into a cylinder using a pressurized fluid.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising actuating the catcher into an open position where a longitudinal axis of the catcher is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tailing member.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising actuating the tailing arm system into a stored position where a longitudinal axis of the tailing member and the catcher is substantially parallel and adjacent to the longitudinal axis of the trough.

17. A method of moving a tubular from a substantially vertical position on a rig floor to a substantially horizontal or slightly angled position in a trough of a catwalk using a tailing arm system, the method comprising:

actuating the tailing arm system into a catching position such that a tailing member and a catcher of the tailing arm system are configured to engage a tailing end of the tubular while a leading end of the tubular is lowered onto the trough of the catwalk, wherein the catcher is coupled to one end of the tailing member, and wherein an opposite end of the tailing member is coupled to and movable relative to the trough;

engaging the tailing end of the tubular with the catcher as the tubular is lowered; and

guiding the tailing end of the tubular with the catcher from the rig floor to the trough by moving the tailing member relative to the trough to move the tubular into the substantially horizontal or slightly angled position.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising moving the tailing member relative to the trough by actuating a support structure that is coupled to the tailing member at one end and coupled to the trough at an opposite end.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising actuating the catcher into an open position where a longitudinal axis of the catcher is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tailing member.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising actuating the tailing arm system into a stored position where a longitudinal axis of the tailing member and the catcher is substantially parallel and adjacent to the longitudinal axis of the trough.