SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONDUCTING SUBTERRANEAN OPERATIONS

• US 20190330933A1
• Filed: 04/26/2019
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canrig Robotic Technologies AS
• Original Assignee: Nabors Lux 2 SARL (Nabors Industries Limited)
• Inventors: MIKALSEN, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 11,015,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/00 Manipulators not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0038 Cylindrical gripping surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/02 travelling along a guideway
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/06 Elevators, i.e. rod- or tube-gripping devices
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/087 by means of a swinging arm
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/14 Racks, ramps, troughs or bins, for holding the lengths of rod singly or connected; Handling between storage place and borehole E21B19/20, E21B19/22 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/15 Racking of rods in horizontal position; Handling between horizontal and vertical position
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/155 Handling between horizontal and vertical position
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/20 Combined feeding from rack and connecting, e.g. automatically
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 1/207 Pipe handling apparatus

Abstract

A system for conducting subterranean operations is disclosed and can include a tubular storage area, a well center area, and a robotic arm configured to move tubulars. The robotic arm can be coupled to a rig floor and configured to traverse a distance between the well center area toward the tubular storage area.

Claims

1. A system for conducting subterranean operations comprising:

a tubular storage area;

a well center area; and

a robotic arm configured to move tubulars, the robotic arm coupled to a rig floor and configured to traverse a distance between the well center area toward the tubular storage area.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the robotic arm is coupled to a track on the rig floor and the robotic arm is configured to traverse the distance between the tubular storage area and well center area on the track.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a tubular handling system in the tubular storage area, wherein the robotic arm and the tubular handling system are configured to interact and exchange objects.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the robotic arm comprises a gripper and is configured to hold a sub-type tubular in the gripper and pass the sub-type tubular to a gripper of the tubular handling system in the tubular storage area.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the well center area comprises at least one well bore defined by an opening in the rig floor.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising at least one tubular handling system adjacent to the well center area, and wherein the at least one well bore is disposed between the robotic arm and the tubular handling system adjacent to the well center area.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the robotic arm is configured to interact with the tubular handling system in the well center area and exchange at least one object between a gripper of the tubular handling system and the gripper of the robotic arm.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising at least one iron roughneck adjacent to the well center area, wherein the robotic arm is configured to interact with and exchange objects with the iron roughneck.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the robotic arm comprises:

a base;

at least one arm coupled to base; and

a gripper coupled to the arm.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the base is coupled to a track on the rig floor and the base includes a drive system configured to move the robotic arm along the track on the rig floor.

11. A method for conducting subterranean operations comprising:

moving a tubular between a well center area and a tubular storage area by a robotic arm, wherein the robotic arm is configured to traverse at least a portion of the distance between the well center area and the tubular storage area.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein moving includes engaging a tubular in the well center area.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein moving includes engaging a tubular in the tubular storage area.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein moving includes engaging a tubular near the tubular storage area.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein engaging includes gripping a tubular with a gripper of the robotic arm to support the entire weight of the tubular in the gripper.

16. A pipe storage system, comprising:

a plurality of pipe storage arms;

a plurality of pipe storage bays established between adjacent pipe storage arms, a plurality of protrusions extending from the pipe storage arms into each pipe storage bay, the plurality of protrusions establishing a plurality of channels, wherein each channel is established between a pair of adjacent protrusions; and

a plurality of latches, wherein the latches are movable from between a retracted position in which the latches are retracted to establish series of first pipe storage openings between opposing channels and an extended position in which the latches extend into the pipe storage bay to establish a series of second pipe storage openings between opposing protrusions.

17. The pipe storage system of claim 16, wherein the latches move substantially in unison.

18. The pipe storage system of claim 17, wherein the first pipe storage openings are larger than the second pipe storage openings.

19. The pipe storage system of claim 17, wherein the latches are mechanically actuated.

20. The pipe storage system of claim 17, wherein the latches are electrically actuated.