SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONDUCTING SUBTERRANEAN OPERATIONS

• US 20190330935A1
• 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, NAESGAARD, Kjetil
• Granted Patent: US 10,808,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/00 Manipulators not otherwise provided for
• 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 19/168 using a spinner with rollers or a belt adapted to engage a well pipe
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/20 Combined feeding from rack and connecting, e.g. automatically
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 1/207 Pipe handling apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/10 Nuclear fusion reactors

Abstract

A tubular handling system for conducting subterranean operations is disclosed and can include a bridge disposed within a tubular storage area and coupled to a guide rail. The bridge is configured to translate from a first bridge position to a second bridge position along the guide rail and over the tubular storage area. The tubular handling system can further include an arm coupled to the bridge and a gripper coupled to the arm. The gripper can be adapted to engage a first tubular.

Claims

1. A tubular handling system for conducting subterranean operations comprising:

a bridge disposed within a tubular storage area and coupled to a guide rail, wherein the bridge is configured to translate from a first bridge position to a second bridge position along the guide rail and over the tubular storage area;

an arm coupled to the bridge; and

a gripper coupled to the arm and adapted to engage a first tubular.

2. The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein the arm is adapted to move the tubular between a first portion and a second portion of the bridge upon moving the tubular from a pick-up position to a delivered position.

3. The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein the tubular handling system is adapted to move the first tubular from a first horizontal position associated with a pick-up position through a vertical position and to a second horizontal position associated with a delivered position.

4. The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein the arm is adapted to translate along at least a portion of a length of the bridge while rotating the tubular from a first horizontal position, through a vertical position, to a second horizontal position.

5. The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein the arm is adapted to move the tubular between a first portion and a second portion of the bridge upon moving the tubular from a pick-up position to a delivered position.

6. A tubular handling system for conducting subterranean operations comprising:

a bridge;

an arm coupled to the bridge and configured to translate along a length of the bridge; and

a gripper coupled to the arm and adapted to engage a first tubular in a tubular storage area.

7. The tubular handling system of claim 6, wherein the bridge is adapted to move along a guide rail between a first bridge position and a second bridge position spaced apart from the first bridge position.

8. The tubular handling system of claim 6, wherein the tubular handling system is adapted to move the first tubular from a first horizontal position associated with a pick-up position through a vertical position and to a second horizontal position associated with a delivered position.

9. The tubular handling system of claim 6, wherein the arm is adapted to translate along at least a portion of a length of the bridge while rotating the tubular from a first horizontal position, through a vertical position, to a second horizontal position.

10. The tubular handling system of claim 6, wherein the arm is coupled to the bridge through a transverse member adapted to translate along a length of the bridge.

11. The tubular handling system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the bridge and transverse member comprises a drive element adapted to move the transverse member along a length of the bridge.

12. The tubular handling system of claim 6, wherein the drive element comprises an electric motor.

13. The tubular handling system of claim 6, wherein the transverse member is disposed between a first portion and a second portion of the bridge.

14. The tubular handling system of claim 13, wherein the transverse member is coupled to the bridge and the arm is coupled to the transverse member.

15. A tubular handling system for conducting subterranean operations comprising:

a bridge comprising a first portion and a second portion;

an arm coupled to the bridge between the first portion and the second portion;

a gripper coupled to the arm and adapted to engage with a first tubular in a tubular storage area; and

wherein the arm is adapted to move a tubular between the first portion and the second portion of the bridge upon moving the tubular from a pick-up position to a delivered position.

16. The tubular handling system of claim 15, wherein the arm comprises a pivot joint adapted to pivot relative to the bridge in a range between and including 1°

and 270°

.

17. The tubular handling system of claim 16, wherein the bridge is coupled to a guide rail, and wherein the bridge is configured to translate from a first bridge position to a second bridge position along the guide rail and over the tubular storage area.

18. The tubular handling system of claim 17, wherein the tubular handling system is configured to translate for a distance greater than a majority of a length of the tubular storage area.

19. The tubular handling system of claim 17, wherein the tubular handling system is configured to translate for at least 60% of a length of the tubular storage area or at least 70% or at least 80% or at least 90% or at least 95%.

20. The tubular handling system of claim 17, wherein the tubular handling system is configured to translate for an entire length of the tubular storage area.