SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONDUCTING SUBTERRANEAN OPERATIONS

• US 20190330937A1
• 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 10,822,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1682 Dual arm manipulator; Coordination of several manipulators
• 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 19/161 using a wrench or a spinner adapted to engage a circular section of pipe E21B19/168 takes precedence
• 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 first tubular handling system and a second tubular handling system. The first tubular handling system can include a bridge disposed within a tubular storage area, an arm pivotally coupled to the bridge, and a gripper coupled to the arm and adapted to engage with a tubular in the tubular storage area. The second tubular handling system can include a support structure, a first tubular handler coupled to the support structure, and a second tubular handler coupled to the support structure and distinct from the first tubular handling system.

Claims

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

a first tubular handling system comprising;

a bridge disposed within a tubular storage area;

an arm pivotally coupled to the bridge; and

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

a second tubular handling system comprising;

a support structure;

a first tubular handler coupled to the support structure; and

a second tubular handler coupled to the support structure and distinct from the first tubular handling system.

2. The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein the support structure of the second tubular handling system comprises a vertically oriented structure.

3. The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein the support structure is rotatable about a rotational axis.

4. The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second tubular handlers is vertically adjustable with respect to the support structure.

5. The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein the first tubular handler comprises at least three different pivot points.

6. The tubular handling system of claim 5, wherein the second tubular handler comprises at least three different pivot points.

7. The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein the first and second tubular handlers are independently moveable with respect to one another.

8. The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein the first tubular handling system is disposed at a vertical elevation above the tubular storage area.

9. The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein the gripper of the first tubular handling system and the first tubular handler of the second tubular handling system are adapted to both engage the tubular at a same time.

10. The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein the first tubular handling system is adapted to reorient the tubular from the tubular storage area about an angular displacement of at least 91°

, or at least 120°

, or at least 150°

, or at least 180°

, or at least 210°

, or at least 240°

, or at least 260°

.

11. A method of conducting subterranean operations comprising:

engaging a first tubular disposed in a tubular storage area with a gripper of a first tubular handling system;

repositioning the first tubular to a tubular delivery area;

engaging the first tubular with a gripper of a second tubular handling system;

repositioning the first tubular to a wellbore area; and

at least one of the following processes;

a) translating a bridge of the first tubular handling system along a guide from a first bridge position to a second bridge position spaced apart from the first bridge position;

b) moving the first tubular from a first position to a second position, wherein moving the first tubular includes moving at least a portion of the first tubular through the bridge between a first portion and a second portion of the bridge;

c) moving the first tubular from a first horizontal position associated with the tubular storage area through a vertical position and to a second horizontal position associated with the tubular delivery area;

d) translating an arm of the first tubular handling system along at least a portion of a length of the bridge while rotating the first tubular from a first horizontal position, through a vertical position, to a second horizontal position;

e) simultaneously gripping the first tubular with the gripper of the first tubular handling system and the gripper of the second tubular handling system in the tubular delivery area;

f) vertically raising the first tubular along a support structure of the second tubular handling system while rotating the first tubular from a horizontal position to a vertical position;

or

g) any combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising translating a bridge of the first tubular handling system over the tubular storage area to a location containing the first tubular prior to engaging the first tubular.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising rotating an arm of the first tubular handling system toward the first tubular and engaging the first tubular with the gripper of the first tubular handling system.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second tubular handling system comprises a first tubular handler and a second tubular handler, and wherein repositioning the first tubular to the wellbore area comprises:

gripping the first tubular with only the first tubular handler;

gripping the first tubular with the first and second tubular handlers after gripping the first tubular with only the first tubular handler; and

releasing the first tubular from the first tubular handler after gripping the first tubular with the first and second tubular handlers.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising translating the second tubular handler in a vertical direction after releasing the first tubular from the first tubular handler.

16. A method of conducting subterranean operations, the method comprising:

lowering a top drive system until it engages a tubular;

raising the top drive system, while extending an iron roughneck around a portion of the tubular;

decoupling the tubular;

retrieving the tubular from the top drive system with an arm of a vertical tubular handling system;

extending an arm of a horizontal tubular handling system into a horizontal transfer position while retrieving the tubular from the top drop system; and

transferring the tubular from the arm of the vertical tubular handling system to the arm of the horizontal tubular handling system.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

moving 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.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

moving the tubular from a first position to a second position, wherein moving includes moving at least a portion of the first tubular through the bridge between a first portion and a second portion of the bridge.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

translating a bridge of the horizontal tubular handling system from a transfer position to a first bridge position over a tubular storage area.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

moving an arm coupled to the bridge toward a tubular storage area.