Control system for drawworks operations

• US 6,029,951 A
• Filed: 07/24/1998
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Varco International Inc. (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Varco International Inc. (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Guggari, Mallappa I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARCELO, EMMANUEL MONSAYAC
• Application Number:
  US09/121,989
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 254/273, 254/274, 254/275, 254/276, 254/269, 254/240, 254/362, 254/375, 187/250, 187/276, 187/277, 187/306, 187/307, 173/11, 75/27, 340/665, 340/666
• US Class Current: 254/269
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 1/485 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 5/30 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/008 Winding units, specially adapted for drilling operations
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/084 with flexible drawing means, e.g. cables
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/02 Automatic control of the tool feed E21B44/005, E21B44/10 take precedence

Abstract

The system and method for use with a drawworks having a rotatable drum on which a line is wound, wherein the drawworks and the line are used for facilitating movement of a load suspended on the line, includes a drawworks control system for monitoring and controlling the drawworks. A brake arrangement is connected to the rotatable drum for limiting the rotation of the rotatable drum and at least one electrical motor is connected to the rotatable drum for driving the rotatable drum. A load signal representative of the load on the line is produced and a calculated torque value based on the load signal and electrical motor capacity is provided. The drawworks control system provides a signal representative of the calculated torque value to the electrical motor wherein pre-torquing is generated in the electrical motor in response to the signal. Control of the rotation of the rotatable drum is transferred from the brake arrangement to the electrical motor when the electrical motor pre-torquing level is substantially equal to the calculated torque value.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring and controlling a drawworks including a rotatable drum on which a line is wound, wherein the drawworks and the line are used for facilitating movement of a load suspended on the line, the method comprising:

connecting a brake arrangement to the rotatable drum for limiting the rotation of the rotatable drum;

connecting at least one electrical motor to the rotatable drum for driving the rotatable drum;

producing a load signal representative of the load suspended on the line;

producing a calculated torque value based on the load signal and electrical motor capacity;

generating pre-torquing of the electrical motor based on the calculated torque value; and

transferring control of the rotation of the rotatable drum from the brake arrangement to the electrical motor.

2. A method, as recited in claim 1, wherein, unless the rotation of the rotatable drum is in a lowering direction, the method further comprising:

commencing a gradual release of the brake arrangement from the rotatable drum; and

wherein, when the electrical motor pre-torquing level is substantially equal to the calculated torque value, transferring control of the rotation of the rotatable drum to the electrical motor while fully releasing the brake arrangement from the rotatable drum.

3. A method, as recited in claim 1, wherein, when the rotation of the rotatable drum is in a lowering direction, the method further comprising:

engaging the brake arrangement to limit rotation of the rotatable drum; and

increasing the calculated torque value;

wherein, when the rotation of the rotatable drum is no longer in a lowering direction and, when the electrical motor pre-torquing level is substantially equal to the increased calculated torque value, transferring control of the rotation of the rotatable drum to the electrical motor while fully releasing the brake arrangement from the rotatable drum.

4. A method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

providing a linear electrical output signal to a drawworks control system wherein said linear electrical output signal represents a selected velocity and direction of movement of the load; and

providing control signals to the electrical motor from the drawworks control system to control the movement of the load according to the selected velocity and direction.

5. A method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrical motor is a direct current motor and wherein the step of generating pre-torquing of the electrical motor further comprises:

connecting a silicon controlled rectifier circuit to the electrical motor; and

providing a signal representing the calculated torque value in the form of an armature current limit to the silicon controlled rectifier circuit for generating pre-torquing of the electrical motor.

6. A method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrical motor is an alternating current motor and wherein the step of generating pre-torquing of the electrical motor further comprises:

connecting an alternating current drive to the electrical motor; and

providing a torque command signal representing the calculated torque value signal to the alternating current drive for generating pre-torquing of the electrical motor.

7. A method for monitoring and controlling a drawworks including a rotatable drum on which a line is wound, wherein the drawworks and the line are used for facilitating movement of a load suspended on the line, the method comprising:

connecting a brake arrangement to the rotatable drum for limiting the rotation of the rotatable drum;

connecting at least one electrical motor to the rotatable drum for driving the rotatable drum;

producing a load signal representative of the load suspended on the line;

producing a calculated torque value based on the load signal and electrical motor capacity; and

generating pre-torquing of the electrical motor; and

commencing a gradual release of the brake arrangement from the rotatable drum;

wherein, unless the rotation of the rotatable drum is in a lowering direction, transferring control of the rotation of the rotatable drum to the electrical motor while fully releasing the brake arrangement from the rotatable drum when the electrical motor pre-torquing level is substantially equal to the calculated torque value; and

wherein, when the rotation of the rotatable drum is in a lowering direction, engaging the brake arrangement to limit rotation of the rotatable drum and increasing the calculated torque value;

wherein, when the rotation of the rotatable drum is no longer in a lowering direction, transferring control of the rotation of the rotatable drum to the electrical motor while fully releasing the brake arrangement from the rotatable drum when the electrical motor pre-torquing level is substantially equal to the increased calculated torque value.

8. A method, as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

providing a linear electrical output signal to a drawworks control system wherein said linear electrical output signal represents a selected velocity and direction of movement of the load; and

providing control signals to the electrical motor from the drawworks control system to control the movement of the load according to the selected velocity and direction.

9. A method, as recited in claim 7, wherein the electrical motor is a direct current motor and wherein the step of generating pre-torquing of the electrical motor further comprises:

connecting a silicon controlled rectifier circuit to the electrical motor; and

providing a signal representing the calculated torque value in the form of an armature current limit to the silicon controlled rectifier circuit for generating pre-torquing of the electrical motor.

10. A method, as recited in claim 7, wherein the electrical motor is an alternating current motor and wherein the step of generating pre-torquing of the electrical motor further comprises:

connecting an alternating current drive to the electrical motor; and

providing a torque command signal representing the calculated torque value signal to the alternating current drive for generating pre-torquing of the electrical motor.

11. A system for monitoring and controlling a drawworks including a rotatable drum on which a line is wound, wherein the drawworks and the line are used for facilitating movement of a load suspended on the line, the system comprising:

a brake arrangement connected to the rotatable drum for limiting the rotation of the rotatable drum;

at least one electrical motor connected to the rotatable drum for driving the rotatable drum;

a load signal representative of the load on the line;

a calculated torque value based on the load signal and electrical motor capacity;

a drawworks control system for providing a signal representative of the calculated torque value to the electrical motor wherein pre-torquing is generated in the electrical motor in response to said signal; and

wherein control of the rotatable drum is transferred from the brake arrangement to the electrical motor.

12. A system, as recited in claim 11, wherein, unless the rotation of the rotatable drum is in a lowering direction, the drawworks control system further providing a disabling signal for commencing a gradual release of the brake arrangement from the rotatable drum and wherein, when the electrical motor pre-torquing level is substantially equal to the calculated torque value, the drawworks control system transferring control of the rotation of the rotatable drum to the electrical motor while fully releasing the brake arrangement from the rotatable drum.

13. A system, as recited in claim 11, wherein, when the rotation of the rotatable drum is in a lowering direction, the drawworks control system further providing an enabling signal for engaging the brake arrangement to limit rotation of the rotatable drum and increasing the calculated torque value and wherein, when the rotation of the rotatable drum is no longer in a lowering direction and, when the electrical motor pre-torquing level is substantially equal to the increased calculated torque value, the drawworks control system transferring control of the rotation of the rotatable drum to the electrical motor while fully releasing the brake arrangement from the rotatable drum.

14. A system, as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

a movement control device for providing a linear electrical output signal to the drawworks control system wherein said linear electrical output signal represents a selected velocity and direction of movement of the load; and

wherein the drawworks control system provides control signals to the electrical motor to control the movement of the load according to the selected velocity and direction.

15. A system, as recited in claim 14, wherein the movement control device is a throttle joystick.

16. A system, as recited in claim 11, wherein the electrical motor is a direct current motor, the system further comprising:

a silicon controlled rectifier circuit connected to the electrical motor; and

a signal representing the calculated torque value provided by the drawworks control system in the form of an armature current limit to the silicon controlled rectifier circuit for generating pre-torquing of the electrical motor.

17. A system, as recited in claim 11, wherein the electrical motor is an alternating current motor, the system further comprising:

an alternating current drive connected to the electrical motor; and

a torque command signal representing the calculated torque value signal provided by the drawworks control system to the alternating current drive for generating pre-torquing of the electrical motor.

18. A drilling rig comprising:

a derrick;

a traveling block, suspended from the derrick by a line connected to an anchor, for facilitating upward and downward movement of associated equipment into and out of a well bore;

a drawworks including a rotatable drum on which the line is wound;

at least one electrical motor connected to the rotatable drum for driving the rotatable drum;

a brake arrangement for limiting rotation of the rotatable drum;

a measuring device for producing a load signal representative of the load on the traveling block; and

a drawworks control system for providing a calculated torque value based on the load signal and electrical motor capacity and for providing a signal representative of the calculated torque value to the electrical motor wherein pre-torquing is generated in the electrical motor in response to said signal;

wherein control of the rotatable drum is transferred from the brake arrangement to the electrical motor;

the drawworks control system provides a disabling signal to the brake arrangement and a control signal to the electrical motor to transfer control of the rotatable drum when the electrical motor pre-torquing level is substantially equal to the calculated torque value.

19. A drilling rig, as recited in claim 18, wherein, unless the rotation of the rotatable drum is in a lowering direction, the drawworks control system further providing a disabling signal for commencing a gradual release of the brake arrangement from the rotatable drum and wherein, when the electrical motor pre-torquing level is substantially equal to the calculated torque value, the drawworks control system transferring control of the rotation of the rotatable drum to the electrical motor while fully releasing the brake arrangement from the rotatable drum.

20. A drilling rig, as recited in claim 18, wherein, when the rotation of the rotatable drum is in a lowering direction, the drawworks control system further providing an enabling signal for engaging the brake arrangement to limit rotation of the rotatable drum and increasing the calculated torque value and wherein, when the rotation of the rotatable drum is no longer in a lowering direction and, when the electrical motor pre-torquing level is substantially equal to the increased calculated torque value, the drawworks control system transferring control of the rotation of the rotatable drum to the electrical motor while fully releasing the brake arrangement from the rotatable drum.

21. A drilling rig, as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

a movement control device for providing a linear electrical output signal to the drawworks control system wherein said linear electrical output signal represents a selected velocity and direction of movement of the load; and

wherein the drawworks control system provides control signals to the electrical motor to control the movement of the load according to the selected velocity and direction.

22. A drilling rig, as recited in claim 21, wherein the movement control device is a throttle joystick.

23. A drilling rig, as recited in claim 18, wherein the electrical motor is a direct current motor, the system further comprising:

a silicon controlled rectifier circuit connected to the electrical motor; and

a signal representing the calculated torque value provided by the drawworks control system in the form of an armature current limit to the silicon controlled rectifier circuit for generating pre-torquing of the electrical motor.

24. A drilling rig, as recited in claim 18, wherein the electrical motor is an alternating current motor, the system further comprising:

an alternating current drive connected to the electrical motor; and

a torque command signal representing the calculated torque value signal provided by the drawworks control system to the alternating current drive for generating pre-torquing of the electrical motor.

25. A drilling rig, as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

an automatic control mode wherein the drawworks control system provides control signals to maintain the movement of the traveling block within predetermined operational parameters.