Remotely accessible mobile repair unit for wells

• US 6,079,490 A
• Filed: 04/10/1998
• Issued: 06/27/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Key Energy Services Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Frederic M. Newman
• Inventors: Newman, Frederic M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Neuder, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): BATES, ZAKIYA W
• Application Number:
  US09/058,477
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 166/53, 166/64, 166/66, 166/77.51, 166/77.52, 166/77.53, 702/6, 702/9, 702/12, 702/13
• US Class Current: 166/77.51
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/00 Handling rods, casings, tubes or the like outside the borehole, e.g. in the derrick; Apparatus for feeding the rods or cables
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/00 Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/00 Survey of boreholes or wells monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08

Abstract

A self-contained mobile repair unit for repairing wells includes the hydraulic and pneumatic tooling required to do a variety of jobs including the installation and removal of an inner pipe string, sucker rods and a pump. The repair unit, hydraulic tooling and pneumatic tooling share a common engine and a common process monitor. Access to data gathered by the monitor is restricted at the job site itself. Instead, the data is transmitted to a remote home base for the purpose of monitoring operations form a central location.

Claims

1. A retractable and self-contained mobile repair unit for repairing wells at a plurality of various job sites, said mobile repair unit having a universal capability of servicing an inner pipe string, a sucker rod, and a pump, said mobile repair unit comprising:

a truck frame supported on a plurality of wheels;

an engine coupled to said truck frame and adapted to relocate said truck frame to said various job sites;

a hydraulic pump coupled to said engine;

an air compressor coupled to said engine;

a first transmission coupled between said engine and said plurality of wheels;

a second transmission coupled to said engine;

a variable speed hoist coupled to said second transmission;

an extendible derrick pivotally coupled to said truck frame, said derrick being selectively repositionable to a lowered position and a working position, said derrick being retracted in said lowered position and extended in said working position, said derrick being pointed upward but having a longitudinal centerline that is angularly offset from vertical in said working position;

a block suspended by said hoist at a position that is angularly offset to said centerline of said derrick when said derrick is in said working position, said block being selectively coupled to said inner pipe string, said sucker rod, and said pump, said block in conjunction with said hoist being adapted to raise and lower said inner pipe string, said sucker rod, and said pump in a substantially vertical direction;

a first hydraulic cylinder coupled to said derrick and said hydraulic pump, said first hydraulic cylinder adapted to extend and retract said derrick;

a second hydraulic cylinder coupled to said derrick and said hydraulic pump, said second hydraulic cylinder adapted to pivot said derrick;

a hydraulic tong coupleable to said hydraulic pump and adapted to apply a torque to at least one of said inner pipe string and said sucker rod, thereby facilitating installation and removal of at least one of said inner pipe string and said sucker rod;

a pneumatic slip coupleable to said air compressor and adapted to selectively grip and release said inner pipe string to facilitate installation of said inner pipe string;

a first transducer providing a first signal that varies as a function of weight applied to said block;

a clock providing a time of day reference;

a memory electrically coupleable to said first transducer, said memory storing a first plurality of digital values representative of said first signal, said first plurality of digital values being associated with said time of day reference; and

a modem electrically coupleable to said memory, said modem adapted to link said memory to a remote home base to establish a communication link between said remote home base and said plurality of various job sites at which said retractable and self-contained mobile repair unit is working.

2. The retractable and self-contained mobile repair unit as recited in claim 1, further comprising a second transducer spaced apart from said first transducer, said second transducer providing a second signal that varies as a function of weight applied to said block, said first signal deviating from said second signal upon a horizontal cross load being applied to said derrick, whereby a deviation between said first signal and said second signal indicates an imbalance of said derrick, said memory being electrically coupled to said second transducer, said memory storing a second plurality of digital values representative of said second signal, said second plurality of digital values being associated with said time of day reference.

3. The retractable and self-contained mobile repair unit as recited in claim 1, further comprising two spaced apart hydraulic pads supporting said extendible derrick, said two spaced apart hydraulic pads being coupled together by way of an integrator that develops an intermediate pressure that is between a minimum pressure and a maximum pressure at said two spaced apart hydraulic pads, said first transducer being in fluid communication with said intermediate pressure.

4. The retractable and self-contained mobile repair unit as recited in claim 1, further comprising a second transducer in fluid communication with said hydraulic tongs, said second transducer providing a second signal that varies as a function of said torque, said memory being electrically coupled to said second transducer, said memory storing a second plurality of digital values representative of said second signal, said second plurality of digital values being associated with said time of day reference.

5. The retractable and self-contained mobile repair unit as recited in claim 1, further comprising a tachometer providing a second signal that varies as a function of a speed at which said engine runs, said memory being electrically coupled to said tachometer, said memory storing a second plurality of digital values representative of said second signal, said second plurality of digital values being associated with said time of day reference.

6. The retractable and self-contained mobile repair unit as recited in claim 1, further comprising a hydrogen sulfide gas detector, said hydrogen sulfide gas detector providing a gas detection signal that varies with a varying concentration of a hydrogen sulfide gas, said memory being electrically coupled to said hydrogen sulfide gas detector, said memory storing a second plurality of digital values representative of said gas detection signal, said second plurality of digital values being associated with said time of day reference.