Pipe string handling apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A pipe string handling apparatus usable on oil field rigs for pipe strings with connectors having downwardly facing load bearing surfaces, the apparatus comprising:
- a) a support table with a base and an upwardly extending tubular neck with an upper surface arranged to engage part of said surfaces;
b) a rig elevator with a bore to accommodate said neck and to provide an upwardly facing surface to engage part of said downwardly facing load bearing surfaces.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A support table with an upwardly extending tubular neck engages the lower surface of the upper connector of the string to support the string while resting on a floor-level support. The neck is small enough for an elevator to close around the neck and still engage the outer portion of the lower surface of the connector. The support table is split into separable parts for opening to install and remove it from around the string. The base of the support table is large enough to stand on the rig floor level support. Optionally, a liner is provided for an oversize elevator bore to provide an axially short, inwardly extending, lower flange. On the upper end the liner has an outwardly extending flange to engage the usual load bearing surface of the elevator. The liner is split to open with the elevator, with each portion secured to the elevator by at least one fastener. To accept connectors with a lower plane surface too small to accommodate both support neck and elevator, a removable temporary substitute sleeve is provided for lifting the string.
115 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A pipe string handling apparatus usable on oil field rigs for pipe strings with connectors having downwardly facing load bearing surfaces, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a support table with a base and an upwardly extending tubular neck with an upper surface arranged to engage part of said surfaces;
b) a rig elevator with a bore to accommodate said neck and to provide an upwardly facing surface to engage part of said downwardly facing load bearing surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A pipe string handling apparatus usable on oil field rigs, the apparatus comprising:
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a) a support table with a base to rest on a rig structure and an upwardly extending tubular neck;
b) a rig elevator with a generally central bore and upwardly facing surface;
c) a split liner to fit said bore, with an upper flange to engage said surface and a lower inwardly extending flange to abut a downwardly facing surface of a pipe string connector for lifting the bore of said inwardly extending flange to accept said neck therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A method for the manipulation of a pipe handling means to run pipe strings comprising pipe sections and connectors, serially assembled, into and from wells, the method for assembling the pipe string comprising the steps of:
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a) installing a pipe string in said well and suspending said string from an upper connector, with a downwardly facing load bearing surface thereon situated upon a rig supported support table having a neck that occupies only part of said surface;
b) supporting a pipe section to be added to said string by engaging part of the downwardly facing load bearing surface on a second connector at the upper end of said section with an elevator;
c) stabbing and assembling said section, with said second upper end connector attached, to said string;
d) lifting the string with the elevator engaging said upper end connector, to free the support table, and opening the support table;
e) lowering the string and re-installing the support table about the string to engage the part of the connector load bearing surface not occupied by the elevator and allowing the support table to support the string; and
f) opening said elevator, removing it from said strings and securing another section to be added to said string. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method for the manipulation of a pipe handling means to run pipe strings comprising pipe sections and connectors, serially assembled, into and from wells, the method for dismantling the pipe string comprising the steps of:
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a) supporting the pipe string on a support table with a neck that engages a downwardly facing surface on an upper connector on said string and accepts the bore of an elevator to engage part of said surface;
b) supporting said string with said elevator, opening said support table, and raising the pipe string with said elevator until a subsequent lower connector is in position to engage the support table neck;
c) closing the support table and lowering the string to engage the support table for support;
d) threadedly disengaging the upper portion of the string to remove at least one pipe section, and setting the removed portion of the string aside;
e) lowering the elevator to again engage the uppermost connector on surfaces not occupied by the support table and lifting the string to access the next portion of said pipe string for removal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification