Method and device to clamp control lines to tubulars

• US 7,249,637 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2005
• Issued: 07/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC (Weatherford International PLC)
• Original Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb Incorporated (Weatherford International PLC)
• Inventors: Haugen, David M., Hayes, Michael, Hollingsworth, Jimmy L., Hill, Troy F., Bedore, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Bates; Zakiya W.
• Application Number:
  US11/037,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20050161227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 166/385
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/1035 for plural rods, pipes or lines, e.g. for control lines
• 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 19/16 Connecting or disconnecting pipe couplings or joints E21B19/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/165 Control or monitoring arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/20 Combined feeding from rack and connecting, e.g. automatically
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/24 Guiding or centralising devices for drilling rods or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0021 Safety devices, e.g. for preventing small objects from falling into the borehole

Abstract

The inventions relates to an apparatus for connecting a control line to a tubular string. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a guide boom pivotable around a location adjacent the string and with a guide member at an end thereof to guide the control line. The apparatus further includes a clamp boom that is independently pivotable and includes a clamp housing at an end thereof for clamping the control line against the tubular string. The guide boom and the clamp boom each have a center line which is substantially aligned with the center line of the tubing string permitting the control line to be aligned adjacent the tubular string prior to clamping.

Claims

1. A control line positioning apparatus comprising:

a control line holding assembly movable between a staging position and a clamping position;

a mounting assembly for connecting the control line holding assembly to a rig structure, the rig structure having a rig floor and the mounting assembly located substantially adjacent the rig floor;

a motive member for moving the control line holding assembly between the staging position and the clamping position; and

an arm for connecting the control line holding assembly to the mounting assembly, wherein the arm extends at an angle relative to the rig floor when the control line holding assembly is in the clamping position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the angle relative is greater than 30 degrees.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting assembly is connected to the rig floor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a clamp holding assembly movable between a second staging position and a second clamping position.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further including a second motive member for moving the clamp holding assembly between the second staging position and the second clamping position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second motive member is a fluid operated cylinder.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the clamp holding assembly is movable independently of the control line holding assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, further including a second arm for connecting the clamp holding assembly to the mounting assembly.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second arm extends at an angle relative to the rig floor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second arm is moveable through an arc describing at least 100 degrees.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second arm is extendable independent of the first arm.

12. The apparatus of claim 4, further including a clamp for securing the control line to a tubular string.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rig structure includes a well center and the apparatus is arranged and configured such that the mounting assembly is closer to the well center than the control line holding assembly when the control line holding assembly is in the staging position.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a movement of the control line holding assembly describes an arc that substantially intersects with a center line of a tubular string.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control line holding assembly is constructed and arranged to position the control line substantially parallel with a tubular string.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motive member is a fluid cylinder.

17. A method of operating a control line positioning apparatus comprising:

moving a control line holding assembly from a staging position to a clamping position, wherein the control line holding assembly is operatively mounted proximate a floor of a rig with a mounting assembly;

holding a control line adjacent a tubular string with the control line holding assembly;

securing the control line to the tubular string; and

relocating the control line holding assembly away from the tubular string.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the control line holding assembly and the mounting assembly are connected by an arm that extends at an angle relative to the rig floor.

19. The method of claim 17, further including a clamp holding assembly.

20. The method of claim 19, further including moving the clamp holding assembly through an arc describing at least 100 degrees.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the clamp holding assembly is attached to the rig floor by a second arm.

22. The method of claim 21, further including extending the second arm relative to the first arm.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the clamp holding assembly includes a clamp.

24. The method of claim 23, further including positioning the clamp over a coupling in the tubular string.

25. The method of claim 17, further including sensing an operative condition of at least one other tubular handling device of the rig and controlling the control line holding assembly in response to the sensed operative condition.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the controlling is achieved by automatic feedback of the sensed operative condition into a control system.

27. The method of claim 17, further including sensing an operative condition of the control line holding assembly and controlling at least one other tubular handling device of the rig in response to the sensed operative condition.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the controlling is achieved by automatic feedback of the sensed operative condition into a control system.

29. A method for running a well pipe into a well with control lines attached to the pipe, comprising:

securing a pipe with a spider located above a rig floor;

providing a control line alignment apparatus having a mounting member, a control line engagement member and a motive member for moving the engagement member relative to the mounting member;

using the control line alignment apparatus to align the control line with the pipe at a location below the spider and above the rig floor;

securing the control line to the pipe below the spider; and

lowering the pipe and secured control line into the well.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the control alignment apparatus further includes an arm for connecting the control arm engagement member to the mounting member.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the arm is angled at least 45 degrees relative to the rig floor.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the control alignment apparatus further includes a clamp holder assembly for securing the control line to the well pipe.

33. The method of claim 32, further including rotating the clamp holder through an arc describing at least 100 degrees.

34. A method of aligning a control line with a tubular, comprising:

positioning a control line using a remotely controllable head;

determining a position of the head, wherein the position of the head aligns a first portion of the control line with a tubular string;

memorizing the position of the head; and

positioning a second portion of the control line using the memorized position.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the remotely controllable head is attached to a rig floor by an arm that extends at an angle relative to the rig floor.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the angle relative is at least 45 degrees.

37. The method of claim 34, further including securing the control line to the tubular.

38. An apparatus for positioning a control line adjacent a tubular string, the apparatus comprising:

a guide boom pivotable around a location adjacent the tubular string, the boom including a guide member at an end thereof to guide the control line; and

a clamp boom independently pivotable from substantially the same location as the guide boom, the clamp boom having a clamp assembly at an end thereof for clamping the line against the tubular.