Method, device and system for drilling rig modification

• US 8,215,417 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2007
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canrig Drilling Technology Limited (Nabors Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Canrig Drilling Technology Limited (Nabors Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Annaiyappa, Pradeep, Boone, Scott, Ellis, Brian, Kuttel, Beat, Scarborough, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Harcourt, Brad
• Application Number:
  US11/668,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20080173480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,989 Days
• Field of Search: 175/24, 175/25, 175/26, 175/38, 175/40
• US Class Current: 175/24
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 15/00 Supports for the drilling machine, e.g. derricks or masts

Abstract

A method, device and system for augmenting a traditional drilling or workover rig with automated operational, monitoring and reporting systems. The automation system comprises integratable components of various automated operational systems, combined in a device easily adapted to install into the operational area of a drilling or workover rig, wherein the automated operational systems are dynamically selectable either or both locally or remotely.

Claims

1. A system for augmenting a traditional rig with automated operating functionality, comprising:

a plurality of automation system components comprising an integrated control engine operably coupled with, and adapted to send to and receive information from each of an integrated sensor engine, an integrated equipment engine, and an integrated report engine; and

a plurality of individual operational systems elementally embodied in at least two of the automation system components, wherein at least two of the plurality of individual operational systems are simultaneously active and share the at least two of the automation system components, and each of the plurality of individual operational systems elementally embodied in the integrated control engine is consolidated into a single computer system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the integrated control engine further comprises:

a user interface that employs communication assets from an equipment engine, a processor, and memory.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the memory includes non-volatile memory, which maintains information even if power is suspended.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the user interface further comprises:

a cabinet physically sized and dimensioned to fit in a primary control station.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the user interface further comprises:

a video display, a control engine interaction device, and a manual equipment engine control.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the user interface further comprises:

a cabinet physically sized and dimensioned to fit in an area typically occupied by a driller'"'"'s desk.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the user interface further comprises:

a video display, a control engine interaction device, and a manual equipment engine control.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the individual operational systems each comprises at least one of:

an equipment condition system, a directional steering system, an electronic choke system, a drilling pressure system, a mud pump control system, a kill sheet system, a daily reporting system, a safety analysis and report system, a traveling equipment position system, a top drive position system, a pipe handler system, a floor wrench system, a remote access system, an autodriller system, a rig drilling data system, a pit volume totalizer system, a mud gas system, a mud flow system, a mud density system, a rig video system, an automated tubular racking system, a casing running system, a BOP control system, a pipe centralizing arm system, a drawworks system, a coiled tubing unit system, and a slips system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the individual operational systems function independently of one another.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the integrated control engine is adapted to send to and receive information from a plurality of the integrated sensor engine, integrated equipment engine, and integrated report engine.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the integrated control engine is adapted to transmit information to and from each of the integrated sensor engine, integrated equipment engine, and integrated report engine.

12. A method for augmenting a traditional rig with an automation system, comprising:

installing an integrated control engine system;

installing communication link capacity to send and receive information between the integrated control engine system and a plurality of components of the automation system;

installing an integrated sensor engine;

installing an integrated equipment engine; and

simultaneously activating at least two of a plurality of selectable individual operational systems, each of which is elementally embodied in the plurality of the components of the automation system, wherein the at least two of the plurality of selectable individual operational systems share the plurality of the components of the automation system, and each of the plurality of selectable individual operational systems elementally embodied in the integrated control engine system is consolidated into a single computer system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein installing the integrated control engine comprises:

installing a user interface that employs communication assets from an equipment engine, a processor, and memory.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the memory includes non-volatile memory, which maintains information even if power is suspended.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein installing a user interface further comprises:

installing a cabinet physically sized and dimensioned to fit in a primary control station; and

installing the control engine in the cabinet.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein installing a user interface further comprises:

installing a video display, a control engine interaction device, and a manual equipment engine control in the cabinet.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein installing a user interface further comprises:

removing a driller'"'"'s desk; and

installing a cabinet physically sized and dimensioned to fit in an area formerly occupied by the driller'"'"'s desk.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein installing a user interface further comprises:

installing a video display, a control engine interaction device, and a manual equipment engine control in the cabinet.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein activating selectable individual operational systems dynamically includes selecting at least one of an equipment condition system, a directional steering system, an electronic choke system, a drilling pressure system, a mud pump control system, a kill sheet system, a daily reporting system, a safety analysis and report system, a traveling equipment position system, a top drive position system, a pipe handler system, a floor wrench system, a remote access system, an autodriller system, a rig drilling data system, a pit volume totalizer system, a mud gas system, a mud flow system, a mud density system, a rig video system, an automated tubular racking system, a casing running system, and a BOP control system.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the individual operational systems function independently of one another.

21. A method for augmenting a traditional rig with an automation system, comprising:

installing an integrated control engine system, which comprises;

a user interface that employs a communication link capacity from an integrated equipment engine, which comprises;

a cabinet physically sized and dimensioned to fit in an area formerly occupied by a driller'"'"'s desk;

a processor; and

memory;

wherein the communication link capacity sends and receives information between one or more components of the automation system;

installing an integrated sensor engine;

installing the integrated equipment engine; and

simultaneously activating at least two of a plurality of selectable individual operational systems, wherein the at least two of the plurality of selectable individual operational systems share at least one of the integrated control engine system, the integrated sensor engine, and the integrated equipment engine, and each of the plurality of selectable individual operational systems sharing the integrated control engine system is consolidated into a single computer system.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein installing a user interface further comprises:

removing the driller'"'"'s desk prior to installing the cabinet.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the user interface further comprises:

a video display, a control engine interaction device, and a manual equipment engine control.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the simultaneously activated individual operational systems function independently of one another.

25. An apparatus comprising:

a control system physically sized to fit within a predetermined space on one of a drilling rig and a workover rig, the control system having circuitry that includes;

an interface section configured to electrically cooperate with each of a plurality of different subsystems that can be present on a rig;

memory storing a plurality of different program modules adapted to simultaneously activate at least two of a plurality of selectable independent operational systems when executed, wherein the selectable independent operational systems, when executed, share at least one of the control system, a sensor engine, and an equipment engine, and each of the plurality of selectable independent operational systems sharing the control system is consolidated into a single computer system, wherein the control system comprises a plurality of components that send information to and from each other; and

a processor that is adapted to cooperate with the interface section and with the memory, and that execute a selected set of the program modules.

26. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the circuitry further includes a user interface that employs communication assets from an equipment engine through which a user can specify the selected set of program modules.

27. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the memory includes non-volatile memory, which maintains information even if power is suspended, and including a further program module that is stored in the memory and that, when executed by the processor, interacts with each of the program modules in the selected set.

28. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the circuitry includes a display, and wherein the further program module, when executed by the processor, has an operational mode in which it simultaneously presents on the display a plurality of elements of information that are respectively obtained from respective different program modules in the selected set.

29. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the predetermined space is a space configured to receive a driller'"'"'s desk.