Apparatus for automated oilfield torque wrench set-up to make-up and break-out tubular strings

• US 9,097,070 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2009
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nabors Drillling Technologies USA, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Canrig Drilling Technology Limited (Nabors Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Hunter, Douglas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): JARRETT, RYAN A
• Application Number:
  US12/392,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20090217788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,351 Days
• Field of Search: 700/275, 81/573.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/16 Connecting or disconnecting pipe couplings or joints E21B19/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/161 using a wrench or a spinner adapted to engage a circular section of pipe E21B19/168 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/166 Arrangements of torque limiters or torque indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 17/02 characterised by the use of electric means

Abstract

Automated make-up and break-up methods and apparatus for rotary oil well drilling are presented. The apparatus includes a drilling database storing tubular type records, a torque wrench having a spinner, and a controller. During make-up, the controller retrieves one or more tubular type records stored in the drilling database in order to configure the torque wrench and/or the spinner to connect an additional tubular section to a tubular string or to disconnect a connection between tubulars in accordance with tubular type parameters. Sensors are employed on various drill rig components and reported sensor values are monitored. Timers are started concurrent with the initiation of various make-up and break-out steps. Exceptions are thrown when sensor values are out-of-range or when steps take too long to complete. Advantages are derived from speeding-up drill rig operations.

Claims

1. A torque wrench apparatus configured to manipulate tubulars, the torque wrench apparatus comprising:

a memory store including a plurality of records, each record storing a plurality of tubular type specific parameters comprising at least one of a spin-in time value and a spin-out time value, the spin-in time value specifying an amount of time to couple tubulars, the spin-out time value specifying an amount of time to uncouple tubulars;

at least one sensor configured to monitor at least one process step of a tubular make-up process step or a tubular break-out process step, the at least one sensor reporting a sensor value that indicates completion of the process step;

a timer configured to measure elapsed time from the beginning of the at least one process step until an occurrence of at least one step completion confirmatory event, the timer reporting a timer value; and

a counter configured to be incremented each time the at least one process step fails to complete within the spin-in time value or the spin-out time value, the counter reporting a counter value;

a comparator configured to compare values, the comparator reporting a comparator value; and

a controller configured to;

look-up at least one of the plurality of records to retrieve at least one of the spin-in time value and the spin-out time value;

cause the comparator to compare;

the reported timer value, to the spin-in time value or the spin-out time value to detect whether the at least one process step fails to complete within the spin-in time value or the spin-out time value; and

receive the counter value from the counter when the at least one process step fails to complete within the spin-in time value or the spin-out time value.

2. The torque wrench apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of records further comprises a plurality of tubular type records storing tubular type specific parameters;

the controller further being configured to;

a) look-up at least one tubular type record corresponding to a pair of tubulars to retrieve tubular type specific parameters;

b) configure the torque wrench apparatus to operate in accordance with the tubular type specific parameters retrieved; and

c) cause the torque wrench apparatus to torque a connection between the pair of tubulars.

3. The torque wrench apparatus of claim 2, the tubular type specific parameters comprising at least one of:

maximum torque specification, a torque cylinder make-up speed, and a torque cylinder break-out speed;

or at least one of;

internal diameter, outside diameter, length, material hardness, thread length, thread pitch, thread hardness, and thread taper angle.

4. The torque wrench apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a driller'"'"'s interface configured to display the reported sensor value, the reported timer value, the reported counter value, the reported comparator value, or the result of the comparison performed by the comparator.

5. The torque wrench apparatus of claim 4, further comprising an interface configured to provide remote access to the driller'"'"'s interface for remotely monitoring the reported sensor value, the reported timer value, the reported counter value, the reported comparator value, or the result of the comparison performed by the comparator in real time.

6. The torque wrench apparatus of claim 1, the tubular type parameters further comprising one of a specification, a range, and a threshold.

7. The torque wrench apparatus of claim 6, the comparator being further configured to compare the reported sensor value, the reported timer value, or the reported counter value against a sensor value range, a timer value range, or a counter value range, respectively.

8. The torque wrench apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a driller'"'"'s interface configured to display an indication specifying whether the reported sensor value, the reported timer value, or the reported counter value is within the sensor value range, the timer value range, or the counter value range, respectively.

9. The torque wrench apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor further comprises one of:

a switch, a counter, a timer, a temperature probe, a strain gage, a load cell, a tension cell, a pressure load cell, a transducer, a deflection transducer, a linear transducer, and a pressure transducer.

10. The torque wrench apparatus of claim 1, the controller being further configured to raise an exception triggered by the comparison performed by the comparator.

11. The torque wrench apparatus of claim 10, the controller being further configured to address the exception by performing at least one of the following:

repeat the at least one process step once;

repeat the at least one process step for a predetermined number of times while incrementing the counter each time;

repeat the at least one process step for a predetermined amount of time measured by the timer; and

skip the at least one process step, restart, shutdown a subsystem, and prompt for human intervention.

12. The torque wrench apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a transceiver configured to alert an off-site entity when the exception is raised.

13. The torque wrench apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a virtual interface configured to provide remote access to the memory store for monitoring drilling operations.

14. The torque wrench apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory store further comprises a log configured to store the sensor value, the timer value, the counter value, or the comparison result, the controller further being configured to store in the log the sensor value, the timer value, the counter value, or the result of the comparison.

15. The torque wrench apparatus of claim 1, the controller being further configured to detect the occurrence of the at least one step completion confirmatory event based on at least one of:

the reported sensor value, the reported timer value, the reported counter value, the reported comparator value, the result of the comparison, and at least one of the tubular type specific parameters.

16. The torque wrench apparatus of claim 15, the controller being further configured to raise an exception triggered by the detection of the occurrence of the at least one step completion confirmatory event.

17. The torque wrench apparatus of claim 16, the controller being further configured to address the exception by performing at least one of the following:

repeat the at least one process step once;

repeat the at least one process step for a predetermined number of times while incrementing the counter each time;

repeat the at least on process step for a predetermined amount of time measured by the timer; and

skip the at least one process step, restart, shutdown a subsystem, and prompt for human intervention.

18. A torque wrench apparatus configured to manipulate tubulars, the torque wrench apparatus comprising:

a) a memory store including a plurality of records, each record storing a plurality of tubular type specific parameters comprising at least one of a spin-in time value and a spin-out time value, the spin-in time value specifying an amount of time to couple tubulars, the spin-out time value specifying an amount of time to uncouple tubulars;

b) at least one sensor configured to monitor at least one process step of a tubular make-up process step or a tubular break-out process step, the at least one sensor reporting a sensor value;

c) a timer configured to measure elapsed time from the beginning of the at least one process step until the occurrence of at least one step completion confirmatory event, the timer reporting a timer value;

d) a counter configured to be incremented each time the at least one process step fails to complete within the spin-in time value or the spin-out time value, the counter reporting a counter value;

e) a comparator configured to compare values, the comparator reporting a comparator value; and

f) a controller configured to;

i) look-up at least one of the plurality of records to retrieve at least one of the spin-in time value and the spin-out time value;

ii) cause the comparator to compare;

the reported timer value against at least one of the spin-in time value and the spin-out time value to detect whether the at least one process step fails to complete within the spin-in time value or the spin-out time value;

iii) detect the occurrence of the at least one step completion confirmatory event based on at least one of;

the reported sensor value, the reported timer value, the reported counter value, the reported comparator value, the result of the comparison, and at least one of the spin-in time value and the spin-out time value;

iv) raise an exception triggered by the detection of the occurrence of the at least one step completion confirmatory event; and

v) address the exception by performing at least one of the following;

repeat the at least one process step once;

repeat the at least one process step for a predetermined number of times while incrementing a counter each time;

repeat the at least on process step for a predetermined amount of time measured by the timer; and

skip the at least one process step, restart, shutdown a subsystem, and prompt for human intervention.