Simultaneous tubular handling system

• US 9,410,385 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2013
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Friede & Goldman United B.V.
• Original Assignee: Friede Goldman United, Ltd. (China Communications Construction Company Limited), Atwood Oceanics Incorporated (Valaris Ltd.)
• Inventors: Childers, Mark Alan, Rich, Harvey Mark, Smith, Barry M., Larkin, Brendan William
• Primary Examiner(s): FULLER, ROBERT EDWARD
• Application Number:
  US14/082,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20140110174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/155 Handling between horizontal and vertical position
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/20 Combined feeding from rack and connecting, e.g. automatically

Abstract

A system and method for building and handling oilfield tubular stands while drilling operations are simultaneously and independently occurring with one drilling deck, one derrick, and one rotary system. An offline guided path horizontal to vertical arm lifts and moves in the same plane tubulars stored horizontally on the catwalk and positions the tubulars vertically directly into a preparation hole for assembling and disassembling tubular stands while online drilling operations are simultaneously being conducted. A stand arm lifts and lowers the tubulars into and out of the adjustable preparation hole, and transports the tubulars for storage to an auxiliary tubular racking station in the upper part of the derrick. A bridge racker crane moves tubular stands from the auxiliary tubular racking station to the top drive or another tubular racking station.

Claims

1. A system for drilling, comprising:

a drilling deck having a well center;

a first tubular;

a second tubular;

a drilling structure disposed with said drilling deck;

a primary tubular advancing station configured for advancing the first tubular to said well center;

a stand arm disposed with said drilling structure and configured for positioning the second tubular in a substantially vertical position, wherein said stand arm is configured to operate during advancing the first tubular to said well center and independently of said primary tubular advancing station;

a first tubular racking station above said drilling deck and adjacent to said stand arm configured for holding the second tubular; and

a bridge racker crane configured for moving the second tubular between said first tubular racking station and said well center, wherein said stand arm is configured to directly position the second tubular with said first tubular racking station.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second tubular racking station positioned above said drilling deck and configured for holding the second tubular, wherein said bridge racker crane is configured to move the second tubular between said first tubular racking station and said second tubular racking station.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a guided path horizontal to vertical arm positioned adjacent to said stand arm and configured to guide the second tubular from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position adjacent to said stand arm, wherein said stand arm and said guided path arm are configured to operate during advancing the first tubular to said well center and independently of said primary tubular advancing station.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first tubular is configured not to interfere with said stand arm and said guided path arm as the first tubular moves across said drilling deck and to said well center.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said stand arm is configured to be operable independent of said bridge racker crane.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first tubular is configured not to interfere with said stand arm.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third tubular, wherein the drilling deck having a preparation hole positioned with said stand arm configured for receiving a portion of the second tubular and said stand arm is configured to directly position the second tubular in the substantially vertical position above the preparation hole, and said stand arm is configured to connect the second tubular with the third tubular while the second tubular is in the substantially vertical position.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary tubular advancing station is configured to advance the first tubular from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position above said well center, wherein said stand arm is disposed with the drilling structure for handling the second tubular simultaneously with the primary tubular advancing station advancing the first tubular.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a guided path arm configured for guiding the second tubular to said stand arm and configured to operate during and independent of advancing the first tubular to the well center by said primary tubular advancing station.

10. A tubular handling system, comprising:

a drilling deck having a well center;

a first tubular;

a second tubular;

a primary tubular advancing station configured for advancing the first tubular to said well center;

a stand arm configured for handling the second tubular; and

a guided path arm positioned adjacent to said stand arm and configured to guide the second tubular to said stand arm;

wherein the first tubular does not interfere with said stand arm or said guided path arm as the first tubular moves onto said drilling deck and to said well center.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a drilling structure disposed with said drilling deck, wherein the primary tubular advancing station is disposed within said drilling structure.

12. A system for drilling, comprising:

a drilling deck having a well center;

a first tubular;

a second tubular;

a drilling structure disposed with said drilling deck;

a primary tubular advancing station configured for advancing the first tubular to said well center;

a stand arm disposed with said drilling structure and configured for positioning the second tubular in a substantially vertical position, wherein said stand arm is configured to operate during advancing the first tubular to said well center and independently of said primary tubular advancing station; and

a bridge racker crane configured for moving the second tubular to said well center.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a first tubular racking station above said drilling deck and adjacent to said stand arm configured for holding the second tubular;

said bridge racker crane configured for moving the second tubular between said first tubular racking station and said well center, wherein said stand arm is configured to directly position the second tubular with said first tubular racking station; and

a second tubular racking station positioned above said drilling deck and configured for holding the second tubular, wherein said bridge racker crane is configured to move the second tubular between said first tubular racking station and said second tubular racking station.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a guided path horizontal to vertical arm positioned adjacent to said stand arm and configured to guide the second tubular from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position adjacent to said stand arm, wherein said stand arm and said guided path arm are configured to operate during advancing the first tubular to said well center and independently of said primary tubular advancing station.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first tubular is configured not to interfere with said stand arm and said guided path arm as the first tubular moves across said drilling deck and to said well center.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein said stand arm is configured to be operable independent of said bridge racker crane.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the first tubular is configured not to interfere with said stand arm.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising a third tubular, wherein said drilling deck having a preparation hole positioned with said stand arm configured for receiving a portion of the second tubular and said stand arm is configured to directly position the second tubular in the substantially vertical position above said preparation hole, and said stand arm is configured to connect the second tubular with the third tubular while the second tubular is in the substantially vertical position.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein said primary tubular advancing station is configured to advance the first tubular from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position above said well center, wherein said stand arm is disposed with said drilling structure for handling the second tubular simultaneously with said primary tubular advancing station advancing the first tubular.

20. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a guided path arm configured for guiding the second tubular to said stand arm and configured to operate during and independent of advancing the first tubular to said well center by said primary tubular advancing station.