Iron roughnecks for non-stop circulation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11053755-B2
Application number	US-201816478844-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2018
Priority date	Jan 18, 2017
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

An iron roughneck for constant circulation of drilling mud during operation of a drill string, the iron roughneck comprising: a frame; a wrench unit supported by the frame, wherein the wrench unit is capable of gripping a drill string; a spinner unit supported by the frame, wherein the spinner unit is capable of engaging and spinning a drill pipe; and a circulation coupler supported by the frame, wherein the circulation coupler forms a chamber around the drill string.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a frame;
a wrench unit supported by the frame, wherein the wrench unit is capable of gripping a drill string;
a spinner unit supported by the frame, wherein the spinner unit is capable of engaging and spinning a drill pipe; and
a circulation coupler supported by the frame and movable to an open position or a closed position, wherein the circulation coupler, when positioned around a drill string, having a wall with one or more valves provided therein, and located in the closed position, forms a sealed chamber radially oriented around the one or more valves of the drill string,
wherein the circulation coupler further comprises a sensor for detecting whether a first valve in a drill string is located in an open position or a closed position, and
wherein the first valve, detectable by the sensor, is an external sliding valve, comprising a spring, provided in the wall of the drill string.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the wrench unit comprises an upper wrench and a lower wrench configured for gripping a drill string.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a magnetic sensor.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circulation coupler comprises jaws operable by pistons to move to the circulation coupler to the open position or the close position relative to a drill pipe.

6. An apparatus according comprising:
a frame;
a wrench unit supported by the frame, wherein the wrench unit is capable of gripping a drill string;
a spinner unit supported by the frame, wherein the spinner unit is capable of engaging and spinning a drill pipe;
a circulation coupler supported by the frame and movable to an open position or a closed position, wherein the circulation coupler, when positioned around a drill string, having a wall with one or more valves provided therein, and located in the closed position, forms a sealed chamber radially oriented around the one or more valves of the drill string; and
a sensor configured to detect a vertical position of the apparatus relative to a drill string.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the wrench unit comprises an upper wrench and a lower wrench configured for gripping a drill string.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the circulation coupler comprises jaws operable by pistons to move to the circulation coupler to the open position or the close position relative to a drill pipe.

9. A method for circulating drilling fluid during operation of a drill string, the method comprising:
gripping a first portion of the drill string with a wrench unit supported by a frame;
engaging a drill pipe with a spinner unit supported by the frame;
engaging a second portion of the drill string, having a radial port, with a circulation coupler supported by the frame such that a chamber is provided around the radial port; and
increasing a supply of drilling fluid to circulation coupler and decreasing a supply of drilling fluid to a top end of the drill string such that circulation of drilling fluid to the drill string is maintained as the supply of drilling fluid shifts from the top end of the drill string to the circulation coupler,
wherein the circulation coupler is positioned between the wrench unit and the spinner unit along a length of the frame.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the circulation of the drilling fluid to the drill string is maintained as constant and continuous circulation of drilling fluid to the drill string.

11. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
providing at least one valve adjacent to the radial port of the drill string, wherein the chamber is radially oriented around the at least one valve and directs drilling fluid inside the at least one valve adjacent to the radial port of the drill string.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
supplying high pressure drilling fluid to an outside of the at least one valve via the chamber such that the at least one valve moves to an open position.

13. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
detecting, via a sensor, whether the at least one valve is located in an open position or a closed position.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the sensor is provided in the circulation coupler or in the chamber provided around the radial port.

15. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
disconnecting a top drive from the drill string when the supply of drilling fluid to the drill string has shifted to the circulation coupler;
connecting a stand of drill pipe to the disconnected top drive; and
adding the stand of drill pipe to the drill string.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising:
shifting the circulation of the drilling fluid from the circulation coupler to the top end of the drill string after addition of the stand of drill pipe to the drill string.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Tarique Zaurayze
• Dow Blaine
• Cremer Justin

Classifications

• E21B2200/06

  Sleeve valves · CPC title

• E21B21/085

  Underbalanced techniques, i.e. where borehole fluid pressure is below formation pressure · CPC title

• E21B19/161 Primary

  using a wrench or a spinner adapted to engage a circular section of pipe (E21B19/168 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B19/168

  using a spinner with rollers or a belt adapted to engage a well pipe · CPC title

• E21B21/12

  using drilling pipes with plural fluid passages, e.g. closed circulation systems · CPC title