Handling tool for casing tongs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11306549-B2
Application number	US-201716334728-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2017
Priority date	Sep 30, 2016
Publication date	Apr 19, 2022
Grant date	Apr 19, 2022

Abstract

Embodiments of a vertical pipe handler system (50) and method of its use include a casing tong handling tool (10) connected to a lifting tool (55) having a gripper head (51) and supported by an arm (53) of the vertical pipe handler system. The casing tong connection (33) of the handling tool is located toward the tool's lower end (21) and may be offset in a horizontal direction from the connection (29) to the lifting tool. The casing tong (60) then hangs off-center relative to the lifting tool. The amount of offset may be effective to prevent interference between the gripper head and a tubular being handled by the casing tong.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pipe handler comprising:
a lifting tool including a gripper head;
a casing tong handling tool;
a first connector configured to connect the lifting tool to the casing tong handling tool, wherein the first connector has a first vertical centerline extending therethrough;
a casing tong configured to handle a tubular; and
a second connector located toward a lower end of the casing tong handling tool, wherein the second connector is configured to connect the casing tong handling tool to the casing tong, wherein the second connector has a second vertical centerline extending therethrough, and wherein the first vertical centerline being offset in a horizontal direction from the second vertical centerline, which prevents the tubular being handled by the casing tong from contacting the gripper head.

2. A pipe handler according to claim 1 further comprising a first arm located above, and connected to, the lifting tool.

3. A pipe handler according to claim 1 further comprising a second arm including a head, the second arm coupled to and located to a side of the lifting tool.

4. A pipe handler according to claim 3 wherein the second arm is horizontally offset from the lifting tool.

5. A pipe handler according to claim 1 further comprising a lifting tool connection being located on the gripper head.

6. A pipe handler according to claim 1 further comprising a lifting tool connection being located below the gripper head.

7. A pipe handler according to claim 1 further comprising the lower end of the casing tong handling tool including at least one non-vertical leg, a casing tong connection being located toward one end of the at least one non-vertical leg.

8. A pipe handler according to claim 1 wherein the first connector comprises a lifting tool connection that is configured to connect the lifting tool to the casing tong handling tool.

9. A pipe handler according to claim 1 wherein the second connector comprises a casing tong connection that is configured to connect the casing tong handling tool to the casing tong.

10. A pipe handler comprising:
a casing tong configured to handle a tubular;
a casing tong handling tool connected at one end to a lifting tool via a first connection, wherein the lifting tool comprises a gripper head, and wherein the first connection has a first vertical centerline extending therethrough; and
a casing tong connection located toward a lower end of the casing tong handling tool, wherein the casing tong connection has a second vertical centerline extending therethrough;
wherein the first vertical centerline is offset in a horizontal direction from the second vertical centerline;
wherein the offset prevents the tubular from contacting the gripper head.

11. A pipe handler according to claim 10 further comprising a first arm located above, and connected to, the lifting tool.

12. A pipe handler according to claim 10 further comprising a second arm including a head, the second arm coupled to and located to a side of the lifting tool.

13. A vertical pipe handler according to claim 10 further comprising a connection of the casing tong handling tool to the lifting tool being located on the gripper head.

14. A pipe handler according to claim 10 further comprising a connection of the casing tong handling tool to the lifting tool being located below the gripper head.

15. A pipe handler according to claim 10 further comprising the lower end of the casing tong handling tool including at least one non-vertical leg, the casing tong connection being located toward one end of the at least one non-vertical leg.

16. A method for controlling a casing tong on a drill floor, the method being executed by a microprocessor with associated software, the method comprising:
sending one or more commands to an arm of a pipe handler that is connected to a lifting tool, the lifting tool including a gripper head that is connected to a casing tong handling tool via a first connection, the casing tong being connected to the casing tong handling tool via a second connection, wherein the first connection has a first vertical centerline extending therethrough, wherein the second connection has a second vertical centerline extending therethrough, and wherein the first vertical centerline is offset in a horizontal direction from the second vertical centerline;
wherein the one or more commands places the casing tong in a position to connect a first, upper tubular to a second, lower tubular or, after connection of the first and second tubulars, moves the casing tong away from the position, and further wherein the offset prevents the first tubular being connected from contacting the gripper head.

Assignees

• Cameron Int Corp
• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Mccabe Kenneth
• Holen Dag
• Smeland Lars Petter
• Saebo Glenn
• Haugland Svein Jarle

Classifications

• E21B19/02 Primary

  Rod or cable suspensions · CPC title

• E21B19/165

  Control or monitoring arrangements therefor · CPC title

• E21B19/14 Primary

  Racks, ramps, troughs or bins, for holding the lengths of rod singly or connected; Handling between storage place and borehole (E21B19/20, E21B19/22 take precedence) · CPC title

• B66D3/02

  Manually-operated, e.g. lever-actuated, devices operating on ropes, cables, or chains for hauling in a mainly horizontal direction (B66D3/04, B66D3/12 take precedence) · CPC title