Mid-pipe pulling device systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11525316-B2
Application number	US-202117343814-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2021
Priority date	Jul 22, 2020
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

Techniques for implementing and/or operating a pipe deployment system that includes pipe deployment equipment, in which a pipe drum having spooled thereon a pipe segment is to be loaded on the pipe deployment equipment, and a pulling device to be secured to an unspooled section of the pipe segment. The pulling device includes a device body having a first body arm and a second body arm, in which the device body is to be disposed around the unspooled section of the pipe segment, the first body arm is to be secured to a first cable branch, and the second body arm is to be secured to a second cable branch. The pulling device includes a first pipe grabber secured to the first body arm and a second pipe grabber secured to the second body arm such that the second pipe grabber and the first pipe grabber open towards one another.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pipe deployment system comprising:
pipe deployment equipment, wherein a pipe drum having spooled thereon a pipe segment comprising tubing that defines a pipe bore and a fluid conduit within an annulus of the tubing is configured to be loaded on the pipe deployment equipment; and
a pulling device configured to be secured to an unspooled section of the pipe segment to enable pulling equipment secured to the pulling device via a pulling cable to exert horizontal pulling force on the pipe segment in a direction away from the pulling device and the pipe drum, wherein the horizontal pulling force is substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the pipe segment and the pulling device comprises:
a device body configured to be disposed around the unspooled section of the pipe segment, wherein the device body comprises:
a body base configured to extend transversely over the unspooled section of the pipe segment;
a first body arm pivotably connected to the body base such that the first body arm is configured to extend along the longitudinal axis of the pipe segment, wherein the first body arm is configured to be secured to a first cable branch of the pulling cable; and
a second body arm pivotably connected to the body base such that the second body arm is configured to extend along the longitudinal axis of the pipe segment, wherein the second body arm is configured to be secured to a second cable branch of the pulling cable that is connected to the first cable branch;

a first pipe grabber secured to the first body arm of the device body; and
a second pipe grabber secured to the second body arm of the device body such that the second pipe grabber and the first pipe grabber open towards one another, wherein, when the horizontal pulling force is exerted on the pulling device via the pulling cable, the first body arm and the second body arm are configured to pivot such that the first pipe grabber and the second pipe grabber move toward one another using a first portion of the horizontal pulling force to facilitate securing the pulling device to the unspooled section of the pipe segment and, thus, using a second portion of the horizontal pulling force to pull the unspooled section of the pipe segment away from the pipe drum.

2. The pipe deployment system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first pipe grabber comprises a first pad with a semi-circular profile and a first stem, wherein the first stem is secured to a first inner surface of the first body arm and a first outer surface of the first pad such that the first pad is spaced apart from the first body arm; and
the second pipe grabber comprises a second pad with a semi-circular profile and a second stem, wherein the second stem is secured to a second inner surface of the second body arm and a second outer surface of the second pad such that the second pad is spaced apart from the second body arm.

3. The pipe deployment system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first body arm of the pulling device is configured to extend substantially parallel to a ground surface while the pulling device is being used to pull the unspooled section of the pipe segment; and
the second body arm of the pulling device is configured to extend substantially parallel to the ground surface while the pulling device is being used to pull the unspooled section of the pipe segment.

4. The pipe deployment system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first body arm of the device body comprises a spacer bar opening; and
the pulling device comprises a spacer bar configured to be secured in the spacer bar opening when the unspooled section of the pipe segment has a specific outer surface diameter to facilitate blocking movement of the first body arm and the second body arm of the pulling device toward one another beyond a certain point.

5. The pipe deployment system of claim 1 , wherein the pulling device comprises:
a first slide assembly that slidably secures the first pipe grabber to the first body arm of the device body; and
a second slide assembly that slidably secures the second pipe grabber to the second body arm of the device body, wherein the first slide assembly and the second slide assembly are configured to flare out from the body base of the device body to facilitate adaptively adjusting pipe grabber inner surface diameter based at least in part on an outer surface diameter of the unspooled section of the pipe segment.

6. The pipe deployment system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first body arm is configured to extend longitudinally along a first side of the unspooled section of the pipe segment; and
the second body arm is configured to extend longitudinally along a second side of the unspooled section of the pipe segment opposite the first body arm.

7. The pipe deployment system of claim 1 , wherein the pulling device comprises a guide assembly configured to enable the pulling device to be selectively operated as a guiding device in the pipe deployment system, wherein the guide assembly comprises:
a roller spring having a first end secured to a closed end of a roller recess on an inner surface of the first pipe grabber; and
a guide roller secured to a second end of the roller spring, wherein the guide assembly is in an activated state when the guide roller extends out of the roller recess beyond the inner surface of the first pipe grabber and in a deactivated state when the guide roller does not extend out of the roller recess beyond the inner surface of the first pipe grabber.

8. The pipe deployment system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first body arm of the device body comprises a first pad eye at a first end opposite the body base, wherein the first pad eye is configured to enable the first cable branch of the pulling cable to be secured to the first body arm; and
the second body arm of the device body comprises a second pad eye at a second end opposite the body base, wherein the second pad eye is configured to enable the second cable branch of the pulling cable to be secured to the second body arm.

9. A method of operating a pipe deployment system, comprising:
disposing a pulling device of the pipe deployment system around a free section of a pipe segment that has been unspooled off of a pipe drum such that:
a body base of the pulling device extends transversely over the free section of the pipe segment;
a first body arm pivotably secured to the body base is substantially parallel with a ground surface; and
a second body arm pivotably secured to the body base is substantially parallel with the ground surface;

securing a first cable branch of a pulling cable to the first body arm of the pulling device via a first pad eye on the first body arm;
securing a second cable branch of the pulling cable to the second body arm of the pulling device via a second pad eye on the second body arm, wherein the second cable branch is connected to the first cable branch of the pulling cable; and
exerting, using pulling equipment in the pipe deployment system, horizontal pulling force on the pulling cable in a direction away from the pulling device and the pipe drum to cause the first body arm and the second body arm to move toward one another such that a first pipe grabber secured to the first body arm and a second pipe grabber secured to the second body arm engage an outer surface of the pipe segment as well as to cause more of the pipe segment to be unspooled off of the pipe drum, wherein the horizontal pulling force is substantially parallel with the ground surface.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein exerting the horizontal pulling force on the pulling cable comprises:
using a first portion of the horizontal pulling force to move the first body arm and the second body arm of the pulling

Assignees

• Trinity Bay Equipment Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Lee Christopher Sean
• Leger John Paul
• Winn Alexander Lee

Classifications

• F16L11/081

  comprising one or more layers of a helically wound cord or wire (in combination with braided layers F16L11/088) · CPC title

• B65H49/34

  Arrangements for effecting positive rotation of packages · CPC title

• B65H51/32 Primary

  Supporting or driving arrangements for forwarding devices · CPC title

• B65H2701/33

  Hollow or hose-like material · CPC title

• B65H75/30

  Arrangements to facilitate driving or braking · CPC title