System and method for handling a tubular member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11814910-B2
Application number	US-202217934658-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2022
Priority date	Apr 21, 2020
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

Abstract

A device for handling a tubular member includes a gripping assembly configured to grip the tubular member. The gripping assembly includes a first arm and a second arm, which are configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position. The device also includes a first plurality of rollers coupled to the first arm and a second plurality of rollers coupled to the second arm. The first plurality of rollers and the second plurality of rollers are configured to grip the tubular member at different locations around a circumference of the tubular member when the first arm and the second arm are in the closed position, and the first plurality of rollers and the second plurality of rollers are configured to rotate the tubular member while the tubular member is being gripped by the gripping assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for handling a tubular member, comprising:
a body;
a gripping assembly coupled to the body, the gripping assembly being configured to grip the tubular member, wherein the gripping assembly comprises a first arm and a second arm, which are configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position;
a motor;
a plurality of rollers comprising a first plurality of rollers coupled to the first arm and a second plurality of rollers coupled to the second arm;
a first linkage from the motor to at least one or more of the first plurality of rollers; and
a second linkage from the motor to at least one or more of the second plurality of rollers,
wherein the plurality of rollers are configured to directly contact and grip the tubular member at different locations around a circumference of the tubular member when the first arm and the second arm are in the closed position, and
wherein the plurality of rollers are configured to wherein the first plurality of rollers and the second plurality of rollers are configured to directly contact, grip, and rotate the tubular member while the at least one or more of the first plurality of rollers are indirectly driven by the motor via the first linkage and the at least one or more of the second plurality of rollers are indirectly driven by the motor via the second linkage.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the motor is coupled to the body and generates rotary movement to actuate the first arm and the second arm between the open position and the closed position.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the first plurality of rollers are indirectly driven by the motor via the first linkage to directly contact, grip, and rotate the tubular member at a first plurality of different circumferential locations around the circumference of the tubular member, and wherein at least two of the second plurality of rollers are indirectly driven by the motor via the first linkage to directly contact, grip, and rotate the tubular member at a second plurality of different circumferential locations around the circumference of the tubular member.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein all of the plurality of rollers are indirectly driven by the motor via the first and second linkages.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the first and second linkages comprises a plurality of gears that transfers the rotary movement from the motor to the plurality of rollers.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of gears comprises:
a motor gear configured to be rotated by the motor;
a rear first arm gear configured to be rotated by the motor gear, wherein the rear first arm gear is configured to rotate a first belt of the first linkage;
a front first arm gear configured to be rotated by the first belt; and
a first roller gear configured to be rotated by the front first arm gear, wherein the first plurality of rollers is configured to be rotated by the first roller gear.

7. The device of claim 6 , further comprising:
a rear second arm gear configured to be rotated by the motor gear, wherein the rear second arm gear is configured to rotate a second belt of the second linkage;
a front second arm gear configured to be rotated by the second belt; and
a second roller gear configured to be rotated by the front second arm gear, wherein the second plurality of rollers is configured to be rotated by the second roller gear.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises:
a central support;
a first piston coupled to and positioned at least partially between the central support and the first arm; and
a second piston coupled to and positioned at least partially between the central support and the second arm,
wherein the first piston and the second piston are configured to actuate between an extended position and a retracted position,
wherein, when the first piston and the second piston actuate into the extended position, the first arm and the second arm actuate into the open position, and
wherein, when the first piston and the second piston actuate into the retracted position, the first arm and the second arm actuate into the closed position.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second linkages comprise one or more gears, belts, chains, worm drives, or any combination thereof, and the first and second linkages do not contact the tubular member.

10. The device of claim 1 , further comprising: a vertical actuator coupled to the gripping assembly, wherein the vertical actuator is configured to move the gripping assembly and the tubular member vertically while the tubular member is gripped by the gripping assembly and in alignment with a wellbore.

11. A system comprising:
a rack;
the device of claim 1 ;
a horizontal actuator configured to move the gripping assembly and the tubular member horizontally between the rack and alignment with a wellbore while the tubular member is gripped by the gripping assembly; and
a vertical actuator coupled to the gripping assembly, the horizontal actuator, or both, wherein the vertical actuator is configured to move the gripping assembly and the tubular member vertically while the tubular member is gripped by the gripping assembly and in alignment with the wellbore.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the vertical actuator comprises a neck that is coupled to and positioned at least partially between the gripping assembly and the horizontal actuator, wherein the neck is configured to extend and retract vertically, and wherein the gripping assembly and the tubular member are lowered when the neck extends and the tubular member is gripped by the gripping assembly.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the gripping assembly is configured to rotate with respect to the horizontal actuator from a first rotational position that faces toward the rack to a second rotational position that faces away from the rack.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first linkage is arranged from the motor along the first arm to the first plurality of rollers, and the second linkage is arranged from the motor along the second arm to the second plurality of rollers.

15. A device for handling a tubular member, comprising:
a body;
a gripping assembly coupled to the body, the gripping assembly being configured to grip the tubular member, wherein the gripping assembly comprises a first arm and a second arm, each of the first arm and the second arm being configured to pivot between an open position and a closed position;
a first plurality of rollers coupled to the first arm;
a second plurality of rollers coupled to the second arm; and
a motor coupled to the body that generates rotary movement to actuate the first arm and the second arm between the open position and the closed position,
wherein the first plurality of rollers and the second plurality of rollers are configured to grip the tubular member at different locations around a circumference of the tubular member when the first arm and the second arm are in the closed position, and
wherein the first plurality of rollers and the second plurality of rollers are configured to rotate the tubular member while the tubular member is being gripped by the gripping assembly.

16. The device of claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of gears that transfer the rotary movement from the motor to the first and second arms.

17. The device of claim 15 , wherein the first and second pluralities of rollers are indirectly driven by rotary motion transferred through one or more gears, belts, chains, worm drives, or any combination thereof.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Tambs Erling
• Zhou Zhijun
• Vatne Thomas

Classifications

• E21B19/06 Primary

  Elevators, i.e. rod- or tube-gripping devices · CPC title

• E21B19/08

  Apparatus for feeding the rods or cables (E21B19/22 takes precedence; automatic feed E21B44/02); Apparatus for increasing or decreasing the pressure on the drilling tool; Apparatus for counterbalancing the weight of the rods · CPC title

• E21B19/146 Primary

  Carousel systems, i.e. rotating rack systems · CPC title

• E21B19/164

  motor actuated (E21B19/162 and E21B19/163 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B19/168

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