Guide arm

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11846141-B2
Application number	US-201917413155-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2019
Priority date	Dec 11, 2018
Publication date	Dec 19, 2023
Grant date	Dec 19, 2023

Abstract

A guide arm with dual guiding functionality is disclosed. The guide arm comprises two parallelogram mechanisms with a slew drive in between. The first parallelogram mechanism may move the guide arm between different travel positions. The slew drive may rotate the second parallelogram mechanism between different clock positions. The second parallelogram mechanism may extend and retract the guide arm. The guide arm may be mounted to a belly board or to a derrick wall rather than on a drill floor. A first guiding functionality may include guiding the lower end of a pipe stand in transfer between a drilling rig well center and a storage position. A second guiding functionality may include guiding the pin end of a single tubular between a drilling operation and a catwalk.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A guide arm for handling tubulars, the guide arm comprising:
an upper link configured to move between a first travel position and a second different travel position;
a lower link including a lower guide head end and configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position;
a slew drive located between the upper and lower links and connected to upper and lower slew drive ends of said respective upper and lower links, the slew drive configured to rotate the lower link between different clock positions;
a guide head connected to the lower guide head end, wherein the guide head includes a pivot and is moveable between an open position to accept a tubular and a closed position about the tubular, wherein the guide head is configured to guide a pin end of a single tubular; and
a guide head tilt cylinder connected at one end to the lower slew drive end and at another end to the guide head, wherein the guide head tilt cylinder is configured to rotate the guide head about the lower guide head end of the lower link to tilt the guide head.

2. The guide arm of claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower links are parallelogram-shaped links.

3. The guide arm of claim 1 , the guide arm having a parked position in which the upper and lower links are each in a substantially vertical orientation.

4. The guide arm of claim 1 , wherein the guide arm has a folded position in which the guide head end of the lower link is located rearward of the upper and lower slew drive ends and toward a base end of the upper link, the upper link overlapping the lower link.

5. The guide arm of claim 1 , wherein:
the lower link includes a fixed portion toward its lower slew end and a telescoping portion toward its guide head end.

6. The guide arm of claim 1 , further comprising:
a belly board, wherein the upper link is connected to the belly board.

7. The guide arm of claim 1 , further comprising:
a swing-out support, wherein the upper link is connected to the swing-out support.

8. The guide arm of claim 7 , wherein the swing-out support is configured for connection to a derrick wall.

9. The guide arm of claim 1 , wherein the guide head is configured to accept the tubular at a single location along a length of the tubular.

10. A system for handing tubulars, the system comprising:
an upper guide arm; and
a lower guide arm located below the upper guide arm, the lower guide arm comprising:
an upper link configured to move between a first travel position and a second different travel position;
a lower link including a lower guide head end and configured to move the lower link between a retracted position and an extended position;
a slew drive located between the upper and lower links and connected to an upper and a lower slew drive ends of said respective upper and lower links, the slew drive configured to rotate the lower link between different clock positions;
a guide head connected to the lower guide head end, wherein the guide head includes a pivot and is moveable between an open and a closed position, wherein the guide head is configured to guide a pin end of a single tubular; and
a guide head tilt cylinder connected at one end to the lower slew drive end and at another end to the guide head, wherein the guide head tilt cylinder is configured to rotate the guide head about the lower guide head end of the lower link to tilt the guide head.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the upper and lower links are parallelogram-shaped links.

12. The system of claim 10 , the lower guide arm having a parked position in which the upper and lower links are each in a substantially vertical orientation.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the lower guide arm has a folded position in which the lower guide head end is located rearward of the upper and lower slew drive ends and toward a base end of the upper link, the upper link overlapping the lower link.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the lower link includes a fixed portion toward its lower slew drive end and a telescoping portion toward its guide head end.

15. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a belly board, wherein the upper link is connected to the belly board.

16. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a swing-out support, wherein the upper link is connected to the swing-out support.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the swing-out support is configured for connection to a derrick wall.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the guide head is configured to accept the single tubular at a single location along a length of the tubular.

19. A method of handling tubulars, the method comprising:
moving a guide arm to a first travel position and, when in the first travel position, between a retracted and an extended position;
securing a tubular with a guide head of the guide arm when the guide arm is in the first travel and extended positions, wherein the tubular is secured at a single location along a length of the tubular;
after securing the tubular, returning the guide arm to the retracted position;
moving the guide arm to a second different travel position and, when in the second different travel position, between the retracted and extended positions; and
releasing the tubular from the guide head of the guide arm when in the second different travel and extended positions;
wherein the guide arm includes:
an upper link configured to move between a first travel position and a second different travel position;
a lower link including a lower guide head end and configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position;
a slew drive located between the upper and lower links and connected to an upper and a lower slew drive ends of said respective upper and lower links, the slew drive configured to rotate the lower link between different clock positions;
the guide head connected to the lower guide head end and moveable between an open position to accept the tubular and a closed position about the tubular, wherein the guide head is configured to guide a pin end of a single tubular; and
a guide head tilt cylinder connected at one end to the lower slew drive end and at another end to the guide head, wherein the guide head tilt cylinder is configured to rotate the guide head about the lower guide head end of the lower link to tilt the guide head.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first travel and second different travel positions are selected from the group of well center and tubular storage.

Assignees

• Cameron Int Corp
• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Skibsrud Rune
• Huchon Jean-Philippe
• Holen Dag

Classifications

• E21B15/003 Primary

  adapted to be moved on their substructure, e.g. with skidding means; adapted to drill a plurality of wells · CPC title

• E21B15/00

  Supports for the drilling machine, e.g. derricks or masts · CPC title

• E21B19/087

  by means of a swinging arm · CPC title

• E21B19/14

  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

• E21B19/24

  Guiding or centralising devices for drilling rods or pipes · CPC title