Instrumented drilling rig slips

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016290073-A1
Application number	US-201514970071-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 15, 2015
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A slips assembly for a drilling rig and methods. The slips assembly includes a body, a plurality of slips disposed within the body and configured to extend radially inward to engage a tubular, and to retract radially outward to form a gap between the tubular and the plurality of slips, and sensors configured to detect a force on the plurality of slips generated by the plurality of slips engaging the tubular.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A slips assembly for a drilling rig, comprising:
a body; a plurality of slips disposed within the body and configured to extend radially inward to engage a tubular, and to retract radially outward to form a gap between the tubular and the plurality of slips; and one or more sensors configured to detect a force on the plurality of slips generated by the plurality of slips engaging the tubular.

2 . The slips assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors are disposed within one or more holes formed in the plurality of slips.

3 . The slips assembly of claim 2 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more strain gauges.

4 . The slips assembly of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is oriented in a direction parallel to an inner surface of one of the plurality of slips, and wherein the inner surface is configured to contact the tubular when the plurality of slips extend radially inward.

5 . The slips assembly of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is oriented in a direction perpendicular to an inner surface of one of the plurality of slips, and wherein the inner surface is configured to contact the tubular when the plurality of slips extend radially inward.

6 . The slips assembly of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is oriented in a direction parallel to or perpendicular to an outer surface of one of the plurality of slips, and wherein the outer surface is tapered and is configured to slide against a tapered inner surface of the body.

7 . The slips assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a load cell positioned between the body and a rig structure.

8 . The slips assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of slips are positioned in two or more rows, the two or more rows being at different vertical positions.

9 . The slips assembly of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of slips are driven hydraulically, and wherein a hydraulic pressure driving the plurality of slips is independently controllable between the two or more rows.

10 . The slips assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of slips each comprise:
a piston; a linkage coupled to the piston and configured to move therewith; and a block coupled to the linkage, wherein the piston is configured to drive the block radially inward and radially outward with respect to the tubular.

11 . The slips assembly of claim 10 , further comprising an instrumented pin connected to the linkage, the block, or both, wherein the instrumented pin is configured to measure a force transmitted to the block.

12 . The slips assembly of claim 11 , further comprising:
a plurality of hydraulic lines, wherein each of the plurality of slips is connected to a first hydraulic line and a second hydraulic line of the plurality of hydraulic lines; a plurality of valves coupled to the plurality of hydraulic lines and configured to control pressure therein; a plurality of pressure sensors coupled to the plurality of hydraulic lines and configured to sense a pressure in respective lines of the plurality of hydraulic lines; and a controller in communication with the plurality of valves, the plurality of pressure sensors, and the instrumented pin, wherein the controller is configured to adjust a position of one or more of the plurality of valves in response to a pressure measured by the plurality of pressure sensors and the force measured by the instrumented pin.

13 . The slips assembly of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of slips comprises a sensor configured to measure a position of the block, the controller being in communication with the sensor configured to measure the position of the block, to adjust the position of each of the plurality of valves in response to the position.

14 . The slips assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a die coupled to each of the blocks, the die comprising teeth, a high-friction material, or both.

15 . The slips assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect movement of the tubular while the slips are engaging the tubular.

16 . A method for supporting a tubular, comprising:
lowering a tubular through a slips assembly using a first device; measuring a hookload while the first device supports the tubular; engaging the tubular using the slips assembly; measuring a force incident on one or more slips of the slips assembly while the slips assembly is engaging the tubular; determining a slips load on the slips assembly based on the force that is measured; comparing the slips load to the hookload; and determining whether the tubular is supported by the slips assembly based on the comparison of the slips load to the hookload.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising disengaging the first device from the tubular when the tubular is determined to be supported by the slips assembly.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising adjusting a force applied on the tubular by at least some of the slips, when the tubular is determined to not be supported by the slips assembly.

19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising detecting movement of the tubular, using a sensor, while the tubular is supported by the slips assembly.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the force incident comprises a weight of the tubular supported by the slips, the weight being measured by a load cell positioned between the slips assembly and a rig structure.

21 . A method for monitoring a well condition, comprising:
supporting a tubular using a slips assembly; measuring a force on the slips assembly, wherein the force varies based on a weight of the tubular that is supported by the slips assembly; detecting a fluctuation in the weight supported by the slips assembly, while the slips assembly is supporting the tubular; and taking a corrective action in response to detecting the fluctuation.

22 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising:
lowering the tubular through the slips assembly using a top drive, prior to measuring the force, wherein supporting the tubular using the slips assembly comprises engaging the tubular using slips of the slips assembly; determining that the weight supported by the slips assembly equals a hookload supported by the top drive, after engaging the tubular using the slips assembly; and releasing the top drive from the tubular in response to the slips assembly engaging the tubular.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein detecting the fluctuation comprises determining that the weight has increased above a predetermined threshold.

24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein detecting the fluctuation comprises determining that the weight has decreased below a predetermined threshold.

25 . The method of claim 21 , wherein measuring the force comprising measuring a force incident on slips of the slips assembly.

26 . The method of claim 21 , wherein measuring the force comprises measuring the weight supported by the slips assembly using a load cell.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Zheng Shunfeng
• Orban Jacques
• Parmeshwar Vishwanathan

Classifications

• E21B44/00

  Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions · CPC title

• E21B47/00

  Survey of boreholes or wells (monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08) · CPC title

• E21B19/10 Primary

  Slips; Spiders {; Catching devices (rotary tables with master bushing or kelly bushing E21B3/04)} · CPC title