Pivoting Pipe Handler for Tender Assisted Drilling Rigs

Abstract

A pivoting pipe handler for tender assisted drilling rigs is provided that includes a main support structure configured for attaching to a drilling rig at an angle between a drilling rig floor at an upper and a lower platform adjacent thereto. The pipe handler includes a V-door that is pivotally attached to the main support structure at an upper end and further includes an elevating mechanism to raise the lower end of the V-door so that the V-door can move from an inclined position to a horizontal position. The V-door can further include a pipe carrier slidably disposed thereon to extend outwardly from the V-door to the drilling rig floor. The V-door can also include pipe indexers to move tubulars from a storage area on the V-door onto the pipe carrier in addition to pipe kickers to eject tubulars from the pipe carrier to the storage area.

Description

PRIORITY STATEMENT & CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 328,425 entitled “Pivoting Pipe Handler for Tender Assisted Drilling Rigs” and filed on Apr. 27, 2010; which is hereby incorporated for all purposes.TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present disclosure is related to the field of pipe handlers, in particular, pipe handlers for tender assisted drilling rigs.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]It is known to use pipe handlers on land-based drilling rigs. The pipe handler described in U.S. Publication No. 2006 / 0285941 is a land rig type handler and shows the use of a pipe carrier to extend over the drill rig floor to deliver and receive tubulars or sections of drill pipe to the well bore, however, the system in whole is designed for a land rig, and is not suitable for use on a tender assisted drilling rig (“TAD”); it is designed to be loaded from horizontal pipe racks instead of from ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]A pivoting pipe handler for tender assisted drilling rigs is provided. In one embodiment, the pipe handler can comprise an entire V-door that is pivotally mounted, powered and controlled by electromechanical means whereby the V-door can be inclined at a predetermined angle to receive bundles of tubulars from a high-line mechanism that transports the tubulars from a tender vessel to the pipe handler. The V-door can then rotate upwards to a substantially horizontal position to facilitate a safer orientation and position for the manual work in disconnecting and unbundled the tubular payload. The V-door angle can be adjusted for optimal delivery and retrieval of tubulars to the pick up elevators at the well bore. In another embodiment, the V-door can comprise a pipe carrier, which can be powered to cantilever over the drill rig floor to the optimal working position for latching or unlatching the pick up elevators on the tubulars. In another embodiment, the V-door can comprise pipe handling devices that can push the tubulars off of the pipe carrier, or at one at a time onto the carrier to facilitate pick up and lay down operations. All of the devices can be electrically powered and controlled from a remote operator station at a safe vantage point. The V-door can also comprise a walkway along its length to provide an operator with a safe walking space when performing the manual functions connecting or disconnecting the tubular payload from the high-line.

Problems solved by technology

The pipe handler described in U.S. Publication No. 2006 / 0285941 is a land rig type handler and shows the use of a pipe carrier to extend over the drill rig floor to deliver and receive tubulars or sections of drill pipe to the well bore, however, the system in whole is designed for a land rig, and is not suitable for use on a tender assisted drilling rig (“TAD”); it is designed to be loaded from horizontal pipe racks instead of from a high-line.

It is not adapted to deliver tubulars horizontally over the drill rig floor by mechanical means to the pick-up elevators.

This system bypasses the V-door entirely in its movement and operation, however, since by design it can only move a single tubular at a time between the tubular storage location on the tender vessel and the rig, it directly links the horizontal pipe handling to the critical path of rig operations when running in or pulling pipe out of the well bore.

It does not have the tubular storage or staging capability of a V-door that allows rig operations to be not critically dependent on the horizontal tubular movement operations to or from the tender vessel.

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