Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
Method and Apparatus for Installing Casing Using A Top
Drive Drilling Rig
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus
for installing casing using a top drive drilling rig.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The casing installation apparatus currently in use with
top drive drilling rigs has a body that has a female threaded
connection at a first end and a male threaded connection at a
second end. The male threaded connection at the second end is
used to engage a length of casing. The female threaded
connection at the first end is threaded into a lifting
apparatus and lifted by a line up the oil rig derrick to a rig
hand. Once at the top of the derrick, the rig hand makes a
transfer detaching the female threaded connection from the
lifting apparatus and engaging it with a rotating top head of
the top drive unit of the drilling rig. Care must be taken
during the transfer by the rig hand at the top of the derrick.
Care also must be taken when engaging the rotating top head,
not to inadvertently loosen the male threaded connection
engaging the casing. Once the rotating top head is engaged,
the rotating top head is used to spin lengths of casing
together. The operation, as described above, tends to be a
relatively slow and labour intensive process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
What is required is a method and apparatus for installing
casing with a top drive drilling rig which will accelerate the
installation process.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is
provided a method for installing casing with a top drive
drilling rig. A first step involves securing a first body to
a rotating top head of the top drive drilling unit. A second
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step involves securing a second body to a length of casing.
A third step involves detachably coupling the first body and
the second body so that the second body rotates with the first
body.
With the method, as described above, the first body
remains permanently attached to the top head of the top drive
unit. The first body and the second body can be rapidly
connected and disconnected, by means of the detachable coupling
as will hereinafter be further described. The process can be
further accelerated by providing several of the second bodies.
While one of the second bodies is being attached to the first
body, used to rotate a length of casing and detached; the other
of the second bodies placed in readiness by being secured to
the next lengths of casing to be installed.
According to another aspect of the present invention there
is provided an apparatus for installing casing with a top drive
drilling rig which includes a first body securable to a
rotating top head of the top drive drilling unit and a second
body securable to a length of casing. Means is provided for
detachably coupling the first body and the second body so that
the second body rotates with the first body.
There are various forms of couplings that can be used to
secure the first body to the rotating top head of the top drive
drilling unit. Beneficial results have been obtained when the
first body has a threaded coupling which is adapted to engage
a mating threaded coupling carried by the rotating top head of
the top drive drilling rig. It will be understood, however,
that the coupling need not be a threaded coupling.
Similarly, there are various forms of couplings that can
be used to secure the second body to the length of casing.
Beneficial results have been obtained when the second body has
a threaded coupling which is adapted to engage a mating
threaded coupling of the length of casing. It will be
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understood, however, that the coupling need not be a threaded
coupling.
It is preferred that the means for detachably coupling the
first body and the second body includes a first pin receiver
on the first body and a second pin receiver on the second body.
This enables a removable pin to be used that is adapted to
engage the first pin receiver and the second pin receiver to
detachably couple the first body and the second body. It will
be understood that although this type of coupling is preferred
due to the speed of connection and disconnection, other forms
of toque transmitting couplings would also be suitable.
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the
use of the apparatus, as described above, there are several
different sizes of casing with which the apparatus must be
used. Even more beneficial results may, therefore, be obtained
when the second body has a receptacle and an insert is provided
which carries the threaded coupling. Means is provided for
detachably securing the insert within the receptacle, so that
the size of threaded coupling can be changed to suit different
sizes of casing and different application requirements.
It is preferred that the first body and the second body
be adapted to pivot about a first pivot axis provided by the
first removable pin. This provides for easier alignment of the
first body and the second body and, thereby, promotes a more
rapid connection.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features of the invention will become more
apparent from the following description in which reference is
made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose
of illustration only and are not intended to in any way limit
the scope of the invention to the particular embodiment or
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embodiments shown, wherein:
FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of an apparatus for
installing casing constructed in accordance with the teachings
of the present invention.
FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view of the apparatus for
installing casing illustrated in FIGURE l, in use in accordance
with the teachings of the method.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The preferred embodiment, an apparatus for installing
casing using a top drive drilling rig generally identified by
reference numeral 10, will now be described with reference to
FIGURES 1 and 2.
Structure and Relationship of Parts:
Referring to FIGURE 1, apparatus 10 includes a first body
12 with a first end 14 and a second end 16. A threaded coupling
18 is positioned at first end 14. Referring to FIGURE 2,
threaded coupling 18 is adapted to engage a mating threaded
coupling 20 which is carried by a rotating top head 22 of a top
drive drilling rig generally referenced by numeral 24.
Referring to FIGURE 1, a first pin receiver 26 is positioned
at second end of body 12.
Referring to FIGURE l, a second body 28 is also provided
with a first end 30 and a second end 32. A receptacle 34 is
positioned at second end 32. A second pin receiver 36 is
positioned at first end 30. A first removable pin 38 engages
first pin receiver 26 and second pin receiver 36 to detachably
couple first body 12 and second body 28. Referring to FIGURE
2, a rotational force exerted upon first body 12 by rotating
top head 22 is transmitted to second body 28 so that second
body 28 rotates with first body 12. First body 12 and second
body 28 are adapted to pivot about a first pivot axis 40
provided by first removable pin 38.
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Referring to FIGURE 1, in this embodiment, first pin
receiver 26 has a single lobe 42 with an aperture 44 and second
pin receiver 36 has a pair of spaced lobes 46 each of which
have also have apertures 48. Single lobe 42 is positionable
5 between spaced lobes 46 to engage first removable pin 38.
Second body 28 has pin receiving apertures 50 which extend
through receptacle 34.
Referring to FIGURE l, an insert 52 is provided which
carries a threaded coupling 54. Referring to FIGURE 2,
threaded coupling 54 is adapted to engage mating threaded
coupling 56 on a length of casing 58. Referring to FIGURE 1,
insert 52 has pin receiving apertures 60. Insert 52 is
detachably secured within receptacle 34 by a second removable
pin 62 which engages pin receiving apertures 50 that extend
through receptacle 34 of second body 28 and pin receiving
apertures 60 of insert 52. Insert 52 is non-rotatably engaged
within receptacle 34 of second body 28. A rotational force
exerted upon second body 28 is transmitted to insert 52 so that
insert 52 rotates with second body 28.
Operation:
The use and operation of apparatus for installing casing
using a top drive drilling rig generally identified by
reference numeral 10, will now be described with reference to
FIGURES 1 and 2. Referring to FIGURE 2, there is illustrated
a method for installing casing 58 with top drive drilling rig
24. First body 12, as described above, is secured to rotating
top head 22 of top drive drilling unit generally referenced by
numeral 24. Second body 28 is secured to length of casing 58.
First body 12 and second body 28 are coupled so that second
body 28 rotates with first body 12. First body 12 and second
body 28 can be rapidly connected by positioning single lobe 42
of first pin receiver 26 between spaced lobes 46 of second pin
receiver 36 and inserting first removable pin 38 through
apertures 44 and 48. First body 12 and second body 28 can be
just as rapidly disconnected by removal of first removable pin
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38. The pivotal attachment along axis 40, enables attachment
without precise vertical alignment. More importantly, the
pivotal attachment along axis 40 enables attachment to me made
with casing 58 laying down at ground level.
Referring to FIGURE 2, it is preferred that several second
bodies 28 can be provided. While one of second bodies 28 is
attached to first body 12 and used to rotate a length of casing
58 before being detached, another of second bodies 28a can be
secured to the next length of casing 58a to be installed.
Referring to FIGURE l, in order to adapt apparatus 10 for
use with a different size of casing, second removable pin 62
is withdrawn and insert 52 is removed from receptacle 34. A
different insert 52 suited for the new size of casing can then
be inserted into receptacle 34. The new insert is secured in
place by inserting second removable pin 62 back through pin
receiving apertures 50 that extend through receptacle 34 of
second body 28 and pin receiving apertures 60 of insert 52.
The above described method and apparatus enables
connections to both rotating top head 22 and casing 58 to be
done at ground level. Rotating top head 22, to which first
body 12 is attached, is able to pick up casing 58, to which
second body 28 has been attached, from a position in which
casing 58 is laying down at ground level. A connection is made
between first body 12 and second body 28 by inserting pin 38.
Once pin 58 has been inserted, top drive is able to travel
straight up the derrick. Rotating top head 22 is rotated to
spin casing 58 to attach it to the casing string and the casing
string is lowered into the hole. Second body 28 is then spun
out by rotating top head 22 and lowered to ground level. Where
second body 28 is disconnected and second body 28a secured to
the next length of casing 58a is attached. It will be
appreciated that this is a much safer method as the need for
a rig hand up the derrick is eliminated, as it the transfer
from a lifting apparatus to the rotating top head. It also
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allows oil rigs that are not equipped with a secondary pick up
apparatus to run casing.
It will be apparent to one skilled in the art the relative
speed that the above described method and apparatus provides
as compared to the prior art.
In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used in
its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word
are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not
excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article
"a" does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the
element is present, unless the context clearly requires that
there be one and only one of the elements.
It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that
modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiment without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as
hereinafter defined in the Claims.
