Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CONTROL LINE MANIPULATING ARM AND METHOD OF USING SAME
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation in part of United States Patent Application
Serial Number
10/315,617 having a filing date of December 10, 2002 and is related to United
States Patent
Application titled Control Line Guide and Method of Using Same, Serial Number
10/995,905 having
a filing date of November 24, 2004.
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to running control lines and tubular strings
into wellbores.
More specifically, the present invention relates to protecting and
manipulating control lines as they
are attached to and inserted into wellbores with tubular strings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
For a further understanding of the nature and objects of the present
invention, reference
should be had to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying
drawings, in which like elements are given the same or analogous reference
numbers.
FIG. 1 illustrates a side elevated view of an embodiment of a control line
manipulator
according to the present invention;
FIG. 1A illustrates an expanded side, elevated view of the control line
manipulator
according to FIG. 1, showing more of the derrick and the control line path;
FIG. 2 illustrates a top plan view of a floor mounted embodiment of a control
line
manipulator according to the present invention;
FIG. 2A illustrates the embodiment of FIG. 2 in a different operational
position;
FIG. 3 illustrates a side elevated view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG.
2 according to
the present invention;
FIG. 3A illustrates a side elevated view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG.
2A according
to the present invention;
FIG. 4 illustrates an elevated pictorial, isometric view of a guide head of a
control line
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manipulator according to the present invention;
FIG. 4A illustrates an elevated, side view of the guide head of a control line
manipulator
illustrated in FIG. 4 according to the present invention;
FIG. 5 illustrates a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of a floor
mounted
embodiment of a control line manipulator according to the present invention;
FIG. 5A illustrates the embodiment of FIG. 5 in a different operational
position;
FIG. 6 illustrates an elevated, side view of the embodiment of FIG. 5;
FIG. 6A illustrates an elevated, side view of the embodiment of FIG. 5A;
FIG. 7 illustrates a top plan view of a spider configured with a passage for
control lines
according to the present invention;
FIG. 8 illustrates an elevated section of the embodiment of FIG. 7 showing an
embodiment
of a control line protector and enclosure according to the present invention;
FIG. 9 illustrates a elevated, side view of an embodiment of a control line
enclosure
configured for a spider according to the present invention;
FIG. 10 illustrates a top plan view, partly in cross section, of the device of
FIG. 9 in the open
position according to the present invention;
FIG. 11 illustrates the embodiment of FIG. 10 in an enclosing position
according to the
present invention;
FIG. 12 illustrates a side, sectional view of a flap cover type of protector
according to the
present invention;
FIG. 13 illustrates a top plan view of the flap cover type of protector
according to FIG. 12;
FIG. 14 illustrates a top plan view of a pivoting plate form of control line
enclosure
according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 15 illustrates a sectional side view of a pivoting plate form of control
line enclosure
according to FIG. 14;
FIG. 16 illustrates a general schematic view for automatic sequencing of the
system
according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIlVIENTS OF THE INVENTION
It is well known in drilling operations, including in the use of oilfield
tubulars, that the
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tubulars are normally added one tubular at a time. Together, these tubulars
are typically referred to
as a tubular string. The tubulars are normally lifted and manipulated by an
elevator which raises and
lowers the tubulars and/or the tubular string. This operation further
typically utilizes a spider which
may be located on the rig floor, beneath the rig floor, or flush with the rig
floor for holding the
tubular string in place. Above the spider, normal operations may include
various sets of tongs and/or
other devices for manipulating the tubulars or the tubular string. The spider
may include several
different sets of slips for gripping the tubular or the tubular string and
holding it in place.
Control lines may be operable downhole, on the rig floor, or in other areas.
They are
typically used to manipulate or operate control devices. Such lines may be
encased in coiled tubing
or other protective enclosures. They may include pressure hoses or any other
type of lines or
conduits. Such control lines may carry electrical signals, hydraulic and/or
pneumatic fluids,
chemicals or even gases, and are normally attached to the tubular strings and
lowered into the
wellbore by normally feeding the control line from a reel or other source. The
control lines may be
fed to the drilling rig through a sheave, a roller, or other guiding device
which contacts the control
lines above the spider.
FIGS. 1 and lA illustrate the relationships between the tubular string 7, the
control line 4,
a control line manipulating arm 3, according to the present invention, and the
derrick 1. In this
embodiment, one or more control lines 4 are fed to the derrick from a control
line reel or other
source 6 and typically pass through a control line sheave 5, which may be
positioned and attached
to the rig high enough above the rig floor so as not to interfere with any
other rig operations. It
should be appreciated that the control line 4 may be a plurality of control
lines. For convenience and
clarity, the control line 4 will be described herein below in a singular form,
but such description
should not be viewed as limiting, since a plurality of control lines 4 is well
within the scope of the
invention described herein. It should further be appreciated, by those in the
art, that as the control
line 4 is manipulated by the manipulator arm 3, the control line 4 shall
follow different paths. For
the purposes of clarity, when the manipulator arm 3 is in a retracted
position, control line 4 will
follow the path designated by the numera110. When the manipulator arm is in
the extended position,
such that the control line 4 is positioned near the tubular string 7, the path
followed by the control
line 4 is designated as 10'. For further clarity, control line 4 will be
designated as 4' when following
path 10'. Typically, tubular string 7 is manipulated by elevator 26, which
raises and lowers tubular
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string 7 into and out of the wellbore through the use of a traveling block and
associated hook, well
known in the art.
FIG. 1 further illustrates a spider 12, which may be a conventional spider
that is mounted
below the rig floor 2 or flush mounted with the rig floor 2 or may be any
other gripping device which
can hold the tubular string 7 in place. Preferably, after a new section of
tubular has been connected
to tubular string 7 via connector or collar 7a, the manipulator arm 3 is
extended, preferably by a
telescoping action, and pushes control line 4 into path10'. Preferably,
manipulator arm 3 will extend
far enough that control line 4' in path 10' is positioned very close to the
tubular string 7. Preferably,
the control line 4' will be attached by a clamp 18 or other device to the
tubular string 7. Such
attachment of the control line 4' to the tubular string 7 may preferably be
above spider 12 or may be
below spider 12. After the control line 4' has been attached to the tubular
string 7, elevator 26 will
then begin lowering tubular string 7 into the wellbore, along with the
attached control line 4'. As the
elevator 26 continues its descent, the manipulator arm 3 will begin retracting
and will move control
line 4' into the position of control line 4 and following pathl0. Thus, by the
time the elevator 26
reaches a position near the rig floor 2, the manipulator arm 3 will preferably
have retracted and will
have moved control line 4 out of the path of elevator 26, thus preventing any
contact and damage to
the control line 4 by elevator 26. FIG. 1 also illustrates an optional guide
12a. Optional guide 12a
is preferably mounted onto spider 12 and may comprise a set of rollers or may
be another type of
smooth surface which allows sliding contact between the control line 4 and the
guide 12a.
Preferably, the optional guide 12a provides a smooth transition for control
line 4 as it passes through
spider 12.
The manipulator arm 3 is preferably mounted on the beam 1 a on the derrick 1.
Preferably,
the manipulator arm 3 is mounted at a convenient height such as to allow
personnel to conduct work
below the manipulator arm 3. Preferably, the manipulator arm 3 is detachably
mounted to the
derrick in a conventional manner. It should be appreciated that the mounting
of the manipulator arm
3 can also include swivel connections which would allow the arm to be moved or
folded out of the
way when not in use. It should be further appreciated that when manipulator
arm 3 is mounted to the
derrick, typically a rig specific mounting bracket may be designed such as to
mount the manipulator
arm 3 generally in the same plane vertical as the control sheave 5.
Referring still to FIG. I for a more detailed view of the manipulator arm 3,
the arm 3
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preferably comprises a guide head 8, at least one hydraulic cylinder 9, and a
telescoping beam 11.
The telescoping beam 11 allows the guide head 8 to move the control line 4 in
a direction towards
the tubular string 7 and away from the tubular string 7 as desired or
necessary. It should be
understood that the guide head 8 is preferably rigidly attached to the
telescoping beam 11. However,
in other embodiments, the guide head 8 may be capable of swiveling either
hydraulically or as
required by the tension of the control lines 4. The stroke length of the
telescoping beam is
preferably in a range of 48". However, it should be appreciated that the
stroke length of the
telescoping beam 11 may vary as necessary due to rig design or rig space
capabilities. Still further,
the stroke length of the telescoping beam 11 should be such that when in the
retracted position, the
guide head 8 has moved far enough away from the tubular string 7 to avoid any
interference with the
elevator 26 or any other moving parts of the rig system. When in the extended
position, the
telescoping beam 11 should position the guide head 8 in close proximity to the
tubular string 7.
Preferably, hydraulic cylinder 9, which controls the extension and retraction
of telescoping beam 11,
is hydraulically actuated from a remote console (not shown). However, it
should be understood that
the control of the hydraulic cylinder 9 may be a variety of means, including
pneumatic actuation,
hydraulic actuation, electric actuation, any combination of these, as well as
any other conventional
means. It should be further understood that the hydraulic cylinder 9 may be
controlled with a hand-
held remote control, as well as the remote console, not illustrated, but which
can be located, as
desired, on or near the rig floor 2.
It should be appreciated that some rigs or derricks have limited space and may
not have room
for the mounting of the manipulator arm 3 on a beam such as the beam I a.
Another embodiment of
the mounting of the manipulator arm 3 would preferably comprise a floor
mounted manipulator arm
designated as 103, and illustrated in FIGS. 2, 2A, 3, and 3A. The floor
mounted arm 103 is
preferably pinned to an adapter plate 15 but may also be attached by other
conventional methods.
The adapter plate 15 may be mounted to the spider 12, such as by attachment
pad eyes 16. It should
be appreciated that the adapter plate 15 may be mounted to the rig floor 2 or
other convenient
position. Preferably, this mounting method allows for the manipulator arm 103
to be mounted to a
variety of different types of spiders.
As further illustrated by FIGS. 2, 2A, 3, and 3A, the manipulator arm 103 is
preferably
supported by a substantially vertical column 17. Preferably, the manipulator
arm 103 mounting
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includes pin connections such that the manipulator arm 103 could be raised or
lowered into a stowed
position when not in use, thus, not blocking the limited space in the derrick
work area. It should be
appreciated that manipulator arm 103 is mounted such as to be in substantially
the same vertical
plane as the control sheave 5. The vertical column 17 may be attached to the
adapter plate 15 in a
variety of conventional ways, for example by welding or by the use of
conventional fasteners such
as threaded nuts and bolts. The attachment is preferably detachable so as to
allow relatively easy
assembly and disassembly of the structure. The vertical column 17 may also be
pivotally mounted
to allow the column 17 and the manipulator arm 103 to be tilted further out of
the way of rig
operations. Further, vertical column 17 may comprise a telescoping assembly to
allow for the
vertical adjustment of the manipulator arm 103. Still further, vertical column
17 may be mounted
so as to swivel or rotate relative to the mounting plate 15. FIG. 3A also
illustrates the control line
clamp 18 which, as discussed herein above, may be installed above the spider
12, as shown here, or
below the spider 12. It should be appreciated that FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a
top view and side view
respectively when the manipulator arm 103 is in the retracted position.
Similarly, FIGS. 2A and 3A
illustrate top and side views respectively when the manipulator arm 103 is in
the extended position.
FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the guide head 8. Guide head 8 is
preferably attached
to the telescoping beam 11 opposite the attachment of the beam 11 to the
derrick or attachment to
the vertical beam 17. The guide head 8 preferably captures the control line 4
and allows for the
manipulation of the control line 4 by the movement of the manipulator arm 3,
103. Preferably, guide
head 8 comprises a main body 31, which may be attached to the telescoping beam
11 and a door
section 32 which may be pivotally mounted on the body section 31. Preferably,
the body section 31
further comprises a set of rollers 33 and the door section 32 further
comprises a set of rollers 33a.
It should be appreciated that the rollers 33, 33a can be a variety of type of
guides, including smooth
surfaces or a variety of number and size of rollers. Preferably, the rollers
33, 33a are of a material
that does not damage the control line 4. Preferably, control line 4 is
inserted into the control head
8 between the body section 31, and the door section 32. With the door section
32 in the closed
position, the control line 4 is captured within the guide head 8 and may then
be manipulated when
the manipulator arm 3 extends or retracts. The rollers 33, 33a allow for the
control line 4 to easily
move through the control head 8 in a substantially unimpeded manner as the
manipulator arm 3 is
extended or retracted.
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The guide head 8 may comprise other rollers or guides mounted on the outside
of the main
body 31 or the door section 32. FIG. 4 illustrates such rollers 34 which are
mounted on the top of
control head 8 and in a direction substantially perpendicular to rollers 33,
33a. FIG. 4A illustrates
a roller 35 mounted on the outside of door section 32. Rollers 34 provide a
guide for control line 4
when such control line 4 is positioned along the inner sides of the guide head
8. The roller 35 may
be used for guiding the control line 4 when the control line 4 is not captured
inside the guide head
8. Further, roller 35 may also be used as a pipe-stop roller to indicate when
the guide head 8 has
extended to a position proximate to tubular string 7. It should be appreciated
that other rollers,
guides or stops may be mounted in a variety of positions in or about the guide
head 8. These rollers,
guides, or stops will preferably facilitate the operation and functionality of
the guide head 8. It
should be further understood that although rollers are the preferred method of
guidance in the guide
head 8, other types of guides can be used to facilitate the efficient and
damage-free movement of the
control line 4 through or near the guide head 8. It should be understood that
although the preferred
embodiment of the control head 8 includes the body section 31 and the door
section 32. The guide
head 8 may be operated in an embodiment containing only the main body 31. In
such an
embodiment, control line 4 would only be in contact with one set of rollers on
the main body section
31. It should still further be appreciated that rollers, such as roller 35,
may be used to indicate
position or travel limitations. As such, the rollers may further comprise or
be replaced by position
indication devices, such as but not limited to, limit switches, proximity
probes, or other sensors.
The pivotally mounted door section 32 is preferably pneumatically actuated to
open and
close. It should be understood that the door section 32 can also be actuated
in a variety of other
ways, including but not limited to, hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, or any
combination thereof. The
actuation of the door section 32 can also be operated from a remote console or
a hand-held remote
control. It should be appreciated that the remote console or the hand-held
controller may be
conventional actuation controllers and are therefore not described in detail
herein. Preferably, in
operation, the pivotally mounted door section 32 is opened and the control
line 4 is placed inside the
guide head 8. The pivotally mounted door section 32 can then be actuated to
the closed position.
After the control line 4 is captured in the guide head 8, the control line 4
will preferably run on the
two sets of rollers 33, 33a in the body 31 and in the door section 32,
respectively. Preferably, the
control line 4 will move along one set of the rollers 33 when the manipulator
arm 3 is moving the
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control line 4 in proximity to the tubular string 7 and along the other set of
rollers 33a when the
manipulator arm 3 is retracting. It should be understood that as the
manipulator arm 3 moves the
control line 4 in proximity to the tubular string 7, the control line 4 is
being pushed by the body 31
mounted rollers 33. Likewise, as the manipulator arm 3 retracts or moves the
control line 4 in a
direction away from the tubular string 7, the control line 4 is being pushed
by the door 32 mounted
rollers 33a. Although some contention may be made that when the manipulator
arm 3 is retracting
or moving the control line 4 in a direction away from the tubular string 7,
the control line 4 is
actually being pulled, this is an issue more of semantics and should not be
interpreted as limiting the
scope of the invention or the appended claims herein. Preferably, the rollers
33, 33a or other guide
members placed inside the body 31 and/or the door section 32 will constitute a
curved profile so as
to keep the bend radius of the control line 4 below the maximum bend radius of
the control line 4.
FIG. 4A further illustrates the curvature 36 of the rollers 33, 33a.
Preferably, the angle of the control
line 4 will depend on the mounting height of the manipulator arm 3 and the
mounting height of the
control sheave 5 (FIG. lA).
FIGS. 5, 5A, 6, and 6A illustrate an alternate embodiment of the manipulator
arm 3
designated here as 25. FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a top view and side view,
respectively, of the
manipulator arm 25 in the retracted position. FIGS. 5A and 6A illustrate a top
view and side view,
respectively, of the manipulator arm 25 in the extended position. The guide
head 8 is preferably
attached to beam 25d and may move toward and away from the tubular string 7.
Beam 25d is
actuated by cylinder 28 which preferably moves beam 25c. The beam 25b
maintains a substantially
parallel relationship between the beam 25d and adapter plate 15. It should be
appreciated that beam
25d may further comprise a telescoping member to provide for greater range of
extension and
retraction of the guide head 8. Similarly, the substantially parallel beams
25c and 25b may also
comprise telescoping members to allow a greater range of vertical motion for
the manipulator arm
25.
FIG. 7 illustrates a top plan view of what is otherwise a conventional spider
12, but which
contains a passage 14 for the control line 4. The embodiment of the spider 12
illustrated in FIG. 7
comprises a set of slips 12b and a door 12d, which may be hinged either by pin
12e or pin 12f,
depending on which direction the door is to swing. The spider 12 further
comprises a set of slips
12b, which are shown engaged onto the tubular string 7. Passage 14 is
preferably a groove or
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channel which is cut into the slip door 12d. As illustrated in FIG. 8, groove
14 further comprises a
substantially curved surface 13, which preferably alters the angle of descent
of the control line 4 as
it moves through the spider 12 and moves down into the wellbore with the
tubular string 7. It should
be appreciated that the curved surface 13, in passage 14, is to provide a
smoother transition for the
control line 4 as it moves through the spider 12. It should also be
appreciated that although the
passage 14 is shown with as a semi-cylindrical channel, any of several
configurations of the passage
14 may be acceptable and should be considered within the scope of this
invention. It should be
appreciated that the passage 14 may be cut or machined in a substantially
vertical direction or in a
direction having some pre-determined angle on the inside surface of door 12d
or of the wall of the
spider 12. The passage 14 should be substantially smooth to avoid damage to
the control line 4 and
allow easy movement of the control line 4 therethrough. If desired, passage 14
can have its own
roller, or sets of rollers, to facilitate the movement of the control line 4
through the spider 12. The
passage 14 should be configured in a position such that the control line 4 is
moveable in a
substantially radial direction with respect to the spider 12 and the tubular
string 7. It should be
appreciated, by those in the art, that spiders may be of various
configurations and that not all spiders
comprise a door 12d or slips of the same configuration as illustrated. It
should be further appreciated
that regardless of the configuration of the slips 12b, the passage 14 is cut
such that when the control
line 4 is resting in the groove in the passage 14, it does not interfere with
the movement of the slips
12b as they move from the opened position to the closed position or as they
move from the closed
position to the opened position. Still further, it should be appreciated that
the passage 14 does not
have to be cut or machined in the door 12d of the spider 12. Passage 14 can be
located at any part
of the spider 12 such that passage 14 will align with path 10' or path 10
(FIG. 1). In an embodiment
with a spider 12 that has no door 12d, the passage 14 may be cut or machined
into the wall of the
spider 12 in a manner substantially similar to that previously described
regarding the door 12d.
Preferably, passage 14 is configured in such a manner as to contain control
line 4 and keep
it from moving inadvertently into the path of slips 12b. The containment or
confinement of the
control line 4, within passage 14, may be accomplished by using various
latches or catches. These
latches or catches may be automatically or manually activated. It should be
appreciated that in some
embodiments the passage 14 may not require the confinement of the control line
4, and instead rely
on the positioning of the control line 4, against the back of the passage 14,
to avoid interfering with
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the spider 12 or the spider slips 12b.
An embodiment utilizing a latch or catch is illustrated in FIG. 8. Here, a
latch or catch is
designated with the numeral 20 and is illustrated within passage 14. The latch
20 may comprise a
variety of configurations to secure the control line 4 within the passage 14.
The latch 20 may be
integral with the spider 12 or may be a separate device mounted within the
control line passage 14
and in either case will preferably contain the control line 4 while the
control line 4 is passing through
the spider 12. It should be understood that the function of the catch and of
passage 14 is not to
restrict the longitudinal movement of the control line 4 relative to the
tubular string 7, but instead
to restrict the radial movement of control line 4 such as to prevent the
control line 4 from interfering
with the opening or closing movement of the spider slips 12b.
FIGS. 9 - 11 illustrate one embodiment of the catch 20. In this embodiment,
catch 20
comprises a rotatable drum 20j, which can be actuated automatically or
manually. Preferably, the
catch 20 is configured so as to fit within the passage 14. It should be
appreciated that the interior
passage 20a of the catch 20, is in a substantially concentric alignment with
passage 14, thus allowing
for the passing of the control line 4. When actuated, the rotatable drum 20j,
rotates such that the
catch 20 substantially encloses the control line 4 (FIG. 11). The catch 20
further comprises frame
members 20c which are preferably attached at one end to a stationary base 20k
and at the other end
to drum support members 20e. It should be appreciated that if the catch 20 is
mounted or attached
to the spider door 12 or the spider wall, drum support members 20e may be
directly attached to the
door or wall thus eliminating the need for the frame members 20c. The drum 20j
is preferably rotated
by gear 20f which may in turn be actuated by a pinion gear 20d. For the
automatic rotational
operation of the drum 20j, the pinion gear 20d may be rotated by a motor, gear
driver, or other
available power source. For manual rotational operation, the pinion gear 20d
may be rotated by a
hand or using a handle, wrench, handwheel, or other manual rotational aid (not
illustrated). Further,
for manual rotation, a handle, or the like, may be directly adapted to the
drum 20j thus eliminating
the need for both gears 20d and 20f. FIG. 10 illustrates the open position of
the catch 20 wherein the
control line 4 may pass through gap 20b. It should be understood that the
control line 4 will pass
through gap 20b as the control line 4 moves between path 10 and path 10'
(FIGS. 1 and 1A).
FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate another embodiment of the catch 120. This
embodiment comprises
a flapper-type catch. Flapper assemblies 21 are substantially identical and
are substantially
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symmetrically disposed about the throughbore of the spider 12 (the bore
through which the tubular
string 7 passes). The flaps preferably have openings 21 f to accept the
tubular string 7 and openings
21 e for confining the control line 4 in a path 10 through the spider 12. Each
flapper assembly 21 is
preferably attached to the spider 12 by brackets 21 b. The flappers 21 a are
preferably hinge 22
mounted. It should be appreciated that the flapper assemblies 21 may be
mounted in a variety of
conventional methods and that the method of mounting or the mounting
configuration should not be
viewed as a limitation but rather as being fully within the scope of the
invention. Further, the type
or placement of the hinge as well as other functional manners of attaching the
flappers 21 a should
be viewed as being fully within the scope of this invention. For manual
operation, of the flapper
assemblies 21, handles 21 d may be attached to the flappers 21 a. For
automatic operation, motors M
may be used to rotate the pins 21c which are preferably attached to the
flapper hinge 22. The motors
M are preferably conventional rotary motors and can be actuated through a
conventional power
means, such as but not limited to, hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, or a
combination thereof.
FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate another alternate embodiment of the control line
catch. The control
line catch 220 preferably comprise two substantially identical assemblies 140
which are substantially
symmetrically disposed about the throughbore of the spider 12 (the bore
through which the tubular
string 7 passes). The catch assemblies 140 move substantially along a
circumferential path and in
a substantially horizontal plane about the through bore of the spider 12 (the
bore through which the
tubular string 7 passes).
The catch assemblies 140 preferably comprise two catch plates 40 which are
attached to the
spider 12 by flange bolts 40c. The catch plates 40 each preferably comprise
slots 40b which allow
the plates to rotate, in a substantially circumferential direction to confine
and release the control line
4. The catch plates 40 further comprise openings 40a, to accommodate the
tubular string 7, and
openings 40d to receive and confine the control line 4. It should be
understood that the attachment
and configuration of the catch assemblies 140 may be easily varied and the
description provided
herein should not be viewed as limiting as such varied methods of attachment
and varied
configurations are within the scope of the present invention.
The catch assemblies 140 may be operated either automatically or manually. For
manual
operation, handles 40e are attached, in a conventional manner, to catch plates
40. For the automated
operation of the catch assemblies 140, motors M2 may be utilized. Motors M2
are conventional
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rotation capable motors and are typically powered by rig available power.
Motors M2 may comprise
a motor driven gear 41, a roller drive, or other motor driven device which can
contact and rotate the
catch plates 40. It should be appreciated that the motor gear 41 may also be
utilized with the manual
operation upon the adaptation of a handle, wheel, or similar device capable of
rotating gear 41.
FIG. 15 further illustrates the utilization of a second catch 20. It should be
appreciated that
more than one embodiment of the catch may be used to retain the position of
the control line 4 for
the purposes of redundancy and/or safety.
It should be understood that the embodiments of the catches and the passage 14
described
hereinabove can be retrofitted into existing spiders of various
configurations. The installation of such
retrofits would preferably be as described hereinabove. Because the methods of
retrofitting these
embodiments, into existing spiders, would be known to those skilled in the
art, after viewing the
embodiments described herein, a detailed description of such adaptations will
not be described in
detail herein. It should be further understood that the embodiments of passage
14 and the various
catches described herein are adaptable to other tubular gripping devices which
may be used in lieu
of conventional spiders or in conjunction with conventional spiders and are
fully enveloped in the
scope of the instant invention.
A preferred method of operation in utilizing the apparatus to guide and
protect the control
line 4 may comprise the following steps starting with a tubular string 7 being
gripped by the elevator
26 before lowering the tubular string 7 into a wellbore. The control line 4 is
moved toward the
tubular string 7 (i.e. into path 10') until the control line 4 is in close
proximity to the tubular string
7, and the control line 4 is attached to the tubular string by a clamp 18. The
tubular string 7 and the
attached control line 4 are lowered into the wellbore. The control line 4 is
then moved in a direction
away from the tubular string 7 (preferably to avoid contact with the now
lowering elevator 26)and
into passage 14 to avoid any contact between the control line 4 and spider
slips 12b or other gripping
apparatus as the slips or grips move to a closed position to grip the tubular
string 7. The spider slip
12b or other gripping apparatus is then closed. The elevator slips or grips
are opened, thus releasing
the tubular string 7 which is preferably supported by the spider 12 or other
gripping apparatus. The
elevator 26 is moved to its upper position and a new tubular section is added
to the tubular string 7.
The tubular string load is then transferred to the elevator 26 and the spider
slip 12b or other gripping
apparatus is opened. After this step, the steps repeat with again moving the
control line 4 toward the
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tubular string 7 (i.e. into path 10') until the control line 4 is in close
proximity to the tubular string
7. It should be appreciated that this process continues until the tubular
string 7 has been extended
to a desired depth in the welibore.
FIG. 16 illustrates a schematic for automatic sequencing control. Lines 52,
53, 54, and 55
conduct signals to and from the processor 56. The signals may include, but are
not limited to,
actuation commands or position data. The processor 56 preferably responds to
the control 51 to
actuate the main process functions in the proper sequence, including, but not
limited to, actuating
the manipulator arm cylinder 9, actuating a catch 20, or actuating the spider
slips 50.
In some rig operations, the spider slips 12b may be controlled by other
sequencing controls.
In this case the processor 56 is preferably adapted to prevent interference
with any other sequencing
controller. Typically, the primary concern is that the spider slips 12b must
not open when the
elevator 26 is not gripping the tubular string 7. Therefore, opening of the
spider slips 12b, by another
sequencer, can be used to sequence the opening of the catch 20. It should be
appreciated that the
utilization of the catch 20, 120, 140, 220 are optional and not required for
every embodiment of the
present invention. It should be further appreciated that manual embodiments of
the catch 20, 120,
140, 220 would not be responsive to process controllers accept that some
embodiments may
comprise position indicators of such manual catch 20, 120, 140, 220 when
desired. Such position
indications are known in the art and thus are not described in detail herein.
It should be further appreciated that when the spider slips 12b are controlled
independent of
the manipulator arm 3, the speed of slip closure may be too fast for the
proper retraction and
confinement of the control line 4. Therefore, the manipulator arm 3 may begin
its retraction at some
pre-determined position of the tubular string 7 such as when the last added
tubular joint is about half
way through the spider 12. This operation may also be necessary when the
elevator 26 or other rig
hardware, associated with the tubular string 7 lowering, is in close proximity
to the manipulator arm
3. The closing of the catch 20 or other retention method of the control line
4, if such an embodiment
is present, may be started when the manipulator arm 3 has completed its
retraction and the control
line 4 is now following path 10. The closure of the spider slips 12b is
sequenced and can only occur
once the catches 20, 120, 140 or 220 have captured control line 4.
It is known in the art that the spider slips 12b and the elevator 26 may be
interconnected and
such is more fully described in U.S. Patents 5,791,410 (issued to Castille, et
al.), and 5,909,768
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(issued to Castille, et al) both of which are assigned to Frank's Casing Crew
and Rental Tools, Inc.,
the assignee of the instant invention and which are incorporated by reference
herein. It should be
appreciated that in such a configuration the processor or controller, for the
elevator 26/spiderl 2
operation, can preferably be set such that the spider slips 12b are actuated
only after the control line
4 manipulation has concluded.
It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are of
utility and may be
employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. This is
contemplated by and is
within the scope of the claims. It may be seen from the preceding description
that a novel control line
manipulation and control system has been provided. Although specific examples
may have been
described and disclosed, the invention of the instant application is
considered to comprise and is
intended to comprise any equivalent structure and may be constructed in many
different ways to
function and operate in the general manner as explained hereinbefore.
Accordingly, it is noted that
the embodiments described herein in detail for exemplary purposes are of
course subject to many
different variations in structure, design, application and methodology.
Because many varying and
different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept(s)
herein taught, and
because many modifications may be made in the embodiment herein detailed in
accordance with the
descriptive requirements of the law, it is to be understood that the details
herein are to be interpreted
as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
