Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02702567 2010-04-28
TITLE: APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR STRIPPING SOLIDS AND FLUIDS
FROM A STRING USED IN DRILLING OR SERVICING WELLS
INVENTOR: Quinn A. J. Holtby
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority of U.S. provisional patent application serial
nos.
61/173,507 filed April 28, 2009 and 61/321,009 filed April 5, 2010.
TECHNICAL FIELD:
The present disclosure is related to the field of apparatuses, in particular,
hand
held pipe wipers and seals for wiping fluids and solids off of pipe sections
of a string
used in the drilling of a well, or in the servicing of a well, as the pipe
sections are
removed from the well, and the method of using same.
BACKGROUND:
As sections of pipe in a string used either on a drilling rig in the drilling
of wells or
on a service rig in the servicing of wells are removed from or "tripped out"
of the well,
they are often covered with solids and/or fluids. Before the pipe sections are
put back
into a storage rack or facility, it is desirable that the solids or fluids be
removed or
stripped off of the pipe. Known methods for removing solids or fluids from
pipe sections
being tripped out of a well are cumbersome and can be difficult, if not
dangerous, for
drilling personnel to use.
Known methods for removing solids or fluids from pipe sections being tripped
out
of a well include the manual use of rags and gunny sacks which require the
hands of
drilling personnel to be in close proximity to the drilling fluid. The
drilling fluid is often at
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high temperatures and can burn the hands of drilling personnel. The known
methods
can result in the wiping device being dropped down into the drill hole.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a pipe wiper and seal that can wipe or
strip
off solids from pipe sections being tripped out of a well that is easy to
handle and safe to
use by personnel on the well.
SUMMARY:
An apparatus and method for stripping solids and fluids from sections of pipe
on
a string used in the drilling of wells or used in the servicing of wells. For
the purposes of
this specification and the claims contained herein, the term "string" is
defined to include
a drill string comprised of multiple sections of drill pipe joined together
used on a drilling
rig for the drilling of wells, a string of pipe comprised of multiple sections
of pipe joined
together used on a service rig for the servicing of wells, and coil tubing
that is used in
the directional drilling of wells in addition to the servicing of wells. For
the purposes of
this specification and the claims contained herein, the term "rig" is defined
to include
both well drilling rigs and well servicing rigs as well as snubbing units,
push/pull rigs, coil
tubing units, and other mechanical devices used to insert or remove string
from a well.
In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided comprising a hand held pipe wiper.
The pipe wiper can be used primarily to strip off solids and fluids from a
string when it is
being removed from a well. The pipe wiper can be provided with handles so it
can be
used manually by drilling personnel.
In one embodiment, the pipe wiper can comprise two or more portions that are
hinged together so that the pipe wiper can be opened and placed around a
string and
then closed around the string to form a generally cylindrical body that
encloses the
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string in a clamshell fashion. The pipe wiper can further comprise a
releasable latch
mechanism that can hold the pipe wiper body portions together. In this manner,
the
pipe wiper can easily and quickly be connected when installed on a string, and
then
easily and quickly disconnected and removed from the string when the string
has been
stripped of solids and fluids.
In another embodiment, the pipe wiper can further comprise a flexible toroidal
seal disposed in the pipe wiper body. The seal can have multiple parts, one
part for
each portion of the hinged body. When the pipe wiper is enclosed around a
string, the
seal can form a toroidal sealing member having a central opening that can fit
tightly
around the string. In another embodiment, the seal can be configured to flex
and
stretch such that the central opening can expand in diameter so that the seal
can pass
over a connection between sections of pipe as the string is being raised out
of a well,
and then contract in diameter to the pipe's diameter after the pipe connection
has
passed through the pipe wiper. In operation, the pipe wiper can be placed and
enclosed around a string and can be held in position by drilling personnel on
the rig floor
by gripping the handles to ensure stabilization of the pipe wiper as the
string is being
raised out of the well. As the string is raised, it passes through the pipe
wiper and the
sealing member in the pipe wiper strips off solids and fluids from the
exterior surface of
the string, the solids and fluids falling onto the rig floor.
In a further embodiment, the seal can be removably installed in the pipe wiper
so
as to provide a variety of seals having differently sized openings to
accommodate
strings of different diameters, or to be able to easily replace a damaged seal
in the pipe
wiper.
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"Handle" as used herein can include anything know in the art which will allow
a
worker to grip the apparatus. The handle can be integrally formed into the
body of the
apparatus or can be attached separately. The handle can allow for increasing
the
distance between the hands of drilling personnel and the drilling fluid.
Broadly stated, a hand held pipe wiper is provided for stripping off solids
and
fluids from a string in the drilling or servicing of a well, comprising: two
or more arcuate
body portions pivotally connected together and configured to form a
cylindrical body
when enclosed around the string; a latch mechanism disposed on one or more
body
portions, the latch mechanism configured to releasably connect the arcuate
body
portions together to form the cylindrical body; one or more handles disposed
on the
arcuate body portions; and a sealing member disposed in the cylindrical body,
the
sealing member configured to form a toroidal seal around the string when the
cylindrical
body is enclosed around the string whereby the sealing member strips solids
and fluids
off of the string when the string passes through the pipe wiper.
Broadly stated, a sealing member is provided which can be removably received
by an apparatus having two or more arcuate body portions pivotally connected
together
and configured to form a cylindrical body when closed together for stripping
off solids
and fluids from a string used in the drilling or servicing of a well, the
sealing member
comprising: a plurality of seal portions having a top face and a bottom face,
one seal
portion for each arcuate body portion; and the seal portions configured to
form an
opening that forms a toroidal seal around the string when the cylindrical body
is
enclosed around the string whereby the sealing member strips solids and fluids
off of
the string when the string passes through the apparatus.
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Broadly stated, a method is provided for stripping off solids and fluids from
a
string being removed from a well, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a hand
held pipe wiper, comprising: two or more arcuate body portions pivotally
connected
together and configured to form a cylindrical body when enclosed around the
string, a
5 latch mechanism disposed on one or more body portions, the latch mechanism
configured to releasably connect the arcuate body portions together to form
the
cylindrical body, one or more handles disposed on the arcuate body portions,
and a
sealing member disposed in the cylindrical body, the sealing member configured
to form
a toroidal seal around the string when the cylindrical body is enclosed around
the string
whereby the sealing member strips solids and fluids off of the string when the
string
passes through the pipe wiper; enclosing the pipe wiper around the string
whereby the
sealing member has formed the toriodal seal around the string; and holding the
pipe
wiper in position while the string is being raised out of the well whereby the
sealing
element strips off solids and fluids from the string.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
Figure 1 is a top plan view depicting a pipe wiper.
Figure 2 is a side elevation view depicting the pipe wiper of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a side cross-section view depicting the pipe wiper of Figure 2
along
section lines A-A.
Figure 4 is a perspective view depicting the pipe wiper of Figure 1 installed
on a
string being raised.
Figure 5 is a perspective view depicting a sealing member for a pipe wiper.
Figure 6 is a side elevation view depicting the sealing member of Figure 5.
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Figure 7 is a cross-section view depicting the sealing member of figure 5
along
section lines B-B.
Figure 8 is a perspective view depicting a female seal half of the sealing
member
of Figure 5.
Figure 9 is a side elevation view depicting the female seal half of Figure 8.
Figure 10 is a side cross-section view depicting the female seal half of
Figure 8
along section lines C-C.
Figure 11 is a perspective view depicting a male seal half of the sealing
member
of Figure 5.
Figure 12 is a side elevation view depicting the male seal half of Figure 11.
Figure 13 is a side cross-section view depicting the male seal half of Figure
11
along section lines D-D.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, an embodiment of pipe wiper 10 is shown. In this
embodiment, pipe wiper 10 can comprise body 12 consisting of arcuate or semi-
circular
body halves 14 and 16 that are pivotally connected together with hinge 18.
When body
halves 14 and 16 are closed together to meet at seam 19, body 12 defines
interior 11
through which a string can be placed and pass through. While this embodiment
comprises two semi-circular body portions 14 and 16 to form cylindrical or
tubular body
12, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that three or more arcuate body
portions
pivotally connected together can be used to form body 12. In other embodiments
of
pipe wiper 10, body 12 can have a cross-sectional shape that is not circular,
such
shapes including: triangular, square, rectangular, oval and polygonal cross-
sectional
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shapes. For the purposes of this specification and the claims contained
herein, the
terms "arcuate", "semi-circular", "cylindrical", "tubular" and any other like
terms are
hereby defined to include both circular and non-circular cross-sectional
shapes of body
12 and parts therefor, including a sealing member that is disposed in body 12
and
discussed in further detail below.
Body 12 can further comprise handle 20 disposed on body half 14 and handle 22
on body half 16 so as to enable a person to grasp and hold onto pipe wiper 10
when a
string is raised through it. Pipe wiper 10 can further comprise latch
mechanism 24 to
hold body halves 14 and 16 together when pipe wiper 10 is being used. In the
illustrated embodiment, latch 24 can comprise fixed hinge member 28 disposed
on body
half 14 that can be pivotally connected to movable latch member 30, which, in
turn, can
be pivotally connected to handle 26. Handle 26 can be further configured to
engage a
keeper or stay member disposed on body half 16 (not shown) to hold body halves
14
and 16 together when handle 26 is rotated towards body 12 whereby latch
mechanism
24 can operate as an "over center latch" as well known to those skilled in the
art. To
open pipe wiper 10, handle 26 can be pulled and rotated away from body half 16
to
disengage the keeper disposed thereon whereby handle 26 and latch member 30
can
be rotated further away from body half 16 so as to enable the removal of pipe
wiper 10
from a pipe section. It should be apparent that any suitable latching
mechanism known
to those skilled in the art can be used in substitution of the illustrated
latch mechanism
24 to couple body halves 14 and 16 together.
Referring to Figure 3, a cross-section view of pipe wiper 10 is shown, namely,
the
interior view of body half 16. As shown in this embodiment, the interior
surface of body
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half 16 can comprise groove 32 disposed thereon where a sealing element can be
removably placed. A corresponding groove 32 can also be disposed on the
interior
surface of body half 14 (not shown). Groove 32 enables the easy installation
and
removal of sealing elements in body halves 14 and 16 so that the sealing
element can
be replaced when it becomes damaged or when a sealing element for a different
diameter pipe is required.
Referring to Figure 4, pipe wiper 10 is shown installed on pipe 36 as it is
being
raised through pipe wiper 10. In this embodiment, pipe wiper 10 is shown
comprised of
semi-circular body halves 14 and 16 each having arcuate seal members 34 and 35
disposed therein, respectively. When pipe wiper 10 is installed around pipe
36, as
shown, seal members 34 and 35 meet at seam 40 to form opening 39 that, in
turn,
forms a toroidal seal around pipe 36. Seal members 34 and 35 can be configured
to be
removably placed or installed in grooves 32 disposed in body halves 14 and 16.
Seal
members 34 and 35 can be made of any suitable elastomeric material as well
known by
those skilled in the art that enable seal members 34 and 35 to flex and
stretch so as to
maintain contact with the external surface of pipe 36 due to any
irregularities to the
cross-sectional shape of pipe 36 or to the contour of the pipe's external
surface and, in
addition, to allow opening 39 to expand in diameter so as to enable any joint
connection
between two sections of pipe as such joints to pass through sealing members 34
and 35
as a joint connection can have a larger diameter than the diameter of the pipe
itself.
Suitable examples of the elastomeric material for seal members 34 and 35 can
include
natural rubber, neoprene rubber, foam rubber, silicone-based rubber, nitrile
rubber and
any other material known to those skilled in the art that is suitable for use
as a seal that
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can be used to strip petroleum-based produced substances from a string. The
elastomeric material for seal members 34 and 35 can also be a low weight
material
which would allow seal members 34 and 35 to float on the drilling fluid if
seal members
34 and 35 were dropped into well.
In another embodiment, seal members 34 and 35 can further comprise means for
allowing opening 39 to expand and contract in diameter. In one embodiment, the
means can comprise a plurality of relief cuts 38 disposed thereon to allow
opening 39 to
expand in diameter when a joint connection between two pipe sections are
passed
through pipe wiper 10, and to contract in diameter when the joint connection
has passed
through pipe wiper 10. In the illustrated embodiment, relief cuts 38 are shown
as
straight cuts in a radial configuration extending outwardly from opening 39.
It is obvious
to those skilled in the art that relief cuts 38 can be of any other suitable
configuration on
seal members 34 and 35 so as to allow opening 39 to expand and contract in
diameter
as a pipe joint connection passes through seal members 34 and 35.
In a representative embodiment, body 12, handles 20 and 22, and latch
mechanism 24 can be made of a polymer plastic material so as to minimize the
weight
of pipe wiper 10 and still maintain the necessary structural strength required
for a tool of
this nature. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that other materials
can be used in
the construction in pipe wiper 10, such as metal, metal alloys or any other
suitable
construction material.
Referring now to Figures 5, 6, and 7, a further embodiment of a sealing member
for use with pipe wiper 10 is shown as seal insert 42. Seal insert 42 can
include a
female seal half 44 and a male seal half 46. Outer edge 48 of seal insert 42
can be
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configured such that seal insert 42 can be removably placed or installed in
body halves
14 and 16. Seal insert 42 can include a top face 50 and bottom face 52. Seal
grooves
56 can be used to removably place seal insert 43 into groove 32 on the
interior surface
of body half 16 and the interior surface of body half 14. Groove 32 can enable
the easy
5 installation and removal of seal halves 44 and 46 in body halves 14 and 16
so that the
seal insert 42 can be replaced when it becomes damaged or when a seal insert
42 for a
different diameter pipe 36 (as shown in Figure 3) is required.
Female seal half 44 and a male seal half 46 can be made of any suitable
elastomeric material as well known by those skilled in the art that enable
female seal
10 half 44 and a male seal half 46 to flex and stretch so as to maintain
contact with the
external surface of pipe 36 due to any irregularities to the cross-sectional
shape of pipe
36 or to the contour of the pipe's external surface and, in addition, to allow
seal insert
opening 54 to expand in diameter so as to enable any joint connection between
two
sections of pipe to pass through seal insert opening 54 as a joint connection
can have a
larger diameter than the diameter of the pipe 36 itself. Suitable examples of
the
elastomeric material for female seal half 44 and a male seal half 46 can
include natural
rubber, neoprene rubber, foam rubber, silicone-based rubber, nitrite rubber
and
combinations thereof or any other material known to those skilled in the art
that is
suitable for use as a seal that can be used to strip petroleum-based produced
substances from a string. The elastomeric material for female seal half 44 and
a male
seal half 46 can also be a low weight material which would allow female seal
half 44
and a male seal half 46 to float on the drilling fluid if female seal half 44
and a male seal
half 46 were dropped into well.
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Referring to Figures 8, 9, and 10, female seal half 44 can have notch 58 for
receiving a tongue disposed on seal half 46. Referring to Figures 11, 12, and
13, male
seal half 46 can have tongue 60 that can be inserted into notch 58 so that
female seal
half 44 and male seal half 46 can be brought together to form seal insert 42
which, in
turn, can form a toroidal seal around pipe 36 (as shown in Figure 3).
In another embodiment, seal insert 42 can also include channel 62 disposed
between the top face 50 and bottom face 52 of seal insert 42. Channel 62 can
allow for
the a pipe joint or irregularity on pipe 36 to pass through opening 54 and
seal insert 42
can still strip pipe 36 of solids and fluids collected on the outside surface
of pipe 36.
Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it will be
appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications
might be
made without departing from the scope of the invention. The terms and
expressions
used in the preceding specification have been used herein as terms of
description and
not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and
expressions of
excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof,
it being
recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the
claims that
follow.
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