# US 11,993,989 B2 · Tubular management system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,993,989 B2 - Document ID: US11993989B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/004,374 - Filed: 2021-07-07 - Published: 2023-09-07 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-07 - Assignees: Schlumberger Technology Corporation - Applicants: Schlumberger Technology Corporation - Inventors: Aaron Bryant - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993989B2 ## CPC - E21B 19/155: {Handling between horizontal and vertical position} - E21B 19/165: {Control or monitoring arrangements therefor} - E21B 17/006: {Accessories for drilling pipes, e.g. cleaners (wear protectors E21B17/10; handling drilling pipes E21B19/00; thread protectors B65D59/00)} - E21B 19/00: Handling rods, casings, tubes or the like outside the borehole, e.g. in the derrick; Apparatus for feeding the rods or cables - E21B 19/14: Racks, ramps, troughs or bins, for holding the lengths of rod singly or connected; Handling between storage place and borehole (E21B19/20, E21B19/22 take precedence) - E21B 19/15: Racking of rods in horizontal position; Handling between horizontal and vertical position - E21B 41/00: Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00 - E21B 47/12: Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling - G01B 11/043: {for measuring length} - G01B 11/08: for measuring diameters - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS ## Abstract A drilling system includes a horizontal tubular handling and transfer assembly configured to receive a tubular component, a first sensor array disposed at a first axial location on the horizontal tubular handling and transfer assembly, and a second sensor array disposed at a second axial location on the horizontal tubular handling and transfer assembly. The drilling system also includes processing circuitry configured to determine a length dimension of the tubular component based on first data feedback from the first sensor array, second data feedback from the second sensor array, or both. The processing circuitry is also configured to determine a diameter dimension of the tubular component based on the first data feedback, the second data feedback, or both. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drilling system comprising: a horizontal tubular handling and transfer assembly configured to receive a tubular component and comprising an assembly station and a catwalk machine; a first sensor array disposed at a first axial location on the assembly station of the horizontal tubular handling and transfer assembly; a second sensor array disposed at a second axial location on the assembly station of the horizontal tubular handling and transfer assembly; a third sensor array disposed at a third axial location on the catwalk machine; a fourth sensor array disposed at a fourth axial location on the catwalk machine; and processing circuitry configured to: determine a length dimension of the tubular component based on first data feedback from the first sensor array, second data feedback from the second sensor array, or both; determine a diameter dimension of the tubular component based on the first data feedback, the second data feedback, or both; verify the length dimension of the tubular component based on third data feedback from the third sensor array, fourth data feedback from the fourth sensor array, or both; and verify the diameter dimension of the tubular component based on the third data feedback, the fourth data feedback, or both. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the length dimension based on a velocity at which the tubular component is moved through the horizontal tubular handling and transfer assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, wherein the length dimension comprises a shoulder-to-shoulder length of the tubular component, a box length of the tubular component, a thread length of the tubular component, a sub length of the tubular component, a coupling length of the tubular component, or a pin length of the tubular component, and wherein the diameter dimension comprises a tube section diameter of the tubular component, a tool joint diameter of the tubular component, a collar diameter of the tubular component, a sub diameter of the tubular component, or a coupling diameter of the tubular component. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: determine an additional length dimension of the tubular component based on the first data feedback, the second data feedback, or both; and determine an additional diameter dimension of the tubular component based on the first data feedback, the second data feedback, or both. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to store the length dimension of the tubular component and the diameter dimension of the tubular component to an e-tally database. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The drilling system of claim 5, further comprising: a top drive; and a controller of the top drive, wherein the controller is configured to receive e-tally data from the e-tally database indicative of the length dimension of the tubular component and the diameter dimension of the tubular component, and wherein the controller is configured to control the top drive based on the e-tally data. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, wherein the tubular component comprises a drill pipe, a drill collar, a drill casing, or a drill sub. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The drilling system of claim 1, further comprising: a fifth sensor array comprising a long sensing sensor array, wherein the assembly station comprises a bucking unit, and the fifth sensor array is disposed at the bucking unit. ### Claim 9 A method of measuring a tubular component for a drilling operation, the method comprising: passing the tubular component through a horizontal tubular handling and transfer assembly comprising an assembly station and a catwalk machine; detecting the tubular component via a first sensor array disposed at a first axial position on the assembly station of the horizontal tubular handling and transfer assembly; detecting the tubular component via a second sensor array disposed at a second axial position on the assembly station of the horizontal tubular handling and transfer assembly; determining, via processing circuitry, a length dimension of the tubular component based on first data feedback received from the first sensor array, second data feedback received from the second sensor array, or both; determining, via the processing circuitry, a diameter dimension of the tubular component based on the first data feedback, the second data feedback, or both; verifying, via the processing circuitry, the length dimension of the tubular component based on third data feedback from a third sensor array, fourth data feedback from a fourth sensor array, or both, wherein the third sensor array and the fourth sensor array are disposed at a third axial location and a fourth axial location, respectively, on the catwalk machine; and verifying, via the processing circuitry, the diameter dimension of the tubular component based on the third data feedback, the fourth data feedback, or both. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: determining, via the processing circuitry, an additional length dimension of the tubular component based on the first data feedback, the second data feedback, or both; and determining, via the processing circuitry, an additional diameter dimension of the tubular component based on the first data feedback, the second data feedback, or both. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein: the length dimension comprises a shoulder-to-shoulder length of the tubular component; the additional length dimension comprises a box length, a pin length, or a thread length of the tubular component; the diameter dimension comprises a tube section diameter of the tubular component; and the additional diameter dimension comprises a tool joint diameter of the tubular component. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the length dimension based on an input indicative of a velocity at which the tubular component is passed through the horizontal tubular handling and transfer assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising passing a drill pipe, a drill collar, a drill casing, or a drill sub corresponding to the tubular component through the horizontal tubular handling and transfer assembly at the velocity. ### Claim 14 A drilling system comprising: a horizontal tubular handling and transfer assembly configured to receive a tubular component and comprising an assembly station, wherein the assembly station comprises a bucking unit; a first sensor array disposed at a first axial location on the assembly station of the horizontal tubular handling and transfer assembly, the first sensor array further being disposed on a first side of the assembly station; a second sensor array disposed at a second axial location on the assembly station of the horizontal tubular handling and transfer assembly, the second sensor array further being disposed on the first side of the assembly station; a third sensor array disposed on a second side of the assembly station; a fourth sensor array disposed on the second side of the assembly station; a fifth sensor array disposed at the bucking unit; and processing circuitry configured to: determine a length dimension of the tubular component based on first data feedback from the first sensor array, second data feedback from the second sensor array, or both; and determine a diameter dimension of the tubular component based on the first data feedback, the second data feedback, or both. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The drilling system of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the length dimension based on an input indicative of a velocity at which the tubular component is moved through the horizontal tubular handling and transfer assembly. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The drilling system of claim 14, wherein the length dimension comprises a shoulder-to-shoulder length of the tubular component, a box length of the tubular component, a thread length of the tubular component, a sub length of the tubular component, a coupling length of the tubular component, or a pin length of the tubular component, and wherein the diameter dimension comprises a tube section diameter of the tubular component, a tool joint diameter of the tubular component, a collar diameter of the tubular component, a sub diameter of the tubular component, or a coupling diameter of the tubular component. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The drilling system of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: determine an additional length dimension of the tubular component based on the first data feedback, the second data feedback, or both; and determine an additional diameter dimension of the tubular component based on the first data feedback, the second data feedback, or both. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The drilling system of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to store the length dimension of the tubular component and the diameter dimension of the tubular component to an e-tally database. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The drilling system of claim 18, further comprising: a top drive; and a controller of the top drive, wherein the controller is configured to receive e-tally data from the e-tally database indicative of the length dimension of the tubular component and the diameter dimension of the tubular component, and wherein the controller is configured to control the top drive based on the e-tally data. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The drilling system of claim 14, wherein the tubular component comprises a drill pipe, a drill collar, a drill casing, or a drill sub.