Oilfield tubular spin-in and spin-out detection for making-up and breaking-out tubular strings
AssigneeCanrig Drilling Technology Ltd.
InventorDouglas A. Hunter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Spin-in and spin-out apparatus and methods are presented wherein an oilfield tubular spinner used in combination with a wrench detects the shouldering-up of tubulars during make-up and tubular thread disengagement during break-out. Sensors are employed to quantify measurables indicative of shouldering-up and thread disengagement, the measurables being used to shutdown spin-in and spin-out operations. Thresholds are employed to detect measurable values of interest. Timers may be employed to monitor and control the spin-in and spin-out operations.
Claims20
An oilfield tubular spinner for an oilfield tubular torque wrench, the oilfield tubular spinner comprising:
- a powered spin roller including an axis of rotation;
- a spin motor operatively connected to, and configured to drive, the powered spin roller to rotate about its axis of rotation;
- and
- a spin-out detection system configured to detect a spun-out condition of an upper tubular being driven by the powered spin roller to threadedly disconnect from a lower tubular and to initiate spin motor shutdown in response to the detection of the spun-out condition.
A method for breaking out a threaded connection between an upper tubular and a lower tubular using an oilfield tubular spinner and a torque wrench, which method comprises:
- holding the lower tubular with the torque wrench;
- frictionally engaging the upper tubular with the tubular spinner;
- operating a motor of the tubular spinner to rotate the upper tubular relative to the lower tubular;
- monitoring a condition of the upper tubular to detect a condition of interest during rotation of the upper tubular relative to the lower tubular;
- and
- shutting down the motor after a condition of interest is detected.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.