# US 2019/0376352 A1 · Integrated pipe handling system for well completion and production

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- Number: US 2019/0376352 A1
- Document ID: US20190376352A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/003,240
- Filed: 2018-06-08
- Published: 2019-12-12
- Earliest claimed: 2018-06-08
- Assignees: Glider Products LLC
- Inventors: Terry L. McIver; Zachary C. Nash; Gary R. Weatherman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190376352A1

## CPC

- 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 19/20: Combined feeding from rack and connecting, e.g. automatically
- B65G 1/0442: {for elongated articles (drill pipe racking E21B19/14)}
- B65G 1/06: with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level (B65G1/12 takes precedence)
- E21B 19/15: Racking of rods in horizontal position; Handling between horizontal and vertical position
- E21B 19/155: {Handling between horizontal and vertical position}
- E21B 43/2607: {Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations}
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)

## Abstract

A novel integrated pipe handling system and method is provided wherein one or more pipe tubs having lift arms can be loaded with pipe and transported to a drill site where it may be deployed next to a pipe handling trailer. The pipe tubs and pipe handling trailer are arranged such that when the lift arms are raised, pipes may roll from a tub to the trailer, where a pipe is transferred to an angularly adjustable trough on the trailer. The trough may be raised to a preselected position and the pipe moved along the trough by a skate such that the pipe is available to be transferred from the pipe handling trailer to a drilling rig. The process may be reversed to remove pipe from the drilling rig. A control system, which may be operated in a manual or automated mode, is used to operate the integrated system using information about each pipe joint recorded during the loading process.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An integrated pipe handling system comprising:
a movable container for storing and transporting cylindrical objects; said movable container comprising a frame, and a lifting surface within said container capable of supporting said cylindrical objects in a raised position or a lowered position;
a movable platform for receiving a said cylindrical object from said movable container; said movable platform comprising a bed, an angularly movable surface for moving said cylindrical object at an angle with respect to said bed; and a skate slidably movable along said angularly movable surface for supporting said cylindrical object at a plurality of positions along said angularly movable surface;
a control system for controlling the operation of said lift arm of said movable container and said angularly movable surface and said skate of said movable platform; said control system being capable of storing information about said cylindrical objects stored in said movable container, and controlling the operation of said lift arm, said angularly movable surface and said skate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 1, wherein said control system further comprises a memory; and said memory stores information about said cylindrical objects.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 2, wherein said memory further stores information about said movable container.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 2, wherein said information about said cylindrical objects is selected from the group consisting of a unique identifier associated with said cylindrical object, the number, type, length, diameter and weight of said cylindrical objects and the order in which said cylindrical objects were previously loaded into said movable container.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 4, wherein said cylindrical objects are selected from the group consisting of drill pipe joints, well casing joints and well completion tubing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 3, wherein said information about said movable container is selected from the group consisting of a unique identifier associated with said movable container and information about said cylindrical objects loaded within said container.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 4, wherein said unique identifier associated with said cylindrical object is contained in a bar code or RFID tag.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 6, wherein said unique identifier associated with said movable container is contained in a bar code or RFID tag.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 1, wherein said movable container further comprises an indexing rack disposed on at least one of said side frame members and said movable platform further comprises a picker arm pivotally mounted to said movable platform for manipulating said cylindrical objects; said indexing rack and said picker arm are positioned such that said cylindrical object may be transferred from said indexing rack to said picker arm or from said picker arm to said indexing rack.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 9, wherein said indexing rack comprises a frame that supports cylindrical objects thereon;
said indexing rack frame further comprises a fixed projection and a movable projection, whereby when said movable projection is in a first position, a cylindrical object is prevented from rolling over said indexing rack frame and when said movable projection is in a second position, a cylindrical object to permitted to toll over said indexing rack frame.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 1, wherein said control system causes said angularly movable surface and said skate to move said cylindrical object on said angularly movable surface to a feed position;
said control module records said feed position;
and said control module causes said angularly movable surface and said skate to move said cylindrical object on said angularly movable surface to said recorded feed position during a subsequent operation of said movable platform.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 1, wherein said angularly movable surface further comprises a pop-up stop movable between a lowered position and a raised position, whereby said pop-up stop is capable of contacting an end of said cylindrical object when said pop-up stop is in said raised position.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 12, wherein said control system causes said angularly movable surface and said skate to move a cylindrical object on said angularly movable surface to a position in which said cylindrical object contacts said pop-up stop when said pop-up stop is in said raised position.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 13, wherein information about the length of said cylindrical object on said angularly movable surface is transmitted to said control system when said cylindrical object is in contact with said pop-up stop.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 1, wherein said lifting surface comprises a lift arm pivotally mounted to said frame.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 1, wherein said angularly movable surface further comprises a pipe clamp movable from a raised position to a lowered position in which said pipe clamp is capable of engaging said cylindrical object.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 1, wherein said control system is operated in a manual mode.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 1, wherein said control system is operated in an automatic mode.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 1, wherein said movable container and said movable platform are arranged such that the slope of a plane parallel to the top of said movable container is inclined at an angle with respect to said movable platform.

### Claim 20 (depends on 20)

The integrated pipe handling system of claim 20, wherein said slope is approximately 1.5° relative to the ground.

### Claim 21

A container for storing and transporting cylindrical objects comprising:
a frame comprising side frame members and end frame members;
a lifting surface within said container capable of supporting said cylindrical objects in a raised position or a lowered position.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The container of claim 21, wherein said lifting surface comprises a lift arm pivotally mounted to said frame.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The container of claim 22 further comprising:
a mechanism for moving said lift arm from said raised position to said lowered position and from said lowered position to said raised position.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The container of claim 23 wherein said mechanism comprises a piston.

### Claim 25 (depends on 21)

The container of claim 21 further comprising:
a crossover rack disposed between said side frame members that allows said cylindrical objects to roll over said container.

### Claim 26 (depends on 21)

The container of claim 21 further comprising:
a rack disposed on at least one of said side frame members that allows said cylindrical objects to roll from said movable container to a second movable container.

### Claim 27 (depends on 21)

The container of claim 21 further comprising:
a rack disposed on at least one of said side frame members that allows said cylindrical objects to roll into said movable container.

### Claim 28 (depends on 21)

The container of claim 21 further comprising:
an indexing rack disposed on at least one of said side frame members;
said indexing rack comprising a frame that supports cylindrical objects thereon;
said indexing rack frame further comprising a fixed projection and a movable projection, whereby when said movable projection is in a first position, a cylindrical object is prevented from rolling over said indexing rack frame and when said movable projection is in a second position, a cylindrical object to permitted to toll over said indexing rack frame.

### Claim 29 (depends on 21)

The container of claim 21, further comprising:
adjustable feet capable of adjusting the orientation of said container with respect to the ground.

### Claim 30 (depends on 21)

The container of claim 21, further comprising:
a control module capable of controlling the position of said lifting surface.

### Claim 31 (depends on 21)

The container of claim 21, further comprising:
a sensor disposed within said container to sense the presence of said cylindrical objects.

### Claim 32 (depends on 21)

The container of claim 21 wherein said cylindrical objects are selected from the group consisting of drill pipe joints, well casing joints and well completion tubing.

### Claim 33 (depends on 30)

The container of claim 30 wherein said control module is operated in a manual mode.

### Claim 34 (depends on 30)

The container of claim 30 wherein said control module is operated in an automatic mode.

### Claim 35

A movable platform for handling cylindrical objects comprising:
a bed,
an angularly movable surface for receiving a said cylindrical object and moving said cylindrical object at an angle with respect to said bed;
and a skate slidably movable along said angularly movable surface for supporting said cylindrical object on said angularly movable surface at a plurality of positions along said angularly movable surface.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The movable platform of claim 35, further comprising:
a picker arm pivotally mounted to said movable platform for manipulating said cylindrical objects.

### Claim 37 (depends on 35)

The movable platform of claim 35, further comprising:
adjustable landing gear capable of adjusting the orientation of said movable platform with respect to the ground.

### Claim 38 (depends on 35)

The movable platform of claim 35, further comprising:
an ejection mechanism capable of ejecting a cylindrical object from said angularly movable surface.

### Claim 39 (depends on 35)

The movable platform of claim 35, wherein said angularly movable surface further comprises a pop-up stop movable between a lowered position and a raised position, whereby when said pop-up stop is capable of contacting an end of said cylindrical object when said pop-up stop is in said raised position.

### Claim 40 (depends on 35)

The movable platform of claim 35, wherein said skate comprises a first skate body portion movably connected to a second skate body portion.

### Claim 41 (depends on 35)

The movable platform of claim 35, wherein said skate comprises a clamp movable between a raised position and a lowered position, whereby said clamp is capable of contacting said cylindrical object when said clamp is in said lowered position.

### Claim 42 (depends on 41)

The movable platform of claim 41, wherein said clamp engages said cylindrical object and causes said cylindrical object to move with skate along said angularly movable surface.

### Claim 43 (depends on 42)

The movable platform of claim 42, wherein said skate further comprises a first skate body portion movably connected to a second skate body portion and said clamp is pivotally mounted on said first skate body portion and said second skate body portion such that said clamp is in said lowered position when said first skate body portion is in a first position relative to said second skate body portion and said clamp is in said raised position when said skate body portion is in a second position relative to said second skate body portion.

### Claim 44 (depends on 35)

The movable platform of claim 35, further comprising:
a control module capable of controlling the position of said angularly movable surface and said skate.

### Claim 45 (depends on 44)

The movable platform of claim 44, wherein said control module causes said angularly movable surface and said skate to move said cylindrical object on said angularly movable surface to a feed position;
said control module records said feed position;
and said control module causes said angularly movable surface and said skate to move said cylindrical object on said angularly movable surface to said recorded feed position during a subsequent operation of said movable platform.

### Claim 46 (depends on 35)

The movable platform of claim 35, wherein said angularly movable surface further comprises a pipe clamp movable from a raised position to a lowered position in which said pipe clamp is capable of engaging said cylindrical object.

### Claim 47 (depends on 44)

The movable platform of claim 44, wherein said control module is operated in a manual mode.

### Claim 48 (depends on 44)

The movable platform of claim 44, wherein said control module is operated in an automatic mode.

### Claim 49

A method of loading a movable container with cylindrical objects comprising the steps of:
providing a movable container comprising a frame, and a lifting surface within said container capable of supporting said cylindrical objects in a raised position or a lowered position;
raising said lifting surface to said raised position;
causing a row of said cylindrical objects to roll over said frame and onto said lifting surface;
lowering said lifting surface to said lowered position;
alerting an operator to install a spacer above said row of cylindrical objects; and
causing a second row of cylindrical objects to roll over said frame and onto said spacer.

### Claim 50 (depends on 49)

The method of claim 49, wherein said cylindrical objects are selected from the group consisting of drill pipe joints, well casing joints and well completion tubing.

### Claim 51 (depends on 50)

The method of claim 50, further comprising the step of gathering information about said cylindrical objects and storing said information in memory.

### Claim 52 (depends on 51)

The method of claim 51, wherein said information about said cylindrical objects is selected from the group consisting of a unique identifier associated with said cylindrical objects, the number, type, length, diameter and weight of said cylindrical objects and the order in which said cylindrical objects were loaded into said movable container.

### Claim 53 (depends on 52)

The method of claim 52, further comprising the step of gathering information about said movable container and storing said information in memory.

### Claim 54 (depends on 53)

The method of claim 53, where said information about said movable container is selected from the group consisting of a unique identifier associated with said movable container and information about said cylindrical objects loaded within said container.

### Claim 55 (depends on 54)

The method of claim 54, wherein said unique identifier associated with said cylindrical object is contained in a bar code or RFID tag.

### Claim 56

A method of transferring cylindrical objects from a movable container to a movable platform comprising the steps of:
providing a movable container comprising a frame, and a lifting surface within said container capable of supporting said cylindrical objects in a raised position or a lowered position, an indexing rack disposed on said frame, and cylindrical objects loaded in said movable container;
providing a movable platform comprising a bed, an angularly movable surface for receiving a said cylindrical object and moving said cylindrical object at an angle with respect to said bed, a skate slidably movable along said angularly movable surface for supporting said cylindrical object on said angularly movable surface at a plurality of positions along said angularly movable surface, and a picker arm pivotally mounted to said movable platform for manipulating said cylindrical objects;
raising said lifting surface to a position whereby said cylindrical objects may roll over said frame of said movable container onto said indexing rack;
raising said picker arm to a first position whereby one said cylindrical object is lifted from said indexing rack and onto said picker arm; and
raising said picker arm to a second position whereby said cylindrical object may roll from said picker arm and onto said angularly movable surface.

### Claim 57 (depends on 56)

The method of claim 56, wherein said cylindrical objects are selected from the group consisting of drill pipe joints, well casing joints and well completion tubing.

### Claim 58 (depends on 57)

The method of claim 57, further comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of said movable containers;
providing a control system in communication with a memory;
storing information about said cylindrical objects and said movable containers in said memory;
allowing an operator to choose an active movable container from which cylindrical objects are transferred to said movable platform based on said stored information about said cylindrical objects and said movable containers.

### Claim 59 (depends on 58)

The method of claim 58, wherein said stored information about said cylindrical objects is selected from the group consisting of a unique identifier associated with said cylindrical objects, the number, type, length, diameter and weight of said cylindrical objects and the order in which said cylindrical objects were previously loaded into said movable containers.

### Claim 60 (depends on 58)

The method of claim 58, wherein said stored information about said movable container is selected from the group consisting of a unique identifier associated with said movable container and information about said cylindrical objects loaded within said container.

### Claim 61 (depends on 56)

The method of claim 56, wherein said movable container and said movable platform are arranged such that the slope of a plane parallel to the top of said movable container is inclined at an angle with respect to said movable platform.

### Claim 62 (depends on 61)

The method of claim 61, wherein said slope is approximately 1.5° relative to the ground.

### Claim 63 (depends on 58)

The method of claim 58, wherein said control system is operated in a manual mode.

### Claim 64 (depends on 58)

The method of claim 58, wherein said control system is operated in an automatic mode.

### Claim 65

A method of raising a cylindrical object on a movable platform to a feed position comprising the steps of:
providing a movable platform comprising a bed, an angularly movable surface for receiving a said cylindrical object and moving said cylindrical object at an angle with respect to said bed, and a skate slidably movable along said angularly movable surface for supporting said cylindrical object on said angularly movable surface at a plurality of positions along said angularly movable surface;
causing said angularly movable surface and said skate to move said cylindrical object on said angularly movable surface from a position generally parallel to said bed to said feed position.

### Claim 66 (depends on 65)

The method of claim 65, wherein said cylindrical object is selected from the group consisting of drill pipe joints, well casing joints and well completion tubing.

### Claim 67 (depends on 66)

The method of claim 66, further comprising the steps of;
providing a pop-up stop on said angularly movable surface, said pop-up stop movable between a lowered position and a raised position;
raising said pop-up stop to said raised position;
causing said angularly movable surface and said skate to move said cylindrical object on said angularly movable surface to a position in which said cylindrical object contacts said pop-up stop; and
transmitting information about the length of said cylindrical object on said angularly movable surface to a control system when said cylindrical object is in contact with said pop-up stop.

### Claim 68 (depends on 66)

The method of claim 66, further comprising the steps of:
providing a control module;
causing said angularly movable surface and said skate to move said cylindrical object on said angularly movable surface to a feed position;
recording said feed position in a memory associated with said control module;
causing said angularly movable surface and said skate to move said cylindrical object on said angularly movable surface to said recorded feed position during a subsequent operation of said movable platform.

### Claim 69 (depends on 66)

The method of claim 66, wherein said feed position is located proximate to a floor of a drilling rig.

### Claim 70 (depends on 66)

The method of claim 66, further comprising the steps of providing a pipe clamp;
and lowering said pipe clamp into engagement with said cylindrical object.

### Claim 71 (depends on 68)

The method of claim 68, wherein said control module is operated in a manual mode.

### Claim 72 (depends on 68)

The method of claim 68, wherein said control module is operated in an automatic mode.

### Claim 73 (depends on 65)

The method of claim 65, wherein said feed position is located proximate to a floor of a drilling rig

### Claim 74

A method of lowering a cylindrical object to a movable platform from a feed position comprising the steps of:
providing a movable platform comprising a bed, an angularly movable surface for receiving a said cylindrical object and moving said cylindrical object at an angle with respect to said bed, and a skate slidably movable along said angularly movable surface for supporting said cylindrical object on said angularly movable surface at a plurality of positions along said angularly movable surface;
causing said angularly movable surface and said skate to move said cylindrical object on said angularly movable surface from said feed position to a position generally parallel to said bed.

### Claim 75 (depends on 74)

The method of claim 74, wherein said cylindrical object is selected from the group consisting of drill pipe joints, well casing joints and well completion tubing.

### Claim 76 (depends on 74)

The method of claim 74, wherein said feed position is located proximate to a floor of a drilling rig.

### Claim 77

A method of transferring cylindrical objects from a movable platform to a movable container comprising the steps of:
providing a movable platform comprising a bed, an angularly movable surface for containing a said cylindrical object and moving said cylindrical object at an angle with respect to said bed, a skate slidably movable along said angularly movable surface for supporting said cylindrical object on said angularly movable surface at a plurality of positions along said angularly movable surface, an ejection mechanism capable of ejecting said cylindrical object from said angularly movable surface, and a picker arm pivotally mounted to said movable platform for manipulating said cylindrical object;
providing a movable container comprising a frame, and a lifting surface within said container capable of supporting said cylindrical object in a raised position or a lowered position, and an indexing rack disposed on said frame;
raising said lifting surface to a position whereby said cylindrical objects may roll over said frame of said movable container from said indexing rack;
activating said ejection mechanism to eject said cylindrical object from said angularly movable surface and onto said picker arm in a first position;
lowering said picker arm to a second position whereby said cylindrical object contacts and is supported by said indexing rack; and
allowing said cylindrical object to roll from said indexing rack over said frame of said movable container and into said movable container.

### Claim 78 (depends on 77)

The method of claim 77, wherein said cylindrical objects are selected from the group consisting of drill pipe joints, well casing joints and well completion tubing.

### Claim 79 (depends on 78)

The method of claim 78, wherein said movable container and said movable platform are arranged such that the slope of a plane parallel to the top of said movable container is inclined at an angle with respect to said movable platform.

### Claim 80 (depends on 79)

The method of claim 79, wherein said slope is approximately 1.5° relative to the ground.