# US 2021/0277729 A1 · System and method for conducting subterranean operations

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- Number: US 2021/0277729 A1
- Document ID: US20210277729A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/327,286
- Filed: 2021-05-21
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2018-04-27
- Assignees: Canrig Robotic Technologies AS
- Applicants: Canrig Robotic Technologies AS
- Inventors: Kenneth MIKALSEN; Kjetil NAESGAARD
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210277729A1

## CPC

- E21B 19/06: Elevators, i.e. rod- or tube-gripping devices
- 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)
- B25J 5/02: travelling along a guideway
- B25J 11/00: Manipulators not otherwise provided for
- E21B 19/087: by means of a swinging arm
- 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 19/168: {using a spinner with rollers or a belt adapted to engage a well pipe}
- E21B 19/20: Combined feeding from rack and connecting, e.g. automatically
- F16L 1/207: {Pipe handling apparatus}
- Y02E 30/10: Nuclear fusion reactors
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50})
- F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A tubular handling system for conducting subterranean operations is disclosed and can include a first tubular handling system and a second tubular handling system. The first tubular handling system can include a bridge disposed within a tubular storage area, an arm pivotally coupled to the bridge, and a gripper coupled to the arm and adapted to engage with a tubular in the tubular storage area. The second tubular handling system can include a support structure, a first tubular handler coupled to the support structure, and a second tubular handler coupled to the support structure and distinct from the first tubular handling system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A tubular handling system comprising:
a bridge disposed within a tubular storage area and coupled to a guide rail, wherein the bridge is configured to translate from a first bridge position to a second bridge position along the guide rail and over the tubular storage area;
an arm coupled to the bridge; and
wherein the arm is adapted to move the tubular between a first portion and a second portion of the bridge as the tubular is transported from a pick-up position to a delivered position.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein the pick-up position is one of a horizontal storage location or a position above a rig floor, and the delivered position is the other one of the horizontal storage location or the position above the rig floor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein the tubular handling system is adapted to move the tubular from a first horizontal position associated with a pick-up position through a vertical position and to a second horizontal position associated with a delivered position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The tubular handling system of claim 1, wherein the arm is adapted to translate in a first direction along at least a portion of a length of the bridge from a first position on the bridge to a second position on the bridge while rotating the tubular from a first horizontal position, through a vertical position, to a second horizontal position.

### Claim 5

A tubular handling system comprising:
a bridge with first and second portions that are parallel with each other and separated by a space between the first and second portions; and
an arm coupled to the bridge and configured to translate along a length of the bridge, wherein the arm is adapted to engage a tubular in a tubular storage area, wherein the arm is configured to rotate relative to the bridge and move the tubular through the space between the first and second portions.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The tubular handling system of claim 5, wherein the bridge is adapted to move along a guide rail between a first bridge position and a second bridge position spaced apart from the first bridge position.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The tubular handling system of claim 5, wherein the tubular handling system is adapted to move the tubular from a first horizontal position associated with a pick-up position through a vertical position and to a second horizontal position associated with a delivered position.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The tubular handling system of claim 5, wherein the arm is adapted to translate along at least a portion of a length of the bridge while rotating the tubular from a first horizontal position, through a vertical position, to a second horizontal position.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The tubular handling system of claim 5, wherein the arm is coupled to the bridge through a transverse member adapted to translate along a length of the bridge.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The tubular handling system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the bridge and transverse member comprises a drive element adapted to move the transverse member along a length of the bridge.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The tubular handling system of claim 10, wherein the drive element comprises an electric motor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The tubular handling system of claim 10, wherein the transverse member is disposed between a first portion and a second portion of the bridge.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The tubular handling system of claim 12, wherein the transverse member is coupled to the bridge and the arm is coupled to the transverse member.

### Claim 14

A tubular handling system comprising:
a bridge comprising a first portion and a second portion;
an arm coupled to the bridge between the first portion and the second portion, the arm being adapted to engage with a first tubular in a tubular storage area; and
wherein the arm is adapted to move a tubular between the first portion and the second portion of the bridge upon moving the tubular from a pick-up position to a delivered position.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The tubular handling system of claim 14, wherein the arm comprises a pivot joint adapted to pivot relative to the bridge in a range between and including 1° and 270°.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The tubular handling system of claim 15, wherein the bridge is coupled to a guide rail, and wherein the bridge is configured to translate from a first bridge position to a second bridge position along the guide rail and over the tubular storage area.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The tubular handling system of claim 16, wherein the tubular handling system is configured to translate for a distance greater than a majority of a length of the tubular storage area.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The tubular handling system of claim 16, wherein the tubular handling system is configured to translate for at least 60% of a length of the tubular storage.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The tubular handling system of claim 16, wherein the tubular handling system is configured to translate for an entire length of the tubular storage area.

### Claim 20

A tubular handling system comprising:
a bridge disposed within a tubular storage area, with a first guide rail coupled to one end of the bridge and a second guide rail coupled to an opposite end of the bridge, wherein the bridge is configured to translate from a first bridge position to a second bridge position along the first and second guide rails and over the tubular storage area; and
an arm coupled to the bridge, the arm being adapted to engage a tubular,
wherein the arm is adapted to move the tubular between a first portion and a second portion of the bridge as the tubular is transported from a pick-up position to a delivered position, and
wherein the arm is adapted to translate in a first direction or a second direction along at least a portion of a length of the bridge from a first position on the bridge to a second position on the bridge while rotating the tubular from a first horizontal position, through a vertical position, to a second horizontal position.