Automated apparatus for handling elongated well elements such as pipes

An automated apparatus for handling elongated well elements such as pipes, made up into a pipe string by means of screw joints, which comprises:

• a first base;
• a derrick mounted on said first base;
• elevator means for suspending a pipe string mounted on said derrick and for vertical movement, said elevator means including gripping means and drive means for closing and opening said gripping means;
• driving means to move said elevator means vertically for suspending a pipe string and mounted on said first base;
• suspending means for suspending a pipe string immovably mounted above a well head and below said elevator means, said suspending means including gripping means and drive means for closing and opening said gripping means;
• an automated tong for screwing and unscrewing a pipe string, said tong being mounted upon said first base between said elevator means and suspending means and for transverse movement relative to a pipe string and including drive means for rotating a pipe element;
• a second base mounted adjacent but spaced from said first base;
• manipulator means mounted on said second base for movement so that a pipe element clamped thereby can be aligned with a pipe string, said manipulator means including gripping means mounted for longitudinal movement relative to said manipulator means, drive means for closing and opening said gripping means, and drive means for longitudinal movement of said gripping means relative to said manipulator means;
• a rack for storing string elements in a horizontal position and mounted on said second base, said rack including:
• substantially vertical columns mounted on said second base;
• shelves mounted on said columns and vertically spaced above one another;
• drive means for moving said shelves;
• transfer means for transferring a string element from said rack into said manipulator means and back, said transfer means mounted on said second base and comprising:
• at least one boom mounted on said second base for pivoting movement in a vertical plane;
• gripping means mounted on said boom for holding a string element;
• drive means for closing said gripping means;
• drive means to pivotally move said boom;
• control means including:
• a plurality of electronically controlled actuator means for actuating said transfer means, said drive means to pivotally move said boom, and said drive means for closing and opening said gripping means of said manipulator means, of said automatic tong, of said elevator means and suspending means for suspending a pipe string, and of said transfer means for transferring well elements;
• position sensing means mounted on said transfer means for sensing the position of said boom and for providing one of two signals:
• "approached" corresponding to the position of said boom as it approaches the manipulator means or "withdrawn" corresponding to stopping said boom in a preset position for transferring a string element to said manipulator means and gripping a string element by said manipulator means;
• position sensing means mounted on said shelves for sensing positions of said shelves of said rack and for providing one of two signals:
• "approached" corresponding to the position of the shelves for loading string elements, or "withdrawn" corresponding to moving said shelves away from said loading position and to stopping said shelves in a preset position;
• control means comprising at least one programmed logical control means connected with said actuating means of said plurality of electrically controlled actuating means and wherein said programmed logical control means further comprises:
• an instruction coding means for specifying a sequence of instructions to be sent to respective control means in accordance with a preset sequence of operation;
• a timer for generating a signal at the end of a time preset by a code of instructions produced by said instruction coding means;
• a recycle counter electrically connected with said timer of said programmed logical control means to generate a signal upon receiving an output signal from said programmed logical control means indicative of the termination of a preset time from the moment of the generation of an instruction for switching on of said drive means for rotating said automatic tong;
• a control signal conditioner electrically connected with said timer, with said instruction coding means of said programmed logical control means, and with said recycle counter to generate and send to said programmed logical control means, in an amount preset by said recycle counter, instructions for reversing and for restarting said instruction coding means in the original counting direction;
• a string element counter electrically connected with said instruction coding means of said programmed logical control means for generating a signal at the moment when the number of string elements taken from a desired shelf of said rack or stored on said shelf reaches a preset amount defined by the capacity of said shelf;
• and
• counting means for counting said shelves of said rack and electrically connected with said counter for string elements and for supplying to a respective corresponding drive means an instruction to move a required one of said shelves into the position for loading and to withdraw it from said position for loading, and for switching off said programmed logical control means at the moment when all said shelves of said rack are fully loaded and at the moment when all said shelves of said rack are empty.