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US 6,591,471 B1Granted
Method for aligning tubulars
AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.
InventorsJimmy Lawrence Hollingsworth, Bernd Reinholdt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus is provided with position sensors. When the apparatus has moved one tubular into alignment with another tubular a button on a remote control console is pressed to memorize the position. After the next tubular has been gripped by the apparatus a “recall” button is pressed and the apparatus automatically moves the next tubular to the memorized position. This saves vital seconds in joining tubulars and also reduces the likelihood of threads being damaged due to misalignment of the tubulars.
Claims7
A method of aligning tubulars, comprising:
- positioning a first tubular using a remotely controllable head;
- determining a position of the head, wherein the first position of the head aligns the first tubular with a tubular string;
- memorizing the first position of the head;
- and
- positioning a second tubular at the memorized first position.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.