Apparatus and method for connecting wellbore tubulars
AssigneeFrank's International, LLC
InventorDale J. Castille
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention discloses an apparatus and method for controlling a power tong unit having a power spinner and, in a preferred embodiment, three power jaws. The control system controls grip pressure applied by a selected power jaw to a first wellbore tubular to provide a relatively reduced grip pressure when the power spinner is activated to thereby rotate a second wellbore tubular at a relatively high rotation speed but with a relatively low torque. The control system applies a relatively high grip pressure to two selected power jaws used for applying high torque but at a relatively slow rotation speed for final making up or initial breaking out of the wellbore tubulars with respect to each other.
Claims15
A power tong for making up and breaking out wellbore tubulars, comprising:
- a power spinner for spinning said wellbore tubulars;
- a plurality of power jaws;
- a torquing cylinder connected to said plurality of power jaws for applying a high torque to said wellbore tubulars by slowly rotating at least two of said plurality of power jaws with respect to each other;
- at least one of said plurality of power jaws being operable for gripping a respective first of said wellbore tubulars with a first grip pressure for holding said respective first of said wellbore tubulars when said power spinner is spinning a respective second of said wellbore tubulars;
- each of said plurality of power jaws being operable for gripping said wellbore tubulars with a second grip pressure for applying said high torque to said wellbore tubulars with said torquing cylinder, said second grip pressure being greater than said first grip pressure;
- and
- a grip control for controlling said at least one of said plurality of power jaws for automatically producing said first grip pressure during said spinning by said power spinner and said second grip pressure when applying said high torque with said torquing cylinder.
A power tong for making up and breaking out wellbore tubulars, comprising:
- a first power jaw having a first gripping cylinder;
- a second power jaw having a second gripping cylinder;
- a third power jaw having a third gripping cylinder, said first gripping cylinder controlling a grip of said first power jaw, said second gripping cylinder controlling a grip of said second power jaw, said third gripping cylinder controlling a grip of said third power jaw;
- a torquing cylinder for applying a high torque to said wellbore tubulars by slowly rotating at least two of said first power jaw, said second power jaw, and said third power jaw with respect to each other;
- a power spinner for spinning one of said wellbore tubulars while at least one of said first power jaw or said second power jaw or said third power jaw grips another of said wellbore tubulars;
- a spinner control circuit for activating said power spinner;
- a gripping control circuit for controlling said first gripping cylinder and said second gripping cylinder and said third gripping cylinder, said gripping control circuit being operable for applying a first pressure to at least two of said first gripping cylinder and said second gripping cylinder and said third gripping cylinder during said applying of high torque with said torquing cylinder for making up or breaking out, said gripping control circuit being responsive to said spinner control circuit for producing a second pressure smaller than said first pressure when said power spinner is activated and for applying said second pressure to at least one of said first gripping cylinder and said second gripping cylinder and said third gripping cylinder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.