Apparatus for facilitating the connection of tubulars using a top drive
AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.
InventorBernd-Georg Pietras
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for facilitating the connection of tubulars using a top drive which, in one aspect, the apparatus includes a body connectable to said top drive. The body includes at least one gripping element radially displaceable by hydraulic or pneumatic fluid to drivingly engage a tubular to permit a screw connection between said tubular and a further tubular to be tightened to the required torque.
Claims32
An apparatus for connecting a first tubular to a second tubular using a top drive, comprising:
- a body connectable to the top drive;
- a plurality of rigid gripping pistons radially displaceable by hydraulic or pneumatic fluid directly applied to an inner surface of each gripping piston to drivingly engage the first tubular to permit a screw connection between the first tubular and the second tubular to be tightened to a required torque, the plurality of gripping pistons disposed within the body in substantially the same axial plane with one another;
- and
- a sealing packer to inhibit, in use, fluid in the first tubular from escaping therefrom.
An apparatus for connecting a first tubular to a second tubular, comprising:
- a top drive;
- a body connectable to the top drive;
- and
- at least one recess disposed within an outer surface of the body, wherein the at least one recess houses at least one gripping element, wherein the at least one gripping element is at least one piston radially displaceable outward from the at least one recess by fluid applied to an inner surface thereof to engage the first tubular.
An apparatus for connecting a first tubular to a second tubular, comprising;
- a top drive;
- a body having a first section and a second section;
- a plurality of recesses disposed within an outer diameter of the second section and disposed in substantially the same axial plane with one another;
- and
- a rigid gripping element disposed within each recess, wherein each gripping element is a piston radially extendable from its respective recess with pressurized hydraulic or pneumatic fluid directly applied to its inner surface.
An apparatus for connecting a first tubular to a second tubular using a top drive, comprising:
- a body connectable to the top drive;
- a plurality of rigid pistons disposed in substantially the same axial plane and radially displaceable from a plurality of recesses within the body by pressurized fluid directly applied to an inner surface thereof, the plurality of pistons gripping the first tubular torsionally to tighten a screw connection between the first and second tubulars and gripping the first tubular axially to carry the weight of the first tubular;
- and
- a sealing packer to prohibit pressurized fluid in the first tubular from escaping therefrom.
An apparatus for connecting a first tubular to a second tubular using a top drive, comprising:
- a body connectable to said top drive;
- a plurality of rigid, fluid-actuated pistons disposed within a plurality of recesses within an outer surface of the body in substantially the same axial plane with one another;
- a fluid communication path for delivering fluid pressure directly to inner surfaces of the plurality of fluid-actuated pistons, the fluid pressure radially displacing the plurality of fluid-actuated pistons to grip an inner surface of the first tubular;
- and
- a sealing packer to prohibit pressurized fluid in the first tubular from escaping therefrom.
A method for manipulating a first tubular to connect to a second tubular, comprising:
- providing a gripping apparatus comprising:
- a body having at least one recess therein, and at least one gripping piston disposed within the at least one recess;
- radially displacing the at least one gripping piston to grippingly engage an inner surface of the first tubular by introducing pressurized fluid behind the at least one gripping piston;
- and
- rotating the first tubular with a top drive connected to the body.
An apparatus for connecting a first tubular to a second tubular using a top drive, comprising:
- a body connectable to the top drive;
- a plurality of rigid gripping elements disposed within a plurality of recesses within an outer surface of the body in substantially the same axial plane with one another;
- a sealing packer to prohibit pressurized fluid in the first tubular from escaping therefrom;
- and
- a fluid communication path for delivering fluid pressure directly to inner surfaces of the plurality of gripping elements, the fluid pressure radially displacing the plurality of gripping elements to grip an inner surface of the first tubular, wherein the fluid communication path is further capable of delivering fluid pressure directly to the sealing packer to radially displace the sealing packer into contact with the inner surface of the first tubular.
An apparatus for connecting a first tubular to a second tubular using a top drive, comprising:
- a body connectable to the top drive;
- a plurality of rigid gripping elements disposed within a plurality of recesses within an outer surface of the body in substantially the same axial plane with one another;
- a sealing packer to prohibit pressurized fluid in the first tubular from escaping therefrom, the sealing packer disposed within a second recess within the outer surface of the body and radially extendable from the recess to contact an inner surface of the first tubular;
- and
- a fluid communication path for delivering fluid pressure directly to inner surfaces of the plurality of gripping elements, the fluid pressure radially displacing the plurality of gripping elements to grip the inner surface of the first tubular and the fluid pressure further deliverable directly from the fluid communication path to the sealing packer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.