Pipe racking system

The method of moving a pipe stand to a well center comprising:

• storing a pipe stand in a storage rack;
• grabbing a pipe stand with at least one grip;
• moving the pipe stand away from the storage rack by moving a carriage along a bridge;
• rotating the pipe stand about a vertical axis towards the well center;
• moving the pipe stand towards the well center by moving a dolly vertically along a column;
• and
• releasing the at least one grip when the pipe stand is located at the well center.

An apparatus for moving pipe on a rig comprising:

• a boom having at least one grip adapted to hold at least one drilling tubular;
• means for rotating the boom;
• means for raising and lowering the boom;
• a bridge;
• means for horizontally moving the boom along the bridge;
• one or more dollies;
• at least one arm hingedly connected to the bridge, wherein the at least one arm is also hingedly connected to the one or more dollies;
• and
• means for vertically moving the one or more dollies along a mast of the rig, wherein the movement of the one or more dollies in one direction retracts the at least one arm moving the boom towards a well center and the movement of the one or more dollies in the opposite direction extends the at least one arm moving the boom towards a storage area.

A method of moving a pipe stand from a well center to a storage rack comprising:

• grabbing a pipe stand located at a well center with at least one grip;
• rotating the pipe stand away from the well center towards the storage rack;
• moving the pipe stand towards the storage rack by moving a dolly vertically along a column;
• rotating the pipe stand towards the storage rack;
• moving the pipe stand towards the storage rack by moving a carriage along a bridge;
• securing the pipe stand within the storage rack;
• and
• releasing the at least one grip.

An apparatus for moving a pipe stand, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one dolly, wherein the at least one dolly is adapted to travel vertically along a mast;
• a bridge, the bridge being hingedly connected to the at least one dolly, wherein the movement of the at least one dolly in one direction along the mast moves the bridge away from the mast and the movement of the at least one dolly in the other direction along the mast moves the bridge towards the mast;
• a carriage, the carriage adapted to travel horizontally along the bridge;
• a vertical lift column, the vertical lift column connected to the carriage;
• a boom having at least one grip adapted to hold a pipe stand, the boom being connected to the vertical lift column;
• wherein the vertical lift column vertically raises or lowers the boom with respect to the bridge;
• and
• wherein the boom may rotate about a vertical axis.