Adjustable rotating guides for spider or elevator
AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.
InventorsDavid Shahin, Karsten Heidecke
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for gripping one or more tubulars, which may include casing, during a tubular handling operation, drilling operation, and/or drilling with casing operation. The gripping apparatus comprises a housing having a bore extending therethrough and one or more gripping members which extend radially within the bore to grippingly engage a tubular or casing when activated. Adjustable guides attached to a portion of the gripping apparatus facilitate rotational movement of the casing during the drilling operation when the gripping members of the gripping apparatus are deactivated.
Claims60
An apparatus for supporting a tubular in a wellbore, comprising:
- a housing having a bore extending therethrough, the bore adapted to receive the tubular;
- and
- one or more guide members attached to the housing to facilitate rotational movement of the tubular within the wellbore, wherein the one or more guide members are radially movable into engagement with the tubular.
A method of forming a wellbore using a casing having an earth removal member, comprising:
- providing a tubular handling apparatus having an opening for receiving the casing and one or more guide members for engaging the casing;
- adjusting the one or more guide members radially into engagement with the casing;
- and
- rotating the casing with respect to the opening to form the wellbore.
An apparatus for supporting a tubular in a wellbore, comprising:
- a housing having a bore extending therethrough, the bore adapted to receive the tubular;
- and
- one or more rolling members attached to the housing to facilitate movement of the tubular within the wellbore, wherein the one or more rolling members are disposed at or below a rig floor and are radially movable into engagement with the tubular.
An apparatus for supporting a tubular in a wellbore, comprising:
- a housing having a bore extending therethrough, the bore adapted to receive the tubular;
- and
- one or more guide members attached to the housing to facilitate movement of the tubular within the wellbore, wherein the one or more guide members are radially movable into engagement with the tubular and wherein the one or more guide members include:
- a clevis having a shaft at one end;
- a pin for coupling a roller to the clevis;
- and
- a mounting assembly, wherein the shaft is adjustable within the mounting assembly.
An apparatus for supporting a tubular in a wellbore, comprising:
- a housing having a bore extending therethrough, the bore adapted to receive the tubular;
- and
- one or more guide members disposed within the housing to facilitate movement of the tubular within the wellbore, wherein the one or more guide members are radially movable into engagement with the tubular and wherein the one or more guide members are adjustable from a first position wherein an axis of the one or more guide members is substantially parallel to an axis of the tubular to a second position wherein the axis of the one or more guide members is not substantially parallel to the axis of the tubular.
A method of forming a wellbore using a casing having an earth removal member, comprising:
- providing a tubular handling apparatus having an opening for receiving the casing and one or more rolling members for engaging the casing, wherein the one or more rolling members are positioned at or below a rig floor;
- adjusting the one or more rolling members radially into engagement with the casing;
- and
- moving the casing with respect to the opening to form the wellbore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.