Apparatus for connecting tubulars using a top drive
AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.
InventorBernd-Georg Pietras
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for facilitating the connection of tubulars using a top drive, said apparatus comprising a motor (4, 4′) for rotating a tool (30) for drivingly engaging a tubular, and means (3) for connecting said motor (4, 4′) to said top drive, the apparatus being such that, in use, said motor (4, 4′) can rotate one tubular with respect to another to connect said tubular.
Claims23
A method of facilitating making of a connection between an upper tubular and a lower tubular, comprising:
- engaging the upper tubular with a tubular engagement tool attached to a suspension unit;
- engaging a lower end of the upper tubular with an upper end of the lower tubular;
- rotating the upper tubular via the tubular engagement tool, thereby threading the tubulars to form the connection;
- torquing the connection via the tubular engagement tool;
- and
- compensating for movement of the upper tubular with the suspension unit during the threading.
A method of facilitating making of a connection between an upper tubular and a lower tubular, comprising:
- engaging the upper tubular with a gripping assembly having at least one radially displaceable element for gripping the upper tubular, wherein the gripping assembly is connected to a suspension unit;
- compensating for weight of the upper tubular to accommodate movement of the upper tubular while engaged by the gripping assembly;
- engaging a lower end of the upper tubular with an upper end of the lower tubular to form the connection therebetween;
- and
- delivering torque to the upper tubular via the gripping assembly.
An apparatus for making a connection between an upper tubular and a lower tubular, comprising:
- a tubular engagement tool for gripping the upper tubular, wherein the tubular engagement tool includes at least one gripping element displaceable in a radial direction for engagement with a wall of the upper tubular in an engaged position;
- and
- a suspension unit connected to the tubular engagement tool, the suspension unit having a motor for rotating the tubular engagement tool and a compensation portion, wherein, with the tubular engagement tool in the engaged position, the upper tubular is rotatable by the motor and is, relative to the lower tubular, movable along with the tubular engagement tool by operation of the compensation portion to compensate for movement of the upper tubular during making of the connection to the lower tubular.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.