System and method for monitoring and controlling snubbing slips
AssigneeSnubco Manufacturing Inc.
InventorsJohn Taskinen, Troy Leblanc, Shawn McKinnon, Lance Thornell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for monitoring and controlling a snubbing unit having traveling slips and stationary slips are provided. Position sensors are associated with the slips for detecting opened and closed positions of the slips. Load sensors are associated with the slips for detecting load status of the slips. A control system receives input signals from the sensors, and confirms that either the traveling slips or the stationary slips are loaded before releasing or allowing the release the opposing set of slips, when transferring the pipe string load from the one set of slips to the other set of slips.
Claims14
A system for monitoring and controlling a service unit for snubbing a pipe, the service unit having stationary heavy slips and a travelling heavy slips operating in tandem to engage and move the pipe into or out of a well in a pipe heavy configuration, and a stationary snubbing slips and a travelling snubbing slips operating in tandem to engage and move the pipe into or out of the well in a pipe light configuration, the system comprising:
- (a) a first actuation sensor associated with the stationary heavy slips, a second actuation sensor associated with the travelling heavy slips, a third actuation sensor associated with the stationary snubbing slips, and a fourth actuation sensor associated with the travelling snubbing slips, wherein the actuation sensors directly or indirectly detect engagement of the associated slips on the pipe;
- and
- (b) a control system operatively connected to the first, second, third and fourth actuation sensors and adapted to receive input signals from the sensors, and configured to execute a method comprising the step of:
- when the pipe is in the pipe heavy configuration, confirming that one of the heavy slips has engaged the pipe, before fully releasing, or allowing the full release of the other one of the heavy slips, when transferring the pipe load from one of the heavy slips to the other one of the heavy slips;
- and
- when the pipe is in the pipe light configuration, confirming that one of the snubbing slips has engaged the pipe, before fully releasing, or allowing the full release of the other one of the snubbing slips, when transferring the pipe load from one of the snubbing slips to the other one of the snubbing slips.
A method of running a pipe into or out of a well with a service unit for snubbing a pipe, the service unit having a stationary heavy slips and a travelling heavy slips operating in a sequential manner for engaging and moving the pipe into or out of the well in a pipe heavy configuration, and a stationary snubbing slips and a travelling snubbing slips operating in a sequential manner for engaging and moving the pipe into or out of the well in a pipe light configuration, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) when the pipe is in the pipe heavy configuration:
- (i) engaging the pipe with the stationary heavy slips and moving the travelling heavy slips to a first position;
- (ii) engaging the pipe with the travelling heavy slips;
- (iii) confirming with a position sensor or a load sensor, or both a position sensor and a load sensor, associated with the travelling heavy slips that the travelling heavy slips has adequately engaged the pipe before completely releasing the stationary heavy slips;
- and
- (iv) moving the travelling heavy slips to a second position to move the pipe either into or out of a wellbore;
- and
- (b) when the pipe is in the pipe light configuration:
- (i) engaging the pipe with the stationary snubbing slips and moving the travelling snubbing slips to a third position;
- (ii) engaging the pipe with the travelling snubbing slips;
- (iii) confirming with a position sensor or a load sensor, or both a position sensor and a load sensor, associated with the travelling snubbing slips that the travelling snubbing slips has adequately engaged the pipe before completely releasing the stationary snubbing slips;
- and
- (iv) moving the travelling snubbing slips to a fourth position to move the pipe either into or out of the wellbore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.