Method and apparatus for installing casing using a top drive drilling rig

Abstract

A method and apparatus for installing casing with a top drive drilling rig. A first step involves securing a first body to a rotating top head of the top drive drilling unit. A second step involves securing a second body to a length of casing. A third step involves detachably coupling the first body and the second body so that the second body rotates with the first body. This method allows for rapid connection to the top head of the top drive. The process can be further accelerated by using several of the second bodies. While one of the second bodies is being used, another can be secured to the next length of casing in readiness for installation.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for installing casing with a top drive drilling rig, comprising: 
 a first body securable to a rotating top head of the top drive drilling unit;    a second body securable to a length of casing;    means for detachably coupling the first body and the second body so that the second body rotates with the first body.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first body has a threaded coupling which is adapted to engage a mating threaded coupling carried by the rotating top head of the top drive drilling rig.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the second body has a threaded coupling which is adapted to engage a mating threaded coupling of the length of casing.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the means for detachably coupling the first body and the second body includes a first pin receiver on the first body, a second pin receiver on the second body, and a removable pin that is adapted to engage the first pin receiver and the second pin receiver to detachably couple the first body and the second body.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 4 , wherein one of the first pin receiver and the second pin receiver has a single lobe with an aperture and the other of the first pin receiver and the second pin receiver has a pair of spaced lobes each of which have apertures, the single lobe being positionable between the spaced lobes.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the second body has a receptacle and an insert is provided which carries the threaded coupling, means being provided for detachably securing the insert within the receptacle.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the second body has pin receiving apertures extending through the receptacle and the insert has pin receiving apertures, the insert being detachably secured within the receptacle by a second removable pin when engages both the pin receiving apertures which extend through the receptacle of the second body and the pin receiving apertures of the insert.  
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for installing casing with a top drive drilling rig, comprising: 
 a first body having a first end and a second end, a threaded coupling being positioned at the first end, the threaded coupling being adapted to engage a mating threaded coupling carried by a rotating top head of the top drive drilling rig, a first pin receiver being positioned at the second end;    a second body having a first end and a second end, a receptacle being positioned at the second end and a second pin receiver being positioned at the first end;    a first removable pin engaging the first pin receiver and the second pin receiver to detachably couple the first body and the second body, such that a rotational force exerted upon the first body by the rotating top head is transmitted to the second body so that the second body rotates with the first body; and    an insert which carried a threaded coupling which is adapted to engage a mating threaded coupling on a length of casing, means being provided for detachably non-rotatably securing the insert within the receptacle of the second body, such that a rotational force exerted upon the second body is transmitted to the insert so that the insert rotates with the second body.    
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the first body and the second body are adapted to pivot about a first pivot axis provided by the first removable pin.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the first pin receiver has a single lobe with an aperture and the second pin receiver has a pair of spaced lobes each of which have apertures, the single lobe being positionable between the spaced lobes to engage the first removable pin.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the second body has pin receiving apertures extending through the receptacle and the insert has pin receiving apertures, the insert being detachably secured within the receptacle by a second removable pin when engages both the pin receiving apertures which extend through the receptacle of the second body and the pin receiving apertures of the insert.  
     
     
         12 . A method for installing casing with a top drive drilling rig, comprising the steps of: 
 securing a first body to a rotating top head of the top drive drilling unit;    securing a second body to a length of casing;    detachably coupling the first body and the second body so that the second body rotates with the first body.    
     
     
         13 . The method as defined in  claim 12 , several of the second bodies being provided, such that while one of the several second bodies is being attached to the first body, used to rotate a length of casing and detached, the other of the several second bodies are being secured to the next lengths of casing to be installed.