Pivoting pipe handler for off-line make up of drill pipe joints

Abstract

An apparatus and method for use in the off-line make-up of drill pipe stands on drilling rigs used in the exploration and production of oil and gas reserves are disclosed. The disclosed invention is a pipe handling system in which a section of the V-door ramp attached to a drilling rig structure pivots to allow one or more joints of drill pipe to be placed in a vertical position. Through use of an off-line roughneck in conjunction with an off-line drill pipe elevator, the joints of drill pipe held in the vertical position via the pivoting pipe handler of the present invention can be connected together, connected to additional joints of drill pipe, and placed in a racking board to be stored until they are subsequently connected to the drill string. The use of the pivoting pipe handler of the present invention allows stands of drill pipe to be “made-up” without the need to interrupt drilling operations and, thus, significantly reduces the amount of time required to drill a borehole.

1 . A system for off-line make-up of joints of oilfield tubulars on a drilling rig structure comprising: 
 a V-door ramp connected to the drilling rig structure, the V-door ramp having a stationary section and a pivoting section, wherein the pivoting section is adapted to pivot between a first position and a second position;    at least one support cylinder having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is pivotally connected to the drilling rig structure and the second end is pivotally connected to the pivoting section of the V-door ramp;    a holding mechanism for securing at least one tubular joint in the pivoting section of the V-door ramp when the pivoting section is in the second position, the holding mechanism comprising a plurality of holding arms, each holding arm having a concave end adapted to secure a portion of the at least one tubular joint; and    a positioning cylinder connected to the pivoting section of the V-door ramp, wherein the positioning cylinder is adapted for positioning the at least one tubular joint in the pivoting section.    
   
   
       2 . A system for off-line make-up of joints of oilfield tubulars on a drilling rig structure comprising: 
 a V-door ramp connected to the drilling rig structure, the V-door ramp having a stationary section and a pivoting section, wherein the pivoting section is adapted to pivot between a first position and a second position, and wherein the stationary section of the V-door ramp includes a movable flap and at least one lifting cylinder for moving tubular joints from the stationary section to the pivoting section;    at least one support cylinder having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is pivotally connected to the drilling rig structure and the second end is pivotally connected to the pivoting section of the V-door ramp;    a holding mechanism for securing at least one tubular joint in the pivoting section of the V-door ramp when the pivoting section is in the second position, the holding mechanism comprising a plurality of holding arms, each holding arm having a concave end adapted to secure a portion of the at least one tubular joint; and    a positioning cylinder connected to the pivoting section of the V-door ramp, wherein the positioning cylinder is adapted for positioning the at least one tubular joint in the pivoting section.