Method and apparatus for delivery of a tubular to a drilling apparatus

Abstract

A method for delivering a tubular to a well centered drill axis includes rotating a transfer arm to which a tubular is secured about a first axis from a horizontal position to a vertical position at which a center of gravity of the transfer arm and the tubular is disposed above the first axis; and rotating an upper link of the transfer arm about a second axis while oppositely rotating a clamp support beam about a third axis from the vertical position toward the drilling apparatus while a lower link remains in the vertical position. In delivering the tubular to a drilling apparatus, a tubular supply apparatus controls the speed and acceleration of the tubular without having actuators thereof change between compression and tension states or between rotational states.

1 . A tubular supply apparatus to supply a tubular to a drilling apparatus, the tubular supply apparatus comprising:
 a transfer arm skid connectable to the drilling apparatus; and   a transfer arm which transfers the tubular with respect to the drilling apparatus, the transfer arm comprising:
 a lower link rotatably connected to the transfer arm skid at a first axis, the lower link being rotatable about the first axis to rotate the transfer arm about the first axis; 
 an upper link rotatably connected to a distal end of the lower link at a second axis, the upper link being rotatable about the second axis; 
 a clamp support beam rotatably connected to a distal end of the upper link at a third axis, the clamp support beam being rotatable about the third axis and being connectable to the tubular. 
   
     
     
         2 . The tubular supply apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the transfer arm skid further comprises:
 pivot blocks disposed at a side of the transfer arm skid; and   pipe storage outriggers rotatably connected to the pivot blocks to support the tubular thereon.   
     
     
         3 . The tubular supply apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the transfer arm skid further comprises:
 outrigger actuators connected to outside ends of the pipe storage outriggers opposite ends of the pipe storage outriggers connected to the pivot blocks, the outrigger actuators to raise and lower the outside ends of the pipe storage outriggers with respect to the ends of the pipe storage outriggers connected to the pivot blocks.   
     
     
         4 . The tubular supply apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the transfer arm skid further comprises:
 mounts disposed on the transfer arm skid below the transfer arm when the transfer arm is disposed in a generally horizontal position; and   indexing lifting arms rotatably connected to the mounts, the indexing lifting arms to lift the tubular supported by the pipe storage outriggers from the pipe storage outriggers to the clamp support beam.   
     
     
         5 . The tubular supply apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the indexing lifting arms each comprise:
 a kicker assembly extendable from one end of the indexing lifting arm toward the clamp support beam, the one end being closest to the clamp support beam so as to lift the tubular from the clamp support beam to the corresponding pipe storage outrigger.   
     
     
         6 . The tubular supply apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the indexing lifting arms each comprise:
 an indexing finger disposed at an end of the indexing lifting arm away from the transfer arm skid to support the tubular as the tubular is being lifted; and   an indexing edge disposed at the end of the indexing lifting arm away from the transfer arm skid to queue a next tubular to be lifted on the pipe storage outriggers.   
     
     
         7 . The tubular supply apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first actuator disposed between the lower link and the transfer arm skid to control rotation of the lower link about the first axis;   a second actuator disposed between the lower link and the upper link to control rotation of the upper link about the second axis; and   a third actuator disposed between the clamp support beam and the upper link to control rotation of the clamp support beam about the third axis.   
     
     
         8 . The tubular supply apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the first actuator extends to raise the transfer arm to a generally vertical position without changing states between a compression state and a tension state. 
     
     
         9 . The tubular supply apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the second actuator retracts to extend the distal end of the upper link to a side of the transfer arm skid opposite the first axis. 
     
     
         10 . The tubular supply apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the third actuator extends as the second actuator retracts to align the tubular with a well center drilling axis. 
     
     
         11 . The tubular supply apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a controller to control the first actuator to extend so as to raise the transfer arm to a generally vertical position, to control the second actuator to retract to extend the distal end of the upper link to a side of the transfer arm skid opposite the first axis, and to control the third actuator to retract to align the tubular with a well center drilling axis while the second actuator is controlled to retract.   
     
     
         12 . The tubular supply apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the second actuator is controlled to retract and the third actuator is controlled to extend after the first actuator has extended to raise the transfer arm to the generally vertical position. 
     
     
         13 . A tubular supply apparatus to supply a tubular to a drilling apparatus using a transfer arm to deliver the tubular with respect to the drilling apparatus, the tubular supply apparatus comprising:
 a transfer arm skid;   pivot blocks disposed at a side of the transfer arm skid;   pipe storage outriggers rotatably connected to the pivot blocks to support the tubular thereon; and   indexing lifting arms rotatably connected to the transfer arm skid to lift the tubular from the pipe storage outriggers to the transfer arm.   
     
     
         14 . The tubular supply apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each of the indexing lifting arms comprises:
 an indexing finger disposed at an end the indexing lifting arm to support the tubular as the tubular is lifted.   
     
     
         15 . The tubular supply apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each of the indexing lifting arms comprises:
 an indexing edge disposed at an end of the indexing lifting arm away from the transfer arm skid to queue a next tubular to be lifted on the pipe storage outriggers.   
     
     
         16 . The tubular supply apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each of the indexing lifting arms comprises:
 a kicker assembly extendable from one end of the indexing lifting arm toward the clamp support beam, the one end being closest to the transfer arm.   
     
     
         17 . A method of raising and lowering a transfer arm of a transfer arm skid to deliver a tubular to a well centered drill axis of a drilling apparatus, the method comprising:
 rotating a lower link, an upper link, and a clamp support beam of the transfer arm about a first axis from a horizontal position to a vertical position in which a center of gravity of the transfer arm is disposed above the first axis; and   rotating the upper link about a second axis while rotating the clamp support beam about a third axis from the vertical position toward the drilling apparatus while the lower link remains in the vertical position.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the rotating the lower link, the upper link, and the clamp support beam about the first axis comprises extending a lower actuator connected between the lower link of the transfer arm and the transfer arm skid to raise the transfer arm; and   the rotating the upper link about the second axis while rotating the clamp support beam about the third axis comprises aligning the tubular with the well center drill axis of the drill string by compressing an upper actuator connected between the upper link of the transfer arm and the lower link while extending a third actuator connected between the upper link and the clamp support beam holding the tubular.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the extending of the lower actuator comprises:
 maintaining the lower actuator in a compression state while the lower actuator raises the transfer arm.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the compressing of the upper actuator and the extending of the third actuator follows the extending of the lower actuator.