Pipe handling system for a drilling rig

Abstract

Provided is a pipe handling system including: a skid; a ramp rotatably attached to an end of the skid; a skate beam having a first surface, a slot formed in the first surface, a first end that is slidably attached to the skid, and an opposing second end disposed on the ramp; and a pipe indexer to store and transport multiple tubulars along the first surface of the stake beam. The pipe indexer may include belt indexers that have cleated belts to store and transport the tubulars. The pipe indexer may include inner and outer arms to store and transport the tubulars

1 . A pipe handling system for use in handling tubulars, comprising:
 a skid;   a ramp rotatably attached to the skid to an end of the skid;   a skate beam having a first surface, a slot formed in the first surface and sized to hold one of the tubulars, a first end that is slidably attached to, and liftable from, the skid, and an opposing second end disposed on the ramp; and   a pipe indexer to store and transport the tubulars simultaneously along the first surface of the skate beam.   
     
     
         2 . The pipe handling system of  claim 1 , wherein the pipe indexer comprises belt indexers disposed on the skate beam, the belt indexers each comprising a cleated belt to transport and store the tubulars. 
     
     
         3 . The pipe handling system of  claim 2 , wherein the pipe indexer comprises a pair of the belt indexers disposed on a first side of the skate beam and a pair of the belt indexers disposed on an opposing second side of the skate beam. 
     
     
         4 . The pipe handling system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the belts each comprise first and second cleats extending from the outer surface thereof;   adjacent ones of the first cleats are space apart by a first distance; and   adjacent ones of the second cleats are spaced apart by a different second distance.   
     
     
         5 . The pipe handling system of  claim 4 , wherein the first distance corresponds to a first tubular diameter and the second distance corresponds to a second tubular diameter. 
     
     
         6 . The pipe handling system of  claim 2 , wherein the belt indexers further comprise pins to selectively prevent the tubulars from rolling off the first surface of the skate beam. 
     
     
         7 . The pipe handling system of  claim 3 , wherein each pair of the belt indexers is physically or electrically connected, such that the belts of each pair of belt indexers are rotated at the same speed. 
     
     
         8 . The pipe handling system of  claim 2 , further comprising secondary belt indexers disposed on the skid, to transport the tubulars between a pipe rack and the belt indexers disposed on the skate beam. 
     
     
         9 . The pipe handling system of  claim 8 , wherein the secondary belt indexers are pivotably attached to the skid, such that the secondary belt indexers can be rotated away from the skid, into a pipe loading position, and rotated toward the skid, into a storage position. 
     
     
         10 . The pipe handling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pipe rest adjustably disposed on the first surface of the skate beam, to support ends of the tubulars stored on the first surface of the skate beam. 
     
     
         11 . The pipe handling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a tubular mover to move the tubulars along the slot. 
     
     
         12 . The pipe handling system of  claim 1 , further comprising beam kickers disposed in the skate beam, to move the tubulars between the slot and the pipe indexer. 
     
     
         13 . The pipe handling system of  claim 1 , wherein the beam kickers further comprise cam followers that extend out of the skate beam, to raise and lower the tubulars, to move the tubulars into and out of the slot. 
     
     
         14 . The pipe handling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pipe rack connected to the skid, to store the tubulars,
 wherein the pipe indexer comprises:
 an outer arm connected to the pipe rack, to move the tubulars from the pipe rack to the skate beam; 
 a frame disposed in the skate beam, extending across the slot; 
 a first inner arm connected to the frame, to move the tubulars in a first direction, along the first surface of the skate beam; and 
 a second inner arm connected to the frame, to move the tubulars in an opposing second direction, along the first surface of the skate beam. 
   
     
     
         15 . The pipe handling system of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the first inner arm is pivotably connected to a first side of the skate beam, so as to rotate in a first direction, to move the tubulars away from the outer arm; and   the second inner arm is pivotably connected to an opposing second side of the skate beam, so as to rotate in a second direction, to move the tubulars toward the outer arm.   
     
     
         16 . The pipe handling system of  claim 14 , wherein the pipe indexer further comprises:
 inner pins extending from the frame, disposed adjacent to the slot, to prevent the tubulars from rolling into the slot; and   outer pins extending from the frame, disposed adjacent to edges of the skate beam, to prevent the tubulars from rolling off of the skate beam.   
     
     
         17 . The pipe handling system of  claim 16 , wherein the outer pins are retractable, so as not to inhibit the movement of the tubulars onto the skate beam, from the pipe rack, when retracted. 
     
     
         18 . The pipe handling system of  claim 16 , wherein the length of the inner pins is set such that the rotation of the inner arms raises the tubulars above the inner pins, such that the inner pins do not inhibit the movement of the tubulars. 
     
     
         19 . The pipe handling system of  claim 14 , wherein the outer arm is pivotably connected to the pipe rack, so as to rotate away from the pipe rack, to move the tubulars from the pipe rack towards the skate beam. 
     
     
         20 . The pipe handling system of  claim 19 , wherein the pipe indexer further comprises a rack pin extending from the rack above the outer arm, to limit the number of tubulars that can be simultaneously disposed on the rack above the outer arm. 
     
     
         21 . The pipe handling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a tail assembly rotatably connected at an end of the skate beam and having a roller element and which, while one of the tubulars is being lifted from the slot of the skate beam to a vertical orientation over a well center, the tubular slides along the roller element as the tail assembly moves relative to the skate beam to align the tubular with the well center and stops moving when the tubular is centered over the well center. 
     
     
         22 . The pipe handling system of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the tail assembly further comprises a first arm on one side of the slot and a second arm on another side of the slot,   the first arm is detachably connected to the roller element,   the second arm is rotatably connected to the roller element, and   when the tubular is over the well center, the roller element detaches from the first arm and rotates about the second arm to release the tubular.   
     
     
         23 . A pipe handling system for use with a tubular, comprising:
 a skid;   a ramp rotatably attached to the skid to an end of the skid;   a skate beam having a first surface, a slot formed in the first surface and which holds the tubular, a first end that is slidably attached to, and liftable from, the skid, and an opposing second end disposed on the ramp; and   a tail assembly rotatably connected at an end of the skate beam and having a roller element and which, while the tubular is being lifted from the slot of the skate beam to a vertical orientation over a well center, the tubular slides along the roller element as the tail assembly moves relative to the skate beam to align the tubular with the well center.   
     
     
         24 . The pipe handling system of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the tail assembly further comprises an arm on one side of the slot and which is rotatably connected to the roller element,   while the tubular is being lifted from the slot of the skate beam to the vertical orientation, the arm rotates towards the well center while the tubular slides along the roller element, and   when the tubular is over the well center, the roller element rotates about the arm to release the tubular.   
     
     
         25 . The pipe handling system of  claim 24 , wherein:
 the tail assembly further comprises another arm on another side of the slot and which is detachably connected to the roller element,   while the tubular is being lifted from the slot, an end of the tubular slides between the arm and the another arm, and   when the tubular is over the well center, the roller element detaches from the another arm and rotates about the arm to release the tubular.   
     
     
         26 . The pipe handling system of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the tail assembly further comprises an arm on one side of the slot and which is rotatably connected to the roller element,   prior to the tubular being lifted from the slot, the arm is extended towards the well center so as to allow the tubular to roll across the roller while sliding in the slot,   while the tubular is being lifted from the slot, the arm rotates away from the well center while the tubular slides along the roller element, and   when the tubular is over the well center, the roller element rotates about the arm to release the tubular.   
     
     
         27 . The pipe handling system of  claim 26 , wherein:
 the tail assembly further comprises another arm on another side of the slot and which is detachably connected to the roller element,   while the tubular is being lifted from the slot, an end of the tubular slides between the arm and the another arm, and   when the tubular is over the well center, the roller element detaches from the another arm and rotates about the arm to release the tubular.   
     
     
         28 . The pipe handling system of  claim 23 , wherein the roller has an hourglass shape with a thin central area which receives the tubular. 
     
     
         29 . The pipe handling system of  claim 23 , wherein prior to the tubular being lifted from the slot, the tubular slides across the roller element, and while the tubular is being raised to the vertical orientation, the tubular slides along the roller element as the tail assembly rotates relative to the well center. 
     
     
         30 . The pipe handling system of  claim 23 , further comprising a pipe indexer to store and transport multiple tubulars simultaneously along the first surface of the skate beam.