Pipe guide for snubbing units

Abstract

A pipe guide apparatus for guiding a pipe during snubbing of the pipe includes a pair of hydraulic cylinders and cylinder rods; a stationary guide affixed between a bottom jack plate and a top jack plate, comprising a stationary pipe guide; a travelling jack plate affixed to the cylinder rods; a travelling pipe guide in sliding engagement with the cylinder rods and connected to the travelling jack plate by a lift rod. The stationary pipe guide and the travelling pipe guide each define a pipe opening and has a flexibly resilient guide member having an opening with a diameter closely matching the outside diameter of the pipe being snubbed.

1 . A pipe guide apparatus for guiding a pipe during snubbing of the pipe, for use with a snubbing unit including a pair of hydraulic cylinders and cylinder rods, a traveling jack plate, a top jack plate, travelling snubbing slips and stationary snubbing slips, the guide comprising:
 (a) a stationary pipe guide affixed between a bottom jack plate and a top jack plate; and   (b) a travelling pipe guide in sliding engagement with the cylinder rods and connected to the travelling jack plate by an upper extension limit rod;   
       wherein the stationary pipe guide or the travelling pipe guide, or both, defines a pipe opening and comprises at least one flexibly resilient guide member having a substantially circular opening with a diameter closely matching the outside diameter of the pipe being snubbed. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the at least one flexibly resilient guide member is a centralizing disc. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the stationary pipe guide or the travelling pipe guide, or both, comprises 2 or more centralizing discs. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2  or  3  wherein the centralizing disc opening diameter is the same as or slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the pipe being snubbed. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2  or  3  wherein the centralizing disc comprises a rubber or elastomeric material. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2  or  3  wherein the centralizing disc comprises an outer peripheral ring portion and an inner opening portion, connected by a web portion which is thinner than the outer and inner portions. 
     
     
         7 . A method of snubbing a pipe with a snubbing unit including a pair of hydraulic cylinders and cylinder rods, a traveling jack plate, a top jack plate, travelling snubbing slips and stationary snubbing slips, the method comprising the step of confining the pipe in a transverse direction when the pipe is being snubbed with a flexibly resilient guide member having a substantially circular opening with a diameter closely matching the outside diameter of the pipe. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the guide member opening diameter is the same as or slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the pipe being snubbed. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  or  8  wherein the flexibly resilient guide member comprises a rubber or elastomeric material. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the flexibly resistant guide member comprises an outer peripheral ring portion and an inner opening portion, connected by a web portion which is thinner than the outer and inner portions.