Methods and apparatus for automated oilfield torque wrench set-up to make-up and break-out tubular strings

Abstract

Automated make-up and break-up methods and apparatus for rotary oil well drilling are presented. The apparatus includes a drilling database storing tubular type records, a torque wrench having a spinner, and a controller. During make-up, the controller retrieves one or more tubular type records stored in the drilling database in order to configure the torque wrench and/or the spinner to connect an additional tubular section to a tubular string or to disconnect a connection between tubulars in accordance with tubular type parameters. Sensors are employed on various drill rig components and reported sensor values are monitored. Timers are started concurrent with the initiation of various make-up and break-out steps. Exceptions are thrown when sensor values are out-of-range or when steps take too long to complete. Advantages are derived from speeding-up drill rig operations.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method of torquing a connection between a pair of tubulars of a tubular string using an oilfield torque wrench having a pair of tongs, the method comprising:
 retrieving, from a memory store associated with the torque wrench, tubular type specific parameters specified in at least one tubular type record;   configuring the torque wrench to operate in accordance with the tubular type specific parameters retrieved;
 setting a timer to a time value corresponding to a process step, the time value being specified in the retrieved tubular type parameters; 
   engaging the pair of tubulars in respective tongs of the torque wrench;   torquing the connection in accordance with the tubular type specific parameters retrieved;
 starting the timer substantially concurrently with the initiation of the torqueing step; and 
 determining whether the torqueing step completes within a time period corresponding to the set time value. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , which further comprises making-up the tubular string by selecting a tubular type of a tubular to be added to the tubular string. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising prior steps of:
 a) presenting on a display screen a driller with a selection of tubular types; and   b) prompting the driller to select on the display screen the tubular type of the additional tubular.   
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein if process step fails to complete within the time period, the method further comprises:
 a) counting the failure to complete; and   b) reinitiating the process step and resetting the timer.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising monitoring at least one sensor associated with the torque wrench to obtain a sensor value. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising at least one of the following: logging the sensor value; displaying the sensor value on a driller's interface; comparing the sensor value against at least one of the tubular specific parameters; or a combination of the above. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising at least one of:
 a) logging an indication that the reported sensor value is within a sensor value range;   b) logging an indication that the reported sensor value is outside the sensor value range;   c) displaying a sensor value out-of-sensor-value-range-indication on the driller's interface;   d) alerting an off-site entity of the sensor value out-of-sensor-value-range indication;   e) raising an alarm;   f) repeating a process step once;   g) repeating the process step for a predetermined number of times and increasing a counter each time;   h) repeating the process step with the torque wrench configured to operate in accordance with a modified parameter;   i) skipping the process step;   j) restarting;   k) prompting for human-intervention; and   l) shutting-down.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising incrementing a counter each time the torqueing step fails to complete within the time period corresponding to the set time value. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , comprising displaying the counter value to a user. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , comprising displaying an indication specifying whether the counter value is within an acceptable counter value range. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising monitor the torqueing step with a sensor and reporting a sensor value, wherein the sensor further comprises one of: a switch, a counter, a timer, a temperature probe, a strain gage, a load cell, a tension cell, a pressure load cell, a transducer, a deflection transducer, a linear transducer, and a pressure transducer. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising raising an exception triggered by the determination that the torqueing step failed to complete within a time period corresponding to the set time value. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , comprising addressing the exception by performing at least one of the following: skipping the at least one process step, restarting or shutting down a subsystem, and prompting for human intervention. 
     
     
         31 . A method of torquing a connection between a pair of tubulars of a tubular string using an oilfield torque wrench having a pair of tongs, the method comprising:
 retrieving, from a memory store associated with the torque wrench, tubular type specific parameters specified in at least one tubular type record, the record comprising at least one of a spin-in time value and a spin-out time value, the spin-in time value specifying an amount of time to couple tubulars, the spin-out time value specifying an amount of time to uncouple tubulars;   monitoring at least one process step of a tubular make-up process step or a tubular break-out process step to indicate completion of the process step, wherein monitoring comprises:
 measuring elapsed time from the beginning of the at least one process step until an occurrence of at least one step completion confirmatory event; and 
   comparing the elapsed time to the spin-in time value or the spin-out time value to detect whether the at least one process step fails to complete within the spin-in time value or the spin-out time value; and   incrementing a counter each time the at least one process step fails to complete within the spin-in time value or the spin-out time value.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , comprising:
 configuring the torque wrench to operate in accordance with the tubular type specific parameters retrieved;   engaging the pair of tubulars in respective tongs of the torque wrench; and   torquing the connection in accordance with the tubular type specific parameters retrieved.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , comprising raising an exception triggered by the determination that the at least one process step failed to complete within the at least one spin-in time value and a spin-out time value. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , comprising addressing the exception by performing at least one of the following: skipping the at least one process step, restarting or shutting down a subsystem, and prompting for human intervention. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , comprising alerting an off-site entity when the exception is raised. 
     
     
         36 . A method of torquing a connection between a pair of tubulars of a tubular string using an oilfield torque wrench having a pair of tongs, the method comprising:
 retrieving, from a memory store associated with the torque wrench, tubular type specific parameters specified in at least one tubular type record comprising at least one of a spin-in time value and a spin-out time value, the spin-in time value specifying an amount of time to couple tubulars, the spin-out time value specifying an amount of time to uncouple tubulars;   measuring elapsed time from the beginning of the at least one process step until an occurrence of at least one step completion confirmatory event; and   comparing the elapsed time to the spin-in time value or the spin-out time value to detect whether the at least one process step fails to complete within the spin-in time value or the spin-out time value; and   incrementing a counter each time the at least one process step fails to complete within the spin-in time value or the spin-out time value;   triggering an exception based on the counter reaching a preset limit; and   addressing the exception by performing at least one of the following: repeating the at least one process step once; repeating the at least one process step for a predetermined number of times while incrementing a second counter each time; repeating the at least on process step for a predetermined amount of time measured by the timer; restarting a control subsystem, shutting down a control subsystem, and prompting for human intervention.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , comprising displaying the counter value or the result of the comparison. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , comprising providing remote access to the driller's interface for remotely monitoring a counter value of the counter. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising at least one of:
 a) displaying a sensor value out-of-sensor-value-range-indication on the driller's interface;   b) alerting an off-site entity of the sensor value out-of-sensor-value-range indication;   c) raising an alarm;   d) repeating the process step with the torque wrench configured to operate in accordance with a modified parameter;   e) skipping the process step;   f) restarting;   g) prompting for human-intervention; and   h) shutting-down.