Motion compensation for drill pipe

Abstract

Systems and methods for performing drill pipe motion compensation are disclosed. A system may include a drill pipe and a marine riser pipe, and the marine riser pipe may be configured to support the weight of a drill pipe. A pipe holder may be coupled to the drill pipe and the marine riser pipe and may be configured to suspend the drill pipe on the marine riser pipe. A drill pipe support system may be coupled to the pipe holder and the marine riser pipe. The drill pipe support system, together with the pipe holder, may be configured to transfer the weight of the drill pipe to the marine riser pipe. The system may also include a plurality of wires coupled to the marine riser pipe. One or more tensioners may be configured to compensate for motion on the drill pipe by controlling tension on one or more of the plurality of wires coupled to the marine riser pipe.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for performing drill pipe motion compensation, comprising:
 supporting the weight of a drill pipe with a marine riser pipe; and   compensating for motion on the drill pipe by controlling tension on one or more of a plurality of wires coupled to the marine riser pipe.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein supporting the weight of the drill pipe with the marine riser pipe comprises suspending the drill pipe on the marine riser pipe with a pipe holder. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein supporting the weight of the drill pipe with the marine riser pipe comprises transferring the weight of the drill pipe to the marine riser pipe. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein transferring the weight of the drill pipe to the marine riser pipe comprises mechanically coupling to the pipe holder and the marine riser pipe a drill pipe support system, wherein the drill pipe support system and the pipe holder are configured to transfer the weight of the drill pipe to the marine riser pipe. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein controlling the tension on the one or more of the plurality of wires comprises maintaining constant the tension on the one or more of the plurality of wires. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sensing signals that are indicative of a load on the drill pipe or tension on one or more of the plurality of wires. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein controlling the tension on one or more of a plurality of wires comprises adjusting the tension on one or more of the plurality of wires in response to the sensing of the signals. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, for each of the one or more of the plurality of wires, the tension is controlled by one of a hydro-pneumatic tensioner and an electrical tensioner. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising configuring the plurality of wires to collectively hold the weight of both the marine riser pipe and the drill pipe. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising coupling to the drill pipe a flexible tube, wherein the flexible tube flexes to accommodate for vessel movement and to reduce the amount of movement experienced by the drill pipe as compared to the vessel movement. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the marine riser pipe is coupled to a well head on the seabed. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a drill pipe;   a marine riser pipe configured to support the weight of the drill pipe;   a plurality of wires coupled to the marine riser pipe; and   one or more tensioners configured to compensate for motion on the drill pipe by controlling tension on one or more of the plurality of wires coupled to the marine riser pipe.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising a pipe holder configured to suspend the drill pipe on the marine riser pipe, wherein suspending the drill pipe on the marine riser pipe causes the marine riser pipe to support the weight of the drill pipe. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a drill pipe support system coupled to the pipe holder and to the marine riser pipe, wherein the drill pipe support system and the pipe holder are configured to transfer the weight of the drill pipe to the marine riser pipe. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein controlling the tension on the one or more of the plurality of wires comprises maintaining constant the tension on the one or more of the plurality of wires. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising one or more sensors coupled to the marine riser pipe and configured to sense signals that are indicative of a load on the drill pipe or tension on one or more of the plurality of wires. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more sensors include at least one of an accelerometer and a load cell. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the tensioners are configured to adjust the tension on one or more of the plurality of wires in response to the sensing of the signals. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein each of the one or more tensioners comprises one of a hydro-pneumatic tensioner and an electrical tensioner. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of wires are configured to collectively hold the weight of both the marine riser pipe and the drill pipe, and wherein the marine riser pipe is coupled to a well head on the seabed. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising a flexible tube coupled to the drill pipe, wherein the flexible tube is configured to flex to accommodate for vessel movement and to reduce the amount of movement experienced by the drill pipe as compared to the vessel movement. 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a pipe holder coupled to a drill pipe and a marine riser pipe and configured to suspend the drill pipe on the marine riser pipe.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a drill pipe support system coupled to the pipe holder and to the marine riser pipe,   wherein the drill pipe support system and the pipe holder are configured to transfer the weight of the drill pipe to the marine riser pipe.