Slide Tools and Methods to Move Racked Tubulars

Abstract

A tool and method for moving racked tubulars, such as pipe and casing joints on pipe racks at oil and gas well sites, wherein the tool comprises a disk assembly with a handle section. The disk assembly comprising at least one disk with a surface to slideably interface the interior surface of the pipe section during lateral movement of the pipe section.

1 . A tool for manually moving a racked tubular along a horizontal surface, wherein the racked tubular has an open end continuous with an inner diameter and an inner surface, the tool comprising:
 a shaft having a handle section with a longitudinal axis and a slide section with a longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axes of the handle section and the slide section are collinear;   a disk assembly having at least one disk mounted about and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the slide section; and   wherein the slide section and the disk assembly mounted thereon form a distal end of the tool, and wherein the distal end of the tool is configured to be received inside the racked tubular so that the disk assembly slideably engages the inner surface of the racked tubular during lateral movement of the racked tubular perpendicular to the axis of the slide section.   
     
     
         2 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein the disk assembly is mounted centered on the longitudinal axis of the slide section. 
     
     
         3 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein the disk assembly comprises two disks. 
     
     
         4 . The tool of  claim 3  wherein each of the two disks in the disk assembly is adjustably mounted so that the axial position of the disk on the shaft is changeable. 
     
     
         5 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein the handle section and the slide section of the shaft are integrally formed of a single elongate member. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein the disk assembly comprises two disks and wherein each of the disks is adjustably mounted so that the axial position of the disk on the shaft is changeable. 
     
     
         13 . A method for moving racked tubulars along at least one horizontal surface, wherein each of the racked tubulars has a first open end continuous with an inner diameter, the method comprising:
 providing at least one pipe sliding tool comprising:   a shaft having a handle section with a longitudinal axis and a slide section with a longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axes of the handle section and the slide section are parallel; and   a disk assembly mounted on and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the slide section of the shaft, and wherein the disk assembly is sized to be received inside the racked tubular;   manually inserting the disk assembly of a first one of the at least one pipe sliding tool into the first open end of a first one of the racked tubulars; and   using the handle section of the shaft of the first pipe sliding tool, manually moving the first pipe sliding tool laterally perpendicular to axis of the handle section whereby the first tubular rolls laterally perpendicular to axis of the slide section along the at least one horizontal surface.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 after rolling the first racked tubular, manually withdrawing the disk assembly of the first tool from the first tubular; 
 manually inserting the disk assembly of the first tool into the first open end of a second one of the racked tubulars; and 
 using the handle section of the shaft, manually moving the first tool laterally perpendicular to axis of the handle section whereby the second tubular rolls laterally perpendicular to axis of the slide section along the at least one horizontal surface. 
 
     
     
         15 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the racked tubulars are well tubulars and wherein the at least one horizontal surface is a pipe rack at a well site. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the at least one horizontal surface comprises first and second parallel horizontal surfaces, one above the other, wherein the racked tubulars comprises first and second racked tubulars, wherein the first racked tubular is on one of the first and second raised surfaces and the second racked tubular is on the other of the first and second raised surfaces, and wherein the method further comprises:
 after rolling the first racked tubular, manually withdrawing the disk assembly of the first tool from the first tubular; 
 manually inserting the disk assembly of the first tool into the first open end of a second one of the racked tubulars; and 
 using the handle section of the shaft of the tool, manually moving the first tool laterally perpendicular to axis of the handle section whereby the second tubular rolls laterally perpendicular to axis of the slide section along the at least one horizontal surface. 
 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one disk comprises a suitable slide material. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the suitable slide material is a metal. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the suitable slide material is a polymer. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the suitable slide material is brass. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the suitable slide material is a cast nylon. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the suitable slide material is polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the suitable slide material is high density polyethylene. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the suitable slide material is selected from the group consisting of brass, nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, and nylon. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 the disk assembly having at least one disk mounted about and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the slide section; and 
 imparting lateral horizontal movement of the racked tubular while the disk assembly remains rotationally fixed. 
 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising:
 applying a lubricant to the at least one disk.