Elevator for tubular handling

Abstract

An elevator for use with a subterranean well can include an elevator housing, a slip assembly axially displaceable relative to the elevator housing, the slip assembly including multiple slips configured to grip an outer surface of a tubular disposed in the slip assembly, the slip assembly having open and closed configurations, and a load indicator configured to prevent actuation of the slip assembly from the closed configuration to the open configuration when at least a predetermined load is supported by the elevator housing. A method of handling tubulars can include supporting a tubular with an elevator, thereby applying at least a predetermined load to the elevator, and a load indicator of the elevator preventing a slip assembly of the elevator from being actuated to an open configuration while at least the predetermined load is applied to the elevator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An elevator for use with a subterranean well, the elevator comprising:
 an elevator housing;   a slip assembly axially displaceable relative to the elevator housing, the slip assembly comprising multiple slips configured to grip an outer surface of a tubular disposed in the slip assembly, the slip assembly having open and closed configurations; and   a load indicator configured to prevent actuation of the slip assembly from the closed configuration to the open configuration when at least a predetermined load is supported by the elevator housing.   
     
     
         2 . The elevator of  claim 1 , in which the slip assembly further comprises an outer housing having a radially enlarged flange, and the load indicator is positioned axially between the flange and the elevator housing. 
     
     
         3 . The elevator of  claim 1 , in which the load indicator comprises a first ring that contacts the slip assembly, a second ring that contacts the elevator housing, and a position indicator configured to indicate when the predetermined load is applied to the first and second rings. 
     
     
         4 . The elevator of  claim 3 , in which the position indicator comprises a valve. 
     
     
         5 . The elevator of  claim 3 , in which the load indicator further comprises at least one spring configured to bias the first and second rings away from each other. 
     
     
         6 . The elevator of  claim 5 , in which the spring comprises a fluid spring. 
     
     
         7 . The elevator of  claim 6 , in which the fluid spring is pressurized when the slip assembly is in the open configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The elevator of  claim 1 , further comprising a control system configured to apply pressure to the slip assembly to actuate the slip assembly from the open configuration to the closed configuration, and in which the load indicator is configured to prevent the pressure from being applied to actuate the slip assembly to the open configuration when the predetermined load is supported by the elevator housing. 
     
     
         9 . A method of handling tubulars for use with a subterranean well, the method comprising:
 supporting a tubular with an elevator, thereby applying at least a predetermined load to the elevator; and   preventing a slip assembly of the elevator from being actuated to an open configuration while at least the predetermined load is applied to the elevator, the preventing being performed by a load indicator of the elevator.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , in which the supporting comprises compressing the load indicator between the slip assembly and an elevator housing of the elevator. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  in which the compressing comprises compressing at least one spring of the load indicator. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , in which the spring comprises a fluid spring, and the compressing further comprises expelling fluid from the fluid spring. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , in which the compressing comprises reducing a distance between first and second rings of the load indicator, each of the first and second rings surrounding the slip assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , in which the preventing comprises actuating a position indicator of the load indicator. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , in which the position indicator comprises a valve, and the preventing comprises the valve preventing application of pressure from a control system to the slip assembly. 
     
     
         16 . A system for use with a subterranean well, the system comprising:
 a spider configured to support a tubular; and   an elevator axially displaceable relative to the spider, the elevator being configured to support the tubular, and the elevator comprising a slip assembly, an elevator housing and a load indicator, the load indicator being configured to prevent actuation of the slip assembly to an open configuration when the elevator supports the tubular.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , in which the load indicator comprises a valve configured to prevent application of pressure from a control system to the slip assembly to actuate the slip assembly to the open configuration when the elevator supports the tubular. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , in which the load indicator comprises first and second rings that surround the slip assembly. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , in which the load indicator further comprises a spring that biases the first and second rings away from each other. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , in which the spring comprises a fluid spring.