Articulated mast for a coiled tubing rig
An articulated mast for use in supporting a coiled tubing injector on a deck of a transport trailer and capable of accomplishing storage of the mast and the injector in a compact manner on the deck for transport on the one hand in conjunction with other equipment in drilling operations, and yet capable of ready deployment of the injector to an operative position above a well head on the other hand. The mast includes boom sections pivotally joined relative to each other for movement between a position in which the sections are folded one on top of the other on the deck to an extended position for holding the tube injector above the well head rear of the transport deck.
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This invention claims the benefit of convention priority of Canadian Patent Application No. 2,549,664, filed Jun. 6, 2006, entitled Articulated Mast For A Coiled Tubing Rig, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to an articulated mast for use in injection of tubing in well drilling operations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn well drilling and servicing operations utilizing the coiled tubing technique, rigs are usually constructed on a transport trailer which may carry both the reel of continuous tubing and the mast which supports the tubing during injection and withdrawal of the tubing from the well being formed or serviced. In this arrangement while the mast must be capable of supporting the injection unit over the well head, it must be constructed to be lowered to a transport position which allows the trailer to be drawn over not only various forms of terrain, but along public roadways which have, of course, various restrictions, including overhead and width clearances. It is also essential that the mast and the injection unit be capable of quick installation over the well head once on site with the minimum of labour and subsequently restored to a transport condition after the well operation is completed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide a coiled tubing injection system which is equipped with a versatile mast system capable of compact storage on a transport trailer but one which can be conveniently and quickly moved between operating and travel modes by way of that trailer. It is particularly an object of the present invention to provide a mast which allows locating of the injector unit accurately over a well head in a quick and efficient manner.
According to the present invention there is provided an articulated mast for use in locating a tubing injection unit over a well head, and wherein the mast includes a lower mast section pivotally connected at one end to a carrier unit, an upper mast section pivotally connected at one end to a second end of the lower mast section opposite to the one end, and an extendible mast section carried at an end of the upper mast section opposite the one end and having an outer end for supporting the injector tubing injection unit. A first actuator means is connected between the lower mast section and the carrier unit for raising the lower mast section from a lowered transport position disposed substantially horizontally on the deck to a more upright operating position. A second actuator means is connected between the lower mast section and the upper mast section for pivoting the upper mast section independently of the first actuator means from a transport position immediately overlying the lower mast section in the transport position to a raised operative position. A third actuator means operative independently of the first and second actuator means for moving the extendible mast section relative to the upper mast section from a retracted position to a position selectively projecting beyond the outer end of the upper mast section.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an articulated mast supporting a tubing injector unit for use on a transport trailer of the type having a rear deck portion, the articulated mast including, a lower boom or mast section having, a first connection means connecting one end of the lower mast section to the rear deck portion for pivotal movement from a substantially horizontal position on the rear deck about a transverse axis to a raised substantially vertical position, and first actuator means for raising and lowering the lower mast section between the horizontal and raised positions. There is further provided an upper boom or mast section having a main body portion with a second connection means for connecting a first end of the upper mast section to a second end of the lower mast section for pivotal movement of the upper mast section about a transverse axis parallel to the transverse axis of the first connecting means. This achieves raising of the upper mast section from a first horizontal position atop the lower boom section in the horizontal position of the lower mast section to a raised slanted position having upward and rearward components. A second actuator means is provided for raising and lowering the upper mast section between the positions of the upper mast. The upper mast section includes an extendible portion at a second end thereof and connected to the main body portion of the upper mast section for telescopic movement relative thereto so as to provide positioning of the extendible portion between a retracted position and an extended position for thereby increasing total length of the upper mast when in the extended position. A third actuator means is provided for moving the extendible portion between the retracted and extended positions. Connection means is mounted on the extendible portion of the upper mast member for carving a tubing injection unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
As shown in
The transport trailer 11 provides a front deck portion 12 on which are mounted servicing components 12 which may include, for example, components for supplying pressurized hydraulic fluid, such as an electric motor and pump unit, a hydraulic cooler, and a hydraulic tank. The transport trailer 11 further provides a middle, dropped portion 29 in which is mounted the tubing storage reel 14. The articulated mast 10 of the present invention is mounted on a rear deck portion 15 of the transport trailer.
The articulated mast 10 of the present invention includes a first boom or lower mast section 16 connected at a first end to the rearmost part of the rear deck position 15 by way of a transverse pivot connection 17 to allow pivoting of the lower section from a position which is substantially horizontally disposed on the deck (
The articulated mast 10 further includes a second boom or upper mast section 20 which is pivotally connected at a first end by a transverse pivot connection 21 to a second or upper end of the lower section 16 for pivotal movement about a transverse axis 21 parallel to the axis of pivotal connection 17. The transverse pivot connection 21 has its axis offset relative to the center lines of the lower and upper sections 16,20 in order that, as will be described in more detail below, when the articulated mast is in its lower most position as seen in
It may be noted, particularly from
The second boom or upper mast section 20 includes a third mast portion in the form of an extendible portion 24 (
A tube injector unit 25 is connected to the outer end of the extendible portion 24 in a manner to pivot about a transverse axis 37 parallel to the axis of the pivot connections 17 and 21. The pivot action of the injector unit 25 relative to extendible portion 24 of the mast 10 is provided through a linkage 26, which is connected between the extendible portion 24 and a framework of the injection unit 25, and includes actuator means 27 in the form of an fourth expandible cylinder. On expansion of the actuator means 27, the injector unit 25 is movable from a position in which the main central axis 47 of the injector unit is substantially parallel to the axis of the lower and upper sections (16,20) of the mast in the transport mode as shown in
The injector unit 25 is of a common form used in the industry, having the main injection drive portion 30 and a gooseneck 31 which directs the tubing 32 being drawn from the storage reel 14 through a smooth curve. As is more apparent in the enlargement shown in
The gooseneck 31 is designed to be collapsed as the articulated mast is contracted to a transport mode so as to conveniently occupy a space provided between spaced side members forming the upper and lower sections 16,20 of the mast. As shown the gooseneck consists of three sections, which in the operative form are in position to form a smoothly formed track defining the path of travel of the tubing 32. A main portion 33 of the gooseneck is affixed to the framework of the injection drive portion, and an intermediate portion 34 is hinged to an outer end of main portion 33, the latter being provided with a double action hydraulic cylinder 35 which, when expanded, pushes the intermediate portion 34 to its operating position as shown in dashed lines in
Following through from the relative positions of the articulated mast as shown in
As indicated in
After the drilling operation is completed, the hydraulic cylinders are operating substantially in the reverse order to place the overall tubing injection system in condition for transport (
While a single embodiment of the invention has been described variations within the spirit of the present invention as defined in the accompanying claims will be obvious to those skilled in the art.
Claims
1. An articulated mast for use in locating a tubing injection unit over a well head, said mast including:
- a lower mast section pivotally connected at one end to a carrier unit,
- an upper mast section pivotally connected at one end to a second end of said lower mast section opposite to said one end,
- an extendible mast section carried at an end of said upper mast section opposite said one end and having an outer end for supporting said injector,
- a first actuator means connected between said lower mast section and said carrier unit for raising said lower mast section from a lowered transport position disposed substantially horizontally on said deck to a more upright operating position,
- a second actuator means connected between said lower mast section and said upper mast section for pivoting said upper mast section independently of said first actuator means from a transport position immediately overlying said lower mast section in said transport position to a raised operative position, and
- a third actuator means operative independently of said first and second actuator means for moving said extendible mast section relative to said upper mast section from a retracted position to a position selectively projecting beyond said outer end of said upper mast section.
2. An articulated mast as defined in claim 1, wherein;
- said carrier is a transport trailer having an upper mast supporting deck,
- said lower mast section is an elongated unit having said one end connected to said deck adjacent a rear of said deck by a transverse pivot connection and wherein,
- said lower mast in said lowered transport position is positioned substantially horizontally immediately above said supporting deck, and in said operating position extends upright adjacent said rear end of said supporting deck.
3. An articulated mast as defined in claim 2, wherein;
- said upper mast section is an elongated unit having said one end connected to the second end of said lower mast section by a transverse pivotal connection having an axis of pivot parallel to said transverse axis connection of said lower mast section, and,
- said upper mast section is an elongated unit having a lower position closely overlying said lower mast section in its lowered transport position, and in said operative position extending rearwardly of said second end of said lower mast section and at angles of attitude relative to the horizontal.
4. An articulated mast as defined in claim 3, wherein;
- said extendible mast section is movable relative to said upper mast position by said third actuator means for movement between various extended positions in alignment with the attitude of said upper mast section
5. An articulated mast as defined in claim 4, and further comprising, a linkage connection at an outer end of said extendible mast providing a connection to said outer end for mounting said injection unit to thereby provide pivoting of said injection unit about an transverse axis parallel to said transverse axis connection of each lower and upper mast section.
6. An articulated mast supporting a tubing injector unit for use on a transport carrier of the type having a rear deck portion:
- said articulated mast comprising;
- a lower mast section,
- a first connection means connecting one end of said lower mast section to said rear deck portion for pivotal movement from a substantially horizontal position on said rear deck about a transverse axis to a raised substantially vertical position, first actuator means for raising and lowering said lower mast section between said horizontal and raised positions,
- an upper mast section having a main body portion,
- a second connection means for connecting a first end of said upper mast section to a second end of said lower mast section for pivotal movement of said upper mast section about a transverse axis parallel to the transverse axis of said first connecting means, said pivot movement being from a first horizontal position atop said lower mast section in said horizontal position of said lower mast section to a raised working position having upward and rearward components,
- second actuator means for raising and lowering said upper mast section between said positions of said upper mast,
- said upper mast section including an extendible portion at a second end thereof and connected to said main body portion of said upper mast section for telescopic movement relative thereto to provide for positioning of said extendible portion between a retracted position and an extended position for thereby increasing the length of said upper mast when in the extended position,
- third actuator means for moving said extendible portion between said retracted and extended positions, and
- connection means mounted on said extendible portion of said upper mast member for carrying the tubing injection unit.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 5, 2007
Publication Date: Dec 27, 2007
Applicant: Foremost Industries Inc. (Calgary)
Inventors: Allan Pleskie (Chestermere), Gary Callander (Calgary), Voytek Niemczewski (Calgary)
Application Number: 11/806,974
International Classification: E21B 19/22 (20060101);