Abstract: Stands (43) of multiple lengths of drill pipe, for oil and gas drilling are individually supported in a storage bin (28, 29) in an array of plural layers of plural numbers of stands. The individual stands are held in cooperating notches (41, 42) in vertically aligned support sleepers (38, 39) so that each stand experiences loads due only to its own weight and motions of a bin frame (13) where, as preferred, the frame is supported on a drillship deck (12). Sleepers between stand layers are indexable between positions in the array and outside the array. A bridge crane (32, 33) spans the length of the bin and is moveable transversely above it. The bridge crane carries vertically movable magnetic lifting heads (47) for lifting, holding and releasing an individual pipe stand. The crane can move a stand between a supported position in the bin array and a supported position on a power-driven carriage (18, 49) which is movable along a path along an upper part of a side of the bin (28, 29).

Abstract: The trailer is operative to carry tubulars (drill collars or drill pipe) to a service rig and raise them to the level of the rig floor so that the rig elevators can latch onto them and stand them up in the derrick. The trailer has a roller-equipped carriage operative to move along tracks supported by and extending lengthwise of the trailer frame. An elongate flat bed is pivotally mounted at its front end to the trailer frame. The bed's rear end can be raised by a scissor hoist connected between the carriage and the rear end of the bed. The bed has grooves extending lengthwise thereof in which the tubulars sit. Thus the trailer can be backed up to within a few feet from the well. The rear end of the bed can be raised and the carriage and bed can be advanced rearwardly to bring the rear ends of the tubulars within reach of the rig elevators.

Abstract: An apparatus for inserting or removing a string of tubulars from a borehole includes a makeup/break out mechanism which is capable of adding a tubular to or removing a tubular from the string and handling mechanism which feeds a tubular into, or removes a tubular from, the make up/break out mechanism. The make up/break out mechanism is moveable along the direction parallel to the axial direction of the string, such that the string may be substantially continuously inserted into or removed from the borehole.

Abstract: A pipe handling apparatus for transporting pipe between a position adjacent a pipe storage rack and a rig floor elevated above the pipe storage rack is provided. The pipe handling apparatus includes a support frame, substantially horizontally disposed platform supported by the support frame having a pipe receiving groove formed therein for receiving the joint of pipe, a carriage member, and a pusher member. The carriage member is movable from a lowered position wherein the joint of pipe which is positioned in the pipe receiving groove of the platform is supported in a substantially horizontal position and a raised position wherein the carriage member supports a first end of the joint of pipe at an elevated position relative to an opposed second end of the joint of pipe. The pusher member is movable along the pipe receiving groove between a retracted position and an extended position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring tubular stands between a substantially horizontal position on the catwalk and a substantially vertical position at the rig floor entry. In one embodiment of the invention, this is accomplished by moving bundles of individual tubulars to the process area, where a stand make-up/break-out machine, also called a bucking machine, makes up the tubular stands. The bucking machine aligns and stabs the connections and makes up the connection to the correct torque. The tubular stand is then transferred from the bucking machine to a stand storage area or to a trolley pick-up area. When additional stands are needed by the drilling operation, a trolley is moved into position over the trolley pick-up area to retrieve the stands previously placed in the trolley pick-up area. The stands are clamped to the trolley and the trolley is moved from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position at the rig floor entry.

Abstract: The invention provides a drill rod handling device (14) which is adapted for attachment to a drill rig assembly (10) which includes a standard rotation unit (12) and a rod holder (13) mounted on top of a feed frame (11) and which are used to feed drill rods (25) in and out of the ground.

Abstract: A pipe handling system is designed for use on an offshore structure, particularly an offshore structure provided with a cantilevered drill floor. The pipe handling system allows to handle significantly longer sections of tubulars, up to 100 feet, if necessary. The pipe handling system transports the pipes from a horizontal pipe rack adjacent to a drill floor to a vertical orientation in a set-back area of the drill floor where the drill string or casing is made up for lowering down hole. The cantilevered drill floor allows to save valuable platform space, while not significantly increasing the cost of the drilling rig. The pipe handling system, while increasing the length of handled tubulars, reduces the number of joints for making of a drill string, thereby significantly reducing the cost of pipe handling operations.

Abstract: The trailer is operative to carry tubulars (drill collars or drill pipe) to a service rig and raise them to the level of the rig floor so that the rig elevators can latch onto them and stand them up in the derrick. The trailer has a roller-equipped carriage operative to move along tracks supported by and extending lengthwise of the trailer frame. An elongate flat bed is pivotally mounted at its front end to the trailer frame. The bed's rear end can be raised by a scissor hoist connected between the carriage and the rear end of the bed. The bed has grooves extending lengthwise thereof in which the tubulars sit. Thus the trailer can be backed up to within a few feet from the well. The rear end of the bed can be raised and the carriage and bed can be advanced rearwardly to bring the rear ends of the tubulars within reach of the rig elevators.

Abstract: An automatic pipe handling system for automatically transporting pipe sections to and from a horizontal boring machine. The system comprises a pipe handling assembly, a pipe lubrication assembly, a makeup/breakout assembly, and an automatic control system. The pipe handling assembly stores pipe sections and transports the pipe sections to and from the drill string of a boring machine. As the pipe handling assembly transports a pipe section, the pipe lubrication assembly lubricates the appropriate pipe joints. The makeup/breakout assembly secures the drill string and pipe joints so that pipe sections can be added to or removed from the drill string. A programmed controller automatically operates the pipe handling system and its components by synchronizing the operations of the pipe handling system. The controller sequences and times the operation of each aspect of the pipe handling system during both the boring operation and the backreaming operation.

Abstract: An automatic pipe handling device (10) is disclosed which includes a support frame (12) mounted on a boring device (14). Removable pipe racks (16, 80, 130, 140) can be placed in position on the support frame (12) to deliver pipe to the spindle axis or to remove pipe therefrom as required. The pipe sections are removed from the pipe rack and positioned on the spindle axis by pipe grippers (32) mounted on hydraulic cylinders (28, 30) mounted on a rotating longitudinal shaft (20). The grippers and shaft similarly return the used pipe sections for storage to the pipe rack. In one pipe rack (16) an S-shaped guide path (72) is used. In another pipe rack (80) a plurality of rows (88, 90, 92) of pipe sections are used. In another embodiment, pipe is stored in an arcuate path.

Abstract: A pipe handling apparatus for transporting a joint of pipe between a position adjacent a pipe storage rack and a rig floor elevated above the pipe storage rack is provided. The pipe handling apparatus includes a support frame, substantially horizontally disposed platform supported by the support frame having a pipe receiving groove formed therein for receiving the joint of pipe, a carriage member, and a pusher member. The carriage member is movable from a lowered position wherein the joint of pipe which is positioned in the pipe receiving groove of the platform is supported in a substantially horizontal position and a raised position wherein the carriage member supports a first end of the joint of pipe at an elevated position relative to an opposed second end of the joint of pipe. The pusher member is movable along the pipe receiving groove between a retracted position and an extended position.

Abstract: An automatic pipe handling system for automatically transporting pipe sections to and from a horizontal boring machine. The system comprises a pipe handling assembly, a pipe lubrication assembly, a makeup/breakout assembly, and an automatic control system. The pipe handling assembly stores pipe sections and transports the pipe sections to and from the drill string of a boring machine. As the pipe handling assembly transports a pipe section, the pipe lubrication assembly lubricates the appropriate pipe joints. The makeup/breakout assembly secures the drill string and pipe joints so that pipe sections can be added to or removed from the drill string. A programmed controller automatically operates the pipe handling system and its components by synchronizing the operations of the pipe handling system. The controller sequences and times the operation of each aspect of the pipe handling system during both the boring operation and the backreaming operation.