Baker Hughes Corporation

Dominik Brouwer

Joerg Lehr

Friedrich-Wilhelm Bach

Berend Denkena

Thomas Hassel

Aret Varahram

Florian Baer

Sven Mitulla

Ludger Leo Josef Overmeyer

Hans Lothar Wohlgemuth

Hans-Christian Möhring

Kai Litwinski

Tubulars are joined for subterranean borehole use in the production of hydrocarbons by a technique of magnetically impelled arc butt (MIAB) welding. Large casing can be accommodated and the weld quality is maintained with control over the pattern of arc movement on the end walls by virtue of relative movements of the tubulars as the arc is generated and the magnetic field is applied. One or both tubulars can be manipulated relatively in a variety of direction to control the movements of the arc as the magnetic field induces circular arc movement along the end walls of the tubulars to heat up the ends to the temperature needed to effectively fuse the wall ends together. Movement can be rotational or axial about a fixed axis or lateral with respect to the axes both with and without skewing of the axes. The movements can be combined to obtain the desired track.

Enhanced arc control for magnetically impelled butt welding

An apparatus for manipulating objects include a plurality of actuators distributed on a rig. The actuators cooperate to orient and move the well equipment. Each actuator may include at least one non-rigid tension member configured to engage the well equipment, and at least one sensor generating a signal representative of at least one parameter of: (i) a length of at least one of the at least one non-rigid tension members, (ii) a tension along at least one of the at least one non-rigid tension members, (iii) a position of at least one of the at least one non-rigid tension members; and (iv) an orientation of at least one of the at least one non-rigid tension members. The actuators may also each include a drum guiding each of the at least one non-rigid tension members and a motor rotating each drum. The apparatus further includes a controller in communication with the actuators, the controller being programmed to move the object based on the at least one sensor signals.

Automated wellbore equipment feeding system

A magnetically impelled arc butt (MIAB) welding device positioned on the rig floor heats facing ends of a pair of wellbore tubulars. After the facing ends are heated and/or melted, a force application device compressively engages the facing ends to form a welded joint.

Arc guiding, gripping and sealing device for a magnetically impelled butt welding rig

A system for aligning and connecting components including a support structure and a measuring apparatus coupled to the support structure. The measuring apparatus is arranged to spatially analyze a first tubular component with respect to a second tubular component for determining an adjustment vector therebetween. An alignment apparatus is coupled to the support structure and in data communication with the measuring apparatus. The alignment apparatus includes a plurality of actuators operatively arranged in parallel for moving at least one of the first or second tubular components relative to the other for coaxially arranging the first and second tubular components in accordance with the adjustment vector. A connection apparatus is coupled to the support structure and operatively arranged for connecting the first and second tubular components together.

Positioning system and method for automated alignment and connection of components

Growing community of inventors

Hannover, Germany

Dominik Brouwer