National Oilwell Varco, L.p.

Gregory Keogh

Baldwin Zahn

Albert Koether

Christopher Yeldell

Ronald William Yater

Dylan Rigby

A pipe handler for handling tubular members of a well system includes a mounting member for mounting the pipe handler to a structure of the well system, a first arm having a first end coupled to a structure of the well system, and a second end, wherein the first arm is configured to pivot relative to the mounting member about a first axis, a second arm having a first end and a second end, a connector coupled to the second end of the first arm and the first end of the second arm, and wherein the connector is configured to rotate the second arm about a second axis and a guide member coupled to the second end of the second arm for guiding a tubular member, wherein the second arm is configured to pivot relative to the connector about a third axis.

Pipe stand transfer system

A method for handling pipe includes orienting a pipe having first and second ends so that the second end of the pipe is positioned vertically above the first end, and while the pipe is oriented with the second end positioned vertically above the first end, gripping onto the pipe proximate the first end with a lift jaw assembly that is coupled to a lift arm assembly. The pipe is vertically misaligned at a substantially non-zero misalignment angle relative to the first end of the pipe while gripping the pipe with the lift jaw assembly, wherein vertically misaligning the pipe includes rotating the lift jaw assembly relative to the lift arm assembly.

Methods for handling pipe

A racking arm assembly is adapted to be mounted on a drill floor of a drilling rig and includes a lift arm assembly having a first arm that is movably coupled to a vertical support column, wherein the lift arm assembly is adapted to be raised and lowered along a vertical length of the vertical support column during a pipe handling operation. A lift jaw assembly is pivotably coupled to a second arm of the lift arm assembly and includes a lift jaw assembly having a lift jaw gripping apparatus that is adapted to grip and fixedly hold a drill pipe stand proximate a pin end of the drill pipe stand during the pipe handling operation. The lift jaw gripping apparatus is further adapted to be rotated relative to the lift arm assembly about a substantially horizontal axis while the lift jaw gripping apparatus is fixedly holding the drill pipe stand.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Gregory Keogh