Ensco Services Limited

Ensco International Incorporated

Cameron Rig Solutions, Inc.

Letourneau Technologies, Inc.

Rick Pilgrim

Richard Robert Roper

Tommy Vu

Erman Citirik

Paul Channon

Stephen Joseph DeLory

Stephen Joseph Delory

Tommy Duc Vu

An automated pipe tripping apparatus includes an outer frame and an inner frame. The inner frame includes a tripping slips and iron roughneck. The automated pipe tripping apparatus may, in concert with an elevator and drawworks, trip in a tubular string in a continuous motion. The tripping slips and iron roughneck, along with the inner frame, may travel vertically within the outer frame. The weight of the tubular string is transferred between the tripping slips and the elevator. The iron roughneck may make up or break out threaded connections between tubular segments, the upper tubular segment supported by the elevator and the lower by the tripping slips. An automated pipe handling apparatus may remove or supply sections of pipe from or to the elevator. A control system may control both the automated pipe tripping apparatus and the elevator and drawworks.

Automated pipe tripping apparatus and methods

Techniques and systems to provide automatic positioning of a tripping apparatus. A system may include a sensor configured to detect a physical characteristic of a tubular string moving past the sensor and generate a signal indicative of the physical characteristic. The system may also include a processing device configured to process the signal indicative of the physical characteristic, determine whether the processed signal is indicative of a deviation of the tubular string, and generate output data utilized to automatically position a tripping apparatus at a location of the deviation on the tubular string.

Joint recognition system

The present disclosure provides drilling and tripping equipment packages and control schemes and methods using two or more lifting systems that operate simultaneously and continuously in a synchronized manner such that the feeding of tubular into or out of a well bore is achieved with continuous or near continuous movement, without the need for periodic interruptions. The drilling and tripping equipment packages and control schemes are also able to rotate the tubular in the well bore with continuous speed and torque sufficient for both drilling and back-reaming operations. The drilling and tripping equipment package and control scheme is additionally able to circulate drilling fluid into the internal bore of the tubular with sufficient pressure and flow to facilitate both drilling and back-reaming operations, with minimal interruption to circulation.

Systems and methods for continuous and near continuous drilling

The present disclosure provides a drilling and tripping equipment package and control scheme and methods using two or more systems that operate simultaneously and continuously in a synchronized manner such that the feeding of tubulars into or out of a well bore is achieved with continuous or near continuous movement, without the need for periodic interruptions. The drilling and tripping equipment package and control scheme is also able to rotate the tubulars in the well bore with continuous speed and torque sufficient for both drilling and back-reaming operations. The drilling and tripping equipment package and control scheme is additionally able to circulate drilling fluid into the internal bore of the tubulars with sufficient pressure and flow to facilitate both drilling and back-reaming operations, with minimal interruption to circulation.

System and methods for continuous and near continuous drilling

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Rick Pilgrim