Granted Patent B2

US 7,134,531 · App. 10/810,228 · Granted Nov 14, 2006

Abstract

Claims (56)

1. An apparatus for handling a landing string disposed within a rotary table on a rig, and wherein said landing string is attached to a bottom hole assembly disposed within a well, said landing string and said bottom hole assembly creating a load, the apparatus comprising:

a bowl insert having an inner portion, said inner portion having a taper of greater than 11 degrees relative to vertical;

slip means having a plurality of die inserts for engaging the work string within the rotary table, said slip means having an outer portion configured to fit into said inner portion of said bowl insert, said outer portion having a taper complementary of the bowl insert taper;

wherein said slip means comprises a first slip with a first and second ledge and having a first longitudinal disposed slot that extends the length of said first slip, and wherein said first and second ledge contain a backside; a second slip with a first and second ledge and having a second longitudinal disposed slot that extends the length of said second slip, and wherein said first and second ledge contains a backside; a third slip with a first and second ledge and having a third longitudinal disposed slot that extends the length of said third slip, and wherein said first and second ledge contains a backside; a first insert with a shoulder that cooperates with and abuts said backside of the first ledge of the first slip; a second insert with a shoulder that cooperates with and abuts said backside of the second ledge of the first slip; a third insert with a shoulder that cooperates with and abuts said backside of the first ledge of the second slip; a fourth insert with a shoulder that cooperates with and abuts said backside of the second ledge of the second slip; a fifth insert with a shoulder that cooperates with and abuts said backside of the first ledge of the third slip; a sixth insert with a shoulder that cooperates with and abuts said backside of the second ledge of the third slip, and wherein said shoulders are capable of transferring the load from said shoulders to said ledges.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said inner portion taper of said bowl insert is between 11 degrees and 15 degrees relative to vertical.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said outer portion taper of said slip means is between 11 degrees and 13 degrees relative to vertical.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said inner portion taper of said bowl insert is 12 degrees relative to vertical and said outer portion taper of said slip means is a complimentary angle of 12 degrees.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said slip means comprises a first, second and third slip means containing a plurality of dies for engaging the work string.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bottom hole assembly is a casing string.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said landing string is a drill string.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said rig is a floatable rig situated on an ocean, above an ocean floor.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said drill string contains a casing hanger adapted to engage a sub sea tree on the ocean floor.

10. A tubular handling device comprising:

a first slip having an arcuate inner face and an outer face, wherein said inner face has a first longitudinally disposed slot and wherein said first longitudinally disposed slot has a first ledge that has a backside and wherein said first slip has an outer portion having a taper of greater than 11 degrees relative to vertical;

a second slip being connected to said first slip, said second slip having an arcuate inner face and an outer face, wherein said inner face has a second longitudinally disposed slot and wherein said second longitudinally disposed slot has a second ledge that has a backside therein and wherein said second slip has an outer portion having a taper of greater than 11 degrees relative to vertical;

a third slip having an arcuate inner face and outer face, wherein said inner face has a third longitudinally disposed slot and wherein said third longitudinally disposed slot has a third ledge that has a backside therein and wherein said third slip has an outer portion having a taper of greater than 11 degrees relative to vertical;

means for connecting said first slip with said second slip and means for connecting said second slip with said third slip;

a first insert having a first shoulder that is configured to fit within said first ledge and abut said backside of said first ledge, and wherein said first insert is capable of transferring a load from said first shoulder to said first ledge;

a second insert having a second shoulder that is configured to fit within said second ledge and abut said backside of said second ledge and wherein said second insert is capable of transferring a load from said second shoulder to said second ledge;

a third insert having a third shoulder that is configured to fit within said third ledge and abut said backside of said third ledge and wherein said third insert capable of transferring a load from said third shoulder to said third ledge;

a fourth insert having a fourth shoulder that is configured to fit within a fourth ledge that is disposed within said first longitudinally disposed slot, said fourth ledge having a backside and wherein said fourth insert abuts said backside and is capable of transferring a load from said fourth shoulder to said fourth ledge;

a fifth insert having a fifth shoulder that is configured to fit within a fifth ledge that is disposed within said second longitudinally disposed slot, said fifth ledge having a backside and wherein said fifth insert abuts said backside and is capable of transferring a load from said fifth shoulder to said fifth ledge;

a sixth insert having a sixth shoulder that is configured to fit within a sixth ledge that is disposed within said third longitudinally disposed slot, said sixth ledge having a backside and wherein said sixth insert abuts said backside and is capable of transferring a load from said sixth shoulder to said sixth ledge.

11. The tubular handling device of claim 10 wherein said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth ledge has a bottom surface having an angle between minus 20 degrees to plus 20 degrees relative to a horizontal plane and wherein said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth shoulder on said inserts has a complimentary angle of between minus 20 degrees to plus 20 degrees.

12. The tubular handling device of claim 11 wherein said inserts are constructed of a low carbon alloy steel material.

13. The tubular handling device of claim 12 wherein said first insert has a first handle member, and said second insert has a second handle member.

14. The tubular handling device of claim 10 further comprising a bowl insert having an inner portion having a mating taper of greater than 11 degrees, and wherein said first, second and third slips are disposed within said bowl insert.

15. A rotary slip apparatus for handling tubular members on a drill rig floor, the rotary slip apparatus comprising:

a first slip having a first arcuate inner face and an outer face, wherein said inner face has a first longitudinally disposed slot and wherein said first longitudinally disposed slot has a first ledge that has a backside and wherein said first slip has an outer portion having a taper of greater than 11 degrees;

a second slip being connected to said first slip, said second slip having a second arcuate inner face and an outer face and wherein said second slip has an outer portion having a taper of greater than 11 degrees, wherein said inner face of said second slip has a second longitudinally disposed slot and wherein said second longitudinally disposed slot has a second ledge that has a backside,;

a third slip having a third arcuate inner face and outer face and wherein said third slip has an outer portion having a taper of greater than 11 degrees, wherein said inner face of said third slip has a third longitudinally disposed slot and wherein said third longitudinally disposed slot has a third ledge that has a backside;

first means for attaching said first slip with said second slip and second means for attaching said second slip with said third slip;

a first insert having a first shoulder that is configured to fit within said first ledge, and wherein said first shoulder abuts said backside of said first ledge and transfers a load from said first insert to said first ledge;.

a second insert having a second shoulder that is configured to fit within said second ledge and wherein said second shoulder abuts said backside of said second ledge and transfers the load from said second insert to said second ledge;

a third insert having a third shoulder that is configured to fit within said third ledge and wherein said third shoulder abuts said backside of said third ledge and transfers a load from said third insert to said third ledge;

a fourth insert having a fourth shoulder that is configured to fit within a fourth ledge disposed within said first longitudinally disposed slot, and wherein said fourth shoulder abuts said backside of said fourth ledge and transfers the load from said fourth insert to said fourth ledge;

a fifth insert having a fifth shoulder that is configured to fit within a fifth ledge disposed within said second longitudinally disposed slot of said second slip and wherein said fifth shoulder abuts said backside of said fifth ledge and transfers the load from said fifth insert to said fifth ledge;

a sixth insert having a sixth shoulder that is configured to fit within a sixth ledge disposed within said third longitudinally disposed slot of said third slip and wherein said sixth shoulder abuts said backside of said sixth ledge and transfers a load from said first insert to said sixth ledge.

16. The rotary slip apparatus of claim 15 wherein said first insert, said second insert, and said third insert are constructed of a low carbon alloy steel material.

17. The rotary slip apparatus of claim 16 wherein said first, second, and third ledge has a bottom surface having an angle of minus twenty (−20) degrees to twenty (20) degrees relative to a horizontal plane and wherein said first shoulder, second shoulder and third shoulder on said first insert, said second insert and said third insert has a complimentary angle of minus twenty (−20) degrees to twenty (20) degrees.

18. A method of engaging a tubular member within a rotary table on a drill rig floor comprising:

providing a slip device, said slip device comprising: a first slip having an arcuate inner face and an outer face, wherein said inner face has a first longitudinally disposed slot that extends the length of said slip and wherein said first longitudinally disposed slot has a first ledge that has a backside therein and a second ledge that has a backside therein; a second slip being connected to said first slip, said second slip having an arcuate inner face and an outer face, wherein said inner face has a second longitudinally disposed slot that extends the length of said slip and wherein said second longitudinally disposed slot has a third ledge that has a backside therein and a fourth ledge that has a backside therein; a third slip having an arcuate inner face and outer face, wherein said inner face has a third longitudinally disposed slot that extends the length of said slip and wherein said third longitudinally disposed slot has a fifth ledge that has a backside therein and a sixth ledge that has a backside therein; a first insert having a shoulder at is configured to fit within said first ledge and abuts said backside of said first ledge; a second insert having a shoulder that is configured to fit within said second ledge and abuts said backside of said second ledge; a third insert having a shoulder that is configured to fit within said third ledge and abuts said backside of said third ledge; a fourth insert having a shoulder that is configured to fit within said fourth ledge and abuts said backside of said fourth ledge; a fifth insert having a shoulder that is configured to fit within said fifth ledge and abuts said backside of said fifth ledge; and a sixth insert having a shoulder that is configured to fit within said sixth ledge and abuts said backside of said sixth ledge;

placing a first tubular member within the rotary table on the drill rig floor;

inserting the slip device into the rotary table;

engaging the slip device about the first tubular member so that the first insert, the second insert, the third insert, fourth insert, fifth insert, and sixth insert engage the first tubular member and wherein the first tubular member is suspended from the rotary table thereby creating a load;

transferring the load of the first tubular member to the first insert, the second insert, the third insert, the fourth insert, the fifth insert, and the sixth insert;

transferring the load of the first insert, the second insert, the third insert the fourth insert, the fifth insert, and the sixth insert to the shoulder's of the first insert, second insert, third insert, the fourth insert, the fifth insert, and the sixth insert inserts;

transferring the load from the shoulder's of the first insert, the second insert, the third insert, the fourth insert, the fifth insert and the sixth insert to the ledges of the respective first, second and third slip so that the load of the first tubular member is distributed about the length of the first slip, the second slip and the third slip and wherein said first, said second, said third, said fourth, said fifth, and said sixth inserts are individually supported on said respective first, said second, said third, said fourth, said fifth, and said sixth ledges.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

threadedly connecting a second tubular member to said first tubular member;

removing the slip device from the rotary table;

lowering the connected first tubular member and the second tubular member;

inserting the slip device into the rotary table;

engaging the slip device about the second tubular member;

transferring the load of the first and the second tubular member to the first, the second, the third insert, fourth insert, fifth insert, and sixth insert;

transferring the load of the first and the second tubular member from the shoulder's of the inserts to the ledges of the respective first, second and third slip so that the load of the first and the second tubular member is distributed about the length of the first slip, the second slip and the third slip.

Assignments (14)