Control line guide and method of using same
View Patent ↗A control line guide and manipulating arm can protect and guide one or more control lines which are desired to be attached and lowered into a wellbore with a tubular string. The control lines may be moved toward a tubular string, can be clamped to the tubular string, and the tubular string and control lines may be lowered into the wellbore. When the elevator reaches a predetermined position, the spider slips are preferably set. To protect the control lines, the control lines are moved in a substantially radial direction outward from the tubular string. The spider slips are closed only after the control lines are retained outward. After another tubular joint is connected to the tubular string and the elevator grips the tubular string, the spider slips are preferably released. For easier attachment, of the control lines to the tubular string, the control lines are moved in a substantially radial direction toward the tubular string. As the tubular string and the control lines are lowered into the wellbore, the manipulator arm may again begin retracting to move the control lines away from the approaching elevator as well as to move the control lines out of the way of the movement of the spider slips. The control line guide, which preferably passes through the spider, protects the control lines from the spider slips by allowing the control lines to remain outside the path of the spider slips as they open and close.
1. An apparatus for guiding and protecting control lines installed in a wellbore, the control lines passing through at least one tubular gripping apparatus, having at least one tubular engaging surface, for enabling tubulars to be held in place, as desired, and to be moved into and out of the wellbore comprising:
at least one control line which can be secured to a string of oilfield tubulars, and lowered into a wellbore with said oilfield tubulars;
a tubular gripping apparatus comprising:
a first main channel housing one or more sets of slips, providing tubular engaging surfaces, which can open to disengage an oilfield tubular and can close to engage an oilfield tubular, and through which said oilfield tubulars can be moved; and
a second guide channel intersecting said first main channel, and through which
at least one control line can be moved, wherein said second guide channel retains at least one control line within said second guide channel while said sets of slips are opening or closing to eliminate contact between said slips and said at least one control line.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said tubular gripping apparatus comprises a body having said first main channel passing therethrough and having a wall comprising an external surface and an internal surface, wherein said wall at least partially surrounds said first main channel, and said second guide channel is formed in said internal surface of said wall.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said wall further comprises a door, and wherein said second guide channel is formed in said door.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , including in addition thereto, the placement of a containment band releasably placed within said second guide channel to releasably maintain said at least one control line within said second guide channel.
5. A method for protecting at least one control line, said at least one control line being attached to a tubular string while said at least one control line and the tubular string are being installed in a wellbore, comprising the steps:
moving the at least one control line to a position proximate the tubular string;
attaching the control line to the tubular string;
lowering the tubular string and the attached control line into the wellbore;
moving a portion of the said at least one control line, above the attachment of the said control line, in a direction away from the tubular string;
releasably securing the control line in a guide within an oilfield spider, wherein the guide slidably retains the control line in a path avoiding contact between said control line and at least one spider slip while said at least one spider slip is opening or closing;
closing said at least one spider slip;
opening at least one slip of an elevator, wherein the elevator slip is in gripping contact with the tubular string when closed, and wherein said opening of the elevator slip releases the gripping contact with the tubular string;
moving the elevator in a substantially vertical direction away from the spider;
connecting a new tubular section to the tubular string;
transferring the tubular string load to an elevator, wherein transferring the load comprises closing said at least one slip of an elevator, thereby positioning the elevator slip in gripping contact with the tubular string;
opening said at least one spider slip; and
lowering the tubular string into the wellbore.
6. A tubular gripping, flush mounted spider apparatus having a body and a central bore through said body through which an oilfield tubular may pass while being raised from an earth borehole, or while being lowered into an earth borehole, and having a plurality of slips within said body to grip said oilfield tubular, said apparatus comprising at least one path through said body through which one or more control lines may pass, said at least one path being outside the path being traveled by any of the slips and being configured to prevent any contact between any of the slips and any of the one or more control lines.