A top drive system for drilling with casing includes a casing feeder and a torque head. In one embodiment, the casing feeder is adapted to position a casing for engagement with the torque head. The casing feeder includes a pair of conveying arms for engagement with the casing. Each conveying arm may be raised or lowered by a cylinder. The conveying arms are equipped with a motor driven roller for engaging and lifting the casing. The casing feeder may also be equipped with a counting apparatus to determine the positioning of the casing in the torque head.
1. A top drive system for handling a tubular, comprising:
a top drive;
a tubular gripping member coupled to the top drive, the tubular gripping member capable of gripping the tubular and transferring torque from the top drive to the tubular; and
a tubular conveying apparatus operatively coupled to the top drive, the tubular conveying apparatus further comprising a retaining member in contact with the tubular, wherein the tubular conveying apparatus is adapted to move the tubular relative to the retaining member and into engagement with the tubular gripping member, and wherein the gripping member and the conveying apparatus are actuatable independently of each other.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tubular gripping member comprises:
a housing operatively connected to the top drive;
a plurality of gripping elements radially disposed in the housing for engaging the tubular, wherein moving the housing relative to the plurality of gripping elements causes the plurality of gripping members to engage the tubular.
3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising one or more engagement members disposed on the plurality of gripping elements.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the one or more engagement members are pivotable.
5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising a retracting mechanism for retracting the engagement members.
6. The system of claim 4 , wherein an axial load acting on the engagement members causes the engagement members to pivot.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tubular conveying apparatus, comprises:
a pair of arms coupled to the retaining member for engaging the tubular, the arms actuatable to engage the tubular between the retaining member of each arm; and
a motor for rotating the roller, thereby conveying the tubular relative to the conveying apparatus.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the tubular gripping member comprises:
a housing operatively connected to the top drive;
a plurality of gripping elements radially disposed in the housing for engaging the tubular, wherein moving the housing relative to the plurality of gripping elements causes the plurality of gripping members to engage the tubular.
9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the retaining member comprises a roller.
10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more bails coupling the conveying apparatus to the top drive.
11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a swivel drive system for rotating the conveying apparatus.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tubular gripping member comprises a tubular stop member.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tubular gripping member is adapted to grip an exterior surface of the tubular.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tubular gripping member is adapted to grip an interior surface of the tubular.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tubular is moved relative to the tubular conveying apparatus into engagement with the tubular gripping member.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tubular conveying apparatus is movable with the top drive.
17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tubular conveying apparatus further comprises a lever member.
18. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a cylinder adapted to tilt the one or more bails.
19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a counting apparatus.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the counting apparatus comprises a sensor for activating a counter.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the counting apparatus further comprises a counting member for determining a position of the tubular.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the counting member comprises a counting roller.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the counter determines a number of revolutions performed by the counting roller.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the number of revolutions is a function of the position of the tubular.
25. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tubular comprises a casing.
26. A method for handling tubulars using a top drive, comprising:
providing a first tubular gripping member and a second tubular gripping member coupled to a top drive;
retaining the tubular using the second gripping member and moving the second gripping member to place the tubular into alignment with the first gripping member, the second gripping member comprising a retaining member in contact with the tubular;
moving the tubular relative to the retaining member of the second gripping member for engagement with the first gripping member; and
rotating the tubular using the top drive.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the second gripping member includes a drive mechanism.
28. The method of claim 27 , further comprising actuating the drive mechanism to move the tubular into engagement with the first gripping member.
29. The method of claim 26 , wherein the rotating the tubular comprises rotating the first tubular gripping member.
30. The method of claim 26 , wherein the tubular is moved axially relative to the second gripping member.
31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the second gripping member includes a drive mechanism for moving the tubular.
32. The method of claim 31 , further comprising actuating the drive mechanism to move the tubular into engagement with the first gripping member.
33. The method of claim 30 , wherein rotating the tubular comprises rotating the first tubular gripping member.
34. The method of claim 30 , wherein the tubular is moved axially relative to the first gripping member.
35. The method of claim 30 , further comprising axially moving the second gripping member along with the top drive.
36. The method of claim 26 , wherein the tubular is moved axially relative to the first gripping member.
37. The method of claim 26 , further comprising axially moving the second gripping member along with the top drive.
38. The method of claim 26 , further comprising pivoting the retaining member in one plane to cause the retaining member to engage the tubular.
39. The method of claim 26 , further comprising a bail for coupling the second gripping member to the top drive.
40. The method of claim 39 , wherein the tubular is moved axially relative to the bail.
41. The method of claim 26 , further comprising gripping the tubular using the first gripping member.
42. The method of claim 41 , further comprising releasing the tubular from the second gripping member.