Apparatus for wiping the interior of pipes
An apparatus is provided for cleaning a drill string of drilling mud during tripping, the apparatus being provided with a mass and a volume such that it is able to float on a surface of the drilling mud in the drill string during the tripping operation. The apparatus includes a wiper device which is bellows-shaped, and a weight which is fastened to the top of the wiper device.
1. An apparatus for cleaning drilling mud from the interior surfaces of drill pipe of a drill string during tripping, the apparatus having a mass and a volume such that it is able to float on or about surface of the drilling mud in the drill string during the tripping operation, the apparatus comprising:
a wiper device, having a bellows-shape; and
a weight at or adjacent the top of the wiper device, configured by the gravitational force of the weight to compress the wiper device so that it expands towards the interior surfaces of the drill pipe to urge the wiper device against the interior surfaces of the drill pipe so that the wiper device can wipe the interior surfaces of the drill pipe.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises one or more channels past or through the wiper device which permit the passage of drilling mud.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the wiper device comprises two or more wiper sections which are arranged axially and radially offset from each other.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the wiper device alters shape depending on variable diameters of the drill pipe, so as to pass through the drill pipe while wiping the interior surfaces of the drill pipe.
5. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises one or more weight elements that can be attached and removed in order to change the mass and volume of the apparatus.