EP3833843B1 - Onshore drilling rig and method for moving a top drive in a drill mast of an onshore drilling rig - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a land drilling rig, sometimes referred to below as a drilling rig, for sinking deep boreholes, for example in hydrocarbon deposits, for oil and gas exploration or for developing geothermal energy. The invention further relates to a method for moving a so-called top drive (power turret) in a drilling mast of a land drilling rig as well as a method for so-called removing a drill string from a borehole and a method for so-called installing a drill string into a borehole.

From the DE 10 2014 200 748 A1 is a land drilling rig with a drilling mast, a top drive movable in the drilling mast along the vertical axis of the drilling mast and a crown bearing at an upper end of the drilling mast. The crown bearing is movable in the horizontal direction by means of a positioning device and the top drive is movable in the drilling mast in the vertical direction along a guide for the top drive.

The US 4,903,44 also describes a drilling system with a crown bearing that can be moved in a horizontal direction. The US 2001/0025727 describes a drilling system without crown bearings and the mobility in the horizontal direction is implemented in the manner of a protal crane.

The US 2,643,005 describes a drilling rig from a time before the use of a top drive became common. There The drill string is rotated by means of a turntable and the drill mast is intended for the upward and downward movement of an elevator on which the drill string hangs during drilling. With such a drilling system, the elevator basically hangs freely on a cable pull system under the crown bearing. The US 2,643,005 proposes the use of a steel cable that runs vertically in the drilling mast and is attached to the crown bearing at the top and to a retraction device at the bottom as a guide for the elevator (the elevator is coupled to the steel cable in a vertically movable manner). A freely swinging elevator detached from the end of the drill string can be pulled out of the area of the end of the drill string by means of a retraction of the steel cable caused by a simultaneous movement of the crown bearing and the retraction device and can then be lowered next to the end of the drill string.

A critical aspect of operating a land drilling rig is the time-dependent costs. Installing and removing the drill string is particularly time-consuming. This is necessary, for example, when replacing a drill head. Removing a drill string and then installing (reinstalling) a drill string is also known as a “round trip.” The time it takes to remove and install a drill string is also known as the “trip rate”. A short trip rate is an important criterion for the costs of a drilling project and is therefore a key differentiator for providers of a drilling system.

The one mentioned above US 2,643,005 is already fundamentally addressing this problem. However, the solution proposed there is not suitable for modern drilling rigs with top drive.

An object of the present invention is to provide a drilling rig with top drive, in particular a drilling mast of such a drilling rig, which enables a reduction in the time required for a round trip.

The drilling system proposed here comprises, in a manner generally known per se, a drilling mast, a power turret which is movable in the drilling mast along the vertical axis of the drilling mast and is referred to in technical terminology as a top drive, and a crown block (crown block) which is referred to in technical terminology as a crown block upper end (head end) of the drilling mast. The special feature is that the crown bearing is movable, namely translationally movable, in particular translationally movable transversely to the vertical axis of the drilling mast.

To move the crown bearing, a crown bearing positioning device, referred to below as a positioning device, is provided. The drilling rig or drilling mast has such a positioning device, which is intended and set up to move the crown bearing during operation and which moves the crown bearing as intended during operation. The positioning device is intended and set up to move the crown bearing back and forth between at least two different positions (first position; second position) as required. The positioning device is or includes a device which moves the crown bearing into the first position, into the second position and possibly into further positions as required during operation and holds it in the respective position. The positioning device is, for example, a drive or includes, for example, at least one drive.

In the first position of the crown bearing, the top drive, which hangs below the crown bearing and at least indirectly hangs on the crown bearing, is located above the center of the borehole and accordingly in a position referred to as the borehole center. The top drive is always in the middle of the borehole, when the drill string is raised, lowered or rotated using the top drive. The first position of the crown bearing, in which the top drive is at the center of the borehole, is also referred to as “center of the borehole” or “above the center of the borehole”; both terms mean the same thing. In the second position, the crown bearing is in a position spaced from the center of the borehole. This position is hereinafter referred to as the withdrawn position.

The borehole center is considered to be any position above the borehole center or any position along an axis defined by the drill string in the borehole (borehole center axis). A retracted position is any position along a further axis that is parallel to the borehole center axis and spaced from the borehole center axis.

Such a land drilling rig can be briefly described as follows: Land drilling rig with a drilling mast, a top drive movable in the drilling mast along the vertical axis of the drilling mast and a crown bearing at an upper end of the drilling mast, the crown bearing being movable by means of a positioning device.

• Die Landbohranlage weist einen Verfahrweg für das Kronenlager am oberen Ende des Bohrmasts und eine als Positioniereinrichtung fungierende Verfahr- oder Verschiebeeinrichtung auf.
• Die Landbohranlage weist einen einerseits am Bohrmast und andererseits am Kronenlager angreifenden Antrieb als Verfahr- oder Verschiebeeinrichtung auf.
• Die Landbohranlage, nämlich deren als Verfahr- oder Verschiebeeinrichtung fungierender Antrieb, weist zumindest ein mittels des Antriebs (motorischer Antrieb, Elektromotor) drehbares und in, an oder auf dem Verfahrweg laufendes Antriebsrad auf.

Embodiments of such a land drilling system can be briefly described as follows:

• The land drilling rig has a travel path for the crown bearing at the upper end of the drilling mast and a travel or displacement device that acts as a positioning device.
• The land drilling rig has a drive that acts on the drilling mast on the one hand and on the crown bearing on the other hand as a traversing or displacement device.
• The land drilling system, namely its drive that functions as a traversing or displacement device, has at least one drive wheel that can be rotated by means of the drive (motor drive, electric motor) and runs in, on or on the travel path.

The mobility of the crown bearing according to the innovation proposed here has the advantage that a top drive that can move between the position above the center of the borehole and a retracted position can carry out so-called load travel to the center of the borehole and so-called empty travel in the retracted position.

Such mobility of the top drive (mobility between the center of the borehole and a retracted position) is known per se in offshore drilling rigs, but not in land drilling rigs. This mobility is also present in the innovation proposed here. This mobility is realized by means of a further positioning device, referred to below as a spreading device.

The top drive is in, for example, from the EP 2 470 747 A1 basically movable vertically in the drilling mast along a guide in a manner known per se, in particular along a guide attached to the drilling mast. The spreading device engages directly or indirectly on the guide and the top drive is located at the opposite end of the spreading device. This means that the spreading device moves with the top drive in the mast and can in principle also be seen as part of the top drive. By means of the spreading device, the top drive can be moved into a first level and into a second level, each parallel to a level defined by the guide. Such a spreading device is basically known per se, so that reference can be made to the state of the art. A scissor lifting mechanism, for example, acts as a spreading device and is effective in the horizontal direction for the purpose of "spreading" the top drive from the guide, i.e. to move the top drive into the position above the center of the borehole.

The top drive is supported on the guide when rotating the drill string and to rotate the drill string. The mechanical connection between the top drive and the guide is via the spreading device. The guide and the spreading device ensure (torque support) that the torque applied by the top drive causes the drill string to rotate. In one of the two parallel planes into which the top drive can be moved by means of the spreading device, the top drive is located above the center of the borehole (first level; first position) and this first position is also referred to here as the position above the center of the borehole or simply as the center of the borehole. In the other level (second level; second position) the top drive is not above the center of the borehole and this second position - analogous to the second position of the crown bearing - is referred to as the retracted position. When moving the top drive in the drilling mast, the positioning device and the spreading device are activated synchronously or at least essentially synchronously: If the crown bearing is moved into the position above the center of the borehole by means of the positioning device when the top drive is moving under load, the top drive is also moved into the position by means of the spreading device drill hole center moved (to the first level); If the crown bearing is moved into the retracted position by means of the positioning device when the top drive is empty, the top drive is also moved into the retracted position (into the second level) by means of the expanding device.

During a load run, the top drive is above the center of the borehole and the drill string hangs on the top drive. During a load journey, the area above the center of the borehole is occupied to a certain extent and is not accessible to other machines. Examples of such other machines are a so-called pipe handler, a pliers system sometimes referred to in technical terminology as an iron roughneck for making and loosening threaded connections between two drill rods or a rod handling device.

When installing and removing a drill string, the top drive moves cyclically up and down in the drill mast in a manner known per se, namely between a position at the end of an upward movement and a position at the end of a downward movement, which is hereinafter referred to simply as "top in the mast" and "down in the mast", although the exact vertical position is not important. The position "at the top of the mast" is correlated with the height of drill rods installed or removed at the same time. The position "down in the mast" is in the area of the so-called drill floor and slightly above the drill floor.

When installing and removing the drill string, a single drill rod (single stand) can be installed or removed at a time. However, it is common to simultaneously install or remove two boring bars (double stand), three boring bars (triple stand) or possibly even more than three boring bars. In the interest of better readability of the further description, an individually installed or removed drill rod or several drill rods installed or removed at the same time are collectively referred to as a drill pipe element.

The conventional process of installing or removing a drill string is briefly explained using the example of removal.

• Schritt 1: Der Topdrive fährt in die Position "oben im Mast". Der Topdrive ist dabei an das obere Ende des Bohrstrangs angekoppelt. Das Anheben des Bohrstrangs erfolgt auf eine Höhe, bei der sich ein Bohrgestängeelement (single stand, double stand etc.) in seiner gesamten Länge oberhalb des Drillfloor befindet. In dieser angehobenen Position wird der Bohrstrang bis zu einer Lastübergabe zunächst mit dem Topdrive gehalten.
• Schritt 2: Um den Topdrive vom Bohrstrang abkoppeln zu können, wird der Bohrstrang zur Lastübernahme vom Topdrive axial fixiert. Eine solche Fixierung erfolgt beispielsweise und in grundsätzlich an sich bekannter Art und Weise mittels Keilen, nämlich mittels Keilen im Drillfloor. Mittels einer solchen Fixierung wird der Bohrstrang unabhängig vom Topdrive gehalten. Der Topdrive dient weiterhin noch als Führung des herausgezogenen Bohrgestängeelements.
• Schritt 3: Die Führung des herausgezogenen Bohrgestängeelements wird mittels einer in der Fachterminoligie oftmals als Pipehandler bezeichneten Maschine übernommen. Diese fungiert als Gestängehandhabungseinrichtung und wird im Folgenden als Gestängehandhabungseinrichtung bezeichnet. Zur Übernahme der Führung des herausgezogenen Bohrgestängeelements greift die Gestängehandhabungseinrichtung in grundsätzlich an sich bekannter Art und Weise am Bohrgestängeelement an.
• Schritt 4: Der Topdrive kann nach einer solchen Lastübergabe/-übernahme (Schritt 2) und nach einer solchen Übernahme der Führung des herausgezogenen Bohrgestängeelements (Schritt 3) vom Bohrstrang gelöst werden und wird vom Bohrstrang gelöst.
• Schritt 5: Ein an sich bekanntes Zangensystem greift an der oberhalb des Drillfloor liegenden Verbindungsstelle des herausgezogenen Bohrgestängeelements mit dem restlichen Bohrstrang an und löst das mittels der Gestängehandhabungseinrichtung gehaltene, herausgezogene Bohrgestängeelement vom Bohrstrang. Der vom Bohrstrang abgekoppelte Topdrive bleibt noch oben im Mast, weil sich das herausgezogene Bohrgestängeelement auf der Position Bohrlochmitte befindet und damit der Weg für eine Abwärtsfahrt des Topdrive versperrt ist.
• Schritt 6: Das herausgezogene und vom Bohrstrang getrennte Bohrgestängeelement wird mittels der Gestängehandhabungseinrichtung aus dem Bereich über Bohrlochmitte entfernt und zum Beispiel neben dem Bohrmast abgestellt, insbesondere in einer sogenannten Fingerbühne.

When removing a drill string, the drill string is lifted using the top drive (load travel) and pulled out of the borehole piece by piece. The removal of a drill string can be divided into six essential and cyclically repeating steps (see also the illustration in Figure 3 and the associated explanation):

• Step 1: The top drive moves to the position "at the top of the mast". The top drive is coupled to the upper end of the drill string. The drill string is raised to a height at which a drill string element (single stand, double stand, etc.) is located above the drill floor over its entire length. In this raised position, the drill string is initially held with the top drive until the load is transferred.
• Step 2: In order to be able to decouple the top drive from the drill string, the drill string is axially fixed to take over the load from the top drive. Such a fixation takes place, for example, in a manner that is generally known per se, by means of wedges, namely by means of wedges in the drill floor. By means of such a fixation, the drill string is held independently of the top drive. The top drive continues to serve as a guide for the drill pipe element that has been pulled out.
• Step 3: The pulled-out drill pipe element is guided by a machine often referred to in technical terminology as a pipe handler. This functions as a boom handling device and is referred to below as a boom handling device. To take over the management of the pulled-out drill pipe element, the pipe handling device engages the drill pipe element in a manner generally known per se.
• Step 4: The top drive can be released from the drill string after such a load transfer/takeover (step 2) and after such a takeover of the guidance of the pulled-out drill pipe element (step 3) and is released from the drill string.
• Step 5: A pliers system known per se engages at the connection point of the pulled-out drill pipe element with the remaining drill string above the drill floor and releases the pulled-out drill pipe element held by the pipe handling device from the drill string. The top drive that is uncoupled from the drill string still remains at the top of the mast because the drill pipe element that has been pulled out is in the middle of the borehole, thus blocking the way for the top drive to travel downwards.
• Step 6: The drill pipe element that has been pulled out and separated from the drill string is removed from the area above the center of the borehole using the pipe handling device and placed next to the drill mast, for example, in particular in a so-called finger platform.

The order of the steps can also be varied such that the first step is carried out first, then the second step, then the fifth step, then the third step, then the fourth step and finally the sixth step.

After the sixth step, the area above the center of the borehole is free again in the vertical direction. The top drive can be lowered into the position "at the bottom of the mast" (empty travel) and is then coupled back to the drill string. Now the drill string is raised again using the top drive (new load travel) and the top drive moves a further distance The drill string pulled out of the borehole is returned to the position “up in the mast”. This process (steps 1 to 6) is repeated many times until the entire drill string is pulled out of the well. When installing a drill string, the same applies in the opposite direction and order accordingly.

Since, according to the approach proposed here, the crown bearing is movable at least between the position in the middle of the borehole and a retracted position, a top drive that is itself movable between the position above the center of the borehole and a retracted position can carry out an empty run in the retracted position. When traveling empty, the top drive moves parallel to the axis of the drill string and in a plane parallel to the axis of the drill string. Likewise, when traveling empty, the cables of the pulley system between the crown bearing and top drive run parallel or at least essentially parallel to the axis of the drill string. The course of the ropes of the pulley system parallel or at least substantially parallel to the axis of the drill string is hereinafter referred to as a pulley system parallel to the drill string.

The empty journey takes place, for example, while the pulled-out drill pipe element is separated from the drill string and/or parked next to the mast. At the end of the empty journey, the top drive is back in the position "down in the mast". Now - as long as the separation and parking of the pulled-out drill pipe element has been completed - the crown bearing is moved back to the hole center position and the top drive is moved to the hole center position so that the top drive can be coupled to the drill string again in the "down in the mast" position .

The time during which the top drive moves parallel to the drill pipe element that has not yet been separated from the drill string or has not yet been switched off when running empty is now saved when the drill string is removed. This time saving occurs with every empty journey (when removing the drill string and also when installing the drill string). This results in a significant reduction in the time it takes to remove and install a drill string, i.e. a significant reduction in the duration of a round trip.

In addition to this time saving, an advantage of the innovation proposed here is that a diagonal pull in the pulley system is avoided. A diagonal pull in the pulley system occurs when - as is known from offshore drilling rigs - the top drive is moved from the position above the center of the borehole (under the crown bearing) to a retracted position. A diagonal pull leads to unfavorable horizontal loads in the guidance of the top drive. Another advantage of the innovation proposed here is that a smaller horizontal travel distance is necessary for the top drive between its position above the center of the borehole and the retracted position. In offshore drilling rigs and the known mobility of the top drive between the center of the borehole and the retracted position, the retracted position must be so far away from the position above the center of the borehole that a collision of the pulley system with a pulled-out drill pipe element, in particular with the upper end of the pulled-out drill pipe element, can be safely ruled out. This requires a significant distance between the retracted position and the position above the center of the borehole and leads to a corresponding travel of the top drive between the center of the borehole and the retracted position. The spreading device that enables this route must be designed accordingly. The longer the route, the greater the forces acting on the spreading device. A smaller distance between the retracted position and the center of the borehole, which is possible according to the innovation proposed here, reduces the forces acting on the spreading device. This reduced load increases their service life and makes a less complex design of the spreading device possible.

In a method for operating such a drilling system, in particular a method for moving a top drive in a drilling mast of a drilling system, it is initially provided with regard to the drilling mast and the top drive that the drilling mast has a crown bearing at its head end in a manner known per se, wherein the crown bearing usually functions as a top block of a pulley system or such a top block hangs under the crown bearing, with the top drive hanging on a lower block of the pulley system, known in technical terminology as a traveling block, and that the top drive is vertically in the drilling mast by means of the pulley system, namely along a vertical axis of the Drilling mast, is movable and is moved during operation of the drilling rig.

The special feature of the method is that the crown bearing is movable by means of a positioning device (crown bearing positioning device) at least between a first position (center of the drill hole) and a second position (retracted position) and can be moved into the first or second position by the positioning device as required when the drilling system is in operation is moved. The crown bearing is preferably translationally movable, namely translationally in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the top drive in the mast. When installing and removing a drill string, the crown bearing is moved using the positioning device and the top drive is moved using an expanding device as described above Type moved to the hole center position when the drill string is to be raised, lowered or rotated using the top drive. Due to a corresponding positioning of the positioning device, the crown bearing is in the hole center position when the drill string is raised, lowered or rotated with the top drive, i.e. generally whenever the drill string is hanging on the top drive. When the top drive is running empty, the crown bearing is in the retracted position due to a corresponding positioning of the positioning device and the crown bearing is moved into the retracted position by the positioning device when the top drive is to be driven empty.

For the further description, in order to avoid unnecessary repetitions, features and details that are described in connection with the method for operating a drilling rig or the method for moving a top drive in a drilling mast of a drilling rig as well as possible configurations, of course also apply to one for the execution of the Drilling rig set up for the process or a drilling mast set up to carry out the process and vice versa apply. Accordingly, the method can also be developed by means of individual or several method features that relate to method steps carried out by the drilling rig, and the drilling rig or drilling mast can accordingly also be developed by means for carrying out method steps carried out as part of the method. Consequently, features and details that are described in connection with the method proposed here and possible configurations naturally also apply in connection with and with regard to the device proposed here and possible configurations of the device and vice versa, so that with regard to the disclosure to the individual aspects The invention is or can always be referred to mutually.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims. The relationships used within the claims indicate the further development of the subject matter of the referenced claim through the features of the respective dependent claim. They are not to be understood as a waiver of the achievement of independent, objective protection for the features or combinations of features of a dependent claim. Furthermore, with regard to an interpretation of the claims and the description, when a feature in a dependent claim is specified in more detail, it is to be assumed that such a limitation is contained in the respective preceding claims as well as a more general embodiment of the subject method/the subject drilling rig or the subject matter Drilling mast is not present. Any reference in the description to aspects of dependent claims is therefore to be read expressly as a description of optional features, even without any special reference.

In one embodiment of the device proposed here (drilling rig with a positioning device and a crown bearing movable by means of the positioning device; drilling mast with a positioning device and a crown bearing movable by means of the positioning device), a travel path for the crown bearing is provided at the head end of the drilling mast and a traversing device or acts as a positioning device a displacement device which is intended and set up to move the crown bearing in, on or on the travel path, namely to move or shift. At least one rail, in particular a guide rail, or a rail or Guide rail acting profile steel into consideration, in particular a profile steel with a U-profile or a T-profile. A rack can also be used as a travel path. Mixed forms are also conceivable, i.e. a travel path which includes, on the one hand, a rack and, on the other hand, a rail, in particular a guide rail, or a profile steel functioning as a rail or guide rail.

A drive acting on the one hand on the crown bearing and on the other hand either on the drilling mast or directly on the travel path preferably acts as the positioning device, or the positioning device comprises such a drive. A hydraulic cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder, for example, can be considered as a drive. As far as the drive acts on the drilling mast or directly on the travel path, it acts on a fixed point from which the crown bearing can be moved, in the case of a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder in a manner known per se by retracting and extending a piston rod. Alternatively, a cable pull can also be used as a drive, which moves the crown bearing along the travel path in the manner of a so-called trolley. Alternatively, a motor drive, in particular an electric motor or a hydraulic motor, can also be considered as a drive, which drives a drive wheel which engages in the travel path or engages the travel path and runs in, on or on the travel path. Such a drive also acts on the crown bearing on the one hand and on the travel path and thus at least indirectly on the drilling mast on the other. The drive is preferably connected to the crown bearing, in particular attached to the crown bearing. Another possibility for a drive is a drive connected to the travel path or to the drilling mast, in particular attached to the travel path or to the drilling mast, which drives a drive wheel which is frictionally or positively locked the movable crown bearing works. Then, for example, a rack is attached to the crown bearing, into which the drive wheel engages.

Overall, according to the approach proposed here, it is advantageously provided that when and for installing a drill string into a borehole or when and for removing a drill string from a borehole, processes with the following process steps are carried out:
When removing a drill string from the borehole, the drill string is pulled out of the borehole piece by piece using the top drive and in each case by moving the top drive under load and by moving the top drive upwards in the drilling mast. At the end of a load run of the top drive, when the drill string is removed, the drill string is held by another machine and the top drive is decoupled from the drill string. After decoupling the top drive from the drill string, the crown bearing is moved into the second position (retracted position) by means of the positioning device and the top drive is moved into the second position (retracted position) by means of the spreading device and the top drive is moved downwards in the drill mast by means of an empty run, parallel to the axis of the drill string and at a distance from the position above the center of the borehole. When the top drive is under load, the crown bearing is in the position above the center of the borehole. During empty travel, the crown bearing is in the retracted position.

When installing a drill string in a borehole, the drill string is lowered into the borehole piece by piece using the top drive and in each case by moving the top drive under load and by moving the top drive downwards in the drilling mast. At the end of a load run of the Topdrive, the drill string is held by another machine when installing the drill string and the top drive is decoupled from the drill string. After disconnecting the top drive from the drill string, the crown bearing and the top drive are moved to the second position (retracted position) and the top drive is moved upwards in the drill mast by means of an empty run, parallel to the axis of the drill string and at a distance from the position above the center of the borehole. Here, too, the crown bearing is in the position above the center of the borehole when the top drive is running under load and in the retracted position during empty travel.

Especially in the case of a movable crown bearing (movable at least between the position above the center of the borehole and a retracted position) and a similarly movable top drive - each by means of a positioning device or a spreading device - the entire device for raising, lowering and rotating a drill string is in the mast between the position above the center of the borehole and a retracted position, so that overall one can also speak of a retractable hoisting system in the mast (Retractable Hoisting System) and the invention is in its most general form such a retractable lifting system.

An empty journey in the retracted position following a load journey is preferably carried out automatically or semi-automatically. Moving the crown bearing into the retracted position and then running the top drive empty are permitted if, on the one hand, the drill string is axially fixed and, if necessary, a pulled-out drill string element is held or at least guided by another machine and, on the other hand, the top drive is decoupled from the drill string. Both conditions can be monitored automatically using a control device and are optionally automatically monitored using a control device. If at least the two aforementioned conditions are met, the crown bearing is moved into the retracted position automatically or following an operator action (optimally at the same time or at least in temporal connection with a movement of the top drive into the retracted position by means of the spreading device) and optionally follows When the retracted position is reached, the Topdrive automatically travels to the retracted position after another operator action.

Likewise, access to an area above the center of the borehole by other machines or another machine, for example a rod handling device, is monitored automatically or semi-automatically and under the control of a control device. As soon as the crown bearing is moved into the retracted position using the positioning device and the top drive is also moved into the retracted position using the expanding device, the area above the center of the borehole is basically free for other machines. If the area above the center of the borehole is free, access to the area above the center of the borehole is free for a pipe handling device or the like and by means of the pipe handling device, for example, a drill pipe element separated from the drill string is removed from the area above the center of the borehole (when removing the drill string) or a with Drill pipe element to be connected to the drill string is brought into the area above the center of the borehole (when installing the drill string).

The patent claims submitted with the application are wording suggestions without prejudice for achieving further patent protection. Since the features of the dependent claims in particular can form separate and independent inventions with regard to the prior art on the priority date, The applicant reserves the right to make these or other combinations of features previously only disclosed in the description and/or drawing the subject of independent claims or declarations of division. They can also contain independent inventions that have a design that is independent of the subject matter of the claims referred to in each case.

The task mentioned at the beginning is also achieved with a control device for controlling the movement of a top drive in the drilling mast of a drilling rig, which works according to the method as described here and below and includes means for carrying out the method. A possible control device, for example, is a basically known programmable logic controller. The means for carrying out the method are then the controller itself, input and output channels of the controller and a control program executed by the control device with an implementation of the method and the method steps included therein. Input signals from the drilling system, in particular from the positioning device, the top drive, the crown bearing and/or the spreading device, are recorded via the input channels of the control device. The control program determines a logical combination of such signals with one another and/or with internal status signals of the control device generated in a manner known per se. The result of such links is output signals which are output via the output channels to the drilling system, in particular the positioning device, the top drive, the crown bearing and/or the spreading device, and which, for example, cause activation of the positioning device to move the crown bearing into the first or second position .

For automatic or semi-automatic execution, the method is preferably implemented in the form of a computer program that functions as a control program. The invention is therefore, on the one hand, also a computer program with program code instructions that can be executed by a computer, for example a central unit of a programmable logic controller, and on the other hand, a storage medium with such a computer program, i.e. a computer program product with program code means, and finally also a control device, in its memory as a means for When carrying out the method and its configurations, such a computer program is loaded or can be loaded.

Instead of a computer program with individual program code instructions, the method described here and below can also be implemented in the form of firmware. It is clear to the person skilled in the art that instead of implementing a method in software, an implementation in firmware or in firmware and software or in firmware and hardware is always possible. Therefore, it should apply to the description presented here that the terms control program and computer program also include other implementation options, namely in particular implementation in firmware or in firmware and software or in firmware and hardware.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. Corresponding objects or elements are provided with the same reference numbers in all figures.

The exemplary embodiment is not to be understood as a limitation of the invention. Rather, there are also additions and modifications within the scope of the present disclosure possible, in particular those which, for example, through combination or modification of individual features or method steps described in the general or special part of the description and contained in the claims and/or the drawing can be found by the person skilled in the art with a view to solving the problem and through combinable features lead to a new object or to new process steps or sequences of process steps.

Fig. 1

einen Bohrmast einer Bohranlage mit einem im Bohrmast beweglichen Topdrive,

Fig. 2

den Bohrmast wie in Fig. 1 mit einem aus einer Position über Bohrlochmitte in eine zurückgezogene Position bewegten Kronenlager,

Fig. 3

einen schematisch vereinfachten Ablauf eines Verfahrens beim Ausbauen eines Bohrstrangs aus einem Bohrloch und

Fig. 4

das Verfahren beim Ausbauen eines Bohrstrangs nach dem hier vorgeschlagenen Ansatz.

Show it

Fig. 1

a drilling mast of a drilling rig with a top drive that can be moved in the drilling mast,

Fig. 2

the drilling mast as in Fig. 1 with a crown bearing moved from a position above the center of the borehole to a retracted position,

Fig. 3

a schematically simplified sequence of a process when removing a drill string from a borehole and

Fig. 4

the procedure for removing a drill string according to the approach proposed here.

The representation in Figure 1 shows - in a highly simplified schematic form - a drilling mast 12 as part of a drilling system 10. In the drilling mast 12, a top drive 14 can be moved upwards and downwards along the vertical axis of the drilling mast 12, i.e. in the vertical direction, in a manner known per se.

The drilling mast 12 has a so-called crown bearing 18 at its upper end (head end 16) in a manner known per se. In the embodiment shown, this acts as a top block of a pulley system 20 (cable system). A lower block 22 of the pulley system 20 hangs underneath Crown bearing 18. The top drive 14 hangs on the lower block 22 and overall on the pulley system 20 as well as under the crown bearing 18.

The crown bearing 18 is movable at least between a first and a second position by means of a positioning device 24. A hydraulic cylinder is shown as the positioning device 24 - purely as an example. Alternatively, the positioning device 24 in the form shown can also be understood as a pneumatic cylinder. Optionally, such a positioning device 24 is implemented in the form of a paired arrangement of two hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders. The or each hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder is an example of a drive of a traversing or displacement device acting directly or indirectly on the drilling mast 12 and on the crown bearing 18 on the other hand.

When depicted in Figure 1 the crown bearing 18 is in a first position, namely in a position in which the top drive 14 hangs above the borehole machined by the drilling system 10 (borehole center 26). When depicted in Figure 2 the crown bearing 18 is in a second position, namely in a position in which the top drive 14 does not hang over the center of the borehole 26. The position of the center of the borehole 26 results as the axis (axis of rotation) of the drill string 28.

The first position of the crown bearing 18, in which the top drive 14 hangs over the center of the borehole 26, is also referred to below as the position of the crown bearing 18 above the center of the borehole 26 or briefly as the center of the borehole 26 in relation to the position of the crown bearing 18. The second position of the crown bearing 18, in which the top drive 14 is not above the center of the borehole 26 hangs, is referred to below as the withdrawn position to distinguish it.

For such mobility of the crown bearing 18, at least between the position in the middle of the borehole and the retracted position, a travel path 30 is provided at the head end 16 of the drilling mast 12 in the embodiment shown. The crown bearing 18 is movable along the travel path 30. The positioning device 24 causes the movement of the crown bearing 18 along the travel path 30, for example the movement of the crown bearing 18 into the position above the center of the borehole 26 or the movement of the crown bearing 18 into the retracted position.

In the position of the crown bearing 18 above the center of the borehole 26, so-called load travel of the top drive 14 takes place. When the top drive 14 is under load, a drill string 28 which can be rotated by means of the top drive 14 hangs from the top drive 14 and is raised, lowered and/or rotated by means of the top drive 14.

In the retracted position of the crown bearing 18, so-called empty runs of the top drive 14 take place. During an empty run, the top drive 14 is decoupled from the drill string 28. Due to the mobility of the crown bearing 18, an empty journey can take place in a plane parallel to a plane defined by the borehole and at a distance from the center of the borehole 26.

An empty journey can already take place with a crown bearing 18 that is movable according to the innovation proposed here and a top drive 14 that can move between a position above the center of the borehole 26 and a retracted position if, when removing the drill string 28, a drill string element 32 is separated from the drill string 28 and next to the mast 12, for example in a finger platform 34, is parked or if When installing a drill string 28, a new drill string element 32 to be coupled to the drill string 28 is brought into the position above the center of the borehole 26. This saves time when installing and removing the drill string 28 because processes that previously had to be carried out strictly one after the other can now be carried out in parallel or at least partially in parallel.

In the representations in Figure 1 and Figure 2 With regard to the mobility of the top drive 14 between the position above the center of the borehole 26 and the retracted position, a device which is basically known per se and is referred to here as an expansion device 36 is a device for moving the top drive 14 from the retracted position above the center of the borehole 26 and for moving the top drive 14 shown from the position above the center of the borehole 26 into the retracted position. The spreading device 36 engages on one side on a guide 38 in or on the drilling mast 12 and on the opposite side the spreading device 36 holds and positions the top drive 14 (the top drive 14 is carried by the pulley system 20). The top drive 14 in the drilling mast 12 is movable in the vertical direction along the guide 38. By means of the spreading device 36, the top drive 14 can be moved into a plane above the center of the borehole 26 (first position) and can be moved out of the plane above the center of the borehole 26 into a retracted position (second position). The top drive 14 is supported on the guide 38 when the drill string 28 rotates. By means of the spreading device 36, the top drive 14 can be moved at least into a first plane and into a second plane, each parallel to a plane defined by the guide 38.

In the representation in Figure 1 a situation is shown in which the top drive 14 is moved into the first level by means of the spreading device 36, namely a level which is a contains an imaginary line starting from the center of the borehole 26 along and in continuation of the borehole. A position of the spreading device 36 belonging to this level is referred to below - analogously to the position of the crown bearing 18 - as the position above the center of the borehole 26 or briefly as the center of the borehole 26. In the representation in Figure 2 a situation is shown in which the top drive 14 is moved by means of the spreading device 36 into the second level, namely a second level parallel to the first level and spaced apart from the first level. A position of the spreading device 36 belonging to this level is referred to below as the retracted position - also analogous to the position of the crown bearing 18.

In a drilling rig 10 with a movable crown bearing 18 and a top drive 14 movable by means of a spreading device 36, the movements of the crown bearing 18 and the spreading device 36 are at least coordinated with one another. A simultaneous movement of the crown bearing 18 and the spreading device 36 (in each case in the same direction, i.e. either in the direction of the first position or in the direction of the second position) can be provided. In principle, the movements can also take place with a time delay or one after the other, but even then they always occur in the same direction.

• Stückweises Herausziehen des Bohrstrangs 28 aus dem Bohrloch mittels des Topdrive 14 (erster Schritt 40);
• Fixieren des Bohrstrangs 28 zur Lastübernahme vom Topdrive 14 (zweiter Schritt 41);
• Führung des herausgezogenen Bohrgestängeelements 32 mittels einer anderen Maschine, zum Beispiel mittels Pipehandler 50 (dritter Schritt 42);
• Abkoppeln des Topdrive 14 vom Bohrstrang 28 (vierter Schritt 43);
• Trennen des herausgezogenen Bohrgestängeelements 32 vom Bohrstrang 28 mittels eines Zangensystems 52 (fünfter Schritt 44);
• Abtransport des vom Bohrstrang 28 getrennten Bohrgestängeelements 32 aus dem Bereich über Bohrlochmitte 26, zum Beispiel mittels Pipehandler 50 (sechster Schritt 45);
• Absenken des Topdrive 14 in Richtung auf das Ende des Bohrstrangs 28 (siebenter Schritt 46);
• Ankoppeln des Topdrive 14 an den Bohrstrang 28 (achter Schritt 47);
• stückweises Herausziehen des Bohrstrangs 28 aus dem Bohrloch mittels des Topdrive 14 (erster Schritt 40) und so weiter.

When removing the drill string 28, for example, the following process steps, shown schematically in simplified form in the illustration in FIG. 3, had to be carried out one after the other (an equally possible variant of the sequence of steps is mentioned in the introduction to the description):

• Pulling the drill string 28 out of the borehole piece by piece using the top drive 14 (first step 40);
• Fixing the drill string 28 to take over the load from the top drive 14 (second step 41);
• guiding the extracted drill pipe element 32 by means of another machine, for example by means of a pipe handler 50 (third step 42);
• Disconnecting the top drive 14 from the drill string 28 (fourth step 43);
• separating the extracted drill pipe element 32 from the drill string 28 by means of a pliers system 52 (fifth step 44);
• Removal of the drill pipe element 32 separated from the drill string 28 from the area above the center of the borehole 26, for example by means of a pipe handler 50 (sixth step 45);
• lowering the top drive 14 towards the end of the drill string 28 (seventh step 46);
• Coupling the top drive 14 to the drill string 28 (eighth step 47);
• piecewise pulling out the drill string 28 from the borehole using the top drive 14 (first step 40) and so on.

Now, according to the approach proposed here, the process steps "separating the pulled-out drill pipe element 32 from the drill string 28" (fifth step 44) and "removal of the drill pipe element 32 separated from the drill string 28 from the area above the center of the borehole 26" (sixth step 45) as well as the process step " Lowering the top drive 14 towards the end of the drill string 28" (seventh step 46) can be carried out in parallel, as schematically simplified in the illustration in Figure 4 is shown.

For this purpose, the crown bearing 18 is moved into the retracted position by means of the positioning device 24 and the top drive 14 by means of the spreading device 36 after the top drive 14 has been decoupled from the drill string 28. Subsequently or optionally The top drive 14 is also lowered while the crown bearing 18 and/or the spreading device 36 is moving into the retracted position. When the drill pipe element 32 separated from the drill string 28 is removed from the area above the center of the borehole 26, the crown bearing 18 can be moved back into the position above the center of the borehole 26 by means of the positioning device 24 and the top drive 14 by means of the expanding device 36. If the top drive 14 is still in the downward movement when this condition is met, these movements (downward movement of the top drive 14 on the one hand and movement of the crown bearing 18 by means of the positioning device 24 and movement of the top drive 14 by means of the spreading device 36 on the other hand) can also be carried out in parallel be executed.

In any case, when moving in the retracted position, the top drive 14 is already at the level of the end of the drill string 28 when the sixth method step 45 (removal of the drill string element 32 from the area above the center of the borehole 26) has been completed in parallel. Without the innovation proposed here, the lowering of the top drive 14 would only begin now, i.e. only after the end of the sixth method step 45. The removal of a drill pipe element 32 is now faster than in the prior art. This time saving is multiplied when a complete drill string 28 is removed. The same applies to (re)installing the drill string 28.

Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by the exemplary embodiment, the invention is not limited by the example(s) disclosed and other variations may be derived therefrom by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Individual aspects of the description submitted here that are in the foreground can be briefly summarized as follows: Specified is a land drilling rig 10 with a drilling mast 12, a top drive 14 movable in the drilling mast 12 along the vertical axis of the drilling mast 12 and a crown bearing 18 at an upper end 16 of the Drilling mast 12, the crown bearing 18 being movable by means of a positioning device 24, as well as a method for operating such a drilling rig 10 and a method for operating a top drive 14 in the drilling mast of such a drilling rig 10.

Reference symbol list

10

Drilling rig

12

drilling mast

14

Top drive

16

Head end (of the drilling mast)

18

Crown bearing

20

Pulley system

22

bottom bottle

24

Positioning device

26

center of the drill hole

28

drill string

30

travel path

32

Drill pipe element

34

Finger stage

36

Spreading device

38

guide

40

(first) step (when removing a drill string)

41

(second) step (when removing a drill string)

42

(third) step (when removing a drill string)

43

(fourth) step (when removing a drill string)

44

(fifth) step (when removing a drill string)

45

(sixth) step (when removing a drill string)

46

(seventh) step (when removing a drill string)

47

(eighth) step (when removing a drill string)

50

Pipe handler

52

Pliers system

Claims (8)

1. Ground drilling system (10) with

   a drill mast (12),

   a top drive (14) in the drill mast (12) which is movable along the vertical axis of the drill mast (12) and

   a crown piece (18) at the upper end (16) of the drill mast (12),

   whereby the crown piece (18) is movable using a positioner (24) and

   whereby the top drive (14) in the drill mast (12) is vertically movable along a guide (38) in or on the drill mast (12),

   whereby the guide (38) specifies a dimension,

   characterized in

   that the top drive (14) is movable using a spreading device (36) in at least one dimension as well as in a sec-ond dimension parallel to the dimension defined by the guide (38),

   that the spreading device (36) engages the guide (38) either directly or indirectly and the top drive (14) is situated at the opposite side of the spreading device (36) and

   that the spreading device (36) with the top drive (14) in the drill mast (12) is vertically movable along the guide (38) .
2. Drilling system according to claim 1,

   with a travel range (30) for the crown piece (18) at the upper end of the drill mast (12) and

   with a travel- or sliding device that functions as a positioner (24).
3. Drilling system according to claim 2,
   with a drive that functions as a travel- or sliding device which engages the drill mast (12) as well as the crown piece (18).
4. Drilling system according to claim 2 and 3,
   with at least one drive wheel which rotates by means of a drive (motor drive, electric motor) and which runs in, on, or on top of the travel range (30).
5. Method to move a top drive (14) in a drill mast (12) of a ground drilling system (10) according to one of the above claims,

   whereby the drill mast (12) exhibits a crown piece (18) on a head end (16),

   whereby the top drive (14) hangs on a pulley system (20) under the crown piece (18),

   whereby the top drive (14) is moved vertically in the drill mast (12) using the pulley system (20),

   whereby the crown piece (18) is moved back and forth at least between an first position over the middle of the borehole (26) and a second position at a distance from the position over the middle of the borehole (26) using a positioner (24),

   whereby the crown piece (18) is moved into the first position over the middle of the borehole (26) for a full journey of the top drive (14),

   whereby the crown piece (18) is moved into the second position at a distance from the position over the middle of the bore hole (26) for an empty journey of the top drive (14),

   whereby a top drive (14) that is movable itself be-tween a first and a second position is moved into the first position over the middle of the bore hole (26) for a full journey and into the second position at a distance from the position above the middle of the bore hole (26) for an empty journey.
6. The method according to claim 5,
   whereby the movement of the crown piece (18) into the first or second position is coordinated with the movement of the top drive (14) into the first or second position.
7. Method according to claim 5 or claim 6,

   whereby during the removal of a drill string (28) out of the bore hole the drill string (28) is moved out of the bore hole piece by piece by means of the top drive (14) and in each case in the path of a full journey of the top drive (14) and an upwards movement of the top drive (14) in the drill mast (12),

   whereby during the removal of the drill string (28) at the end of a full journey of the top drive (14) the drill string (28) is kept independent of the top drive (14) and the top drive (14) is uncoupled from the drill string (28),

   whereby after the uncoupling of the top drive (14) from the drill string (28) the crown piece (18) is moved into the second position, specifically the crown piece (18) and the top drive (14) are moved into the second po-sition, and the top drive (14) is moved downwards in the path of an empty journey in the drill mast (12).
8. The method according to claim 7,

   whereby during the installation of a drill string (28) in a bore hole, the drill string (28) is moved into the bore hole piece by piece by means of a top drive (14) and in each case in the path of a full journey of the top drive (14) and a downward movement of the top drive (14) in the drill mast (12),

   whereby during the installation of the drill string (28) at the end of a full journey of the top drive (14) the drill string (28) is kept independent of the top drive (14) and the top drive (14) is uncoupled from the drill string (28),

   whereby after the uncoupling of the top drive (14) from the drill string (28) the crown piece (18) is moved into the second position, specifically the crown piece (18) and the top drive (14) are moved into the second po-sition, and the top drive (14) is moved upwards in the path of an empty journey in the drill mast (12).

Images