TEMPORARY BEVELED CLAMPING SURFACE CASING ALIGNMENT TOOL (CAT)

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An alignment tool affords a safe and economical way to install surface casing, eliminating the need to align or delay the installation in speedhead or multibowl well drilling applications. 

The alignment tool includes two split halves that may clamp onto an existing conductor casing. 

A top plate of the alignment tool may overlay the top flat surface edge of the conductor casing, eliminating the possibility of the surface casing coupling to strike the flat edge and obstructing passage. 

The top plate may include a beveled edge to further help align the surface casing into the conductor pipe.

On most oil and gas wells, there is a speedhead or multibowl system used to land the surface casing.  This method requires the removal of a riser used during the drilling phase of the surface hole to run the surface casing and install the wellhead.  Removal of the riser creates a problem running the surface casing if not properly aligned.  The flat edge on the conductor pipe causes the coupling on the casing to obstruct passage in the hole and delays the job.

During the passage through of the surface casing, the driller (rig operator) cannot visually see if the surface couplings hang up on the conductor pipe edge during passage into the well bore.  Therefore, the driller has to slow down or even pickup if he hits the top edge.  On some of the newer drilling rigs that are computerized, this causes the rig to physically shut down because the computer does not recognize the sudden weight loss and thinks it is an obstruction downhole in the well bore.  This collision could also cause damage to the top edge of the conductor pipe, or even worse, cause the coupling to chuck, losing the casing string.

Are you ready for a tool to create a temporary clearance between a surface casing and a conductor pipe, even with improper alignment for the casing, thereby eliminating costly delays in installing the casing?

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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Figure 1 is a perspective view of an alignment tool installed on a conductor pipe, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a securing-side perspective view of the alignment tool of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a hinge-side perspective view of the alignment tool of Figure 1;	Figure 4 is an exploded view of the alignment tool of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a top view of the alignment tool of Figure 1;	Figure 6 is a top view of the alignment tool of Figure 1 in an open position; and Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of Figure 2.

The CASING ALIGNMENT TOOL

provides an alignment tool that affords a safe and economical way to install surface casing, eliminating the need to align or delay the installation in speedhead or multibowl well drilling applications.  The alignment tool includes two split halves that may clamp onto an existing surface casing.  A top plate of the alignment tool may overlay the top flat surface edge of the surface casing, eliminating the possibility of the surface casing coupling to strike the flat edge and obstructing passage.  The top plate may include a beveled edge to further help align the surface casing into the conductor pipe.

Referring to Figures 1 through 7, an alignment tool 10 may include a first casing half 12 and a second casing half 14.  The first casing half 12 may be hingedly attached to the second casing half 14.  In some embodiments, one or more hinge plates 30, typically two hinge plates 30, may be formed on each casing half 12, 14.  A hinge bolt 18 may pass through a hole in the hinge plate 30 on the first casing half 12 and a corresponding hole in the hinge plate 30 on the second casing half 14 to create a hinged connection between the casing halves 12, 14.  A hinge nut 32 may secure the hinge bolt 18 in place.

On non-hinged ends of the casing halves 12, 14, pad eyes 28 may be disposed on each casing half 12, 14.  The pad eyes 28 may each have a hole formed therein, permitting a securing bolt 14 to extend therethrough.  Tightening of the securing bolt 14 on a securing nut 34 may cause the casing halves 12, 14 to move closer together, reducing the inside diameter of the alignment tool 10.  Other tightening mechanisms may be used to permit the casing halves 12, 14 to adjustably move together.

An alignment plate 20 may be disposed on an edge of each of the casing halves 12, 14.  The alignment plate 20 may be disposed perpendicularly on each casing half 12, 14, creating a 90 degree placement directly on top of each casing half 12, 14 but extending about 3/8 to 1/2 inch past the inside diameter of the casing halves 12, 14.  The alignment plate 20 may be circular (when the alignment tool 10 is in a closed position), having a thickness from about 1 inch to about 2.0 inches.  The alignment plate 20 may extend beyond the outer edge of the casing halves 12, 14 by about 4 inches, or more, for handling and durability.  An inside top edge of the alignment plate 20 may have a bevel 22 at about 45 degrees to create a kickoff plate for the surface casing coupling (not shown) passage.

The alignment tool 10 may be opened, as shown in Figure 6, and may be attached around the end of a conductor pipe 24 as shown in Figure 1.  Tightening of the securing bolt 16 may temporarily, but securely, fix the alignment tool 10 on the conductor pipe 24.  The alignment plate 20 may rest on the top edge (not shown) of the conductor pipe 24.  The alignment tool 10 may permit entry and passage of a surface casing 26, including surface casing couplings, into and through the conductor pipe 24.  The alignment tool 10 may reduce running time and may eliminate the safety hazard of having the surface casing couplings hanging up on the conductor pipe edge during passage into the well bore.

Most common conductor casings are of 14 inches or 16 inches outside diameter on speedhead applications and have surface casing installed with a typical outside diameter of 9 5/8 inches, 10 3/4 inches or 13 3/8 inches.  The casing halves 12, 14 may be formed by cutting a section of conductor pipe in half, thereby creating casing halves 12, 14 with the same curvature of the conductor casing, permitting the casing halves 12, 14 to clamp on the conductor pipe 24.  Depending on the size of the conductor pipe 24, different size alignment tools 10 may be designed.