A method of making-up a threaded connection can include rotating a tubular, measuring torque applied to the tubular during the rotating, thereby generating data including measured torque values, detecting an anomalous occurrence in the data during the rotating, and ceasing application of the torque to the tubular in response to detection of the anomalous occurrence. A threaded connection make-up system can include a rotary clamp to apply torque to a tubular, a torque sensor to produce measurements of the applied torque, and a control system including a neural network, an artificial intelligence device, machine learning and/or genetic algorithms trained to detect an anomalous occurrence in data input to the control system. The data may include the applied torque and turns of the tubular as measured by a turn sensor.

A pipe wrench for making-up or breaking-out a threaded connection between a first tubular member and a second tubular member includes an upper wrench assembly with a pair of upper jaw assemblies configured to grip the first tubular member and a lower wrench assembly with a pair of lower jaw assemblies configured to grip the second tubular member. The upper and lower wrench assemblies are concentrically constrained, axially overlap, and radially engage with one another. Each of the upper and lower wrench assemblies independently includes a frame with a curved segment containing an arc at an angle of about 160° to about 200°. The upper and lower wrench assemblies are configured to rotate the first tubular member relative to the second tubular member and can have an angle of rotation in a range from about 75° to about 180°.

A wrench for making up or breaking up a pipe joint is provided. The wrench comprises a tong assembly having an upper tong and a lower tong. The upper tong has a first upper tong half pivotably connected to a second upper tong half at their first ends. The lower tong has a first lower tong half pivotably connected to a second lower tong half at their first ends. A central bearing operatively couples the upper tong and the lower tong to allow the upper tong to rotate relative to the lower tong or vice versa. The tong assembly has a ram assembly for pushing or pulling the upper tong at a tangential location thereof and the ram assembly is retracted or extended to move the tong assembly between an open position, a closed position, and a rotated closed position where the upper tong is rotated relative to the lower tong.

A method for regulating a downhole fluid flow rate, in at least some embodiments, comprises partitioning a fluid circulation system into a sequence of segments, the sequence including a pump segment at one end and a drill bit segment at another end; obtaining a desired pressure for the drill bit segment; determining, for each of the segments in the sequence except for the drill bit segment, a desired pressure based at least in part on the desired pressure for a preceding segment in the sequence; determining a pump setting based on the desired pressure for the pump segment; and applying the pump setting to a pump used to move drilling fluid through the fluid circulation system.

The system for making or breaking the riser includes a robotic system. The robotic system includes one or more robotic arms configured to be disposed on a spider deck, and one or more riser-connection manipulation tools each having a camera and being configured to manipulate a riser connection, the camera being configured to capture an image of an object, wherein each robotic arm is configured to couple to one riser-connection manipulation tool. Further the system for making or breaking the riser includes a control system. The control system includes a robot controller in communication with the one or more robotic arms and configured to control the one or more robotic arms. The system for making or breaking the riser is configured to analyze the image to determine the location and orientation of the object and transmit the location and orientation of the object to the robot controller.

An apparatus for detecting over-torquing or un-torquing of a threaded connection between components in a borehole penetrating the earth includes: a string of components coupled in series by a threaded connection; a transmission line attached to each component; a signal coupler in communication with the transmission line and disposed on each component at each threaded connection, the signal coupler being configured to transmit the signal to an adjacent signal coupler on an adjacent coupled component in order to transmit a signal along the transmission line attached to the adjacent coupled component; a receiver configured to receive the signal; and a processor in communication with the receiver and configured to: (i) determine a difference between a characteristic of the signal and the characteristic of a reference signal and (ii) transmit an alert signal signifying that the threaded connection is over-torquing or un-torquing in response to the difference exceeding a threshold value.

A handling tool is disclosed that includes a body having a high-stress location, a pocket formed in the high stress location, and a sensor adhered to a surface of the pocket and oriented along an axis of the body. The high stress location may be in a hinged plate of the body, a door latch of the body, and/or adjacent an ear of the body.

In systems and methods for detecting steps in connection processes used in well operations using drilling rigs to manipulate tubular strings (such as drill strings and casing strings), sensor data gathered by data acquisition systems (such as electronic data recorders) associated with a drilling rig is analyzed to identify time intervals corresponding to specific steps constituting the complete connection process in question (such as connection make-up or connection break-out). These time intervals are compared against target or benchmark values for the corresponding process steps, thus facilitating identification of “invisible lost time” (ILT), determination of the causes of the ILT, and determination of appropriate measures to mitigate or eliminate the causes of the ILT. These systems and methods eliminate or minimize the need for onsite data collection by human observers using stopwatches or other manual data collection means.

A drilling system includes a multi-function sub configured to be coupled to a top drive of a drilling rig and configured to be coupled to a tubular in order to selectively transfer a torque from the top drive to the tubular. The multi-function sub includes a torque sensing component configured to measure the torque provided from the top drive to the tubular via the multi-function sub, a clutch configured to suspend a transfer of torque from the top drive to the tubular when the clutch is released, and a clutch actuator communicatively coupled to the torque sensing component and configured to release the clutch when the torque measured by the torque sensing component is greater than a threshold torque value. The multi-function sub also includes a compensator configured to enable the multi-function sub to move the tubular in an axial direction relative to the top drive.

An apparatus and method automatically tally drill string rods for use with a drilling machine. The machine comprises a rack and a rotary drive configured for longitudinal displacement between first and second longitudinal positions. A sensor system is configured to monitor the machine to detect a clamping force applied to rotationally immobilize the drill string and to detect a break-out torque generated by the rotary drive, detect a first longitudinal position of the rotary drive whereat the break-out torque is generated, and detect a second longitudinal position of the rotary drive whereat a make-up torque is generated by the rotary drive. A controller is configured to prevent release of the clamping force until the make-up torque is detected, and automatically enable release of the clamping force after the make-up torque is detected and, concordantly, to update a drill rod tally only when the first and second longitudinal positions are different.