TECHNOL0GY AT WORK

New drill pipe tongs reduce trip time

n drilling operations, time is crucial. Hawk Industries, based in Long Beach, California, has a new, proprietary drill-pipe tong system. From stabbing to final torque, the new drill-pipe tongs, which torque to 100,000 ft-lb, will make-up drill pipe in 10 sec. or less, with a break and spin-out time of only 12 sec. Called the Hawkjaw, the new tongs are compact, requiring minimum rig-floor space with an overall 58-in. depth and 50-in. width. The company also makes a smaller version with 65,000 ft-lb of torque, 34-in. depth and a 40-in. width.

Advantages. Safety is enhanced because the new tongs are an all-in-one unit, operated by one or two workers, making spinning chains and typical rig tongs obsolete. Recorded logs show that trip time is significantly decreased. Portability is one of the biggest advantages, since the unit can be lifted to break a string connection above the rotary table. This alone has prevented several stuck-pipe incidents, where pack-off or hole conditions would not allow pipe down; so, subsequent connections were worked up past the normal rotary-table break point.

It is possible to make-up or lay down drillstring in the mouse hole during drilling operations. The unit hangs from a single cable to either side of the derrick, allowing the top drive freedom of movement.

New semi-automated drill-pipe tongs in action.

Case studies. THUMS is drilling wells on its Long Beach, Chaffee Island C-441 property, where drilling depths generally run to about 6,000 ft. After making comparative case studies between manual equipment such as manual tongs, loose chains and wrenches vs. the new, more-automated tong unit, the operator noted a saving of 1 hr per 5,000-ft round trip. It took 1 min. per 30-ft joint; so when running triples (90 ft), trip-time equaled 3 min. per stand. THUMS also noted that the new system reduces injuries and labor on the floor. It also reduces trip time and allows a quick change to different pipe sizes. Finally, the company observed less damage, overtightening and bending of drill pipe.

Drilling contractor Helmerich & Payne used the new tongs on its Rig 102 for ExxonMobil, operator of Hondo platform offshore Santa Clara, California. Well depths on Hondo run between 20,000 and 25,000 ft. H&P’s drilling crew performed various operations with the new tong unit, including working with multiple tapered strings on a regular basis. It found the unit to be versatile in accommodating two different pipe sizes at one time, saving time when making up bottomhole assemblies, crossovers and various specialty items. The jaws are designed to fit a wide range of sizes and can be quickly adjusted, as can torque. The company’s Hondo operation has been pleased with the new pipe tongs, which has enabled safer operations.

   Parker Drilling Co. International is using the new drill-pipe tongs in Colombia. Advantages they have noticed include decreased trip times and the ability to make-up or break-out pipe in the mouse hole during drilling operations. A noteworthy event occurred while tripping out of hole. The pipe started packing off, and although the driller was still making progress and continuing out, eventually he was unable to go up or down, with the connection 20 ft above the rotary table.

The driller was able to lift the tongs up and break the connection in just a few minutes, and was back circulating in just 7 min. and able to work past the pack-off problem. Past history of this type of incident has usually resulted in stuck pipe and a considerable amount of fishing time or sidetracking. Each sidetrack in Colombia costs a minimum $1 million, so mobility of the tool is a plus, and in this case, it recovered the cost of the tool itself.

Parker has been using the tool for eight months and has not had an incident or accident on the rig floor. The company has also seen a considerable reduction in tubular galling problems / costs due to constant torque on each connection.