Comprehensive analysis of automatic wellhead crane

Abstract: Based on the development of wellhead automation, the supporting equipment is constantly improved, so in the development of wellhead automation, the requirements for the crane are also constantly improving. There are many forms of automatic elevators. Although the quality of the elevators is improving, there are still some problems in the applicability. Based on the comprehensive analysis of the parameters and the actual situation of the existing cranes at home and abroad, this paper points out the specific requirements for the use of the cranes in wellhead automation, and puts forward some practical suggestions for the development of the cranes.

With the development of onshore oil exploration and development and the increase of offshore oil exploration and development, higher requirements for wellhead tools are put forward. As wellhead equipment continues to evolve and become more automated, the requirements for the use of the crane are increasing, including efficiency, form of action, overall use and static state, etc. As one of the most frequently used and important tools in the drilling process, the matching degree between the crane and other equipment determines the efficiency and reliability of the whole automatic operation of the wellhead automatic equipment. Therefore, the continuous development and improvement of the automatic crane will be the inevitable trend of the development of the future crane technology, and on this basis to choose a reasonable, in line with the actual needs of the crane, the automatic operation will become particularly important.

1 Technical analysis

Foreign automatic lift technology developed earlier, the current degree of automation, high reliability, related technology is more mature, representative manufacturers NOV in the United States and B+V in Germany.

1.1 Overseas crane equipment and Technology [1]

1) NOV hoist:

Since launching the BX1 and BX2 models in 1996, NOV has continued to innovate to improve reliability and safety, and has introduced the BX3, BX4 and BX5 hydraulic elevators. The BX series elevators comply with API 8C standard and have been tested at 1.5 times the rated load before delivery. They can work at ambient temperature of -20 ~ 40℃.

2) Crane of German B+V Company

B+V was one of the first companies to produce hydraulic automatic lifts, which were exported to NOV in large numbers. B+V's lifts are available in conventional and hydraulic types, both with replaceable cores, and its hydraulic type is a conversion from its conventional type. From 1996 to 2010, B+V produced more than 1300 sets of filler elevators in two types: VESHCL series and VESSD series. Among them, VESHCL series is an open structure, while VESSD series is a double-door reversible structure (as shown in FIG. 1). Its standards are in line with API 8C/7K, ISO9001 and ABS standards, 1.5 times rated load test when factory.

It wasn't a good Elevator to elevator to have what good quality or reputation, or even how high market price, which big manufacturers design and manufacture of products, but its overall compliance requirements whether to need to be used together with other devices, its security and reliability is in line with the actual use requirements. As far as the actual situation is concerned, more domestic wellhead automation equipment has been relatively mature. Although most of the equipment is developed by imitating foreign equipment, there are our own technology and application requirements after all. Most of the foreign automatic hydraulic crane for molding products, we can only use as much as possible to meet the product, can not make it to be modified to meet our requirements. And domestic products are in development stage, relatively not very mature, so in form, which can put forward to use our own technology requirements, the manufacturer also can be used according to our request, to modify products and technology upgrading, this provides convenience for our, also indirectly reduce the cost and other equipment structure of difficulties in the process of research and development. Therefore, at present, for the domestic wellhead automation equipment supporting the use of the hoist, domestic manufacturers should be our preferred manufacturers, of course, we can also refer to foreign related technology to improve the overall hoist water product. This not only reduces the cost and improves the related technology, but also improves the convenience of later maintenance and overall operation.