CA1293374C

CA1293374C - Casing slip gague

Info

Publication number: CA1293374C
Application number: CA000569396A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Brad Diegel
Original assignee: WESTERN VALVE SERVICES Inc
Current assignee: WESTERN VALVE SERVICES Inc
Priority date: 1988-06-14
Filing date: 1988-06-14
Publication date: 1991-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 2008-12-24

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure There is described a gauge for determining the position of a pipe string and/or the position of casing slips in a casing bowl. The device has a flat metal plate like body with a pipe string engaging nose at one end and a flat casing-flange engaging undersurface. An engaging pin is slidingly positioned on the underside of the body to engage in the ring gasket groove and is lockable to the body to position it. An adjustable slip probe extends beneath the gauge body. A dial indicator may be provided.

Description

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The present invention relates to a gauge and particular-ly to a casing bowl slip gauge.
Usually the last act for a drilling rig on location is the placing of the long string of casing in the casing bowl following cementing. The B.O.P. stack is lifted from the bowl, the casing slips are dropped into place between the long string and the casing bowl and provided -that the pipe, casing slips and bowl appear to be straight in relation to each other, the casing is cut and the drilling rig released.
Because of the tight tolerances between the packoffs and casing bowl, the casing slips must be set in the proper area.
Under field conditions this is often difficult to attain because of several factors, the drilling rig may not be centered over the hole, there may be mud or cement on the casing or casing bowl, or the hole may be highly deviated.
An object of the present invention is to provide a slip gauge capable of determining simply if the long casing string that IS being held in the casing slips is perfectly centered in the casing~bowl and further, that the casing slips themselves are sitting at the correct height to allow the installation of the primary and secondary seal assemblies.
According to the present invention there is provided a gauge device for determining the position of a pipe string and/or the position of casing slips in a casing bowl, comprising a gauge body having a pipe string engaging nose at one end and a flat casing-flange engaging undersurface, ring groove engaging pin means located for relative movement on and longitudinally of said :

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body and depending from its undersurface, means to lock the pin means to the body; and a casing slip probe attached to the body and depending beneath the underside thereof.
Preferably means is provided to adjust the depth at which the casing slip probed depends beneath the gauge body.
The gauge body is preferably a flat metal plate-like member with a longitudinally extending slot.
According to a further feature of the invention a dial indicator may be provided on the body which dial indicator is adapted, in operation, to contact a casing flange to provide positional readings.
The device of the present invention enables a check to be made with the drilling rig still over the hole, at which time any problem occurring can be fairly readily rectified rather than leaving~a problem to be corrected by a completion crew which is of course a much costlier and time consuming operation.
The following is a description by way of example of an embodiment of the present invention reference being had to the accompan~ing drawings in which:
~ Figure 1 is a pictorial view of the casing slip gauge ; ~ member in place~on a casing bowl to measure proper alignment of pipe and ~slips;
Flgure 2 ~is~a detail in cross-section showing the gauge~
; in measuring position; and Figure 3 is a plan pictorial view to a somewhat enlarged scale,~again showing;the gauge in operative position.

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The casing slip gauge 10 has a flat metal plate body 11 ~:~: : ::: :

~ 3~ 72907-1 with a flat casing-flange engaging undersurface 12, a pipe string engaging nose 13 and a longitudinally extending slot 14. Mounted on the body 10 for longitudinal movement thereof in the slot 14, is a gasket groove engaging pin 16 depending from the underside of the body 11 and lockable in place on the body with a locking nut 17. Also preferably mounted in the slot 14 is a casing slip probe 20. The probe 20, which conveniently may be a nine inch long ruler with a key face, is slidingly mounted in a cooperating keyway in a block 21 a suitable tightening screw may be provided.
The probe 20 is thus height adjustable in the block 21. The block 21 has a nut 22 to lock it in the slot 14.
~ dial gauge 25 of conventional configuration may be mounted for movement in slot 14 so that it can be adjusted longi-tudinally of the slot and locked in position.
In operation, after the casing slips 33 have been dropped into place, the casing slip gauge is placed with its flat under-face 12 on the casing flange 15 with the ring gasket groove engaging pin 16 in the ring gasket groove 19. With the nut 17 ~; ~loosened, the gauge body may be moved inwardly until the nose 13 contacts the pipe string. The nut 17 is then tightened. The ~depth of probe 20 will have been preselected and it is positioned ; longitudinally on the body 11, depending into casing bowl 31 above ~the casing slips 33. The dial indicator is placed on top of the :
~1ange face and preloaded about half-way and locked ln place.
The gauge 10 is then rotated around the casing in the ring gasket groove 19. If the pipe string 30 is not centered, :~
~ the casing slip gauge 10 will ride up out of the ring groove 19 :
or a gap will appear between the nose 13 and the pipe string.

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~Z933'~4 72907-1 The dial indicator 25 will also be showing a p]us or minus reading as the gauge 10 is moving out of the gasket groove.
If the casing slips 33 are not set down far enough to accommodate a primary seal, the probe 20 will be pushed up causing -the same results.
Thus the gauge according to the present invention enables a check to be made at the most appropriate time with a considerable saving in time and money when-compared with methods heretofore used.

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Claims

1. A gauge device for determining the position of a pipe string and/or the position of casing slips in a casing bowl, comprising a gauge body having a pipe string engaging nose at one end and a flat casing-flange engaging undersurface, ring gasket groove engageing pin means located for relative movement on, and longitudinally of, said body and depending from said undersurface, means to lock said pin means to said body; and a casing slip probe attached to said body and depending beneath said underside thereof.

2. A gauge as claimed in claim 1 in which means is provided to adjust the depth at which said casing slip probe depends beneath said gauge body.

3. A gauge as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which said gauge body is a flat metal plate like member with a longitudinally extending slot.

4. A gauge as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a dial indicator on said body adapted, in operation, to contact a casing flange to provide positional readings.