CHAPTER 11 HANDLING EQUIPMENT

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 2
COMMON HANDLING EQUIPMENT ....................................................................................... 2
HAND SLIPS ......................................................................................................................... 2
GRIPPING AREA DISTRIBUTES LOAD ............................................................................. 3
EQUIPMENT DESIGNATIONS ........................................................................................... 3
SAFETY CLAMPS ................................................................................................................. 3
LIMITATIONS OF SAFETY CLAMPS.................................................................................. 3
ELEVATORS ......................................................................................................................... 4
SIZES AND TYPES ............................................................................................................4
SIDE DOOR COLLAR TYPE .............................................................................................. 4
CENTER LATCH SLIP TYPE.............................................................................................. 4
SINGLE JOINT (PICK UP) TYPE................................ ................................ ........................ 4
CASING SLIP TYPE...........................................................................................................5
MAINTAINING ELEVATORS .............................................................................................. 5
FUNCTION AND TYPES OF SPIDERS ................................................................................... 6
FEATURES AND ADVANTAGES OF FLUSH MOUNTED SPIDERS ....................................6
ISIS .......................................................................................................................................7
THREAD PROTECTORS................................ ................................ ................................ ........7
LONG TERM PROTECTION............................................................................................... 7
STABBING GUIDE................................................................................................................. 7
FIELD INSPECTION OF HANDLING EQUIPMENT ..................................................................7

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INTRODUCTION
The term handling equipment refers to all equipment that Tubular Running Services uses to:
• move, carry, or hold tubular goods
• protect tubular goods during a tubular running operation.
Weatherford classifies all handling equipment according to the following criteria:
1. The equipment was manufactured by Weatherford and is currently owned by Weatherford.
2. The equipment was manufactured by a third party and is currently owned by Weatherford.
3. A third party manufactured the equipment and Weatherford is currently renting it.
4. The equipment was manufactured by and is also operated by a third party. This
classification of handling equipm ent is also known as rig equipment.
Weatherford is responsible for the handling equipment in classifications 1, 2, and 3. This means
that Weatherford will:
• provide the Well Installation Services crew with equipment that is rated for the job
• maintain the eq uipment
• monitor and inspect the equipment for safe operation
• repair or replace faulty or unsafe equipment.
Weatherford is not responsible for the rig equipment in classification 4. The owner/operator of the
rig equipment is responsible for it; however, Weatherford employees do have a responsibility to:
• report any faults that are found with the equipment
• visually inspect the equipment before using it

COMMON HANDLING EQUIPMENT

NOTE: Refer to Chapter 1 for additional operating and safety information on handling
equipment.
Common types of handling equipment include:
• handslips
• safety clamps
• elevators
• spiders
• thread protectors
• stabbing guides.
There are also several other types of handling equipment including an array of hybrid equipment
specifically manufactured for the job of safely handling tubular goods. However, it is not in the
scope of this document to cover all of these devices. We will focus on hand slips, safety clamps,
elevators, spiders, thread protectors and stabbing guides.

HAND SLIPS
Handslips wedg e between the pipe body and the rotary table to prevent the string from slipping
through the drill floor when it is not suspended from a spider or an elevator. The design of the
handslips causes the weight of the string to compress against the pipe body. As the weight of the

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string increases, the force that prevents the string from slipping through the drill floor increases
proportionally. This prevents the string from slipping even if it is extremely heavy.

GRIPPING AREA DISTRIBUTES LOAD

Handslips come in a variety of sizes and types but are not weight rated because they are under
compressive stress, not load stress. Handslips with a large gripping area are employed when the
string is heavy or the pipe wall is thin. Large gripping areas distribute the heavy load of the string
across a greater area, which minimizes the possibility of crushing the pipe body.
EQUIPMENT DESIGNATIONS
The stenciled letters on the body of the hands lip correspond to its equipment designation. For
example, the raised letters on Varco handslips are deciphered as follows:
SDML - StandarD (API bowl) Medium Lenght
SDX L - StandarD (API bowl) eXtra Long
CMS-XL, - Casing Matched Strength eXtraLong.

SAFETY CLAMPS
Safety clamps consist of handslip-type insert
segments that wrap around the tubular body.
They are used in conjunction with handslips
when the weight of the string is not enough to
compress the handslip segments into a
gripping position and there is a risk that the
string will fall into the well. If the tubular begins
to slip, the safety clamp will stop at the
handslips and prevent the tubular from slipping
through. Safety clamps are only used until the
string is heavy enough to compress the
handslip segments properly.
LIMITATIONS OF SAFETY CLAMPS
Safety clamps are not strong enough to hold a string that is made up of more than five
joints of pipe. Using a safety clamp will not hold more than five joints of pipe. The weight of the
pipe on the safety clamp could cause the clamp to shatter and send fragments in all directions.

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ELEVATORS
An elevator is a clamp that grips or supports a joint, a stand, or a string of tubular goods so it can
be lowered into the well or removed from it.
SIZES AND TYPES
Elevators must have an inside diameter bore size that is equal to the outside diameter of the pipe
it carries, so there are many sizes of elevators available. There are also various types of
elevators. We will focus on the:
• side door collar type
• center latch slip type
• single joint type
• casing slip type.
All manual elevators feature a safety latch lock and a spring type latch to reduce the possibility of
the elevator opening under load.
SIDE DOOR COLLAR TYPE
Side door collar type elevators are used
for handling collar type tubing and casing.
This type of elevator features a hinge pin
on the right front. These elevators are light
and easy to maneuver, and they are used
within their weight ratings for complete
jobs and at the beginning of long casing
strings. The rated capacity of side door
collar type elevators is 45 to 350 tons. It
can accommodate tubular goods that
range from 23/ 8” to 36” (double door).

CENTER LATCH SLIP TYPE

Center latch slip type elevators feature easy to
change slip inserts. By installing the proper
size slip insert and slip setting ring assembly,
the elevator can accommodate:
• API integral joints
• external upset joints
• non-upset tubing
• drill pipe
• collar type casing.
The rated capacity of center latch slip type
elevators is 20 to 200 tons. They can
accommodate tubular goods that range from
1.050” to 7.5/8”.
SINGLE JOINT (PICK UP) TYPE
Single joint elevators are designed to pick up and lay down single joints of pipe only. They
provide a much safer means of picking up and laying down tubular goods than conventional
pickup lines because of the safety locking mechanisms. The design of a single joint elevator
allows pipe to hang absolutely vertical, which aids the stabbing operation. There are two basic

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designs; a Type J or collar loading type lifts the joint by physical contact with the coupling, a Type
SP or slip type lifts the joint by physical contact with the upset. Weatherford often uses single joint
elevators that are lined with a nonferrous material such as Teflon or chrome on specialty tubular
goods. The lining eliminates concerns of metal to metal or iron to alloy contact.
CASING SLIP TYPE
Casing slip type elevators are strong and safe
double-duty tools used for handling heavy
casing strings. Casing slip type elevators are
convertible; they can be used as an elevator or
as a casing spider. When it is used as a casing
spider, a top guard and guide plates are
installed. The rated capacity of casing slip type
elevators is 175 to 1,000 tons. Pipe with an
outside diameter of 23/ 8” to 20” can be handled
by installing the proper size slip insert. When
using a casing slip type elevator, the stabber
must be careful not to accidentally set them on
casing collars. If this happens, the:
• elevator may crush the collar
• string may fall into the wellbore.
If the stabber sets the elevator slips too far
below the collar, the collar will then set high
when gripped by the spider. This causes
problems for tong operators who are already
operating the tong from a workstand.
MAINTAINING ELEVATORS
On elevators that are equipped with slip inserts, it is important to avoid unnecessary shock
loading of the slip insert segments. On all types of elevators, proper maintenance:
• ensures long trouble-free life of the equipment
• assures proper functioning
• reduces the possibility of damaging the tubulars.
Proper maintenance includes:
• periodically checking guides and gripping inserts for wear, and replacing worn guides and
gripping inserts as required
• protecting the surface of the backs of the slip inserts and inside the bowl against corrosion
by frequent cleaning and lubricating with a multipurpose, waterproof grease. Elevators
should always be properly lubricated before they are used.

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FUNCTION AND TYPES OF SPIDERS

A spider is a heavy-duty tool that grips a string
of tubular goods so it can be suspended above
the well. Spiders may be located on top of the
rotary or flush mounted in the rotary table.
Spiders grip the string at the rotary table, which
make the use of handslips unnecessary. As the
spider grips the string, an elevator is used to
add or remove single joints of pipe and raise or
lower the string.

FEATURES AND ADVANTAGES OF FLUSH MOUNTED SPIDERS

Flush mounted spiders have several features and advantages that make them easier, faster, and
safer to use than suspended spiders.

Weatherford employs flush mounted spid ers whenever possible. The most popular model that
you will see working for Weatherford is the Varco-BJ 375 flush mounted spider. This model:
• is hydraulically operated. This allows operators to control the tool remotely.
• installs into the rotary table so that it is level with the rig floor. This lowers the casing
connection height by 3’ and eliminates the necessity for the tong operator to use scaffolding
or workstands.
• fits into a standard National 371/ 2” or 491/ 2 ” rotary table. It also fits in other rotary table
configurations with the addition of adapter plates.
• opens up the work area on the rig floor since it is mounted in the rotary table.
• may be used in conjunction with any slip type or shoulder type casing elevator.
• utilizes the same 41/ 2” to 14” slip inserts used in the Varco 500 ton elevator/spider.
• is an integral part of the Integrated Safety Interlock System™.
• has a “slip power down” feature that works when the slip inserts are fitted with circular
insert buttons. This feature allows the spider to take the torque reaction of the tong when
the string is not heavy enough to resist rotating.
See chapter 20 for more details on Flush Mounted Spiders

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ISIS
Weatherford’s Integrated Safety Interlock
System™ (ISIS) prevents casing strings from
dropping into the wellbore inadvertently by
ensuring that they are secured by the elevator
or the spider at all times. The system is part of
Weatherford’s Stabberless System; it works
with both standard spiders and flush mounted
spiders. The system prevents the elevator and
the spider from opening at the same time. It
detects when the elevator is past the casing
collar and alerts the operator when it is safe to
set the elevator. When the operator sets the
elevator slips, ISIS ensures that they grip
positively on the body of the joint before
allowing the operator to release the spider.

THREAD PROTECTORS
Thread protectors ensure the best possible protection of threads against shock during
transportation and handling. Before transporting or handling tubulars, install transportation thread
protectors or quick protectors to protect the pin end of the pipe. Tubulars with special clearances
or special bevel couplings also require box protectors to prevent damage to the box end. Air
inflated quick protectors (Klepos protectors) are recommended for all premium connections.

LONG TERM PROTECTION

Storage thread protectors prevent corrosion by agents such as water and dust during long term
storage. For maximum corrosion protection, threads must have sufficient storage dope and the
protectors must be installed wrench-tight. Closed-end protectors work well as long as water is not
trapped inside the pipe. Storing the pipe in hot, humid climates with closed-end protectors may
cause the pipe to “sweat.” If this happens, fluids will gather inside the pipe, which may lead to
corrosion. Open-end protectors allow the circulation of air, and they allow water to escape as long
as the pipe is racked properly.

STABBING GUIDE
A stabbing guide is a hinged tool made from rubber or plastic which fits around the coupling in the
rotary table. It prevents damage to the pin thread and seal of the next joint being inserted
(stabbed ) into that coupling.

FIELD INSPECTION OF HANDLING EQUIPMENT

See Chapter 1

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