Protective Enclosure for a Wellhead

Abstract

A protective enclosure for protecting well head equipment at a surface location is made up of an open framework of structural members which surround and protect the well head. Individual steel panels are assembled to form a series of upstanding walls which are covered by a series of roof panels and which together define the quasi-enclosed area surrounding the well head. The roof panels are covered with a steel grating which forms a covered roof for the protective enclosure. The tubing which makes up the steel panels is spaced to allow access to the enclosed area by a worker needing to access the well head. The steel panels are joined with lever latch and keeper assemblies which facilitate the job of disassembling the enclosure. The upright panels also have telescoping legs which can be extended and cemented into the ground for added stability.

1 . A protective enclosure for encompassing an upstanding well head located at a well surface location above ground in order to preclude encounter between the well head and objects which might be brought into damaging contact therewith, the protective enclosure comprising:
 an open framework of structural members which define a quasi-enclosed area adapted to surround and protect the well head,   the open framework of structural members being comprised of a plurality of individual steel panels, each of the steel panels being constructed of lengths of square steel tubing, the panels being assembled to form a series of upstanding walls which are covered by a series of roof panels and which together define the quasi-enclosed area surrounding the well head;   wherein the series of roof panels are, in turn, covered with a steel grating which forms a covered roof for the protective enclosure;   wherein the lengths of square steel tubing which make up the steel panels are spaced a selected distance apart which allows access to the quasi-enclosed area by a worker needing to access the well head.   
     
     
         2 . The protective enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the individual steel panels which make up the protective enclosure are joined together using a plurality of lever latch and keeper assemblies. 
     
     
         3 . The protective enclosure of  claim 2 , wherein the each of the lever latches is rotatably mounted on one of the lengths of square steel tubing making up one of the steel panels, the associated keeper assembly including a lock element. 
     
     
         4 . The protective enclosure of  claim 3 , wherein the lever latch and keeper assemblies are movable between a locked position which temporarily locks the steel panel together and an unlocked position which allows the protective enclosure to be disassembled for transportation to a different location. 
     
     
         5 . The protective enclosure of  claim 4 , wherein the wherein the series of roof panels are connected to the steel grating which forms the covered roof for the protective enclosure by a plurality of removable U-bolts. 
     
     
         6 . The protective enclosure of  claim 5 , wherein the steel grating is provided with a series of upstanding ring members which allow the steel grating to be lifted into position on the roof panels. 
     
     
         6 . The protective enclosure of  claim 6 , wherein at least selected ones of the lengths of square steel tubing making up the upstanding walls of the enclosure is provided with a telescoping leg which can be moved between a retracted position inside the respective length of steel tubing, and an extended position which provides an exposed length of tubing which can be cemented into the ground at the well location. 
     
     
         7 . The protective enclosure of  claim 6 , wherein the telescoping leg includes at least one locking hole for receiving a locking member. 
     
     
         8 . The protective enclosure of  claim 7 , wherein there are at least two locking holes provided in each telescoping leg, the holes being spaced to allow the telescoping leg to be locked in either the extended or retracted position. 
     
     
         9 . The protective enclosure of  claim 8 , wherein the telescoping leg and associated length of steel tubing are provided with aligned holes which receive a locking pin when the telescoping leg is in the extended position to further secure the telescoping leg. 
     
     
         10 . The protective enclosure of  claim 9 , wherein the above ground location is the site of multiple well heads which connect the surface location with multiple underground well bores. 
     
     
         11 . A method of protecting an upstanding well head located at a well surface location above ground in order to preclude encounter between the well head and objects which might be brought into damaging contact therewith, the method comprising the steps of:
 transporting a plurality of structural members from a distant location to the well surface location containing the upstanding well head;   assembling the open framework of structural members to thereby define a quasi-enclosed area adapted to surround and protect the well head,   the open framework of structural members being comprised of a plurality of individual steel panels, each of the steel panels being constructed of lengths of square steel tubing, the panels being assembled to form a series of upstanding walls which are covered by a series of roof panels and which together define the quasi-enclosed area surrounding the well head;   covering the series of roof panels with a steel grating which forms a covered roof for the protective enclosure;   wherein the lengths of square steel tubing, when assembled, are spaced a selected distance apart which allows access to the quasi-enclosed area by a worker needing to access the well head.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the individual steel panels which make up the protective enclosure are joined together using a plurality of lever latch and keeper assemblies, the lever and latch assemblies being movable between a locked position which temporarily locks the steel panel together and an unlocked position which allows the protective enclosure to be disassembled for transportation to a different location. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least selected ones of the lengths of square steel tubing making up the upstanding walls of the enclosure is provided with a telescoping leg which can be moved between a retracted position inside the respective length of steel tubing, and an extended position which provides an exposed length of tubing which can be cemented into the ground at the well location. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein, after some period of time, the telescoping legs are retracted and the lever latch and keeper assemblies are unlocked, allowing the steel panels to be disassembled and moved to another well location.