Intelligent Control of Drill Pipe Torque

Abstract

Tools and method for automatically controlling torque when making-up and/or breaking-down threaded connections between downhole assets such as drill pipe, drill collars, and BHA components. An iron roughneck may be controlled by, for instance, automatically monitoring and adjusting the fluid pressure of cylinders that ultimately provide the torque to the downhole assets. The torque may further be automatically controlled by automatically identifying the downhole assets and selecting a corresponding torque profile or target torque. Clamping force may also be controlled, and is optionally proportional to the target torque.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A torque control system, comprising:
 one or more processors;   one or more fluid pressure sensors;   one or more torque sensors; and   computer-readable media including computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to automatically control a torque of a torque application device.   
     
     
         2 . The torque control system of  claim 1 , wherein automatically controlling the torque includes considering a geometry of a downhole asset. 
     
     
         3 . The torque control system of  claim 2 , wherein automatically controlling the torque includes use of a torque arm based on a width or diameter of the downhole asset. 
     
     
         4 . The torque control system of  claim 1 , wherein automatically controlling the torque includes considering the type of a downhole asset. 
     
     
         5 . The torque control system of  claim 1 , wherein automatically controlling the torque includes reviewing at least one of seal quality, crack formation, pitting, thread damage, or wall friction. 
     
     
         6 . The torque control system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further causes the one or more processors to automatically control a clamping force of the torque application device. 
     
     
         7 . The torque control system of  claim 6 , wherein the clamping force is proportionally controlled relative to the torque. 
     
     
         8 . The torque control system of  claim 1 , wherein the torque application device includes at least one pad, wherein automatically controlling the torque includes controlling the torque as applied through the at least one pad. 
     
     
         9 . The torque control system of  claim 1 , wherein the torque application device includes an iron roughneck. 
     
     
         10 . The torque control system of  claim 1 , wherein automatically controlling the torque includes controlling at least one of make pressure or clamp force based on a target torque. 
     
     
         11 . The torque control system of  claim 1 , wherein automatically controlling the torque includes detecting slippage during torqueing or identifying grip wear or maintenance. 
     
     
         12 . The torque control system of  claim 1 , wherein automatically controlling the torque includes using an encoded device reader to identify a target torque, a torque profile, or a type of downhole asset. 
     
     
         13 . The torque control system of  claim 12 , wherein the encoded device reader includes an RFID reader. 
     
     
         14 . The torque control system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more torque values associated a downhole asset are stored in a data store or on the downhole asset. 
     
     
         15 - 20 . (canceled)