The American company Cavins was founded in 1942. As oil production increased in the United States, new productive equipment was needed to develop and operate wells. Cavins products have successfully filled this technical niche, accelerating the development of the oil business in the southern states.
The company’s headquarters are traditionally located in Houston, the largest city in Texas. Branches are located in London and Odessa (also Texas), also in Louisiana, Mississippi, California, Oklahoma and Wyoming.
Having become a large corporation, Cavins, as before, tries to be closer to consumers. It studies the needs of industry representatives, offers original engineering solutions, taking into account modern realities.
Branded products are exported to many oil-producing countries and have earned the recognition of oilmen around the world. In Russia, devices manufactured under a well-known brand are widely used, which show excellent results in practice. At the fields beyond the Arctic Circle and in the southern regions, they work stably, regardless of natural and climatic conditions.
It is worth taking a closer look at the main lines of branded products and understanding why American equipment is so popular with foreign oilmen.
Oil Well Spiders
Branded under the Kevins brand, spiders are built using the finest material processing techniques. The factories use special methods of hardening the steels from which the main components and parts are made. This minimizes wear and deformation of structural elements during operation. The mechanisms are designed for continuous intensive work in the oil and gas industry.
Designers successfully combine the main requirements of customers:
- minimum maintenance and repair;
- light weight of the equipment;
- affordable cost.
With the help of spiders, effective automation of typical operations in the drilling of oil and gas wells is carried out. The drill string is captured, suspended, centered and, if necessary, released. With minimal energy and labor costs for operators, the column is quickly brought into the required position.
Of the design features of the Kevins spiders, the following deserve special attention:
- replaceable steel bushings are inserted inside the support bearings;
- all joints and bearings have grease fittings for lubrication;
- bottom valves and air cylinders are lubricated by oil mist through the air flow;
- safety latches with manual control are installed;
- shafts and pneumatic mechanisms are protected by fences.
With the help of a manually operated safety device, the wedges are securely fixed in the predetermined position. Since the working pressure is low, the wedges do not come out until they are lifted by the hoists. This prevents the column from being lost if the foot valve is accidentally actuated.
The Advance spider, currently in production and popular among professionals, can be purchased in several types (B, C, C-HD, F, G). From the beginning to the end of the series, the size and performance of devices increase. Height varies from 15.5 to 35 inches. The diameter of the base is within 14×17 — 41×41.625 inches. The maximum load is from 55 to 350 tons.
Due to the variety of models, it is possible to use spiders from this series both in large and small wells.
The equipment is driven by a hydraulic or pneumatic system. Depending on the capacities available at the enterprise, a highway is being equipped to transfer the force that drives the mechanisms.
To rotate the spider manually, a turntable with an adapter plate is used, to which a square-shaped drive is attached.
Small size models (B, C, C-HD) are optionally available with sliding gates to facilitate the passage of parallel strings. If the equipment will be used not only with single, but also with multiple columns, a gate structure should be ordered in addition to the main delivery set.
A special section of the gate allows you to simultaneously lay the pipe string (regardless of diameter) and the cable of the electric submersible pump.
Improved overlays
Full Circle (FCR) rubbers with removable inserts are designed to replace their integral toothed counterparts. Semicircular wedges encircle the pipe along the entire perimeter and evenly act on the hollow cylinder, which prevents deformation with significant efforts.
The formation of narrowed places or through punching in certain areas is excluded. The inserts are held securely by strong steel pins.
Accessories
1. Regulating pneumatic valve with a foot drive. Supplied with protective cover only.
2. Combined block. It consists of an air filter, pressure regulator, foot valve and lubricator mounted in a common steel housing. Also included is a pressure gauge, drain, mounting bracket. The block is installed near the operator's stand or under the working console. For high temperature work areas, it is recommended that metal bowls be ordered from the manufacturer instead of the plastic bowls that are standard on the lubricator and air filter.
3. High pressure air ducts.
4. An adapter plate for the turntable main hub, which is screwed to the bottom flange.
Universal spiders
Spiders in a universal design are easily transferred from manual to mechanical control mode (pneumatics are used). The device can operate by receiving compressed air from a standard pneumatic system of a drilling rig, also from a compressor mounted on a trailer.
To switch to manual control, the pneumatic cylinder is replaced by a foot pedal with a release lever.
Power pipe wrenches
1.RS model.
2. Model BTS.
3. Model CTS.
4. Model CH.
Closed head hydraulic wrench equipped with a reversible motor. The customer can choose a standard drive or a high torque drive to provide the desired force. The moment is regulated by a special valve. To capture the surface of the pipe, 5 cams of different sizes with convex contact sides are used. The cams are evenly distributed around the perimeter and distribute the pressure around the circumference so as to avoid excessive pressure in one place. A tandem control valve is designed to control the key. The difference of this model is a spring suspension with improved balancing.
The key CH-8000, created for the development of small wells, is popular with specialists. The dual motor design further redistributes the force so the wrench gently grips and rotates the pipe. There is no clutch and gear transmission with gears; instead of a rigid connection, a chain drive is used in the transmission. Thus, the weight of the key is reduced, and damage to the transmission associated with external mechanical influences during the movement of the rotating mechanism is also excluded. Due to the absence of gears, a large number of couplings are not required. High-quality lubrication of moving parts is not required. As a result, the need for regular maintenance of mechanisms and replenishment of lubricants is sharply reduced. The tests carried out showed that after constant work for 12 hours a day for 6 days a week.
1. SA model.
2. BTA model.
Practical use of drilling keys
Cavins tongs are used in drilling oil and gas wells. With the help of these powerful tools, the pipes are connected into a column during the descent. When lifting in the opposite way, unscrewing is performed with the removal of pipes.
The most powerful are hydraulic devices. Pneumatic wells are also used, mainly in the development of small diameter wells. There are hand wrenches that occupy a separate section in the Kevins product catalog. Manual operation is possible on the lightest pipes requiring little effort to rotate.
The upper part of the key is intended for capturing and subsequent rotation of the connected section of the column. The tube rotates until the threads are fully engaged or completely disengaged. The lower end of the key firmly captures the column, consisting of many pipes, preventing it from turning.
With the help of keys, they assemble and disassemble the tubing, drilling or casing strings.
Keys manufactured under the Cavins brand are equipped with user-friendly control panels.