U.S. patent application number 14/216592 was filed with the patent office on 2014-09-18 for purging fluid circuits in wellbore control devices.
This patent application is currently assigned to WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.. Invention is credited to Thomas F. Bailey, James W. Chambers, Kevin L. Gray.
Application Number | 20140262326 14/216592 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50442748 |
Filed Date | 2014-09-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140262326 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gray; Kevin L. ; et
al. |
September 18, 2014 |
PURGING FLUID CIRCUITS IN WELLBORE CONTROL DEVICES
Abstract
The disclosure relates to purging a RCD including a bearing of
contaminants with a fluid circuit, the fluid circuit having at
least one housing adjacent to the RCD, a first plurality of valves
within the bearing, a second plurality of valves within the
housing, at least one inlet port located on the RCD, each inlet
port being connected to the housing, at least one outlet port
located on the RCD, each outlet port being connected to the
housing, and a purge outlet in fluid communication with the fluid
circuit.
Inventors: |
Gray; Kevin L.; (Houston,
TX) ; Bailey; Thomas F.; (Abilene, TX) ;
Chambers; James W.; (Houston, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC. |
Houston |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.
Houston
TX
|
Family ID: |
50442748 |
Appl. No.: |
14/216592 |
Filed: |
March 17, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61792940 |
Mar 15, 2013 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
166/375 ;
166/105; 166/105.1; 166/316 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 21/106 20130101;
E21B 33/085 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
166/375 ;
166/316; 166/105; 166/105.1 |
International
Class: |
E21B 21/10 20060101
E21B021/10 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for purging a RCD containing a bearing with a fluid
circuit, the fluid circuit comprising: at least one housing
adjacent to the RCD; a first plurality of valves within the
bearing; a second plurality of valves within the housing; at least
one inlet port located on the RCD, each inlet port being connected
to the housing; at least one outlet port located on the RCD, each
outlet port being connected to the housing; and a purge outlet in
fluid communication with the fluid circuit.
2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a
hydraulic line in fluid communication with the fluid circuit,
wherein the hydraulic line is routed through the second plurality
of valves within the housing.
3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first plurality
of valves within the bearing is in a closed position during purging
of the RCD.
4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising: one or
more journal regions located between the bearing and the RCD,
wherein the journal regions are in fluid communication with the
hydraulic line and further wherein the journal regions are
configured to capture debris.
5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the one or more
inlet ports are in fluid communication with the fluid circuit, each
inlet port connecting the housing and the journal regions; and
further wherein the one or more outlet ports are in fluid
communication with the fluid circuit, each outlet port connecting
to the housing and the journal regions.
6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the hydraulic line
further comprises: a supply line connected to the fluid circuit; a
bleed line connected to the fluid circuit; and a return line
connected to the fluid circuit.
7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a
directional control valve, wherein the directional control valve is
configured to allow redirection of fluid flow from the supply line
to the bleed line.
8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid circuit
is a lubricating fluid circuit of the RCD, and further wherein the
first plurality of valves within the bearing is configured to be in
an open position during lubrication of the bearing.
9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one
housing is attached to the RCD.
10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second
plurality of valves is pilot-operated check valves.
11. A system for purging contaminants from a lubricating circuit of
a RCD using a purge fluid, comprising: at least one valve block
adjacent to the RCD; a plurality of valves housed within the valve
block, said plurality of valves configured for controlling a fluid
flow; and at least one hydraulic line routed through the plurality
of valves and the RCD.
12. The system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a pump
connected to the hydraulic line, wherein the pump is configured for
pumping the purge fluid.
13. The system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the at least one
hydraulic line comprises a supply line attached to the pump
configured for supplying the purge fluid to the RCD.
14. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one
hydraulic line further comprises a hydraulic line configured for
removing contaminants and the purge fluid from the RCD.
15. The system as claimed in claim 14, further comprising: a
bearing within the RCD; and one or more journal regions between the
bearing and the RCD.
16. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the plurality of
valves is further configured to control the fluid flow around the
journal regions to remove contaminants.
17. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the supply line is
configured to supply the purge fluid through the plurality of
valves in the valve block to the journal regions.
18. The system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the purge fluid is a
lubricating and cooling fluid.
19. A method of purging a RCD containing a bearing with a fluid
circuit containing a first plurality of valves, comprising the
steps of: pumping a purge fluid through a housing containing a
second plurality of valves; circulating the purge fluid from the
housing around the bearing with the fluid circuit; and emptying the
purge fluid from the RCD after the purge fluid exits the RCD.
20. The method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising the steps
of controlling the purge fluid with the first and second plurality
of valves.
21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the step of
circulating the purge fluid through the housing also comprises
removing contaminants, and further wherein the step of emptying the
purge fluid from the RCD after the purge fluid exits the RCD also
comprises emptying the contaminants from the RCD after the purge
fluid and the contaminants exit the RCD.
22. The method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising the step
of preventing the flow of fluid through the first plurality of
valves in the fluid circuit.
23. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the fluid circuit is
a pre-existing cooling and lubricating fluid circuit for the RCD;
wherein said step of pumping the purge fluid through the housing is
performed utilizing the pre-existing cooling and lubricating fluid
circuit; and wherein said step of circulating the purge fluid from
the housing is performed utilizing the pre-existing cooling and
lubricating fluid circuit.
24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the pre-existing
cooling and lubricating fluid circuit has at least a hydraulic
supply line, a hydraulic bleed line and a hydraulic return line,
and further wherein the step of pumping the purge fluid through the
housing further comprises the steps of: pumping the purge fluid
into the supply line; and redirecting the purge fluid from the
supply line into the bleed line.
25. The method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising the step
of preparing the RCD for a subsequent lubrication cycle.
26. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the step of
circulating the purge fluid from the housing around the bearing
comprises circulating the purge fluid through a journal region
between the bearing and the RCD.
27. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the step of
circulating the purge fluid from the housing around the bearing
with the fluid circuit also comprises the step of cooling the
bearing as the purge fluid circulates around the bearing.
28. A method of purging contaminants from a RCD comprising the
steps of: utilizing a preexisting fluid circuit having at least a
hydraulic supply line and a hydraulic return line; pumping a purge
fluid with an existing pump into the supply line; redirecting the
purge fluid to another line; moving the purge fluid in a unitary
direction through at least one RCD towards a purge outlet; and
dumping the contaminants via the purge outlet.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S.
provisional application no. 61/792,940 filed Mar. 15, 2013 the
disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
STATEMENTS REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR
DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable.
NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT
[0003] Not Applicable.
REFERENCE TO A "SEQUENCE LISTING", A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER
PROGRAM
[0004] Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND
[0005] Technical Field
[0006] The subject matter generally relates to systems and
techniques in the field of oil and gas operations. When a well site
is completed, pressure control equipment may be placed near the
surface of the earth. The pressure control equipment may control
the pressure in the wellbore while drilling, completing and
producing the wellbore. The pressure control equipment may include
blowout preventers (BOP), rotating control devices (RCDs), and the
like. The RCD is a drill-through device with a rotating seal that
contacts and seals against the drill string (drill pipe with tool
joints, casing, drill collars, Kelly, etc.) for the purposes of
controlling the pressure or fluid flow to the surface.
[0007] RCDs and other pressure control equipment are used in
underbalanced drilling (UBD) and managed pressure drilling (MPD),
which are relatively new and improved drilling techniques, and work
particularly well in certain offshore drilling environments. Both
technologies are enabled by drilling with a closed and
pressurizable circulating fluid system as compared to a drilling
system that is open-to-atmosphere at the surface. Managed pressure
drilling is an adaptive drilling process used to more precisely
control the annular pressure profile throughout the wellbore. MPD
addresses the drill-ability of a prospect, typically by being able
to adjust the equivalent mud weight with the intent of staying
within a "drilling window" to a deeper depth and reducing drilling
non-productive time in the process. The drilling window changes
with depth and is typically described as the equivalent mud weight
required to drill between the formation pressure and the pressure
at which an underground blowout or loss of circulation would occur.
The equivalent weight of the mud and cuttings in the annulus is
controlled with fewer interruptions to drilling progress while
being kept above the formation pressure at all times. An influx of
formation fluids is not invited to flow to the surface while
drilling. Underbalanced drilling (UBD) is drilling with the
hydrostatic head of the drilling fluid intentionally designed to be
lower than the pressure of the formations being drilled, typically
to improve the well's productivity upon completion by avoiding
invasive mud and cuttings damage while drilling. An influx of
formation fluids is therefore invited to flow to the surface while
drilling. The hydrostatic head of the fluid may naturally be less
than the formation pressure, or it can be induced.
[0008] Due to the nature of oilfield drilling, sealing elements
within the RCD often become worn and need to be replaced. When
doing so, the bearing is removed from the RCD body, and a new
bearing is reinstalled into the RCD body. After reinstallation, one
existing problem is that the hydraulic fluid circuit needs to be
cleansed of contaminants in the nature of wellbore fluid and debris
before lubrication and drilling operations recommence. There exists
a need for an improved contaminant removal system and method to
remove contaminants from the RCD
[0009] US Pub. No. 2006/0144622 proposes a system and method for
cooling a RCD while regulating the pressure on its upper radial
seal. Gas, such as air, and liquid, such as oil, are alternatively
proposed for use in a heat exchanger in the RCD. A hydraulic
control system is proposed to provide fluid to energize a bladder
of an active seal to seal around a drilling string and to lubricate
the bearings in the RCD.
[0010] U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,554,016 and 6,749,172 propose a rotary
blowout preventer with a first and a second fluid lubricating,
cooling, and filtering circuit separated by a seal. Adjustable
orifices are proposed connected to the outlet of the first and
second fluid circuits to control pressures within the circuits.
[0011] The above discussed U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,554,016 and 6,749,172,
and Pub. No. US 2006/0144622 are incorporated herein by reference
for all purposes in their entirety. All of the above referenced
patents and patent publications have been assigned to the assignee
of the current invention.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0012] The disclosure relates to purging a RCD including a bearing
of contaminants with a fluid circuit, the fluid circuit having at
least one housing adjacent to the RCD, a first plurality of valves
within the bearing, a second plurality of valves within the
housing, at least one inlet port located on the RCD, each inlet
port being connected to the housing, at least one outlet port
located on the RCD, each outlet port being connected to the
housing, and a purge outlet in fluid communication with the fluid
circuit.
[0013] As used herein, the terms "line" and "circuit" may be
interpreted to mean any structural form used in the transport of
fluid including flexible conduits such as hosing or tubing, drilled
channels, ports, orifices, voids, outlets, vents and the like.
[0014] As used herein the term "RCD" or "RCDs" and the phrases
"pressure control equipment", "pressure control apparatus" or
"pressure control device(s)" shall refer to well related pressure
control equipment/apparatus/device(s) including, but not limited
to, rotating-control-device(s), active rotating control devices,
blowout preventers (BOPs), and the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0015] The embodiments may be better understood, and numerous
objects, features, and advantages made apparent to those skilled in
the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. These drawings
are used to illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention,
and are not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the
invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. The
figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features and
certain views of the figures may be shown exaggerated in scale or
in schematic in the interest of clarity and conciseness.
[0016] FIG. 1 depicts a schematic overview of an embodiment of a
RCD hydraulic purge system.
[0017] FIG. 2 depicts a schematic overview of an embodiment of a
fluid circuit which may be used in the purge system.
[0018] FIG. 3 depicts a schematic overview of an embodiment of a
lubrication fluid circuit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
[0019] The description that follows includes exemplary apparatus,
methods, techniques, and instruction sequences that embody
techniques of the inventive subject matter. However, it is
understood that the described embodiments may be practiced without
these specific details.
[0020] FIG. 1 depicts a schematic overview of an embodiment of a
RCD hydraulic purge system or fluid circuit 100. The purge system
100 is connected to a pump 102. The pump 102 in FIG. 1 pumps a
volume of purge fluid 105 through purge system 100 to facilitate
the cooling and lubrication of RCD bearing 124. Examples of a RCD
body or RCD 122 with a bearing 124 may be U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,554,016
B1 and 6,749,172 B1, and Pub. No. US 2006/0144622 A1. The purge
fluid 105 may be the same fluid used for lubrication or any other
suitable contaminant removal fluid as known to those having
ordinary skill in the art. For simplicity and advantageous
operation, as seen in FIG. 3, the supply line 104, bleed line 106
and return line 108 used in the purge system 100 in one embodiment
may be the exact same lines as used in the working RCD lubricating
(and/or cooling) circuit. Referring back to FIG. 1, the pump 102 is
connected to the supply line 104 and a tank 103 of purge or
lubrication fluid 105. The purge system 100 empties or may be
emptied via a purge line 110 or the like into a waste area 132.
Waste area 132 may be any area or container suitable for housing
the purge fluid 105 with contaminants for further processing, or it
may be the wellbore itself. The hydraulic lines 101 may include a
supply line 104, a bleed line 106, a return line 108, and a purge
line or purge outlet 110 and may have hose diameters selected by
one skilled in the art to best achieve the desired flow pressure
and rate for pressure controlled drilling conditions, lubrication,
seal activation, and purging operations.
[0021] The flow of the fluid through purge system 100 may be
controlled by a four-port directional control valve 112 connected
to supply line 104 and bleed line 106. The bleed line 106 is
connected to filter 114 and the return line 108 is connected to
filter 116. The size and type of filters 114 and 116 may be
adjusted as desired so as to prolong the usable lifetime of said
filters. The hydraulic lines of purge system 100 are connected to
valves 118a-h housed within manifold valve blocks or housing(s)
120a-b. While the embodiment in FIG. 1 illustrates the valves
118a-h as housed within manifold valve blocks 120a-b, it is to be
appreciated that the components may also be discrete elements,
components or housed in cartridges. In FIG. 1, valves 118 are shown
as pilot-to-open check valves, but it is to be appreciated that any
kind of valves which can be manipulated to allow and/or prevent or
otherwise control, the flow of fluid may be used including check
valves, pilot-to-close check valves, relief valves, manual, remote,
or automatic valves. Valve blocks 120a and 120b flank RCD body 122
which contains inlet/outlet ports 126 that allow for fluid to
travel through the supply journal region 130c, bleed journal region
130a and return journal region 130b between the RCD body 122 and
bearing(s) 124 (i.e. outside but around the bearing(s)). Although
the embodiment in FIG. 1 illustrates the valve blocks 120 on
opposite sides of RCD body 122 with inlet ports 126a separated by
generally one-hundred-and-eighty degrees from the outlet ports
126b, both facing the respective valve blocks 120, the valve blocks
120 and inlet/outlet ports 126 may be positioned in any manner such
that fluid may travel between the valve blocks 120 and inlet/outlet
ports 126. Further, the valve blocks 120 may be bolted or otherwise
secured to the side of the RCD body 122. The hydraulic lines 101,
including supply line 104, bleed line 106 and return line 108,
connect to the bearing 124 and to the bearing lubrication circuit
valves 128 housed within RCD body 122. The bearing 124, along with
the bearing lubrication circuit valves 128, may be inserted into
and removed out of RCD body 122 as required by the demands of the
drilling operation. The bearing lubrication circuit valves 128 may
also be any kind of valves which may be manipulated to allow and/or
prevent or otherwise control the flow of fluid. Further, the purge
system 100 may have one or more pressure gauges 134 installed on
the supply line 104, bleed line 106, return line 108, or purge line
110 to monitor the pressure at a particular point in the lines 104,
106, 108 or 110. Moreover, the purge system 100 may include one or
more pressure-temperature gauges or PT gauge 136 on the supply line
104, bleed line 106, return line 108 or purge line 110 to monitor
the pressure and/or temperature at a particular point in the lines
104, 106, 108 or 110.
[0022] FIG. 2 depicts a schematic overview of an embodiment of the
purge fluid 105 flow path 200 through the purge system 100. When
the purge system 100 initiates, the pump 102 begins circulation of
purge fluid 105 through the supply line 104 until it reaches the
four-port directional control valve 112. The control valve 112
redirects the purge fluid 105 flowing in from supply line 104 into
the bleed line 106. The purge fluid 105 then travels through the
bleed line 106 and through valve 118a in valve block 120a. Thus,
the purge fluid 105 travels through valve block 120a and through
the inlet/outlet ports 126 on RCD body 122, to the outer periphery
of bearing 124. When purging, the bearing lubrication circuit
valves 128 are closed to the flow of fluid through the bearing 124,
so as to allow the purge fluid 105 to circulate through the bleed
journal region 130a captured between RCD body 122 and bearing 124.
Circulation of the purge fluid 105 through the journal regions 130
removes wellbore fluids and debris, such as drill cuttings, from
the journal regions 130 captured between bearing 124 and RCD body
122 and prepares the RCD body 122 for a subsequent lubrication
cycle. After the purge fluid 105 circulates through the bleed
journal region 130a, the pump 102 continues to move the purge fluid
105 out of the RCD body 122 via inlet/outlet ports 126 and to valve
block 120b. In valve block 120b, the valve 118b is piloted to open
to allow the purge fluid 105 to next flow through valve 118c back
to the RCD body 122 and around bearing 124. As the bearing
lubrication circuit valves 128 are kept in a closed position 129 to
the passage of fluid in FIG. 2, the purge fluid 105 will circulate
around return journal region 130b. The purge fluid 105 then flows
out of the RCD body 122 into valve block 120a, where the purge
fluid 105 then flows through valve 118d. After passing through
valve 118d, the purge fluid 105 flows into RCD body 122 and
circulates through supply journal region 130c. The purge fluid 105
then exits the RCD body 122 to valve block 120b. In the embodiment
shown, the purge fluid 105 then flows through valve 118e (which is
piloted to open), and through valve 118f. The purge fluid 105 exits
the purge system 100 via one of the hydraulic lines 101, for
example, the purge line 110, emptying and/or dumping contaminants
and/or cuttings from the drilling equipment to waste area 132.
[0023] The purge system 100 as described utilizes or integrates the
existing lubrication circuit and pump in the RCD body 122, without
the need for expensive or time consuming modifications to the
existing hydraulic lubrication circuitry. Such existing RCD
lubricating circuits contemplated include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,554,016
and 6,749,172,and Pub. No. US 2006/0144622. FIG. 3 also illustrates
one such lubricating circuit 400 with lubrication flow path 402,
wherein the bearing circuit lubrication valves 128 are in an open
position 127, allowing purge or lubrication fluid 105 to circulate
within the bearing 124, thus cooling and lubricating the bearing
124 and RCD body 122.
[0024] Further, in one embodiment at least one sensor, flow meter
or detection device 300, for example, an electrical, mechanical, or
hydraulic sensor, may be positioned in the purge line 110. It is
contemplated that the sensor or sensors could be mechanical,
electrical, or hydraulic and may be used additionally for measuring
temperature, pressure, density, flow rate, particulate matter,
and/or fluid levels. In one working example, an operator may wish
to quantify the flow of the purge fluid 105 via a flow metering or
detection device 300 (e.g. to determine when five gallons of purge
fluid 105 have flowed through the meter).
[0025] In a working example, the bearing(s) 124 may run in the
working environment for a period of from about two days to about
three weeks prior to removal and insertion of the same and/or other
bearing(s) 124. Preferably but not limited to absolutely, the purge
system 100 will be performed when the bearing assembly(ies) 124 are
inserted before lubrication begins (by way of example only, purged
once using five gallons of purge fluid 105).
[0026] While the embodiments are described with reference to
various implementations and exploitations, it will be understood
that these embodiments are illustrative and that the scope of the
inventive subject matter is not limited to them. Many variations,
modifications, additions and improvements are possible. For
example, while the embodiments described are in reference to RCDs
with lubrication circuits, it will be understood that the inventive
system, method, and apparatus are equally applicable to cooling
circuits in RCDs, to dual lubricating and cooling circuits in RCDs,
to other equipment with fluid circuitry such as seal activation
circuits in BOPs (see e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,554,016 and 6,749,172,
which are incorporated herein by reference) and latch mechanism
control circuits (see e.g. U.S. Pub. Nos. 2006/0144622 and
2012/0013133, which are incorporated herein by reference), amongst
others, including non-rotating control devices which contain
hydraulic feeds. Further by way of example, the techniques used
herein may be applied to equipment needing lubrication and/or
purging, as used in mining, food, or construction industries.
[0027] Plural instances may be provided for components, operations
or structures described herein as a single instance. In general,
structures and functionality presented as separate components in
the exemplary configurations may be implemented as a combined
structure or component. Similarly, structures and functionality
presented as a single component may be implemented as separate
components. These and other variations, modifications, additions,
and improvements may fall within the scope of the inventive subject
matter.
* * * * *