U.S. patent application number 14/493968 was filed with the patent office on 2015-03-26 for quadruple ram bop.
The applicant listed for this patent is TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED. Invention is credited to Leonard G. Childers, Viral Shah, Alireza Shirani.
Application Number | 20150083943 14/493968 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52690133 |
Filed Date | 2015-03-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150083943 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shah; Viral ; et
al. |
March 26, 2015 |
Quadruple RAM BOP
Abstract
A blowout preventer having a body, a main bore in the body, and
rams that project into the main bore. The rams can be shear rams
for shearing a tubular in the main bore, pipe rains for sealing
around a tubular in the main bore, or sealing rams that seal across
the main bore. The rams are in cavities formed in the body, the
cavities are formed such that more than two rams can be disposed at
the same elevation in the body thereby reducing the overall height
of the blowout preventer stack.
Inventors: |
Shah; Viral; (Houston,
TX) ; Childers; Leonard G.; (Houston, TX) ;
Shirani; Alireza; (Houston, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
52690133 |
Appl. No.: |
14/493968 |
Filed: |
September 23, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61881737 |
Sep 24, 2013 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
251/1.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 33/061 20130101;
E21B 17/01 20130101; E21B 33/062 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
251/1.3 |
International
Class: |
E21B 33/06 20060101
E21B033/06; E21B 17/01 20060101 E21B017/01 |
Claims
1. A blowout preventer for use with a wellhead assembly comprising:
a body having axis; a main bore in the body that is substantially
parallel with the axis; at least three cavities in the body at
substantially the same axial location in the body and that
intersect the main bore; and a ram in each of the cavities.
2. The blowout preventer of claim 1, wherein one of the rams
comprises a pipe ram and one of the rams comprises a shear ram.
3. The blowout preventer of claim 1, wherein each ram comprises a
block having a forward side facing the main bore, a rearward side
distal from the forward side, lateral sides extending between the
forward and rearward sides and that are in a plane that is
generally parallel with the axis.
4. The blowout preventer of claim 3, wherein the ram block further
comprises an upper side that extends between upper terminal ends of
the forward and rearward sides.
5. The blowout preventer of claim 4, wherein a seal is provided on
the ram that extends along the upper side and the forward side.
6. The blowout preventer of claim 1, wherein the axial location
comprises a first axial location, wherein the cavities comprise a
first set of cavities, and wherein a second set of cavities are
formed in the body at a second axial location that is spaced
axially away from the first axial location.
7. The blowout preventer of claim 6, further comprising rams in the
second set of cavities.
8. The blowout preventer of claim 1, wherein four cavities are
provided in the body at the same axial location, and wherein rams
in two of the cavities comprise shear rams and rams in two of the
cavities comprise pipe rams.
9. The blowout preventer of claim 1, further comprising an upper
connection that selectively couples to a riser and a lower
connection that selectively couples to a wellhead housing.
10. A blowout preventer for use with a wellhead assembly
comprising: a body having an axis and a main bore aligned with the
axis; cavities in the body that extend radially outward from the
main bore and along paths that range up to about 90.degree. from
one another; and a ram assembly in each of the cavities.
11. The blowout preventer of claim 10, wherein the cavities are at
about the same axial location along the axis.
12. The blowout preventer of claim 10, wherein each ram assembly
comprises a block and a forward portion that selectively extends
into the main bore.
13. The blowout preventer of claim 12, wherein each ram assembly
further comprises a forward side on which the forward portion is
attached, a rearward side opposite the forward side, and lateral
sides that extend between the forward and rearward sides, wherein
the lateral sides are substantially flat.
14. The blowout preventer of claim 10, further comprising an
actuator for urging each ram assembly from the cavity towards the
main bore.
15. A blowout preventer stack selectively coupled with a wellhead
assembly and comprising: an axis in the stack; a plurality of
blowout preventers stacked on one another and each having a body; a
main bore projecting axially through each of the bodies and that is
substantially parallel with the axis; cavities in each body at
substantially the same axial location in the body and that
intersect the main bore and that extend along paths that range up
to about 90.degree. from one another; and rams in the cavities.
16. The blowout preventer stack of claim 15, wherein each ram
comprises a block having a forward side facing the main bore, a
rearward side distal from the forward side, lateral sides extending
between the forward and rearward sides and that are in a plane that
is generally parallel with the axis.
17. The blowout preventer stack of claim 15, wherein the cavities
in each body are at about the same axial location along the
axis.
18. The blowout preventer stack of claim 15, wherein four cavities
are provided in each body at the same axial location, and wherein
rams in two of the cavities comprise shear rams and rams in two of
the cavities comprise pipe rams.
19. The blowout preventer stack of claim 15, further comprising an
upper connection that selectively couples to a riser and a lower
connection that selectively couples to a wellhead housing.
20. The blowout preventer stack of claim 15, wherein each ram
comprises a block and a forward portion that selectively extends
into the main bore.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of
co-pending U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/881,737, filed
Sep. 24, 2013, the full disclosure of which is hereby incorporated
by reference herein for all purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of Invention
[0003] The present disclosure relates in general to production of
hydrocarbon from a subterranean wellbore, and in particular to a
blowout preventer (BOP) having adjacent cavities.
[0004] 2. Description of Prior Art
[0005] Drilling a wellbore for production of oil and/or gas
typically involves inserting a drilling string having a drill bit
on its lower end through a wellhead assembly mounted over
hydrocarbon bearing strata. Blowout preventers are often mounted
onto the wellhead assembly for shearing or sealing around the drill
string, and sealing in the wellbore. Offshore drilling rigs
normally employ a riser to connect the subsea wellhead with the
drilling rig, where the blowout preventer is located at a lower end
of the riser. Generally, blowout preventers are assembled into a
stack and include shear rams for shearing the drill string or
tubular, and pipe rams sized to close and seal around pipe strings
of certain diameters.
[0006] Typically each elevational section in the stack includes a
cavity in which rams are disposed. Each cavity will contain a pair
of either shear rams or pipe rams, where the rams are on opposite
sides of a main bore that extends through the stack. The rams face
one another, so that when activated are urged towards one another
and into the main bore, either to shear or seal against the tubular
in the main bore. Thus blowout preventers having a number of
elevational sections may be large and occupy a large amount of
space, and can thus be heavy thereby adding to the difficulties of
transportation and installation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Disclosed herein are examples of a blowout preventer. In one
example, a blowout preventer for use with a wellhead assembly
includes a body having an axis, a main bore in the body that is
substantially parallel with the axis, at least three cavities in
the body at substantially the same axial location in the body and
that intersect the main bore, and a ram in each of the cavities.
One of the rams can be a pipe ram and one of the rams can be a
shear ram. Each ram may optionally include a block having a forward
side facing the main bore, a rearward side distal from the forward
side, lateral sides extending between the forward and rearward
sides and that are in a plane that is generally parallel with the
axis. The ram block can further have an upper side that extends
between upper terminal ends of the forward and rearward sides. A
seal can be provided on the ram block that extends along the upper
side and the forward side. In an example, the axial location is a
first axial location, wherein the cavities make up a first set of
cavities, and wherein a second set of cavities are formed in the
body at a second axial location that is spaced axially away from
the first axial location. Rams may be further included that are in
the second set of cavities. Four cavities can optionally be
provided in the body at the same axial location, and wherein rams
in two of the cavities are shear rams and rams in two of the
cavities are pipe rams. An upper connection can optionally be
included that selectively couples to a riser; a lower connection
can also be included that selectively couples to a wellhead
housing.
[0008] Another example of a blowout preventer for use with a
wellhead assembly includes a body having an axis and a main bore
aligned with the axis, cavities in the body that extend radially
outward from the main bore and along paths that range up to about
90.degree. from one another, and a ram assembly in each of the
cavities. The cavities can be at about the same axial location
along the axis. Each ram assembly can be made up of a block and a
forward portion that selectively extends into the main bore. Each
ram assembly can further include a forward side on which the
forward portion is attached, a rearward side opposite the forward
side, and lateral sides that extend between the forward and
rearward sides, wherein the lateral sides are substantially fiat.
An actuator can optionally be included for urging each rain
assembly from the cavity towards the main bore.
[0009] An example of blowout preventer stack, which is selectively
coupled with a wellhead assembly, is made up of an axis in the
stack, a plurality of blowout preventers stacked on one another and
each having a body, a main bore projecting axially through each of
the bodies and that is substantially parallel with the axis,
cavities in each body at substantially the same axial location in
the body and that intersect the main bore and that extend along
paths that range up to about 90.degree. from one another, and rams
in the cavities. Each ram can include a block having a forward side
facing the main bore, a rearward side distal from the forward side,
lateral sides extending between the forward and rearward sides and
that are in a plane that is generally parallel with the axis.
Cavities in each body can be about the same axial location along
the axis. In one example four cavities are provided in each body at
the same axial location, and wherein rams in two of the cavities
comprise shear rams and rams in two of the cavities comprise pipe
rams. An upper connection can selectively couple to a riser and a
lower connection can selectively couple to a wellhead housing. In
one example, each ram includes a block and a forward portion that
selectively extends into the main bore.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0010] Some of the features and benefits of the present invention
having been stated, others will become apparent as the description
proceeds when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,
in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an example of a blowout
preventer on a wellhead assembly and in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is an axial sectional view of the blowout preventer
of FIG. 1 and taken along lines 2-2 and in accordance with the
present invention.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the blowout preventer
of FIG. 1 and taken along lines 2-2 with a portion of the chamber
housing removed, and in accordance with the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an example of a ram assembly
for use with the blowout preventer of FIG. 1 and in accordance with
the present invention.
[0015] While the invention will be described in connection with the
preferred embodiments, it will be understood that it is not
intended to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the
contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications,
and equivalents, as may be included within the spirit and scope of
the invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
[0016] The method and system of the present disclosure will now be
described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which embodiments are shown. The method and system of
the present disclosure may be in many different forms and should
not be construed as limited to the illustrated embodiments set
forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this
disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey its
scope to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like
elements throughout. In an embodiment, usage of the term "about"
includes +/-5% of the cited magnitude. In an embodiment, usage of
the term "substantially" includes +/-5% of the cited magnitude.
[0017] It is to be further understood that the scope of the present
disclosure is not limited to the exact details of construction,
operation, exact materials, or embodiments shown and described, as
modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in
the art. In the drawings and specification, there have been
disclosed illustrative embodiments and, although specific terms are
employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and
not for the purpose of limitation.
[0018] FIG. 1 shows a partial side sectional view of one example of
a blowout preventer 10 mounted on top of a wellhead assembly 11,
where a housing 12 of the wellhead assembly 11 is anchored on the
sea floor 14. A clamp connection 16 couples the blowout preventer
10 onto housing. Housing 12 and blowout preventer 10 are mounted
over a wellbore 18, where wellbore 18 is shown being formed by a
drill string 20 that extends axially through blowout preventer 10.
Additionally, a length of conductor pipe 22 projects downward into
wellbore 18 and on which the wellhead housing 12 is connected. The
example of the blowout preventer 10 of FIG. 1 is for use subsea,
and as such a riser 24 attaches to an upper end of blowout
preventer 10 via flanged connection 26. Further included with
blowout preventer 10 are actuators 28.sub.1, 28.sub.2, 28.sub.3 and
actuators 30.sub.1, 30.sub.2, 30.sub.3. In the illustrated example,
actuators 28.sub.1-3 are set at a distance axially lower than
actuators 30.sub.1-3.
[0019] An axial sectional view of the blowout preventer 10 is
provided in FIG. 2 and taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1. In this
example, four actuator assemblies 30.sub.1, 30.sub.2, 30.sub.3,
30.sub.4 are shown mounted on a body 32 of blowout preventer 10.
Adjacent actuators 30.sub.1, 30.sub.2, 30.sub.3, 30.sub.4 are set
at an angle from one another that is about 90.degree.. However,
other angles are envisioned that can be less than or greater than
90.degree.. Example angles are 30.degree., 45.degree., 60.degree.,
120.degree. and any value between these specific values. To
accommodate the placement of the actuators 30.sub.1-4, connections
34 for choke and kill lines (not shown.) are provided along corner
sections and in between adjacent actuators 30.sub.1-4. A main bore
36 is shown extending axially through the blowout preventer 10 and
intersecting the chamber housing 38 that covers the blowout
preventer 10.
[0020] Referring now to FIG. 3, axial section view of blowout
preventer 10 is shown taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1. In this
example, the upper portion of chamber housing 38 has been removed
thereby making visible ram chamber 40 in which rams 42 are housed.
Also visible in this example is ram chamber 43 in Which rams 44 are
housed. More specifically, chamber 40 projects radially from main
bore 36 and through body and terminating adjacent actuators
30.sub.2, 30.sub.4. In the illustrated example, rams 42 are shear
rams for shearing a tubular, such as drill string 20 (FIG. 1) that
may be projecting through blowout preventer 10. Optionally, rams 44
may be pipe rams that when projected radially inward and adjacent
main bore 36 may seal around a. tubular that is coaxially disposed
within main bore 36. In the example of FIG. 3, actuators 30.sub.1,
30.sub.3 are associated with the pipe rams 44. Thus, operating
actuators 30.sub.2, 30.sub.4 can project the shear rams 42 radially
inward and into the main bore 36. Similarly, operating actuators
30.sub.1, 30.sub.3 can actuate pipe rams 44 so that pipe rams 44
project radially inward to main bore 36.
[0021] An advantage of the present system, as realized in FIG. 1,
is that more than 2 ram assemblies can be set in the blowout
preventer 10 at a single axial location, or elevation, within
blowout preventer 10. Thus, the overall length of the blowout
preventer 10 can be less than that of other known blowout
preventers. The shorter stack of the blowout preventer 10 therefore
results in one that is easier o transport, and install due to its
dimensions, and it also has a lower weight thereby increasing
safety of transportation in an installation.
[0022] An example of a shear ram 42 is provided in a perspective
view in FIG. 4. In this example, shear ram 42 includes a
substantially solid ram block, which resembles a rectangular member
having generally planar surfaces. A seal 48 is shown imbedded
within the rain block 46 and has surfaces that extend upward from
an upper surface 50 of ram block 46. To accommodate the multiple
ram assemblies at a single elevation, lateral sides 52 of the ram
42 are flat and have a generally planar outer surface. A shear
blade 54 is shown mounted on a forward. side 56 of ram block 46. On
a side opposite forward side 56 is rearward side 58, which can
receive an urging force to urge the shear ram 42 into main bore 36
(FIG. 3). Optionally, the actuators 28.sub.1-4, 30.sub.1-4 can be
operated hydraulically, such as by the hydraulic supply 60 (FIG. 1)
shown connected on an outer surface of actuators 28.sub.1,
28.sub.3. In this example, a piston 62 (shown in dashed outline)
couples via a rod to rearward side 58 of ram 42 so that by urging
hydraulic fluid under pressure into actuators, ram 42 can be
selectively urged radially inward into bore 36.
[0023] The present invention described herein, therefore, is well
adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages
mentioned, as well as others inherent therein. While a presently
preferred embodiment of the invention has been given for purposes
of disclosure, numerous changes exist in the details of procedures
for accomplishing the desired results. These and other similar
modifications will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in
the art, and are intended to be encompassed within the spirit of
the present invention disclosed herein and the scope of the
appended claims.
* * * * *