U.S. patent application number 14/886706 was filed with the patent office on 2017-04-20 for boltless locking of bop bonnet.
This patent application is currently assigned to Hydril USA Distribution LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is Hydril USA Distribution LLC. Invention is credited to Mareesan Bose, Kathiresan Krishnasamy, Raghavendra Muniswamy, Manikandan Shenbagalingam.
Application Number | 20170107778 14/886706 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 58523678 |
Filed Date | 2017-04-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170107778 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Krishnasamy; Kathiresan ; et
al. |
April 20, 2017 |
Boltless Locking of BOP Bonnet
Abstract
An apparatus for releasably connecting a bonnet to a body of a
blowout preventer includes a latch plate that is mounted to the
body of the blowout preventer. The latch plate has a plate profile
on an outer surface of the latch plate. A clamping assembly extends
through the bonnet and includes a clamping screw releasably secured
to, and extending through the bonnet. A latch key is located at an
inner end of the clamping screw, the latch key having a key profile
shaped to mate with the plate profile and to resist relative
movement between the latch key and the latch plate. The clamping
assembly is moveable between an engaged position where the key
profile mates with the plate profile, and a released position where
the key profile is spaced apart from the plate profile.
Inventors: |
Krishnasamy; Kathiresan;
(Bangalore, IN) ; Muniswamy; Raghavendra;
(Bangalore, IN) ; Bose; Mareesan; (Chennai,
IN) ; Shenbagalingam; Manikandan; (Bangalore,
IN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hydril USA Distribution LLC |
Houston |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Hydril USA Distribution LLC
Houston
TX
|
Family ID: |
58523678 |
Appl. No.: |
14/886706 |
Filed: |
October 19, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 33/062
20130101 |
International
Class: |
E21B 33/06 20060101
E21B033/06 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for releasably connecting a bonnet to a body of a
blowout preventer, the apparatus comprising: a latch plate that is
mounted to the body of the blowout preventer, the latch plate
having a plate profile on an outer surface of the latch plate; a
clamping assembly that extends through the bonnet, the clamping
assembly comprising: a clamping screw releasably secured to, and
extending through the bonnet; and a latch key located at an inner
end of the clamping screw, the latch key having a key profile
shaped to mate with the plate profile and to resist relative
movement between the latch key and the latch plate; and wherein the
clamping assembly is moveable between an engaged position where the
key profile mates with the plate profile, and a released position
where the key profile is spaced apart from the plate profile.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a lock
screw releasably securing the latch key to the clamping screw.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the latch plate is
located on a first side of the body of the blowout preventer and
the clamping assembly extends through a first side of the bonnet,
and wherein the apparatus further comprises a second latch plate
located on a second side of the body of the blowout preventer and a
second clamping assembly extending through a second side of the
bonnet.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the clamping screw
is threaded to the bonnet and has an internal bore housing a lock
screw that releasably secures the latch key to the clamping
screw.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the clamping screw
is a quarter turn fastener.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the key profile is
shaped to resist relative movement between the latch key and the
latch plate in a radially outward direction when the clamping
assembly is in the engaged position, and wherein the bonnet is
removable from the body of the blowout preventer in the radially
outward direction when the clamping assembly is in the released
position.
7. A blowout preventer assembly with an apparatus for releasably
connecting a bonnet to a blowout preventer, the blowout preventer
assembly comprising: a blowout preventer with a body; a latch plate
that is mounted to the body, the latch plate having a plate profile
on an outer surface of the latch plate; a clamping assembly that
extends through the bonnet, the clamping assembly comprising: a
clamping screw releasably secured to, and extending through the
bonnet; and a latch key located at an inner end of the clamping
screw; a ram assembly extending radially from the body and secured
to the bonnet, the latch key having a key profile shaped to mate
with the plate profile and to resist relative movement between the
latch key and the latch plate in a direction along a central ram
axis of the ram assembly; and wherein the clamping assembly is
moveable between an engaged position where the key profile mates
with the plate profile, and a released position where the key
profile is spaced apart from the plate profile.
8. The blowout preventer assembly according to claim 7, further
comprising a lock screw releasably securing the latch key to the
clamping screw, the lock screw being carried by the clamping
screw.
9. The blowout preventer assembly according to claim 7, wherein the
latch plate is located on a first side of the ram assembly, and
wherein the apparatus further comprises a second latch plate
located on a second side of the ram assembly.
10. The blowout preventer assembly according to claim 7, wherein
the clamping screw is threaded to the bonnet and has an internal
bore housing a lock screw that releasably secures the latch key to
the clamping screw.
11. The blowout preventer assembly according to claim 7, wherein
the clamping screw is a quarter turn fastener.
12. The blowout preventer assembly according to claim 7, wherein
the bonnet and the ram assembly is removable from the body in the
direction along the central ram axis of the ram assembly when the
clamping assembly is in the released position.
13. A method for releasably connecting a bonnet to a body of a
blowout preventer, the method comprising: mounting a latch plate to
the body of the blowout preventer, the latch plate having a plate
profile on an outer surface of the latch plate; extending a
clamping assembly through the bonnet, the clamping assembly
comprising a clamping screw releasably secured to, and extending
through the bonnet, and a latch key located at an inner end of the
clamping screw, the latch key having a key profile shaped to mate
with the plate profile; and moving the clamping assembly from a
released position where the key profile is spaced apart from the
plate profile to an engaged position where the key profile mates
with the plate profile and resists relative movement between the
latch key and the latch plate.
14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising releasably
securing the latch key to the clamping screw with a lock screw.
15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising locating
the latch plate on a first side of the body of the blowout
preventer and extending the clamping assembly through a first side
of the bonnet, and wherein the method further comprises locating a
second latch plate on a second side of the body of the blowout
preventer and extending a second clamping assembly through a second
side of the bonnet.
16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising threading
the clamping screw to the bonnet by rotating the clamping screw in
a first direction and releasably securing the latch key to the
clamping screw with a lock screw that is housed in an internal bore
of the clamping screw, by rotating the lock screw in a second
direction.
17. The method according to claim 13, further comprising releasably
securing the clamping screw to the bonnet by rotating the clamping
screw less than one hundred and eighty degrees.
18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the key profile is
shaped to resist relative movement between the latch key and the
latch plate in a radially outward direction when the clamping
assembly is in the engaged position, the method further comprising
moving the clamping assembly to the released position and removing
the bonnet from the body of the blowout preventer in the radially
outward direction.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0001] 1. Field of the Disclosure
[0002] The present disclosure relates in general to blowout
preventers used in the hydrocarbon industry, and in particular to
securing a bonnet to a blowout preventer.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Well control is an important aspect of oil and gas
exploration. When drilling a well, for example, for oil and gas
exploration applications, devices must be put in place to prevent
injury to personnel and equipment associated with the drilling
activities. One such well control device is a blowout preventer or
BOP, which is typically installed at the surface or on the sea
floor in deep water drilling arrangements. A BOP is generally used
to seal a wellbore in order to control a "kick," which occurs when
a wellbore penetrates a geologic layer having a formation pressure
substantially higher than the pressure maintained in the
wellbore.
[0005] Common types of blowout preventers include annular blowout
preventers and ram-type blowout preventers. Ram-type preventers
typically comprise a body and at least two oppositely disposed ram
assemblies secured to the blowout preventer body with a bonnet. The
rams can be, for example, pipe rams (which, when activated, move to
engage and surround drill pipe and well tools to seal the wellbore)
or shear rams (which, when activated, move to engage and physically
shear any drill pipe or well tools in the wellbore). The rams are
typically located opposite of each other and, whether pipe rams or
shear rams, the rams typically seal against one another proximate a
center of the wellbore in order to completely seal the
wellbore.
[0006] Blowout preventers must be regularly maintained. Moreover,
it is often desirable to replace pipe rams with shear rams, or vice
versa, to provide different well control options. Therefore, it is
important that the blowout preventer includes bonnets that are
easily removable so that interior components, such as the rams, may
be accessed and maintained.
[0007] A traditional method of securing the bonnet with the body is
by means of bolts which normally vary from 6 to 12 bolts, depending
on the size and pressure rating of the blowout preventer. In ideal
conditions, the time consumed to remove each bonnet bolt will be
around 4-5 minutes, thereby consuming 30-45 minutes for every
assembly or disassembly of the bonnet to the body.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0008] This application discloses systems and methods for
releasably connecting a bonnet to a body of a blowout preventer
that reduce the time required to remove and replace the bonnet on
the body of the blowout preventer.
[0009] In an embodiment of the current disclosure, an apparatus for
releasably connecting a bonnet to a body of a blowout preventer
includes a latch plate that is mounted to the body of the blowout
preventer, the latch plate having a plate profile on an outer
surface of the latch plate. A clamping assembly extends through the
bonnet. The clamping assembly has a clamping screw releasably
secured to, and extending through the bonnet. The clamping assembly
also includes a latch key located at an inner end of the clamping
screw. The latch key has a key profile shaped to mate with the
plate profile and to resist relative movement between the latch key
and the latch plate. The clamping assembly is moveable between an
engaged position where the key profile mates with the plate
profile, and a released position where the key profile is spaced
apart from the plate profile.
[0010] In an alternate embodiment of the current disclosure, a
blowout preventer assembly with an apparatus for releasably
connecting a bonnet to the blowout preventer is disclosed. The
blowout preventer assembly includes a blowout preventer with a
body. A latch plate is mounted to the body, the latch plate having
a plate profile on an outer surface of the latch plate. A clamping
assembly extends through the bonnet. The clamping assembly includes
a clamping screw releasably secured to, and extending through the
bonnet. The clamping assembly also includes a latch key located at
an inner end of the clamping screw. A ram assembly extends radially
from the body and is secured to the bonnet. The latch key has a key
profile shaped to mate with the plate profile and to resist
relative movement between the latch key and the latch plate in a
direction along a central ram axis of the ram assembly. The
clamping assembly is moveable between an engaged position where the
key profile mates with the plate profile, and a released position
where the key profile is spaced apart from the plate profile.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] So that the manner in which the features, advantages and
objects of the invention, as well as others which will become
apparent, are attained and can be understood in more detail, more
particular description of the invention briefly summarized above
may be had by reference to the embodiment thereof which is
illustrated in the appended drawings, which drawings form a part of
this specification. It is to be noted, however, that the drawings
illustrate only a preferred embodiment of the invention and are
therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope as the
invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a blowout preventer with a
latching apparatus for releasably connecting a bonnet to a body of
the blowout preventer, in accordance with an embodiment of this
disclosure, shown with a portion of the bonnet cut away to view the
latching apparatus.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a detail view of a portion of a partial section
perspective view of the blowout preventer of FIG. 1.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a top section view of the latching apparatus of
FIG. 1, with the latching apparatus in a released position.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a top section view of the latching apparatus of
FIG. 1, with the latching apparatus in an engaged position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0016] The systems and methods of the present disclosure will now
be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the
accompanying drawings which illustrate embodiments of the
invention. The system and method if this disclosure may, however,
be embodied 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 the scope of the
invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like
elements throughout, and the prime notation, if used, indicates
similar elements in alternative embodiments.
[0017] Referring to FIG. 1, blowout preventer 10 with latching
apparatus 12 is shown. Blowout preventer 10 includes body 14 that
has central bore 16 that extends from a bottom end of blowout
preventer body 14 to a top end of blowout preventer body 14. In the
example blowout preventer 10 of FIG. 1, there are two pairs of ram
assemblies 18, for a total of four ram assemblies 18. Each ram
assembly 18 extends radially from the body 14 of blowout preventer
10 so that central ram axis 20 is in a direction generally
perpendicular to central bore 16. A pair of ram assemblies 18
includes two ram assemblies 18 that are located on opposite sides
of blowout preventer 10 so that the rams within each ram assembly
18 of the pair of ram assemblies 18 can extend to mate within
central bore 16.
[0018] Ram assemblies 18 can be blind rams, sealing rams, shear
rams, blind shear rams, pipe rams, or other known types of rams
used in blowout preventers 10. Blowout preventer 10 can include
more than one type of ram assembly 18. In alternate embodiments,
blowout preventer 10 can have only one pair of ram assemblies 18 or
can have more than two pairs of ram assemblies 18.
[0019] Each ram assembly 18 is secured to body 14 of blowout
preventer 10 with bonnet 22. Each ram assembly 18 can be secured to
bonnet 22 with bolts or other known connection means. Bonnet 22 is
then secured to body 14 of blowout preventer 10 with latching
apparatus 12. In the example embodiment of FIG. 1, bonnet 22 has a
front portion 24 to which the ram assembly 18 is secured. Bonnet 22
also has two side portions 26 located on opposite sides of front
portion 24. When assembled with blowout preventer 10, front portion
24 will engage an outer face 28 of body 14 of blowout preventer 10
and side portions 26 will extend along recessed sides 30 of body 14
of blowout preventer 10. Recessed sides 30 are regions of blowout
preventer body 14 that have a narrower width W, measured
perpendicular to central ram axis 20, than the width of preventer
body 14 through central bore 16.
[0020] Turning to FIGS. 2-4, latching apparatus 12 includes latch
plate 32. Latch plate 32 is mounted to body 14 of blowout preventer
10. In the example embodiment of FIGS. 3-4, latch plate 32 is
secured to blowout preventer body 14 with threaded members 34, such
as screws, that extend through latch plate 32 and into blowout
preventer body 14. Guide pins 36 can help to align latch plate 32
with blowout preventer body 14 while latch plate 32 is being
attached to blowout preventer body 14 with threaded members 34.
Guide pins 36 also extend through latch plate 32 and into blowout
preventer body 14. Looking at FIG. 2, six members are shown
extending through latch plate 32 on one side of latch plate 32. In
such an embodiment, six other members would extend through latch
plate 32 on the other side of plate 32 (not shown). On each side,
five such members can be threaded members 34 and one can be a guide
pin 36 so that each latch plate 32 has ten threaded members and two
guide pins 36. The embodiment of FIGS. 1-4 is for example only and
in other embodiments, a different combination of the number of
threaded members 34 and guide pins 36 can be used to secure latch
plate 32 to blowout preventer body 14. In other alternate
embodiments, other means can be used for attaching latch plate 32
to blowout preventer body 14.
[0021] Latch plate 32 has plate profile 38 on an outer surface of
latch plate 32. The shape and purpose of plate profile 38 will be
discussed below.
[0022] Looking at FIGS. 3-4, latching apparatus 12 also includes
clamping assembly 40 that extends through bonnet 22. Latching
apparatus 12 includes clamping screw 42 and latch key 44. Clamping
screw 42 extends through bonnet 22 and is releasably secured to
bonnet 22. In the example embodiment, clamping screw 42 is threaded
to bonnet 22 and has an internal bore 46. Clamping screw 42 can be
a quarter turn fastener so that clamping screw 42 can be secured to
and released from bonnet 22 by rotating clamping screw 42 less than
one hundred and eighty degrees, and in certain embodiments, by
rotating clamping screw 42 ninety degrees. In the example of FIGS.
1-2, each clamping assembly 40 includes two clamping screws 42. In
alternate embodiments, one clamping screw 42 or more than two
clamping screws 42 can be used for each clamping assembly 40.
[0023] In one embodiment, for each ram assembly 18, a latch plate
32 is located on a first side of the body 14 of the blowout
preventer 10 and clamping assembly 40 extends through a first side
of bonnet 22. A second latch plate 32 is located on a second side
of body 14 of blowout preventer 10 and a second clamping assembly
40 extends through a second side of bonnet 22 for the same ram
assembly 18. Therefore in the example embodiment of FIGS. 1-2, with
four ram assemblies 18, there are eight latch plates 32 and eight
clamping assemblies 40 in total.
[0024] Latch key 44 is located at an inner end of clamping screw
42. Latch key 44 has a key profile 48 that is shaped to mate with
plate profile 38. Clamping assembly 40 is moveable between an
engaged position (FIG. 4) where key profile 48 mates with plate
profile 38, and a released position (FIG. 3) where key profile 48
is spaced apart from plate profile 38. Rotating clamping screw 42
in a first direction causes clamping screw 42 to travel in a
direction into bonnet 22 and move key profile 48 into engagement
with plate profile 38. Rotating clamping screw 42 in a second
direction causes clamping screw 42 to travel in a direction out of
bonnet 22 and move key profile 48 out of engagement with plate
profile 38.
[0025] When key profile 48 mates with plate profile 38, the
interaction of key profile 48 and plate profile 38 restricts
relative movement between latch key 44 and latch plate 32. Key
profile 48 is shaped to resist relative movement between latch key
44 and latch plate 32 in a radially outward direction D when
clamping assembly 40 is in the engaged position. Radially outward
direction D is parallel with central ram axis 20. When clamping
assembly 40 is in the released position, bonnet 22 is removable
from blowout preventer body 14 by moving bonnet 22 away from
blowout preventer body 14 in the radially outward direction D.
[0026] In the example embodiments of FIGS. 3-4, key profile 48 and
plate profile 38 are shown with generally saw tooth patterned
shapes. Plate profile 38 has longer sloped surfaces that face
generally outward away from central ram axis 20 and shorter slopes
surfaces that face generally opposite to radially outward direction
D. Key profile 48 has longer sloped surfaces that face generally
inward towards central ram axis 20 and shorter slopes surfaces that
face generally in radially outward direction D. It is the
interaction of the shorter sloped surfaces of plate profile 38 and
key profile 48 that resist relative movement between latch key 44
and latch plate 32 in a radially outward direction D when clamping
assembly 40 is in the engaged position.
[0027] In the example embodiment of FIGS. 3-4, clamping assembly 40
also includes lock screw 50 that releasably secures latch key 44 to
clamping screw 42. Lock screw 50 is housed within internal bore 46
of clamping screw 42 and carried by clamping screw 42. Lock screw
50 can have an end portion 52 that threads into latch key 44. Lock
screw 50 and clamping screw 42 can be rotated relative to each
other so that rotating one of lock screw 50 and clamping screw 42
will not cause the other to rotate. Lock screw 50 can have an
opposite thread direction than clamping screw 42 so that, as an
example, turning clamping screw 42 in a clockwise direction will
cause clamping screw 42 to travel in a direction into bonnet 22,
while turning lock screw 50 in a clockwise direction would cause
lock screw 50 to travel in a direction out of latch key 44.
[0028] In an example of operation, latch plate 32 can be mounted to
body 14 of blowout preventer 10. Clamping screw 42 can be located
through bonnet 22 and fastened to latch key 44 by rotating lock
screw 50 in a second direction, such as a counterclockwise
direction. Bonnet 22 with ram assembly 18 can be placed on blowout
preventer body 14, and clamping screw 42 can be rotated in a first
direction, such as a clockwise direction, to move clamping assembly
40 to the engaged position where key profile 48 mates with plate
profile 38. All of the clamping screws 42 of clamping assemblies 40
that are located on either side of blowout preventer body 14 will
be rotated a quarter turn to move the clamping assemblies 40 to the
engaged position.
[0029] With clamping assembly 40 in the engaged position, the
mating of key profile 48 with plate profile 38 will resist relative
movement between latch key 44 and latch plate 32 in radially
outward direction D. Therefore ram assemblies 18 will remain
tightly secured to blowout preventer body 14 even when forces
between ram assemblies 18 and blowout preventer body 14 during
operation of blowout preventer 10 would act against ram assemblies
18 in a radially outward direction D.
[0030] If there is a need or desire to remove bonnet 22 from
blowout preventer body 14, clamping assembly 40 can be moved to the
released position by rotating each of the clamping screws 42 a
quarter turn in a second direction, such as a counterclockwise
direction, and removing bonnet 22 with ram assembly 40 from blowout
preventer body 14 in the radially outward direction D.
[0031] The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upward", "downward",
"above", and "below" and similar spatial relation terminology are
used herein only for convenience because elements of the current
disclosure may be installed in various relative positions.
[0032] While the invention has been shown or described in only some
of its forms, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art
that it is not so limited, but is susceptible to various changes
without departing from the scope of the invention.
* * * * *