WO2013055351A1 - Alignement de bloc d'obturation de puits pour faciliter l'utilisation d'un dispositif de commande rotatif - Google Patents

Alignement de bloc d'obturation de puits pour faciliter l'utilisation d'un dispositif de commande rotatif Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2013055351A1
WO2013055351A1 PCT/US2011/056274 US2011056274W WO2013055351A1 WO 2013055351 A1 WO2013055351 A1 WO 2013055351A1 US 2011056274 W US2011056274 W US 2011056274W WO 2013055351 A1 WO2013055351 A1 WO 2013055351A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
alignment
axis
alignment device
flanges
blowout preventer
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2011/056274
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Robert S. STACHOWIAK
James C.T. PARLEE
Original Assignee
Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. filed Critical Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
Priority to AU2011378761A priority Critical patent/AU2011378761B2/en
Priority to BR112014008705A priority patent/BR112014008705A2/pt
Priority to EP11873839.2A priority patent/EP2766563A4/fr
Priority to PCT/US2011/056274 priority patent/WO2013055351A1/fr
Priority to US13/628,984 priority patent/US8479829B2/en
Publication of WO2013055351A1 publication Critical patent/WO2013055351A1/fr

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
    • E21B33/02—Surface sealing or packing
    • E21B33/08—Wipers; Oil savers
    • E21B33/085—Rotatable packing means, e.g. rotating blow-out preventers
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
    • E21B33/02—Surface sealing or packing
    • E21B33/03—Well heads; Setting-up thereof
    • E21B33/06—Blow-out preventers, i.e. apparatus closing around a drill pipe, e.g. annular blow-out preventers

Definitions

  • the present disclosure relates generally to connecting components with flanged connections and, in specific
  • assemblies of components are connected using flanged connections.
  • the mating surfaces of flanges in the flanged connections are intended to be oriented in a particular direction relative to the associated components being connected. If, however, the flanges are not suitably oriented, or the intended direction changes, the connected components will not be appropriately aligned with each other, or with other equipment.
  • FIG. 1 is a representative elevational view of a system and associated method which can embody principles of this disclosure .
  • FIG. 2 is an enlarged scale representative cross- sectional view of flanges and an alignment device which may be used in the system and method.
  • FIG. 3 is a representative cross-sectional view of another configuration of the flanges and multiple alignment devices .
  • FIG. 4 is a representative cross-sectional view of yet another configuration of the flanges and multiple alignment devices .
  • FIG. 5 is a representative plan view of one
  • FIGS. 6A-C are representative respective plan, side and rotated plan views of a further configuration of the
  • BOP blowout preventers
  • RCD rotating control devices
  • rotating control heads also known as rotating control heads
  • rotating diverters rotating diverters
  • rotating blowout preventers with a rig floor and/or a casing string.
  • the principles of this disclosure are not limited to only these examples.
  • a flanged casing bowl is typically welded to the top of casing at a wellhead.
  • the casing bowl allows secure, sealed attachment of equipment (such as blowout preventers and a rotating control device, etc.) to the casing at the surface during well drilling and completion operations.
  • casing bowls are not always welded to the top of the casing so that they are level (i.e., with a top flange surface of the casing bowl perfectly horizontal).
  • the BOP's and RCD are bolted to the casing bowl, they are also not level, and any drill string or completion string which passes through the BOP's and RCD tend to rub on the inner surfaces of the BOP's and RCD. This causes damage to the seals and various other internal components of the BOP's and RCD, requiring frequent, expensive and time- consuming maintenance for these components.
  • the BOP's and RCD are preferably aligned with an opening in a rig floor above the BOP's and RCD. If a rotary table is used in the rig floor, then a longitudinal axis of the BOP's and RCD is preferably axially aligned with the opening in the rotary table. However, a rig can settle during drilling and/or completion operations, and so it may be desirable to re-align the BOP's and RCD with the opening in the rig floor if misalignment does occur.
  • one or more alignment devices in the form of wedge-shaped spacers (which are thinner on one side than on an opposite side) are interposed between the casing bowl flange and a flange of the BOP ' s and RCD assembly. In this way, any deviation of the casing bowl flange from horizontal can be corrected prior to attachment of the BOP's and RCD. Multiple alignment devices may be used, if necessary.
  • FIG. 1 Representatively illustrated in FIG. 1 is an alignment system 10 and associated method which can embody principles of this disclosure.
  • a casing bowl 12 has been welded to the top of a casing string 14 at a wellhead.
  • a flange 16 of the casing bowl 12 is not horizontal and, thus, is not oriented in a plane orthogonal to a longitudinal axis 18 of the casing string 14.
  • a longitudinal axis 24 of the blowout preventer stack and rotating control device does not coincide with the axis 18 of the casing string 14.
  • a tubular string 30 such as a drill string, work string, test string, completion string, etc.
  • the axis 24 is also not aligned with a longitudinal axis 32 of the tubular string 30 and opening 26, and so the tubular string will rub against the interior of the blowout preventer stack 20 and rotating control device 22 as it is conveyed into and out of the casing string 14, and/or as it is rotated (e.g., using a rotary table 34). This could damage internal features of the blowout preventer stack 20 and rotating control device 22, and/or could prevent
  • the blowout preventer stack 20 includes ram-type blowout preventers 36, 38 and an annular blowout preventer 40.
  • a lower flange 42 of the lower blowout preventer 38 attaches to the flange 16 of the casing bowl 12.
  • the blowout preventers 36, 38, 40 are used to seal off the wellhead and thereby prevent undesired escape of fluids from the well in emergency situations (e.g., to prevent an uncontrolled blowout), or to seal off the annular space about the tubular string 30 in well control situations
  • the rotating control device 22 is used to seal off the annular space about the tubular string 30 during drilling operations (i.e., while the tubular string is being rotated and/or lowered into the well to further drill a wellbore, although rotation of the tubular string is not necessary if a mud motor is used to rotate a drill bit on the lower end of the tubular string) .
  • the rotating control device 22 may be used in managed pressure drilling (such as, in underbalanced drilling, at balance drilling or slightly overbalanced drilling operations). However, it should be understood that use of the rotating control device 22 is not necessary in keeping with the principles of this disclosure .
  • the system 10 utilizes one or more alignment devices 44 interposed between the flanges 16, 42 to produce an angular offset which compensates for the misalignment of the axis 24 relative to the axes 18, 32.
  • An enlarged scale schematic cross-sectional view of the flanges 16, 42 and the alignment device 44 is representatively illustrated in FIG. 2.
  • the alignment device 44 has opposing planar flange surfaces 46, 48 which are angled relative to one another, resulting in the alignment device having a greater thickness T on one side as compared to a thickness t on an opposite side.
  • an angular offset A will be produced, thereby aligning the axes 18, 24 and aligning the axis 24 with the axis 32 (not visible in FIG. 2).
  • a single alignment device 44 may not be sufficient to produce a desired angular offset A between the flanges 16, 42, in which case multiple alignment devices may be used.
  • An example is representatively
  • the alignment devices 44 is that the angular offset A produced can be varied by rotating one of the alignment devices relative to another alignment device.
  • the increments of adjustment in the depicted examples is determined by the number of bolts 50 (and associated bolt holes 51 in the flanges 16, 42). For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, if there are twelve bolts 50 (and associated bolt holes 51, although it is not necessary for the number of bolts and the number of holes to be the same) used to clamp the flanges 16, 42 to each other, then the number of increments of adjustment is also twelve, with each increment equaling thirty degrees (360 degrees/12 increments) of relative rotation between the alignment devices 44.
  • the maximum angular offset A between the flanges 16, 42 is depicted in FIG. 3, with the greatest thicknesses T of the alignment devices 44 overlapping each other.
  • the minimum angular offset A (zero angular offset) is depicted, with the greatest thickness T of one alignment device 44 overlapping the least thickness t of the other alignment device.
  • the configuration of FIG. 4 may not be of use in a particular circumstance, since it produces no angular offset between the flanges 16, 42, but coupled with the configuration of FIG. 3, it does show the range of adjustability of the angular offset.
  • adjustment of the angular offset between the flanges 16, 42 to be determined by the number of bolts 50 (and associated bolt holes 51) in the flanges. For example, finer or coarser increments of adjustment could be produced by providing a greater or fewer number of bolt holes 51 in the alignment devices 44.
  • the circumferential slot pattern is not symmetric across a transverse axis 60 running through the points of greatest thickness T and least thickness t of the alignment device 44. Since the circumferential slots do not share an axis of symmetry with the overall taper of the alignment device 44, the alignment device 44 can simply be inverted, if
  • the angular offset adjustment capability of one or more alignment devices 44 is not limited by a fixed bolt hole pattern . Since the bolts 50 could be subject to large bending stresses due to the angular offset between the flanges 16, 42, spherical washers of the type described in U.S. Patent No. 7144049 may be used on the bolts to prevent such bending stresses.
  • the use of the alignment device(s) 44 between the flanges 16, 42 can produce a desired angular offset A between the flanges to thereby align components on either side of the flanges and/or to align a component with another item of equipment.
  • the angular offset A between the flanges 16, 42 can align the axis 24 with the axes 18, 32, align the blowout preventer stack 20 and blowout preventers 36, 38, 40 thereof with the casing string 14 and/or opening 26 in the rig floor 28, align the rotating control device 22 with the casing string and/or opening in the rig floor, etc.
  • Benefits can be derived from the angular offset A even if one of the flanges 16, 42 is not initially misaligned. For example, if the rig settles (thereby misaligning the opening 26 in the rig floor 28 with the axis 24 of the blowout preventer stack 20 and rotating control device 22), the alignment device(s) 44 can be used to restore alignment, without a need to move the rig itself.
  • the above disclosure provides to the art a system 10 and associated method in which an angled alignment device 44 is interposed between a casing bowl flange 16 and a flange 42 of a blowout preventer 38 to thereby vertically align the blowout preventer (and
  • the flanges 16, 42 could be provided on other components, and one or more of the
  • components could be aligned with equipment other than a rig floor 28, rotary table 34, opening 26, tubular string 30, etc .
  • the above disclosure also provides to the art a manner of using multiple angled alignment devices 44 between flanges 16, 42 to achieve an increased degree of
  • Adjustment increments may be determined by the number of bolt holes 51 in the flanges 16, 42 and alignment devices 44, or a greater or lesser number of increments may be provided. A theoretically infinite number of angular offset adjustments could be produced by providing pre-formed circumferential slots 52 instead of the bolt holes 51.
  • the alignment device(s) 44 may be used between any types of flanges, to thereby axially align any type of components (such as pipes, valves, etc.) on opposite sides of the flanges (i.e., the components on opposite sides of the flanges are axially aligned, but one or both of the flanges may not be axially aligned with those components).
  • the components do not have to be related to wells—they could be used in any type of pipelines,
  • the alignment device(s) 44 may be used between flanges to align a component associated with one of the flanges with another item of equipment.
  • the blowout preventer stack 20 (which is associated with the flange 42) is aligned with the opening 26 in the rig floor 28 (which is not rigidly secured to either of the flanges 16, 42).
  • an alignment system 10 which comprises at least one alignment device 44 positioned between two flanges 16, 42, with the alignment device 44 having a greater thickness T on one side of the alignment device 44 than on an opposite side of the alignment device 44, and the alignment device 44 having pre-formed circumferential slots 52 through which the two flanges 16, 42 are coupled.
  • the system 10 can include multiple alignment devices 44 positioned between the flanges 16, 42.
  • the alignment devices 44 may be displaceable relative to each other to thereby vary an angular offset A of one flange 16 relative to the other flange 42.
  • One of the flanges 42 may be part of a blowout
  • the alignment device 44 may align an axis 24 of the blowout preventer 38 with an axis 32 of a tubular string 30 extending through a rig floor 28.
  • a rotating control device 22 may be connected to the blowout preventer 38.
  • the alignment device 44 may align an axis 24 of the rotating control device 22 with an axis 32 of a tubular string 30 extending through a rig floor 28.
  • One of the flanges 16 may be part of a casing bowl 12.
  • the alignment device 44 may align an axis 24 of a blowout preventer stack 20 and/or a rotating control device 22 with an axis 18 of a casing string 14.
  • the method includes positioning at least one alignment device 44 in a desired azimuthal orientation between the first and second flanges 16, 42, wherein the alignment device 44 includes pre-formed
  • circumferential slots 52 which permit the alignment device 44 to align with a bolt hole pattern of the first and second flanges 16, 42, and securing the alignment device 44 between the first and second flanges 16, 42, thereby producing the angular offset A.
  • the positioning step may include positioning multiple alignment devices 44 between the first and second flanges 16, 42.
  • the method can include displacing a first one of the alignment devices 44 relative to a second one of the
  • the displacing step may include inverting at least one of the first and second alignment devices 44, thereby aligning the circumferential slots 52 of the at least one of the first and second alignment devices 44 with the bolt hole pattern of the first and second flanges 16, 42.
  • Securing the alignment device 44 may include aligning an axis 24 of a blowout preventer stack 20 and/or rotating control device 22 with an axis 18 of a casing string 14.
  • the first flange 16 may be part of a casing bowl 12.
  • the second flange 42 may be part of a blowout preventer 38.
  • Securing the alignment device 44 may include aligning an axis 24 of the blowout preventer 38 with an axis 32 of a tubular string 30 extending through a rig floor 28.
  • the method may include connecting a rotating control device 22 to the blowout preventer 36, 38, 40.
  • Securing the alignment device 44 may include aligning an axis 24 of the rotating control device 22 with an axis 32 of a tubular string 30 extending through a rig floor 28.
  • the above disclosure also provides to the art a method of aligning an axis 24 of a blowout preventer stack 20 with a rig floor 28.
  • the method includes positioning at least one alignment device 44 in a desired azimuthal orientation between a first flange 16 and a second flange 42 of the blowout preventer stack 20, wherein the alignment device 44 includes pre-formed circumferential slots 52 which permit the alignment device 44 to align with a bolt hole pattern of the first and second flanges 16, 42, and securing the alignment device 44 between the first and second flanges 16, 42, thereby producing an angular offset A of the second flange 42 relative to the first flange 16.
  • Securing the alignment device 44 may include aligning the axis 24 of the blowout preventer stack 20 with an axis 32 of a tubular string 30 extending through the rig floor 28.
  • the method may include connecting a rotating control device 22 to the blowout preventer stack 20.
  • Securing the alignment device 44 may include aligning an axis 24 of the rotating control device 22 with an axis 32 of a tubular string 30 extending through the rig floor 28.
  • the positioning step may include positioning multiple alignment devices 44 between the first and second flanges 16, 42.
  • the method may include displacing a first one of the alignment devices 44 relative to a second one of the
  • the displacing step may include inverting at least one of the first and second alignment devices 44, thereby aligning the circumferential slots 52 of the at least one of the first and second alignment devices 44 with the bolt hole pattern of the first and second flanges 16, 42.
  • the first flange 16 may be part of a casing bowl 12.
  • Securing the alignment device 44 may include aligning the axis 24 of the blowout preventer stack 20 and/or a rotating control device 22 with an axis 18 of a casing string 14. It is to be understood that the various embodiments of the present disclosure described herein may be utilized in various orientations, such as inclined, inverted,

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  • Geology (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Joints Allowing Movement (AREA)
  • Earth Drilling (AREA)
  • Container, Conveyance, Adherence, Positioning, Of Wafer (AREA)
  • Moulds For Moulding Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
  • Wind Motors (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention porte sur un système d'alignement, lequel système peut comprendre au moins un dispositif d'alignement positionné entre deux brides, le dispositif d'alignement ayant une plus grande épaisseur sur un côté du dispositif d'alignement que sur un côté opposé du dispositif d'alignement, et le dispositif d'alignement ayant des fentes périphériques par l'intermédiaire desquelles sont couplées les deux brides. L'invention porte également sur un procédé de production d'un décalage angulaire relatif entre deux brides, lequel procédé peut mettre en œuvre le positionnement d'au moins un dispositif d'alignement dans une orientation azimutale désirée entre les brides, le dispositif d'alignement comprenant des fentes périphériques préformées qui permettent au dispositif d'alignement de s'aligner avec un motif de trou de boulon des brides, et la fixation du dispositif d'alignement entre les brides, de façon à produire ainsi le décalage angulaire.
PCT/US2011/056274 2010-01-08 2011-10-14 Alignement de bloc d'obturation de puits pour faciliter l'utilisation d'un dispositif de commande rotatif WO2013055351A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2011378761A AU2011378761B2 (en) 2011-10-14 2011-10-14 Alignment of BOP stack to facilitate use of a rotating control device
BR112014008705A BR112014008705A2 (pt) 2011-10-14 2011-10-14 sistema de alinhamento
EP11873839.2A EP2766563A4 (fr) 2011-10-14 2011-10-14 Alignement de bloc d'obturation de puits pour faciliter l'utilisation d'un dispositif de commande rotatif
PCT/US2011/056274 WO2013055351A1 (fr) 2011-10-14 2011-10-14 Alignement de bloc d'obturation de puits pour faciliter l'utilisation d'un dispositif de commande rotatif
US13/628,984 US8479829B2 (en) 2010-01-08 2012-09-27 Alignment of BOP stack to facilitate use of a rotating control device

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2011/056274 WO2013055351A1 (fr) 2011-10-14 2011-10-14 Alignement de bloc d'obturation de puits pour faciliter l'utilisation d'un dispositif de commande rotatif

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US12/965,844 Continuation-In-Part US8109337B2 (en) 2010-01-08 2010-12-11 Alignment of BOP stack to facilitate use of a rotating control device

Related Child Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US13/628,984 Continuation US8479829B2 (en) 2010-01-08 2012-09-27 Alignment of BOP stack to facilitate use of a rotating control device

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2013055351A1 true WO2013055351A1 (fr) 2013-04-18

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2011/056274 WO2013055351A1 (fr) 2010-01-08 2011-10-14 Alignement de bloc d'obturation de puits pour faciliter l'utilisation d'un dispositif de commande rotatif

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2766563A4 (fr)
AU (1) AU2011378761B2 (fr)
BR (1) BR112014008705A2 (fr)
WO (1) WO2013055351A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10435980B2 (en) 2015-09-10 2019-10-08 Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. Integrated rotating control device and gas handling system for a marine drilling system

Citations (3)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7144049B2 (en) 2004-05-04 2006-12-05 United Technologies Corporation Spherical flange assembly
WO2010071627A1 (fr) * 2008-12-15 2010-06-24 Michelin Recherche Et Technique, S.A. Procédé et appareil de réglage d'alignement d'essieu
US20110168405A1 (en) * 2010-01-08 2011-07-14 Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. Alignment of bop stack to facilitate use of a rotating control device

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4289294A (en) * 1980-01-14 1981-09-15 Double-E, Inc. Wellhead flow control devices
CA2263602A1 (fr) * 1996-08-23 1998-02-26 Miles F. Caraway Bloc obturateur rotatif
US7380590B2 (en) * 2004-08-19 2008-06-03 Sunstone Corporation Rotating pressure control head
CN101598253A (zh) * 2009-06-17 2009-12-09 叶尔肯·拜山 法兰连接用变向垫圈

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7144049B2 (en) 2004-05-04 2006-12-05 United Technologies Corporation Spherical flange assembly
WO2010071627A1 (fr) * 2008-12-15 2010-06-24 Michelin Recherche Et Technique, S.A. Procédé et appareil de réglage d'alignement d'essieu
US20110168405A1 (en) * 2010-01-08 2011-07-14 Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. Alignment of bop stack to facilitate use of a rotating control device
WO2011084159A1 (fr) 2010-01-08 2011-07-14 Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. Alignememt de pile de blocs obturateurs de puits

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See also references of EP2766563A4 *

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10435980B2 (en) 2015-09-10 2019-10-08 Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. Integrated rotating control device and gas handling system for a marine drilling system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP2766563A1 (fr) 2014-08-20
EP2766563A4 (fr) 2016-05-18
BR112014008705A2 (pt) 2017-04-25
AU2011378761A1 (en) 2014-05-22
AU2011378761B2 (en) 2016-03-31

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