WO2022066709A1 - Déflecteur de piston de commande de pression annulaire - Google Patents

Déflecteur de piston de commande de pression annulaire Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2022066709A1
WO2022066709A1 PCT/US2021/051468 US2021051468W WO2022066709A1 WO 2022066709 A1 WO2022066709 A1 WO 2022066709A1 US 2021051468 W US2021051468 W US 2021051468W WO 2022066709 A1 WO2022066709 A1 WO 2022066709A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
diverter
pressure control
annular pressure
control ram
drill pipe
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2021/051468
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English (en)
Inventor
William J. Hughes
Original Assignee
Hughes Tool Company LLC
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hughes Tool Company LLC filed Critical Hughes Tool Company LLC
Publication of WO2022066709A1 publication Critical patent/WO2022066709A1/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
    • E21B33/03—Well heads; Setting-up thereof
    • E21B33/06—Blow-out preventers, i.e. apparatus closing around a drill pipe, e.g. annular blow-out preventers
    • E21B33/061—Ram-type blow-out preventers, e.g. with pivoting rams
    • E21B33/062—Ram-type blow-out preventers, e.g. with pivoting rams with sliding rams

Definitions

  • Rotary drilling required the circulation of drilling fluid down the drill pipe and back up the annulus between the drill pipe and the casing to lubricate and cool the drill bit and to remove the cuttings from the bottom of the well.
  • blowout preventers which include, various types of hydraulic rams which can be closed to seal off the well bore annulus, diverters to direct high pressure flow away from the rig, and others. See, for example, U.S. patent 1 ,569,247 to Abercrombie et aL, entitled “Blow-out Preventer”, for an early version of one of these devices.
  • Several of these devices are usually installed above the wellhead in what is referred to as a “stack” or a “BOP stack”.
  • a typical stack consists of between one and six ram-type blowout preventers, and usually, one or two annular blowout preventers.
  • the heavy drilling mud prevents hydrocarbons from entering the well bore and reaching the surface because the pores and fractures in the rocks rapidly become plugged with drilling fluid which was forced in under pressure, and often drawn further in by capillary action, thereby reducing the effective permeability to zero. It has been said that Howard Hughes Sr., not only invented the rotary drill bit, he inadvertently invented formation damage. That may be giving too much credit to Howard Hughes Sr., but it remains true that the goal of all drilling engineers for many years seems to have been to inflict the maximum possible formation damage and prevent the release of any hydrocarbons whatsoever during the drilling process.
  • Hydraulic fracturing involves pumping fluid under very high pressure into hydrocarbon-bearing rock formations to force open cracks and fissures and allow the hydrocarbons residing therein to flow more freely.
  • the fluid is primarily water, and may contain chemicals to improve flow, and also “proppants” (an industry term for substances such as sand).
  • proppants an industry term for substances such as sand.
  • the fracturing fluid is removed, and the hydrocarbons are allowed to flow, the sand grains prop open the fractures and prevent their collapse, which might otherwise quickly stop or reduce the flow of hydrocarbons.
  • many rock types react with water and expand, further reducing the possibility of producing hydrocarbons.
  • Yet the industry continues to use water for hydraulic fracturing operations in shale formations.
  • Tectonically induced natural fractures initially propagate perpendicular to the bedding plane of a formation. Over time sedimentary beds with no dip can be tilted thereby also tilting the natural fracture system within the formation so that even a vertical well is able to intersect a few natural fractures.
  • vertical wells are technically high angle wells based on the definition of a horizontal well which is a wellbore drilled parallel to the bedding plane of a formation and not a wellbore drilled parallel to the surface of the earth.
  • an Annular Pressure Control Ram Diverter for use while drilling a well to seal the annulus between the drill pipe and the casing surrounding the drill pipe in order to divert the flow of returned drilling and produced fluids away from the well, comprising a ram blowout preventer operated by hydraulic pistons and modified to be used while the drill pipe is present and rotating and flexible seal elements which close around the drill pipe while the drill pipe is rotating to block the annulus.
  • an apparatus for use while drilling a well to seal the annulus between the drill pipe and the casing surrounding the drill pipe in order to divert the flow of returned drilling and produced fluids comprising an Annular Pressure Control Ram Diverter created by modifying a ram operated blowout preventer to be used while the drill pipe is present and rotating, incorporating flexible seal elements which close around the drill pipe while the drill pipe is rotating to block the annulus, and a pipe ram installed below the Annular Pressure Control Ram Diverter.
  • An apparatus for use while drilling a well to seal the annulus between the drill pipe and the casing surrounding the drill pipe in order to divert the flow of returned drilling and produced fluids away from the well comprising a first Annular Pressure Control Ram Diverter created by modifying a ram blowout preventer operated by hydraulic pistons to be used while the drill pipe is present and rotating, incorporating flexible seal elements which close around the drill pipe while the drill pipe is rotating to block the annulus, and a second Annular Pressure Control Ram Diverter installed below the first Annular Pressure Control Ram Diverter.
  • a method for sealing the annulus between the drill pipe and the casing surrounding the drill pipe in order to divert the flow of returned drilling and produced fluids away from the well comprising modifying a passive device such as a pipe ram that is normally used to shut-in a well when drill pipe is not rotating to enable using the device as a diverter, an active device, to divert drilling fluid away from a well while drill pipe is rotating.
  • a passive device such as a pipe ram that is normally used to shut-in a well when drill pipe is not rotating to enable using the device as a diverter, an active device, to divert drilling fluid away from a well while drill pipe is rotating.
  • FIG. 1 A shows a conventional blowout preventer stack.
  • Fig. 1 B shows a conventional blowout preventer stack configured for underbalanced drilling operations with an RCD at the top of the stack.
  • FIG. 2 shows a conceptual version of a ram BOP with several different types of ram.
  • FIG. 3 shows the fluid return flow path when using an Annular Pressure Cap Drilling Diverter as the primary pressure barrier and drilling fluid returns up the annulus between the production casing and intermediate casing.
  • Fig. 4 shows an exploded view of the internal mechanism of a Ram Diverter.
  • FIG. 5 shows a conventional blowout preventer stack with a Ram Diverter installed below the stack.
  • FIG. 6 shows a conventional blowout preventer stack with a Ram Diverter and a pipe ram installed below the stack.
  • Fig. 7 shows a Ram Diverter and a pipe ram combined into one device.
  • Fig. 8 shows two Ram Diverters combined into one device.
  • the use of heavy drilling mud is referred to as “overbalanced” drilling, in that the weight of the drilling fluid in the wellbore exceeds the pressures expected to be encountered in the well. The result is that the drilling fluid is forced under pressure into the pores and fractures of the rock formations being drilled. This is not a problem while drilling through non-producing formations on the way to the target zone. From the perspective of the driller, it is still not a problem when the target zone is encountered.
  • the drilling mud forms an effective barrier to prevent the hydrocarbons from entering the well bore while drilling is in progress. The problem is that the barrier is equally effective when drilling is complete and the well is turned over to the production engineers.
  • the solution in many wells is to use hydraulic fracturing to try to clear the pores and fractures and allow hydrocarbons to flow into the wellbore.
  • UBD underbalanced drilling
  • NBRD near balanced reservoir drilling
  • the near balanced method is underbalanced in front of the bit because the drilling technique allows no drilling fluid to exit the drill bit. Both of these approaches avoid formation damage above the bit by not forcing drilling fluid into the pores and fractures of the formation. Both techniques expect, and plan for, the production of hydrocarbons while drilling the well.
  • FIG. 1A A typical BOP stack configuration for an overbalanced drilling operation is shown in Fig. 1A.
  • the BOP stack 100 is positioned above the well head 102.
  • hydraulic ram blowout preventers may be used to close off the well for maintenance purposes, tripping the drill bit, or in case of problems.
  • Ramtype blowout preventers are only used when drilling operations are not in progress and depending on the type, when the drill pipe is not rotating or is not present.
  • a shear ram 104 would be used to cut through the drill pipe, and obviously is used only in emergencies.
  • Blind rams 106 close the well bore completely when no pipe is present.
  • Pipe rams 108 and 110 close off the annulus around the drill pipe and are used when the drill pipe is still in the well.
  • An annular BOP 1 12 is, as the name implies, intended to close off the annulus around the drill pipe. Annular BOPs are intended to be used when the drill pipe is present but not rotating. [0052] When the industry began to use underbalanced drilling techniques, it was recognized that not using the drilling mud column to control blowouts created a potential hazard, and some other safety mechanism was needed to provide continuous control of the pressure in the well while drilling. The solution to this problem had to be capable of functioning while the drill pipe was present, and more significantly, while it was rotating during drilling operations. The device had to be capable of sealing off the annulus around the rotating drill pipe with pressures in the well of 1 ,500 psi and above.
  • the sealing element in a conventional annular BOP would quickly wear out from the friction with the rotating drill pipe. Distortion of the seal due to the torque transferred from the drill pipe could compromise the effectiveness of the seal. Additional wear and damage would occur when tripping the drill string. No drilling engineer would allow such wear on a secondary or backup safety device, which has to work reliably when needed during well control events, and seal off high pressures in an emergency. There is therefore no question that the annular BOP cannot be used as a substitute for the primary safety barrier of the drilling mud while the drill pipe is rotating. A new type of device was required.
  • RCD Rotating Control Device
  • the industry has developed the Rotating Control Device, known as a RCD, which also operates to close off the annulus around the drill pipe, but is intended to operate while drilling operations are in progress, that is, while the drill pipe is rotating.
  • the sealing element which grips the drill pipe rotates with the drill pipe. While that solves the problem of wear on the inside diameter of the sealing element, the sealing element must be supported on bearings, and sometimes bearings are installed above and below the sealing element, to aid in the rotation and prevent the sealing element from wearing out. Unfortunately this creates additional problems, because the bearings wear out and must be replaced periodically.
  • the RCD 114 is installed at the top of the BOP stack 100. Returned drilling fluid and produced hydrocarbons flow up through the BOP stack 100 and are blocked at the top of the BOP stack 100 by the RCD 114. The flow is diverted out through a flow spool 116 and separator 118, where the drilling fluid and produced hydrocarbons and water are separated. The pressure in the BOP stack can be regulated by adjusting the drilling choke 120. [0055] As described above, while drilling is in progress, the ram BOPs 104 through 110 and annular BOP 112 are not activated. Therefore the pressure of the fluids in the well bore is held in check only by the ROD 114 and the drilling choke 120.
  • ROD 114 This exposes the operators on the rig floor to very high pressures with only the single ROD 114 between them and potential disaster.
  • the location of the ROD 114 is a result of the constraint that in order to replace the sealing element and the bearings for the sealing element, it is necessary to remove the top of the RCD 114. This requires the RCD 114 to be placed on top of the stack.
  • the returning fluid contains cuttings from the drilling which are removed so that the drilling fluid can be recirculated. It will be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art that as the return fluid flows up through the BOP stack 100, the internal mechanisms of the rams 104, 106, 108, 110 and annular BOP 112 will trap and accumulate these cuttings from the continuous return fluid flow. When the need arises to activate the BOP devices, this buildup of detritus in their internal cavities may be an impediment to their proper operation.
  • a further disadvantage of this approach is seen when the BOP stack devices are activated, such as might be done during maintenance operations or changing the drill bit. If one of the devices below the RCD is activated, and then the pressure in the well drops, there will be a pocket of high pressure fluid in the BOP stack between the two activated devices. If multiple devices are activated, there may be several zones with different pressures. While this is not an insurmountable problem, care must be taken when returning to normal operations. In particular, the order in which the devices are deactivated is important, to avoid a sudden and damaging release of pressure in one of these pockets.
  • the present invention is based on the premise that the well pressure should not be controlled at the top of the BOP stack as is done with the RCD 114 in Fig. 1 B.
  • the primary pressure control mechanism in conventional drilling, the mud system is not employed when the device described herein is used. Any substitute for mud system primary safety and control system should take its place, that is, below the BOP stack 100.
  • the components of the BOP stack 100 can then function as intended, as a secondary safety and control system.
  • the present invention comprises an Annular Pressure Control Diverter, designed specifically to be positioned below the conventional BOP stack and function as the primary pressure barrier by blocking the annulus between the drill pipe and the casing. This is contrary to conventional underbalanced drilling practice, where the annular pressure control device, the RCD, is placed at the top of the conventional BOP stack.
  • the present invention does not do away with the traditional BOP devices because they still serve their usual function as secondary blowout prevention barriers. Substituting a mechanical barrier for the mud system greatly reduces the risk of errors, and provides a reliable system for controlling pressure.
  • this flow path is not possible because of the presence of the Annular Pressure Control Diverter which blocks the annulus between the drill pipe and the casing aka tie-back liner. Therefore a different path must be provided for the return fluid flow.
  • the return fluid flow which would normally flow up through the annulus surrounding the drill pipe, is diverted through ports in the casing, aka tie- back liner, into the annulus between the production casing and the intermediate casing. No fluid flows upwards past the Annular Pressure Control Diverter.
  • the devices above the Annular Pressure Control Diverter in the upper BOP stack are not exposed to formation pressure during normal drilling operations.
  • Annular Pressure Control Diverter refers to the use of the device to control the pressure in the annulus between the drill pipe and the casing, and not to the method of operation of the various devices used to do so by compressing a flexible seal around the drill pipe, to U.S. Utility Patent Application No. 17/374113, “Annular Pressure Control Diverter” to William James Hughes, hereinafter “the ‘113 application”, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes an Annular Pressure Control Diverter which is an annular device, wherein the seal is compressed using pressure from below the seal.
  • the objective of blocking the annulus as described in the ‘005 application can also be accomplished by the type of device described in this patent application, an Annular Pressure Control Ram Diverter, which will henceforth be referred to as a Ram Diverter.
  • a Ram Diverter provides an annular seal which is compressed by applying horizontal pressure from the sides.
  • the objective of sealing the annulus is accomplished using a ram type diverter, which is similar to a pipe ram with the internal mechanism and seal modified to allow the device to be used while the drill pipe is rotating.
  • Fig. 2 shows a simplified diagram of a ram type of BOP.
  • the body 202 of the BOP contains opposing hydraulic cylinders 204 which push rams 206 inwards within the supporting guides 208.
  • Several different types of ram are shown, including blind rams 210, pipe rams 212, and shear rams 214. The purpose of these rams was explained above. All of these devices are intended to be used when the drill pipe is not rotating or is not present.
  • Fig. 3 is adapted from the ‘005 application to show the context in which the Ram Diverter is used.
  • the Ram Diverter 303 is shown blocking the annulus 312 between the casing 308 and the drill pipe 310.
  • Drilling fluid 322 is pumped down the drill pipe 310.
  • the return flow of fluid 324 which includes the drilling fluid and cuttings, and may include produced hydrocarbons, cannot enter the upper BOP stack. Therefore an alternate path must be provided for the return flow of fluid 324.
  • a tie-back receptacle 326 is installed above a liner hanger 306.
  • a section 328 of the production casing 308 above and proximate to the tie-back receptacle 326 is ported. This section 328 of the production casing is referred to as a “ported sub”.
  • the ports 330 allow the return flow of fluid 324 up the annulus 312 between the tubing 310 and the production casing 308, through the ports 330, and into the annulus 334 between the production casing 308 and intermediate casing 304.
  • one or more sub-surface safety valves 350 are installed in the production casing 308 above the ports 330.
  • Fig. 4 shows the internal configuration of one embodiment of a Ram Diverter 400.
  • the ram 402 on one side is shown assembled, the ram 404 on the other side is shown as an exploded diagram.
  • Contained within the body of the Ram Diverter 400 are the seal elements 406 and the upper seal 408.
  • the Ram Diverter 400 described herein is similar in concept to a pipe ram. It is, like a pipe ram, intended for use when the drill pipe is present. However, it is used very differently.
  • a pipe ram is designed to be used only when the drill pipe is not rotating, and is intended to be used only as a safety device in an emergency, or during maintenance operations. It is referred to as a passive device.
  • the Ram Diverter 400 is intended to be used while drilling is in progress and while the drill pipe is rotating. That is, a diverter is an active device. Therefore the design has to allow for the rotational forces imparted by the drill pipe to the seal, and hence to the rams.
  • Fig. 5 here is shown a conventional BOP 100 stack with a Ram Diverter 504 installed below it.
  • the Ram Diverter 504 is equipped with an upper flange 506 and a lower flange 508 to enable it to be installed in a BOP stack with other industry standard devices. It must be emphasized that there will be no reservoir pressure in the conventional BOP stack 100 while drilling using the embodiments described herein.
  • the high pressure will be contained below the Ram Diverter 504 while drilling.
  • the present invention brings an additional increase in the safety of the drilling operation, as the Ram Diverter 504 is positioned below the rig floor at ground level. The drilling personnel are thus not working in close proximity to high pressure equipment.
  • some embodiments of the Ram Diverter are equipped with two threaded access ports 510, one on each side.
  • the threaded access ports enable the installation of pressure gauges, and ball valves or needle valves to allow high pressures to be bled off after the devices are isolated and before the devices are opened.
  • An alternative approach would be to install a spooler equipped with access ports between two devices for the same purpose.
  • a conventional pipe ram 604 is shown below the Ram Diverter 504.
  • the pipe ram 604 can be closed to block the annulus 312 so as to isolate the Ram Diverter 504 from downhole pressure when changing the seals, and to provide yet another safety mechanism.
  • the Ram Diverter 702 and pipe ram 704 can be combined into one body 710 for compactness, thereby reducing the overall height of the BOP stack. Compactness is especially important when additional devices are being installed below the traditional BOP stack.
  • the Ram Diverter 702 and pipe ram 704 have doors on each side of the body which can be opened to remove and replace the seal elements without having to remove any equipment above the device. Also shown are threaded access ports 730.
  • Annular Pressure Control Diverters In order to optimize the drilling process and reduce downtime, some drilling operations may use two Annular Pressure Control Diverters, usually with a pipe ram installed below them. Drilling commences with only the upper Annular Pressure Control Diverter activated. When the seal in the upper Annular Pressure Control Diverter shows signs of wear, it is deactivated and the lower Annular Pressure Control Diverter is activated. Drilling continues essentially without interruption. This approach can be used with either annular diverters described in the ‘113 application, or Ram Diverters described herein.
  • Ram Diverter 702 and pipe ram 704 when two Ram Diverters 702 are used, they may be separate units, or as shown in Fig. 8, they may be combined into one body 810 for compactness. In other embodiments, the two Annular Pressure Control Diverters and a pipe ram may be combined into the same body for even greater compactness.
  • the two Ram Diverters may have separate access doors 720, as shown in the configuration of Fig. 8. In other embodiments, the doors are combined so that the seals in both devices may be accessed in the same operation.
  • the present invention is intended to be used together with pipe which has pipe joints significantly smaller than the industry norm.
  • a typical 4” drill pipe may have joints with an external diameter of up to 5 1 /2”.
  • Such a large variation in diameter presents a problem when trying to pass the jointed drill pipe through a seal while maintaining a high pressure differential.
  • the solution is to use drill pipe or tubing with connections having a reduced external diameter which is sometimes called flush joint pipe or near-flush joint pipe. .
  • flush joint pipe or near-flush joint pipe When dealing with very large pressure differentials, the use of drill pipe with flush joints may be preferred.
  • the lateral well may be drilled using casing as the drill pipe.
  • This drilling approach thus provides a double level of safety, as now there are the conventional BOP stack plus the additional diverter and pipe rams.
  • the upper BOP stack is not normally under pressure, and no fluid normally flows through these devices, therefore there is no internal accumulation of detritus which might interfere with their operation in an emergency.
  • the Ram Diverter and pipe ram are under pressure and are normally filled with drilling fluid, there is no fluid flowing through these devices, because the flow is diverted through the annulus 312. Therefore detritus from the cuttings will not accumulate in the Ram Diverter or the pipe ram below the diverter.
  • the present invention also addresses other problems encountered when using an underbalanced drilling approach with conventional equipment in a conventional configuration.
  • One problem particularly seen in shales is formation damage caused in part by the high clay minerals content known as “fines” which can exceed 25% of the total volume of a shale formation. It is expected that there will be production while drilling underbalanced. Pressure will increase at the RCD 114 at the top of the conventional BOP stack 100, and the pressure can be and often is reduced by opening the drilling choke 120. This allows for an increase in the flow of hydrocarbons, and may result in the well being overproduced. The increased flow from the formation causes the migration of fines toward the wellbore, thereby damaging the permeability of the formation proximate to the well bore. All too often, the proposed solution to the drop in permeability is hydraulic fracturing. This makes the problem worse because clay fines are well known for swelling when contacted by water, thus blocking permeability even further.
  • the annulus 312 is sealed as described above, and the pressure and flow are diverted via flow line to a four-phase separator below ground level, while maintaining the underbalanced condition. Excess pressure buildup can be controlled using a choke valve to bleed off the pressure. This enables production while drilling without the damaging side effects caused by overproducing.
  • the critical component of any annular safety device is the seal. Because of these differences in how the Divert Ram is used, the design of the seal is even more important than in other ram devices. Like a pipe ram, but unlike a blind ram, the Ram Diverter is designed to operate when there is drill pipe in the BOP stack. The basic principle of operation is the same: opposing hydraulic rams force a flexible seal against the drill pipe, blocking the annulus around the drill pipe. But whereas a pipe ram operates when the drill pipe is not rotating, and not moving vertically, the Ram Diverter is designed to operate while the drill pipe is rotating and while drilling is in progress and the drill pipe is moving downwards as the drill bit advances. Therefore the internal seal in the Ram Diverter will be in continuous contact with the rotating drill pipe, causing wear on the seal.
  • Ram Diverter is in continuous use as the primary pressure barrier, whereas a pipe ram is used as a secondary barrier for maintenance and well operations and for safety, but is not in continuous use while drilling.
  • the seal is constructed as two seal elements which fit together.
  • the surfaces of the seal elements in contact with each other are manufactured with a pattern of raised bumps or nubbins and corresponding depressions such that they interlock securely.
  • the two parts of the seal are assembled together, they form a toroidal shape, having a center hole through which the drill pipe can pass.
  • the seal does not rotate. It is anticipated that the seal will wear during the course of the drilling operation. This is not an issue for several reasons.
  • the device will only be activated when drilling into the reservoir.
  • the Ram Diverter will not be in place during the drilling of the vertical section of the well.
  • the conventional BOP stack is removed and replaced by the BOP stack which includes the Ram Diverter.
  • the wear will be minimal because the seal is made from polyurethane or similar materials, which have shown great resistance to wear, and to some extent are self-lubricating. In most cases drilling the lateral into the productive formation will only take a few days, and the seals will last long enough to accomplish the task.
  • seal does not rotate has the internal cavity of the Ram Diverter seal housing elongated to form an ellipse, and the seal elements have a precisely corresponding elliptical horizontal cross-section, thus preventing them from rotating. This is contrasted with the circular seal and cavity in a conventional pipe ram.
  • the outer surfaces of the seal elements are equipped with raised ridges which grip the inside of the seal housing to prevent rotation of the seal elements.
  • the seal elements contain metal inserts to provide additional rigidity and resistance to torsional forces.
  • the pistons of the hydraulic cylinders of the ram are reinforced to resist the torsional forces exerted through the seal and seal housing into the pistons when the drill pipe is rotating.
  • the seal housing is modified with flanges at the upper and lower ends to prevent the seal being distorted by the drill pipe as the drill pipe is lowered or raised.
  • the seal elements have, in certain embodiments, tapered shoulders at the upper and lower corners next to the drill pipe.
  • the taper will better accept a tool joint that does have a 90 e shoulder. This will enable the larger tool joint to more easily enter the seal, reducing stress and wear on the seal elements.
  • the Ram Diverter may also be configured in some embodiments with a seal which does rotate with the drill pipe. While this eliminates wear on the inner surfaces of the seal elements, the wear will instead occur on the outer surfaces of the seal elements as they rotate within the ram. The upper and lower surfaces of the seal elements will also wear, which may require that bearings be installed above and below the seal elements, as was done with the RCD devices for the same reason.
  • the non-rotating seal is the preferred embodiment because of issues with rotating a two part seal and additional complexity in removing and replacing the seal.
  • the Ram Diverter can accommodate different sizes of drill pipe by changing the seal elements. Given the properties of the polyurethane from which the elements are made, the flexible seals can accommodate a reasonable range of drill pipe diameter sizes and pipe connection sizes without needing to be changed. Some embodiments of the seal elements are capable of closing down the center hole even with no drill pipe present.
  • Polyurethane has properties which make it especially suitable for this application. It is highly compressible, but also has the ability to regain its original shape when the compression is released. It is also highly stretchable, being able to extend in some cases to up to six times its normal dimension and again has the ability to quickly revert to its original shape. It is resistant to wear. Different types of polyurethane have varying resistance to high temperatures, so it is easy to obtain the right type for a given application. And of course, it is not affected by oil and gas.
  • the seal elements are constructed with different composition polyurethane on the edges and the center. This is done to help prevent rotation.
  • the seal elements may have hard outer circumference, which provides resistance to deformation of the seal by the torque transmitted from the rotating drill pipe, rotation, combined with a softer inner section, which allows the drill pipe to rotate within the seal with less abrasion and wear.
  • the seal elements have a hard lower section, again to resist rotation. These features may be combined into seals with a hard outer circumference and a hard lower section, and a softer upper central section.
  • the Ram Diverter may be required to operate under a wide range of conditions, and therefore is designed to be easily customized in the field.
  • the seal elements can be made with different polyurethane compounds with varying levels of compressibility.
  • the dimensions of the seal elements may be varied.
  • the thickness of the walls may be changed. These changes affect the interior volume which can be occupied by the seal elements as they are compressed, and allow the Ram Diverter to accommodate different sizes of drill pipe.
  • These parameters can also be adjusted to configure the Ram Diverter to handle different downhole pressures.
  • the hydraulic cylinders which compress the seal elements can be changed, longer cylinders providing more compressibility, for example.

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Abstract

Sont divulgués ici divers modes de réalisation d'un déflecteur de piston de commande de pression annulaire conçu pour être positionné au-dessous de l'empilement de bloc obturateur de puits (BOP) classique, et qui sera activé pendant des opérations de forage quasi équilibrées pour rendre étanche l'espace annulaire entre la tige de forage et le tubage. Le fluide de forage renvoyé et les fluides produits sont déviés vers le haut de l'espace annulaire entre le tubage et le tubage intermédiaire et à travers une tête de puits située au-dessous d'un empilement de bloc obturateur de puits intégrant tout. Le déflecteur de piston de commande de pression annulaire est un dispositif actionné par un piston, dans lequel des pistons hydrauliques compriment un joint d'étanchéité flexible autour de la tige de forage. Selon certains modes de réalisation, une cavité interne elliptique assure que les joints d'étanchéité elliptiques ne peuvent pas tourner. Des portes sont disposées de chaque côté du déflecteur de piston de commande de pression annulaire pour permettre le changement des éléments d'étanchéité.
PCT/US2021/051468 2020-09-23 2021-09-22 Déflecteur de piston de commande de pression annulaire WO2022066709A1 (fr)

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US202063082059P 2020-09-23 2020-09-23
US63/082,059 2020-09-23
US17/480,114 US20220090462A1 (en) 2020-09-23 2021-09-20 Annular Pressure Control Ram Diverter
US17/480,114 2021-09-20

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USD973734S1 (en) * 2019-08-06 2022-12-27 Nxl Technologies Inc. Blind shear
US11732542B2 (en) 2021-09-20 2023-08-22 Hughes Tool Company LLC Annular pressure control ram diverter

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