1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein generally relate to apparatuses configured to provide a visual indication outside a blowout preventer (BOP), relative to a current position of ram blocks inside the BOP, and methods of adding such apparatuses to new or existing blowout preventers.
2. Discussion of the Background
Oil and gas extraction remains a critical component of the world economy in spite of increasing challenges regarding the accessibility and the safety of oil and gas exploitation. The drilling at offshore locations to extract oil and gas from under the sea floor is performed at ever increasing water depths.
A traditional offshore oil and gas installation 10, as illustrated in
A subsea blowout preventer stack (BOP) 60 is located close to the seabed 50, and may include a lower BOP stack 62 attached to the wellhead 40, and a Lower Marine Riser Package (“LMRP”) 64, which is attached to a distal end of the riser 30. During regular operation the lower BOP stack 62 and the LMRP 64 are connected. BOPs 66 located in the lower BOP stack 62 or in the LMRP 64 are in an open state during normal operation, but may be closed (i.e., switched in a close state) to interrupt a fluid flow through the riser 30. Electrical cables and/or hydraulic lines 70 transport control signals from the drilling platform 20 to a controller 80, which is disposed on the BOP stack 60. The controller 80 controls the BOPs 66 to be in the open state or in the close state, according to signals received from the platform 20 via the electrical cables and/or hydraulic lines 70. The controller 80 also acquires and sends to the platform 20, information related to the current state (open or closed) of the BOPs.
During drilling, gas, oil or other well fluids at a high pressure may burst from the drilled formations into riser. When such an event (which is sometimes referred to as a “kick” or a “blowout”) occurs at unpredictable moments, if the burst is not promptly controlled, the well and/or the equipment of the installation may be damaged. The BOPs are installed to seal the well when a blowout event occurs. Although the above discussion was directed to a subsea well, the same is true for wells on the ground.
A conventional BOP, as illustrated in
The second chamber 130 houses two ram blocks 140 that are configured to move along an x-axis, which is perpendicular to the riser 30, the ram blocks 140 being pushed by respective piston rods 150 towards each other. Tail ends 160 of the piston rods 150 are respectively hosted inside end caps 170 of the body 110. This type of BOP (which has ram blocks) is known as a ram BOP.
During regular operation, the BOP 100 is in an open state, the ram blocks 140 being located at respective open positions, outside a space where the first chamber 120 intersects with the second chamber 130. When a kick event occurs, upon receiving a command from the controller 80, the ram blocks 140 move towards each other to close positions at which the ram blocks 140 are in contact, face-to-face with each other, inside the second chamber 130. When the ram blocks 140 reach the close positions the fluid flow passing therethrough is severed. The BOP 100 is then in a close state.
The controller 80 reports the state of the BOP 100 to the platform 20 by sending signals along the cables 70. However, when accidents occur, the cables 70 may become interrupted or the controller 80 may be damaged, and, therefore, it may become unknown by operators on the platform 20, whether a BOP had received the control signal and switched to a close state, or remained in an open state. Information about the state of the BOPs may be critical for preventing spills or for containing the spills of fluid bursting from the wellhead 40. Conventionally, this information cannot be retrieved if the normal information path is interrupted (e.g., if the cables 70 and/or the controller 80 are damaged).
Accordingly, it would be desirable to equip the BOPs with apparatuses providing visual indications outside the BOP relative to the current position of the ram blocks inside the BOPs, to be able to determine the state of the BOP by performing a visual inspection outside the BOP, for example, using a remote operational vehicle (ROV) equipped with an underwater video camera.
It would also be desirable to modify the conventional BOPs to include such visual indicators, thereby avoiding a situation in which the state of the BOP is not known and cannot be determined. Moreover, it would be desirable that such indicators to be independent of any source of power so that they will provide the information about the ram blocks even if such a source of power may become unavailable.
According to one exemplary embodiment, an apparatus for providing a visual indication outside a ram blowout preventer is provided. The apparatus includes an indicator rod having an end extending outside an end cap of the BOP, and configured to engage with a tail rod inside the BOP, and to switch between a first position when the BOP is in an open state, and a second position when the BOP is in a close state. The apparatus further includes a detectable portion located outside the end cap and configured to provide a visual indication relative to a current position of the indicator rod, and a sealing assembly configured to seal a space inside the end cap from an environment in which the BOP operates.
According to one exemplary embodiment, a ram blowout preventer has a BOP body having a vertical chamber aligned with a riser and a horizontal chamber substantially perpendicular to and intersecting the vertical chamber, two ram blocks configured to move along the horizontal chamber between an open position in which the ram blocks are located outside the vertical chamber and a close position in which the ram block move to be face-to-face inside the vertical chamber, thereby severing a fluid flow passing therethrough, tail rods attached respectively to each of the ram blocks opposite to a side towards another one of the ram blocks, and pointing towards an end cap of the horizontal chamber, and a ram position indicator apparatus configured to indicate a state of the ram BOP. The ram position indicator apparatus includes an indicator rod configured to engage with the tail rod, having an end extending outside the end cap, and switching between a first position when the ram block is in the close position, and a second position when the ram block is in the open position. The ram position indicator apparatus further includes a detectable portion located outside the end cap and configured to provide a visual indication related to a current position of the indicator rod, and a sealing assembly configured to seal an inside of the end cap from an environment in which the BOP operates.
According to another exemplary embodiment, a method of adding a ram position indicator apparatus to a ram BOP having (i) a BOP body with a vertical chamber aligned with a riser and a horizontal chamber substantially perpendicular to and intersecting the vertical chamber, (ii) two ram blocks configured to move along the horizontal chamber between respective open positions when the ram blocks are outside the vertical chamber, and respective close positions when the ram block are face-to-face inside the vertical chamber, thereby severing a fluid flow passing therethrough, and (iii) tail rods attached respectively to each of the ram blocks opposite to a side towards another one of the ram blocks, and pointing towards respective end caps of the horizontal chamber is provided. The method includes making a hole in an end cap of the horizontal chamber and attaching an indicator rod to one of the tail rods pointing to the end cap having the hole, the indicator rod having an end extending outside the end cap, and switching between a first position when the ram block is in an open position, and a second position when the ram block is in a close position. The method further includes attaching a detectable portion outside the end cap, the detectable portion being configured to provide a visual indication related to a current position of the indicator rod, and inserting a sealing assembly configured to seal an inside of the end cap from an environment in which the BOP operates, between the detectable portion and the end cap.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate one or more embodiments and, together with the description, explain these embodiments. In the drawings:
The following description of the exemplary embodiments refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings identify the same or similar elements. The following detailed description does not limit the invention. Instead, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims. The following embodiments are discussed, for simplicity, with regard to the terminology and structure of drilling systems equipped with blowout preventers. However, the embodiments to be discussed next are not limited to these systems, but may be applied to other systems that use ram type valves.
Reference throughout the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the subject matter disclosed. Thus, the appearance of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout the specification is not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
As discussed in the background section, situations in which information regarding the state of a BOP is not gathered or not transmitted to an operator at the surface may occur during drilling or exploitation of a well. Knowing whether a ram blowout preventer is in a close state or in an open state may be critical to avoiding or limiting spills in the environment. An apparatus providing a visual indication outside the BOP relative to the current state of the BOP may be provided to one or both end caps of a horizontal chamber of a BOP. However, since the movement of the ram blocks is usually symmetric with respect to an axis of the riser they are configured to close, an indicator related to one of the ram blocks may suffice.
According to an exemplary embodiment illustrated in
When the BOP 200 switches from the open state illustrated in
Unlike in the conventional BOP 100, the end cap 220 has a hole 260 in order to allow the indicator rod 210 to extend outside the end cap 220, and, thus, to become visible outside the BOP. A sealing assembly 270 is configured to seal a space inside the end cap 220 from an environment in which the BOP operates, for example, sea water. The sealing assembly 270 includes a seal housing 275 and seals 277, 279. The seal housing 275 is configured to fit inside the hole 260 of the end cap 220 and to surround the indicator rod 210, close to the end 212 thereof. A seal 279 seals an interface between the seal housing 275 and the end cap 230. Two seals 277 seal an interface between the indicator rod 210 and the seal housing 275. The number of seals is not limited to the number of seals in the illustrated embodiment. However, since the indicator rod 210 moves relative to the seal housing 275, the seals 277 have to ensure a dynamic seal, while the seal 279 has to ensure only a static seal.
Further, outside the end cap 230, a detectable portion 280 is configured to provide a visual indication relative to a current position of the indicator rod 210. The detectable portion 280, which may be an open end tube, has one or more transparent slots 285 enabling an observer to see the indicator rod 230 therethrough when the indicator rod 210 is in the first position. Thus, when the BOP is in the close state, the indicator rod 210 is not visible through the slot(s) 285, and when the BOP is in the open state, the indicator rod 210 is visible through the slot(s) 285. The detectable portion 280 may be formed as a single piece with the seal housing 275.
The indicator rod 210, the seal assembly 270 and the detectable portion 280 are components that when added to a conventional BOP having the tail rod 230 and the end cap 220 adapted to receive them provide a visual indication outside the BOP relative to the current state of the BOP.
An alternative embodiment illustrated in
Unlike in the embodiment in
The embodiments described above while referring to
Outside the end cap 420, the indicator rod 410 is connected to a detectable portion 480. The detectable portion 480 includes (i) a dial pointer 482 that is fixedly attached to the indicator rod 410, e.g., by using a screw 483, and (ii) an indicator dial 484 that is mounted on the end cap 420. The detectable portion 480 allows an observer to collect information about the ram position inside the BOP 400 based on a projection of the dial pointer 482 on the indicator dial 484 as illustrated in
For the BOP 400, a sealing assembly 470 includes a seal housing 475 configured to be mounted in a hole 460 of the end cap 430 and to surround the indicator rod 410. The sealing assembly 470 also includes one or more seals 479 configured to statically seal an interface between the seal housing 475 and the end cap 430, and one or more seals 477 configured to dynamically seal an interface between the indicating rod 410 and the seal housing 475, while allowing the indicator rod 410 to rotate.
An advantage of some of the embodiments is that due to their mechanical nature no power source is required. Therefore, the visual indication occurs and may be maintained indefinitely.
A ram position indicator as illustrated in
Then at S530, the method 500 includes attaching a detectable portion outside the end cap, the detectable portion being configured to provide a visual indication related to a current position of the indicator rod. The detectable portion may have an open end tube connected to the end cap via a sealing assembly, and having at least one lateral transparent slot enabling viewing the indicator rod in the first position, extending outside the end cap. Alternatively, the detectable portion may include (i) a tube made of non-magnetic material, configured to fit in a hole of the end cap allowing the indicator rod to slide outside the end cap, and a closed end which is opposite to the one end, and (ii) a magnetic indicator placed outside but near the tube and configured to provide a visual indication when the magnet is nearby, the indicator rod in the second position having the magnet located inside the tube at substantially the same longitudinal position as the magnetic indicator which then provides the visual indication. In another embodiment, the detectable portion includes (i) a dial pointer fixedly attached to the end of the indicator rod which extends outside the end cap, and configured to point towards different directions, and (ii) an indicator dial attached to the end cap and marked to quantify, as a percentage, the direction pointed at by the dial pointer, which direction is correlated with the current position of the indicator rod, the first position corresponding to 0% and the second position corresponding to 100%.
Finally, at 5540, the method 500 includes inserting the sealing assembly configured to seal an inside of the end cap from an environment in which the BOP operates, between the detectable portion and the end cap. The sealing assembly may include a seal housing configured to fit inside the hole of the end cap, to connect with the detectable portion, and to surround the indicator rod, and various seals to seal statically an interface between the seal housing and the end cap, and possibly also to seal dynamically an interface between the indicating rod and the seal housing, while allowing the indicator rod to slide or rotate.
Another apparatus similar to or different from the apparatus installed at one end cap may be installed at the other end cap by making another hole in the other end cap of the horizontal chamber, attaching indicator rod to another one of the tail rods which points to the another end cap, attaching another detectable portion outside the another end cap, and inserting another sealing assembly between the other detectable portion and the other end cap.
The disclosed exemplary embodiments provide apparatuses for providing a visual indication outside a BOP relative to a position of ram blocks inside the BOP, and methods of adding such apparatuses to existing blowout preventers. It should be understood that this description is not intended to limit the invention. On the contrary, the exemplary embodiments are intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which are included in the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Further, in the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a comprehensive understanding of the claimed invention. However, one skilled in the art would understand that various embodiments may be practiced without such specific details.
Although the features and elements of the present exemplary embodiments are described in the embodiments in particular combinations, each feature or element can be used alone without the other features and elements of the embodiments or in various combinations with or without other features and elements disclosed herein.
This written description uses examples of the subject matter disclosed to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the same, including making and using apparatuses and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the subject matter is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/324,029, which was filed on Dec. 13, 2011, the full disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 13324029 | Dec 2011 | US |
Child | 14942732 | US |