Adjustable lock-out ram for production BOP applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10544642-B2
Application number	US-201615204608-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2016
Priority date	Jul 10, 2015
Publication date	Jan 28, 2020
Grant date	Jan 28, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods for gripping a polished rod that extends into a hydrocarbon production well include a clamping assembly that is moveable between an unengaged position where the clamping assembly is spaced apart from the polished rod, and an engaged position where the clamping assembly engages the polished rod. The clamping assembly includes a recess located in a moveable clamping member, the recess having a supporting surface. The clamping assembly also includes an adapter sized to fit within the recess and to be supported on the supporting surface, the adapter having a gripping surface facing out of the recess. The adapter is positioned to grip the polished rod with the gripping surface when the clamping assembly is in the engaged position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for gripping a polished rod that extends into a hydrocarbon production well, the system comprising:
a clamping assembly that is moveable between an unengaged position where the clamping assembly is spaced apart from the polished rod, and an engaged position where the clamping assembly engages the polished rod to clamp the rod in place, but does not seal against the rod, the clamping assembly including:
a recess located in a moveable clamping member, the moveable clamping member having a supporting surface at a lower end of the recess, the recess having an open end opposite the supporting surface; and
an adapter sized to fit within the recess, wherein the adapter is inserted into the open end and supported on the supporting surface, the adapter having a gripping surface facing out of the recess, the adapter unconstrained by an interface between the moveable clamping member and the adapter from relative circumferential movement relative to the clamping member; and wherein

the adapter is positioned to grip the polished rod with the gripping surface when the clamping assembly is in the engaged position.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a fastener extending between the adapter and the moveable clamping member, the fastener releasably securing the adapter to the moveable clamping member and allowing for limited relative circumferential movement between the adapter and the moveable clamping member.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the fastener is oriented axially substantially parallel to the polished rod.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the moveable clamping member is a ram block of a blowout preventer.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the moveable clamping member is a clamp arm of a polished rod clamp.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gripping surface has a profile shape, the profile shape configured to mate with an outer diameter surface of the polished rod.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the gripping surface has gripping features, the gripping features selected from the group consisting of carburized teeth, a helical thread shape, and concentric protrusions.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the clamping assembly includes at least two moveable clamping members.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the moveable clamping member has an additional recess and an additional adapter is positioned within the additional recess.

10. A system for gripping a polished rod that extends into a hydrocarbon production well, the system comprising:
a clamping assembly of a blowout preventer that is moveable between an unengaged position where the clamping assembly is spaced apart from the polished rod, and an engaged position where the clamping assembly engages the polished rod to clamp the rod in place, but does not seal against the rod, the clamping assembly including:
a pair of piston rams extendable into a central bore of the blowout preventer when the clamping assembly is in the engaged position;
at least one recess located in each piston ram, each of the pair of piston rams having a supporting surface at a lower end of the at least one recess, and the at least one recess having an open end opposite the supporting surface; and
an adapter sized to fit within each of the at least one recesses, wherein the adapter is inserted into the open end and supported on the supporting surface, each adapter having a gripping surface facing out of the recess, the adapter unconstrained by an interface between the adapter and a corresponding piston ram from relative circumferential movement relative to the piston ram; and wherein

each adapter is positioned to grip the polished rod with the gripping surface when the clamping assembly is in the engaged position.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a fastener extending between each of the adapters and the piston rams, each fastener releasably securing the adapter to the piston ram and allowing for limited relative circumferential movement between the adapter and the piston ram.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the adapters is removable from the piston ram.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the gripping surface has a profile shape, the profile shape configured to mate with an outer diameter surface of the polished rod.

14. A method for gripping a polished rod that extends into a hydrocarbon production well, the method comprising:
providing a clamping assembly that includes a recess located in a moveable clamping member, the clamping member having a supporting surface at a lower end of the recess, the recess having an open end opposite the supporting surface, and an adapter sized to fit within the recess, wherein the adapter is inserted into the open end and supported on the supporting surface, the adapter having a gripping surface facing out of the recess, the adapter unconstrained by an interface between the moveable clamping member and the adapter from relative circumferential movement relative to the clamping member; and
moving the clamping assembly between an unengaged position where the clamping assembly is spaced apart from the polished rod, and an engaged position where the clamping assembly engages the polished rod so that the adapter grips the polished rod with the gripping surface to clamp the rod in place, but does not seal against the rod.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising releasably securing the adapter to the moveable clamping member with a fastener that extends between the adapter and the moveable clamping member, the fastener allowing for limited relative circumferential movement between the adapter and the moveable clamping member.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the moveable clamping member is a ram block of a blowout preventer and moving the clamping assembly between the unengaged position and the engaged position includes extending the ram block into a central bore of the blowout preventer.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the moveable clamping member is a clamp arm of a polished rod clamp and moving the clamping assembly between the unengaged position and the engaged position includes surrounding the polished rod with the polished rod clamp.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein moving the clamping assembly between the unengaged position and the engaged position further includes mating a profile shape of the gripping surface with an outer diameter surface of the polished rod.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising forming a load path from the polished rod through the adapter and to the clamping assembly by way of the supporting surface and sidewalls of the recess.

20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising removing the adapter from the recess and replacing the adapter with a replacement adapter.

Assignees

• Ge Oil & Gas Pressure Control Lp

Inventors

• Bhatnagar Samved

Classifications

• E21B33/062 Primary

  with sliding rams · CPC title

• E21B43/126

  Adaptations of down-hole pump systems powered by drives outside the borehole, e.g. by a rotary or oscillating drive (powered by fluid E21B43/129) · CPC title