Annular Blowout Preventer (BOP) Packing Unit with Integrated Secondary Sealing Compound

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016201422-A1
Application number	US-201514595761-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 13, 2015
Priority date	Jan 13, 2015
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An annular blowout preventer includes a body, a piston disposed within the body, and a packing unit disposed adjacent the piston. The packing unit includes an packer body surrounding an opening. The packer body is fabricated from a first material. The packing unit further includes a second material disposed between the packer body and the opening, the second material being less rigid than the first material. The packer body and the second material constrict the opening when the annular blowout preventer is actuated. The second material creates a seal around a tool disposed within the opening. The second material fills in one or more crevices or recesses on an outer perimeter of the tool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An annular blowout preventer, comprising:
a body; a piston disposed within the body; and a packing unit disposed adjacent the piston, the packing unit comprising:
an packer body surrounding an opening;
an internal chamber formed within the packer body, the internal chamber filled with a sealing compound;
a channel in fluid communication with the chamber; and
a separation between the channel and the opening,
wherein at least a portion of the fluid is expelled through the separation and into the opening when the packing unit is compressed; and wherein the packing unit is compressed when the piston is urged against the packing unit during actuation of the annular blowout preventer.

2 . The annular blowout preventer of claim 1 , wherein the sealing compound is an epoxy, a jelly sealant, polyurethane material, or foamed derivatives of these materials.

3 . The annular blowout preventer of claim 2 , wherein the sealing compound is modified to provide sufficient setting time or delay of sealant at downhole conditions through inclusion of one or more chemical delay agents or activators.

4 . The annular blowout preventer of claim 1 , wherein the separation comprises a breakable seal or a valve.

5 . The annular blowout preventer of claim 1 , wherein the sealing compound hardens after exiting the packer body into the opening and being exposed to downhole conditions.

6 . The annular blowout preventer of claim 1 , wherein the packer body is fabricated from a compliant rubber material.

7 . The annular blowout preventer of claim 1 , wherein the sealing compound is retained within the internal chamber when the packing unit is in the neutral state.

8 . The annular blowout preventer of claim 1 , further comprising a second internal chamber filled with a second sealing compound, wherein when the packer body is compressed, the sealing compound and the second sealing compound flow out of the internal chamber and second internal chamber, respectively, and mix to form a seal.

9 . The annular blowout preventer of claim 8 , wherein the second sealing compound comprises a catalyst, crosslinker, curing agent, hardening agent, or other compound with a reactive affinity toward the sealing compound held within the first chamber.

10 . The annular blowout preventer of claim 1 , wherein the packer body further comprises a port coupled to the internal chamber, wherein additional sealing compound is injected into the internal chamber via the port.

11 . An annular blowout preventer, comprising:
a body; a piston disposed within the body; and a packing unit disposed adjacent the piston, the packing unit comprising:
a packer body surrounding an opening, the packer body fabricated from a first material;
a second material disposed between the packer body and the opening, the second material being less rigid than the first material,
wherein the packer body and the second material constrict the opening when the annular blowout preventer is actuated; wherein the second material creates a seal around a tool disposed within the opening; and wherein the second material fills in one or more crevices or recesses on an outer profile of the tool.

12 . The annular blowout preventer of claim 11 , wherein the first material is nitrite, urethane, or any combination thereof.

13 . The annular blowout preventer of claim 11 , wherein the second material is epoxy resin, sealant jelly or caulk, polyurethane, other sealant composites, the precursor additives to provide these compounds, or any combination thereof.

14 . The annular blowout preventer of claim 11 , wherein the piston is urged onto the packing unit when the annular blowout preventer is actuated, causing the packing unit to constrict.

15 . The annular blowout preventer of claim 11 , wherein the second material has a first configuration when the annular blowout preventer is in a neutral state and a second configuration when the annular blowout preventer is in an actuated state, and wherein the second material returns to the first configuration when the annular blowout preventer is put back into the neutral state after being in the actuated state.

16 . The annular blowout preventer of claim 11 , wherein the second material conforms to the outer profile of the tool.

17 . A method of sealing a well, comprising:
actuating an annular blowout preventer, wherein the blowout preventer comprises a piston and a packing unit, the packing unit comprising a packer body having an opening formed therethrough; urging the piston against the packing unit, wherein the packing unit comprises a first material and a second material, the second material having a rigidity lesser than that of the first material; compressing the packing unit and thereby constricting the opening; and sealing gaps between a tool and the packing unit with the second material when a tool is disposed through the opening.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the second material is disposed in an internal chamber within the packing unit when the annular blowout preventer is in a neutral state, and wherein the internal chamber is coupled to the opening via one or more channels.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
expelling the second material from the internal chamber and into the opening when the packing unit is compressed; and flowing the second material around the tool and filling in any gaps between the tool and the first material.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the second material is disposed between the first material and the opening.

21 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
expelling a third material from a second internal chamber and into the opening when the packing unit is compressed; and mixing the third material and the second material to form a sealing agent, the sealing agent filling in any gaps between the tool and the first material.

22 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the first material is nitrite, urethane, or any combination thereof, and wherein the second material comprises epoxy resin, sealant jelly or caulk, polyurethane, other sealant composites, the precursor additives to provide these compounds, or any combination thereof.

Assignees

• Averill William Stephen
• Fuller Michael James
• Witt Dana Earl
• Chevron Usa Inc

Inventors

• Averill William Stephen
• Fuller Michael James
• Witt Dana Earl

Classifications

• E21B33/06 Primary

  Blow-out preventers {, i.e. apparatus closing around a drill pipe, e.g. annular blow-out preventers (rotating blow-out preventers E21B33/085)} · CPC title