High-Strength Blowout Preventer Shearing Ram and Connecting Rod

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016298409-A1
Application number	US-201615087837-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 31, 2016
Priority date	Apr 9, 2015
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A blowout preventer includes a housing, comprising a longitudinal bore extending therethrough and a cavity intersecting the bore, and pair of opposing shear rams configured to shear a tubular located in the longitudinal bore. The opposing shear rams can be moved radially into and out of the longitudinal bore by connecting rods coupled to the shear rams. The connecting rods may be coupled to the shear rams via intermediate connecting assemblies which may include a split-flange connector comprising multiple sections. The shear rams and/or the connecting rods may be constructed of a high-strength heat treatable, low alloy steel, such as AISI 4340 steel. The shear rams are constructed of a single material having a higher hardness than that of the tubular product.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A shear ram for shearing an object, comprising a body having a hardness greater than a hardness of the object.

2 . The shear ram of claim 1 , further comprising a protrusion extending from the body and configured to couple the shear ram to a corresponding shear ram to oppose vertical separation of the shear ram and the corresponding shear ram.

3 . The shear ram of claim 2 , wherein the corresponding shear ram includes a slot configured to receive the protrusion.

4 . The shear ram of claim 1 , further comprising a recess in the body configured to receive a connecting apparatus configured to couple the body to a connector rod.

5 . The shear ram of claim 4 , wherein the connector rod comprises a groove on an outer diameter of the connector rod configured to receive the connecting apparatus.

6 . The shear ram of claim 5 , wherein the connecting apparatus comprises multiple sections.

7 . The shear ram of claim 6 , further comprising a fastener to secure the connecting apparatus to the connector rod.

8 . The shear ram of claim 7 , wherein the shear ram and connector rod are movable together.

9 . The shear ram of claim 1 , wherein the body is configured to shear at any orientation of the object.

10 . The shear ram of claim 8 , wherein the body is V-shaped.

11 . The shear ram of claim 1 , wherein the object is one of a tool joint, a drill collar, a production tubular, a hard banded tubular, a casing tubular.

12 . A shear ram comprising:
a body; and a protrusion extending from the body configured to couple the shear ram to a corresponding shear ram to oppose vertical separation of the shear ram and the corresponding shear ram; and wherein the body consists of a material having a Brinell hardness greater than about 321.

13 . The shear ram of claim 12 , wherein the corresponding shear ram includes a slot configured to receive the protrusion.

14 . The shear ram of claim 12 , further comprising a recess in the body configured to receive a connecting apparatus configured to couple the body to a connector rod.

15 . The shear ram of claim 14 , wherein the connector rod comprises a groove on an outer diameter of the connector rod configured to receive the connecting apparatus.

16 . The shear ram of claim 15 , wherein the connecting apparatus comprises multiple sections.

17 . The shear ram of claim 16 , further comprising a fastener to secure the connecting apparatus to the connector rod.

18 . A pair of opposing shear rams for shearing a pipe segment, comprising:
a first ram including a body comprising a first material; and a second ram including a body comprising a second material; and wherein the first material and second material each have a hardness greater than a hardness of the pipe segment.

19 . The shear rams of claim 18 , wherein the first and second materials have the same hardness.

20 . The shear rams of claim 18 , the first ram further comprising a lower cutting face and the second ram further comprising an upper cutting face, wherein the lower cutting face and the upper cutting face are configured to interlock.

21 . A blowout preventer comprising:
a housing comprising a longitudinal bore extending through the housing and a cavity intersecting the bore; an actuation assembly coupled to the housing, comprising:
a piston movable through the cavity;
a connector rod coupled to the piston; and
a shear ram coupled to the connector rod; and
wherein the shear ram consists of a material having a Brinell hardness greater than about 321.

22 . A blowout preventer for shearing a pipe segment located in a throughbore of the blowout preventer, comprising:
a body having the throughbore; a pair of opposing hydraulically actuated shear rams comprising a first ram and second ram, each ram comprising having a hardness greater than a hardness of the pipe segment; and a ram actuation assembly coupled to each of the ram blocks.

23 . A method of shearing a pipe segment comprising:
disposing a pipe segment within the bore of a blowout preventer; and moving a pair of opposing shear rams radially inward toward the blowout preventer bore; and wherein the pair of opposing shear rams comprises a hardness greater than a hardness of the pipe segment.

Assignees

• Cameron Int Corp

Inventors

• Kroesen Gerrit M
• Whitby Melvyn F
• Jurena Johnny Everett

Classifications

• E21B34/04

  in underwater well heads · CPC title

• E21B29/12 Primary

  specially adapted for underwater installations (E21B29/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/063 Primary

  for shearing drill pipes (cutting of wireline E21B29/04) · CPC title