Multi-pressure flange connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9644442-B2
Application number	US-201013141318-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2010
Priority date	Mar 6, 2009
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

A multi-pressure flange is disclosed that includes a first set of fasteners comprising four fasteners in a first rectangular pattern for attachment in a first pressure rating and a second set of fasteners comprising four fasteners in a second rectangular pattern in which the first rectangular pattern is perpendicular to the second rectangular pattern. The second set of fasteners is selectively combinable with the first set of fasteners for attachment in a higher second pressure rating. The flange may include a recess to receive sealing component and a receptacle configured to receive a pipe fitting. Systems and methods including the multi-pressure flange are also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for a mineral extraction system, comprising:
a multi-pressure accumulator flange, comprising:
a first set of fasteners comprising four fasteners in a first pattern for attachment in a first pressure rating, wherein the first pattern comprises a first rectangular pattern or a first cross-shaped pattern;
a second set of fasteners comprising four fasteners in a second pattern, wherein the second pattern comprises a second rectangular pattern or a second cross-shaped pattern, the first pattern is perpendicular to the second pattern, the second set of fasteners is selectively combinable with the first set of fasteners in a third pattern for attachment in a second pressure rating, and the second pressure rating is higher than the first pressure rating, wherein the fasteners are not uniformly spaced between the first and second patterns;
a recess configured to receive a sealing component, wherein the sealing component comprises a cylindrical sealing component comprising first and second seals axially offset from one another, the sealing component is configured to float lengthwise along the recess across a mounting interface, the first seal is disposed in the recess between the cylindrical sealing component and the multi-pressure accumulator flange, and the second seal is disposed on a protruding portion of the cylindrical sealing component outside of the recess; and
a receptacle configured to receive a pipe fitting.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first set of fasteners have a first fastener spacing within the first pattern, the second set of fasteners have a second fastener spacing within the second pattern, the fasteners have a third fastener spacing between the first and second patterns, and the third fastener spacing is less than both the first fastener spacing and the second fastener spacing.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of components having different pressure ratings, wherein a first component in the plurality is configured to mate with the first set of fasteners in the first pattern at the first pressure rating, and a second component in the plurality is configured to mate with both the first and second sets of fasteners in the third pattern at the second pressure rating.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sealing component comprises a hole configured to align with the receptacle.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second seals comprise respective first and second o-rings.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first set of fasteners and the second set of fasteners comprise bolts or receptacles.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first pattern comprises the first rectangular pattern and the second pattern comprises the second rectangular pattern.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first pattern comprises the first cross-shaped pattern and the second pattern comprises the second cross-shaped pattern.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first pattern is mutually exclusively arranged in the first rectangular pattern and the first cross-shaped pattern, and the second pattern is mutually exclusively arranged in the second rectangular pattern and the second cross-shaped pattern.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first pressure rating is at least 5,000 psi and the second pressure rating is at least 10,000 psi.

11. An apparatus for a mineral extraction system, comprising:
a plurality of components having a plurality of different pressure ratings, wherein the plurality of components comprises a first component having a first pressure rating, the plurality of components comprises a second component having a second pressure rating, and the second pressure rating is higher than the first pressure rating; and
a multi-pressure flange configured to selectively mate with components in the plurality of components, wherein the multi-pressure flange comprises:
a cylindrical sealing component disposed in a cylindrical recess adjacent a mounting interface, the cylindrical sealing component comprises first and second seals axially offset from one another, the cylindrical sealing component is configured to float lengthwise along the cylindrical recess across the mounting interface, the first seal is disposed in the cylindrical recess between the cylindrical sealing component and the multi-pressure flange, and the second seal is disposed on a protruding portion of the cylindrical sealing component outside of the cylindrical recess;
a plurality of fasteners arranged circumferentially about the multi-pressure flange with a non-uniform spacing to define a plurality of distinct patterns associated with the plurality of different pressure ratings;
a first pattern of the plurality of distinct patterns comprising a first set of fasteners configured to mate with the first component at the first pressure rating;
a second pattern of the plurality of distinct patterns comprising a second set of fasteners; and
a third pattern of the plurality of distinct patterns comprising a third set of fasteners configured to mate with the second component at the second pressure rating, wherein the third set of fasteners comprises both the first set of fasteners and the second set of fasteners;
wherein the multi-pressure flange is configured to enable the single multi-pressure flange to combine with the entire plurality of components at the different pressure ratings for the mineral extraction system via the plurality of distinct patterns.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of components comprise a plurality of accumulators.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , comprising a blowout preventer (BOP) coupled to the plurality of accumulators.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the each of the plurality of accumulators comprises a gas-end and a liquid-end, wherein the multi-pressure flange is configured to couple to the liquid-end.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , comprising a control valve coupled to the BOP and to the plurality of accumulators.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first pattern comprises a first rectangular pattern or a first cross-shaped pattern, the second pattern comprises a second rectangular pattern or a second cross-shaped pattern, and the third pattern comprises a combination of the first and second patterns.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first set of fasteners has a first circumferential spacing within the first set of fasteners, the second set of fasteners has a second circumferential spacing within the second set of fasteners, and the third set of fasteners has a third circumferential spacing that changes between the first set of fasteners and the second set of fasteners.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the non-uniform spacing of the plurality of fasteners comprises a plurality of first spacings and a plurality of second spacings, wherein the first spacings are greater than the second spacings.

19. A mineral extraction system, comprising:
a blowout preventer (BOP);
an accumulator bank coupled to the BOP and comprising a plurality of accumulators; and
a multi-pressure flange coupled to one of the plurality of accumulators, wherein the multi-pressure flange comprises:

a cylindrical sealing component disposed in a cylindrical recess adjacent a mounting interface, the cylindrical sealing component comprises first and second seals axially offset from one another, the cylindrical sealing component is configured to float lengthwise along the cylindrical recess across the mounting

Assignees

• Kotrla Johnnie
• Stevenson Ross
• Hodges Vallie
• Cameron Int Corp

Inventors

• Kotrla Johnnie
• Stevenson Ross
• Hodges Vallie

Classifications

• E21B33/038 Primary

  Connectors used on well heads, e.g. for connecting blow-out preventer and riser · CPC title

• F16L23/036

  characterised by the tensioning members, e.g. specially adapted bolts or C-clamps · CPC title

• F16L23/16

  characterised by the sealing means · CPC title