Control choke system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9708886-B2
Application number	US-201414207214-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A system includes a wellhead system, and a flow control system coupled to the wellhead system. The flow control system includes a housing with a flow path between an inlet and an outlet. The flow control system also includes a flow control device disposed in the housing along the flow path. The flow control system also includes a bonnet assembly surrounding the flow control device. The bonnet assembly is configured to selectively mount one of a manual actuator and a powered actuator to actuate the flow control device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a wellhead system; and
a flow control system coupled to the wellhead system, wherein the flow control system comprises:
a housing with a flow path between an inlet and an outlet;
a flow control device disposed in the housing along the flow path;
a bonnet assembly surrounding the flow control device, wherein the bonnet assembly is configured to selectively mount one of a manual actuator and a powered actuator to actuate the flow control device; and
at least one retainer to block movement of the flow control device during a change between the manual actuator and the powered actuator, wherein the at least one retainer comprises a lock screw that engages a drive bushing and wherein the lock screw is selectively movable against the drive bushing to block movement of the flow control device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bonnet assembly includes a bonnet and a modular bracket configured to support first and second stem sections of a stem, wherein the bonnet, the modular bracket, the first stem section, and the second stem section remain the same when attaching the manual actuator or the powered actuator.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flow control device comprises a floating sleeve coupled to a stem and wherein movement of the stem is configured to move the floating sleeve between opened and closed positions.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the stem includes a first stem section coupled to a second stem section, and wherein the first stem section is coupled to the floating sleeve and the second stem section is coupled to the drive bushing.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first stem section is formed from a first material and the second section is formed from a second material.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a cavity in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet, the cavity configured to slow a fluid entering the housing through the inlet.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bonnet assembly comprises a bonnet and a modular bracket, and the modular bracket is configured to couple to the bonnet and the manual actuator or the powered actuator.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the bonnet is formed from a first material and the modular bracket is formed from a second material.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the modular bracket receives the drive bushing and couples to a cap configured to retain the drive bushing within the modular bracket.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the powered actuator comprises at least one of an electric actuator, a hydraulic actuator, or a pneumatic actuator.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bonnet assembly includes a bonnet and a modular bracket configured to support a stem, wherein the modular bracket remains the same when changing actuators between the manual actuator and the powered actuator.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bonnet assembly includes a bonnet and a modular bracket configured to support first and second stem sections of a stem, wherein the first and second stem sections remain the same when changing actuators between the manual actuator and the powered actuator.

13. A system comprising:
a modular flow control device; and
a modular bonnet assembly configured to mount a plurality of different actuators to the modular flow control device while the modular flow control device operates to control flow in a flow control system, wherein the modular bonnet assembly includes a bonnet and a modular bracket, wherein the bonnet and the modular bracket remain the same when changing actuators.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the modular flow control device includes a flow sleeve coupled to the stem, the first stem section is formed from a first material, and the second stem section is formed from a second material different from the first material.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the bonnet is formed from a first material and the modular bracket is formed from a second material different from the first material.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the bonnet, the modular bracket, the first stem section, and the second stem section remain the same when attaching a manual actuator or a powered actuator.

17. The system of claim 16 , comprising a kit having the modular flow control device and the modular bonnet assembly, the manual actuator, the powered actuator, and instructions with steps to change between the manual actuator and the powered actuator during operation of the flow control system.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the modular bonnet assembly is configured to support a stem having first and second stem sections, and the first and second stem sections remain the same when changing the actuators.

19. The system of claim 13 , comprising at least one retainer to block movement of the modular flow control device during a change between different actuators.

20. A method comprising:
changing actuators of a flow control device using a bonnet assembly having a bonnet and a modular bracket while the flow control device operates to control flow in a flow control system, wherein the modular bracket remains the same when changing the actuators, and the actuators are different from one another.

21. The method of claim 20 , comprising operating the flow control device and the flow control system with a manual actuator coupled to the flow control device, removing the manual actuator while the flow control device continues to operate, and mounting a powered actuator to the flow control device while the flow control device continues to operate, wherein the modular bracket remains the same when changing the actuators from the manual actuator to the powered actuator.

22. The method of claim 20 , comprising operating the flow control system with a powered actuator coupled to the flow control device, removing the powered actuator while the flow control device continues to operate, and mounting a manual actuator to the flow control device while the flow control device continues to operate, wherein the modular bracket remains the same when changing the actuators from the powered actuator to the manual actuator.

23. The method of claim 20 , comprising retaining a position of the flow control device with at least one retainer while changing the actuators by removing a first actuator from the flow control device and mounting a second actuator to the flow control device.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the at least one retainer comprises a lock screw that engages a drive bushing, and the lock screw is selectively movable against the drive bushing to block movement of the flow control device.

25. The method of claim 20 , wherein first and second stem sections of a stem supported by the bonnet assembly remain the same when changing the actuators.

26. The method of claim 25 , comprising axially supporting the first and second stem sections of the stem with the bonnet assembly.

27. The method of claim 20 , wherein the bonnet remains the same when changing the actuators.

28. The method of claim 20 , wherein changing actuators comprises removing a first actuator and installing a second actuator while the modular bracket remains the same.

29. A method comprising:
changing actuators of a flow control device using a bonnet assembly having a bonnet and a modular bracket while the flow control devi

Assignees

• Cameron Int Corp

Inventors

• Frenzel Robert A
• Martino Jerry
• Chambers Stephen
• Barkatally Ali

Classifications

• E21B43/12

  Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells (E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00) · CPC title

• E21B34/02 Primary

  in well heads · CPC title

• E21B34/025 Primary

  Chokes or valves in wellheads and sub-sea wellheads for variably regulating fluid flow · CPC title