US20220341270A1 - Diverter for drilling operation - Google Patents
Diverter for drilling operation Download PDFInfo
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- US20220341270A1 US20220341270A1 US17/858,439 US202217858439A US2022341270A1 US 20220341270 A1 US20220341270 A1 US 20220341270A1 US 202217858439 A US202217858439 A US 202217858439A US 2022341270 A1 US2022341270 A1 US 2022341270A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- diverter
- assembly
- canister
- diverter body
- seals
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
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- 238000005553 drilling Methods 0.000 title description 9
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims description 21
- 230000000712 assembly Effects 0.000 claims description 6
- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 claims description 6
- 125000006850 spacer group Chemical group 0.000 description 18
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 description 5
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 description 5
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 description 5
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 5
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000008439 repair process Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000006866 deterioration Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000007689 inspection Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004075 alteration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 231100001261 hazardous Toxicity 0.000 description 1
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000006467 substitution reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
- E21B33/10—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells in the borehole
- E21B33/12—Packers; Plugs
- E21B33/1208—Packers; Plugs characterised by the construction of the sealing or packing means
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B21/00—Methods or apparatus for flushing boreholes, e.g. by use of exhaust air from motor
- E21B21/08—Controlling or monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid, e.g. automatic filling of boreholes, automatic control of bottom pressure
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
- E21B33/02—Surface sealing or packing
- E21B33/03—Well heads; Setting-up thereof
Definitions
- the present disclosure relates to diverters for drilling operations.
- a diverter While drilling a wellbore, a diverter may be positioned to divert any high pressure fluid resulting from, for example, a blowout, away from the drilling floor.
- a diverter may couple to an upper end of a casing or a riser and be positioned about the drill string as the wellbore is drilled.
- the diverter is positioned beneath the drill floor or rotary table and includes one or more outlets that may be coupled to exhaust conduits away from the drill floor.
- a diverter assembly includes a diverter body assembly.
- the diverter body assembly includes a diverter body, the diverter body fluidly coupled to the annulus of a wellbore via a casing or riser, and the diverter body including one or more diverter outlet ports fluidly coupled to the annulus of the wellbore.
- the diverter body assembly also includes an upper packer assembly.
- the upper packer assembly includes a packer sleeve, the packer sleeve mechanically coupled to the diverter body.
- the packer sleeve includes one or more breach lock slots.
- the upper packer assembly also includes an upper packer body having one or more packer breach lock tabs engaged with the breach lock slots of the packer sleeve.
- the diverter assembly also includes a diverter support housing, the diverter support housing coupled to the diverter body assembly.
- the present disclosure also provides for a method.
- the method includes providing a diverter body assembly including a diverter body, the diverter body fluidly coupled to the annulus of a wellbore via a casing or riser, and the diverter body including one or more diverter outlet ports fluidly coupled to the annulus of the wellbore.
- the method also includes coupling a packer sleeve to the diverter body, and inserting an upper packer body into the packer sleeve such that one or more packer breach lock tabs of the upper packer body engage one or more corresponding breach lock slots of the packer sleeve.
- the method additionally includes rotating the upper packer body to a closed position such that the breach lock slots retain the upper packer body to the packer sleeve and sealing, with the upper packer body, between the diverter body and a drill string passing therethrough.
- FIG. 1 depicts a cross section view of a diverter assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of a diverter support housing consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of the housing cylinder of the diverter support housing of FIG. 2 .
- FIG. 4 depicts a cross section view of the housing cylinder of FIG. 3 .
- FIG. 5 depicts a cross section view of a diverter body assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 5A depicts a cross section view of a diverter body assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 5B depicts a cross section view of a diverter body assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 5C depicts a cross section view of a diverter body assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIGS. 5D and 5E depict perspective views of an upper packer body removed from the diverter body assembly of FIG. 5 .
- FIG. 6 depicts a cross section view of a diverter body of the diverter assembly of FIG. 5 .
- FIG. 7 depicts a perspective view of the diverter body of FIG. 6 .
- FIG. 8 depicts a diverter upper retainer of the diverter assembly of FIG. 5 .
- FIG. 9 depicts a cross section of a diverter lower assembly, spacer spool, overshot, and mandrel consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 10 depicts a lock ring consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 11A depicts a cross section view of a diverter body assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 11B depicts a cross section view of a canister removed from the diverter body assembly of FIG. 11A consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 11C depicts a cross section view of a diverter body assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 11D depicts a cross section view of a canister removed from the diverter body assembly of FIG. 11C consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIGS. 12A and 12B depict a cross section view of a canister consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 12C depicts an exploded view of the canister from FIG. 12A .
- FIG. 13A depicts a perspective view of an inflatable seal of a diverter body assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 13B depicts a top view of the inflatable seal from FIG. 13A .
- FIG. 13C depicts a cross-sectional view of a port of the inflatable seal from FIG. 13A .
- FIG. 1 depicts a cross section of diverter assembly 100 consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- diverter assembly 100 may include diverter support housing 101 .
- Diverter support housing 101 may be mechanically coupled to a drill floor (not shown) or other component of a drilling rig by, for example and without limitation, one or more structural beams underneath and supporting the drill floor.
- Diverter support housing 101 may be mechanically coupled to diverter body assembly 121 .
- Diverter assembly 100 further includes diverter lower assembly 151 , spacer spool pipe 171 and overshot housing 181 .
- Diverter body assembly 121 may be mechanically coupled to diverter lower assembly 151 , which may be mechanically coupled to spacer spool pipe 171 .
- Spacer spool pipe 171 may be mechanically coupled to overshot housing 181 .
- Diverter body assembly 121 , diverter lower assembly 151 , spacer spool pipe 171 , and overshot housing 181 may each be generally tubular and may form diverter assembly bore 104 therethrough.
- a drill string (not shown) may extend through diverter assembly bore 104 .
- Overshot housing 181 may fit around a tubular such as a riser or a portion of casing such that diverter assembly bore 104 is coupled to the annulus of the wellbore via the riser or portion of casing.
- diverter support housing 101 may include housing cylinder 102 .
- Housing cylinder 102 may be coupled to base plate 103 as shown in FIG. 2 .
- Base plate 103 mechanically couples diverter support housing 101 to the drilling rig.
- one or more outlet pipes may be fluidly connected to diverter assembly bore 104 .
- outlet pipes 105 may be formed at least partially in diverter support housing 101 . During operation, one or more outlet pipes 105 may conduct fluid from diverter assembly bore 104 , which is fluidly connected to the interior of diverter assembly 100 as discussed herein below.
- outlet pipes 105 may include couplers adapted to couple to exhaust conduits, allowing fluids to be routed to locations away from the drilling rig.
- the couplers may be flange couplings 107 as shown in FIG. 2 , though one having ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure will understand that any pipe coupling may be used without deviating from the scope of this disclosure.
- Outlet pipes 105 (shown removed in FIGS. 3, 4 ) may couple to outlet ports 109 formed in housing cylinder 102 .
- inlet ports 111 may be fluidly coupled to inlet pipes 113 to, for example, allow fluid to be introduced into housing cylinder 102 .
- housing cylinder 102 may include housing breach lock slots 115 .
- Housing breach lock slots 115 may, as understood in the art, allow one or more corresponding breach lock tabs 123 ( FIG. 5 ) from diverter body assembly 121 to axially enter thereinto and, upon rotation of diverter body assembly 121 , axially lock diverter body assembly 121 to diverter support housing 101 .
- housing breach lock slots 115 may include rotation stop 117 to retard further rotation of diverter body assembly 121 when in a locked position.
- Rotation stop 117 may in some embodiments retard rotation of diverter body assembly 121 in both rotational directions.
- diverter body assembly 121 may include diverter body 125 .
- Diverter body 125 may include one or more diverter outlet ports 127 , corresponding with outlet ports 109 of diverter support housing 101 thereby fluidly coupling diverter outlet ports 127 to outlet pipes 105 and the annulus of a wellbore.
- one or more seals 129 may be positioned between diverter body 125 and housing cylinder 102 to, for example and without limitation, provide a fluid seal between diverter outlet ports 127 and outlet ports 109 .
- diverter body 125 may be fluidly coupled to the annulus of a wellbore via a casing or riser.
- diverter body assembly 121 may include upper packer assembly 131 .
- Upper packer assembly 131 may form a fluid seal between diverter body 125 and a drill string (not shown) passing therethrough.
- Upper packer assembly 131 may include packer sleeve 132 .
- Packer sleeve 132 may fit within packer recess 133 (shown in FIG. 6 ) within diverter body 125 .
- Packer sleeve 132 may, in some embodiments, be coupled to diverter body 125 by, for example and without limitation, threaded fasteners such as bolts 137 .
- Upper packer assembly 131 may include upper packer body 136 adapted to fit within packer sleeve 132 .
- Upper packer body may be annular.
- upper packer body 136 may be inserted into or removed from packer sleeve 132 in an axial direction.
- upper packer body 136 may be coupled to packer sleeve 132 and thus to diverter body 125 by upper retainer 135 .
- upper retainer 135 may include one or more breach lock slots 139 (shown in detail in FIG. 8 ) corresponding to one or more corresponding breach lock tabs 140 positioned on an end of upper packer body 136 to allow upper packer body 136 to couple thereto as upper packer body 136 is rotated into a closed position from the open position used to insert upper packer body 136 into packer sleeve 132 .
- upper packer assembly 131 may include two outer seals 141 coupled to upper packer body 136 .
- Outer seals 141 may provide a fluid seal between upper packer assembly 131 and diverter body 125 .
- upper packer assembly 131 may include two inner seals 143 coupled to upper packer body 136 .
- Inner seals 143 may provide a fluid seal between upper packer assembly 131 and a drill string (not shown) during a drilling operation.
- outer seals 141 and inner seals 143 may be fluid actuated to extend and seal between the respective members.
- outer seals 141 and inner seals 143 may be, for example and without limitation, inflatable seals.
- outer seals 141 and inner seals 143 may be inflated simultaneously or may be selectively inflated independently. In some embodiments, outer seals 141 and inner seals 143 may be inflated by one or more ports. One embodiment of the inflatable seals and ports thereof is illustrated in FIGS. 13A-13C . In some embodiments, inner seals 143 may provide a fluid seal against multiple diameters or pipe sizes of a drill string. One having ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure will understand that any number of outer seals 141 and inner seals 143 may be utilized without deviating from the scope of this disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, as depicted in FIG.
- upper packer assembly 131 ′ may include three outer seals 141 ′ and three inner seals 143 ′.
- outer seals 141 ′ may be positioned as part of upper packer assembly 131 ′.
- outer seals 141 ′ may be positioned as part of packer sleeve 132 ′ positioned within diverter body 125 as previously discussed. In such an embodiment, outer seals 141 ′′ may seal against upper packer assembly 131 ′′.
- only one inner seal 143 and one outer seal 141 is utilized. In other embodiments, two or more inner seals 143 and two or more outer seals 141 are utilized.
- one inner seal 143 and two or more outer seals 141 are utilized, or conversely, two or more inner seals 143 and only one outer seal 141 is utilized.
- Different configurations of inflatable seals may be utilized within the scope of this disclosure. If multiple seals are utilized, if one seal deflates or loses pressure, a second seal may be inflated to allow for well operations to continue. In contrast, existing technology utilizes a single seal without backup or redundant seals, which causes shut down of operations once the single seal is determined to be losing pressure or failing.
- Seals 141 , 143 are inflatable, and can be filled with (or emptied of) non-hazardous hydraulic fluid, which allows for the inflation (or deflation) of the inflatable seals.
- each of the seals may be selectively inflated independently, while in other embodiments the seals may be inflated simultaneously. Inflating the seal allows for the inflatable seal to enlarge, thereby causing radial travel inward for appropriate contact/closure on any internal casing or pipe passing through the internal cavity of the diverter assembly, as described in more detail above.
- FIG. 13A depicts a perspective view of an inflatable seal of a diverter body assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- inflatable seal 1301 comprises port 1311 (such as an ovality internal hole) on an exterior portion of the seal, which acts as the conduit for hydraulic fluid in and out of the seal.
- FIG. 13B depicts a top cross-sectional view of inflatable seal 1301 .
- FIG. 13C depicts a cross-sectional view of port 1311 from line A of FIG. 13B .
- port 1311 is coupled to inner cavity 1313 of the seal and port 1311 may comprise a plurality of O-rings 1315 , as illustrated in FIG. 13C .
- the inner seal when the inner seal is inflated, it travels radially inward circumferentially and closes on the outer diameter of the conductor pipe, casing pipe, drill collars and/or drill pipe suspended thru the inner diameter of the upper packer assembly/canister assembly.
- hydraulic fluid injected into the upper packer assembly/canister assembly through a porting connection on top of the top flange of the canister assembly allows for fluid driven by pressure to inflate the seals, causing expansion and inward radial travel of the seals.
- upper packer body 136 may be removed from the rest of diverter body assembly 121 as illustrated in FIG. 5C .
- upper packer body 136 may be rotated such that breach lock tabs 140 are aligned with breach lock slots 139 in an unlocked position, allowing upper packer body 136 to be axially removed from diverter body assembly 121 .
- Replacement may similarly be accomplished by axially inserting upper packer body 136 into diverter body assembly 121 and rotating upper packer body 136 until breach lock tabs 140 are in a locked position within breach lock slots 139 .
- Upper packer body 136 is removable, and may be considered as a canister assembly or packer sleeve assembly.
- Canister/packer sleeve assembly allows for reduced labor time when changing sealing sizes to close on different size casing pipe, drill collars and/or drill pipe suspended thru the inner diameter of the upper packer assembly.
- the packer sleeve assembly acts as a removable canister for different sized pipes.
- FIGS. 5D and 5E depict upper and lower perspective views, respectively, of an upper packer body 136 removed from the diverter body assembly of FIG. 5 .
- Upper packer body 136 can be removed from the rest of diverter body assembly 121 (see FIG. 5 ) for servicing, cleaning, inspection, repair, and/or replacement of the canister itself or components thereof.
- upper packer body 136 can be disassembled for servicing or replacement of the seals, which are prone to wear and deterioration.
- diverter lower assembly 151 may couple to the lower end of diverter body 125 .
- diverter lower assembly 151 may couple to diverter body 125 by a breach-lock assembly as described herein.
- diverter lower assembly 151 may include mounting flange 153 to mechanically couple diverter lower assembly 151 to the lower end of diverter body 125 by, for example and without limitation, threaded fasteners such as bolts 155 .
- Diverter lower assembly 151 may be a tubular member. As depicted in FIG. 9 , diverter lower assembly 151 may include a breach lock assembly including lock ring retainer 157 .
- Lock ring retainer 157 may be a generally annular protrusion from the exterior surface of diverter lower assembly 151 .
- Lock ring retainer 157 may, for example, retain lock ring 161 to diverter lower assembly 151 .
- lock ring 161 may include retaining flange 163 adapted to contact lock ring retainer 157 and prevent lock ring 161 from sliding off the end of diverter lower assembly 151 .
- Lock ring 161 may further include breach lock slots 165 to couple to spacer spool pipe 171 and between spacer spool pipe 171 and overshot housing 181 as discussed herein.
- diverter lower assembly 151 may couple to spacer spool pipe 171 as depicted in FIG. 9 .
- spacer spool pipe 171 may include upper coupler 173 .
- upper coupler 173 may include one or more breach lock tabs 175 adapted to engage with breach lock slots 165 of lock ring 161 .
- spacer spool pipe 171 may be coupled to diverter lower assembly 151 by axially engaging the two members and inserting breach lock tabs 175 into breach lock slots 165 of lock ring 161 . Lock ring 161 may then be rotated such that breach lock slots 165 engage breach lock tabs 175 , retaining diverter lower assembly 151 to spacer spool pipe 171 .
- spacer spool pipe 171 may include lock ring retainer 205 .
- Lock ring retainer 205 may be a generally annular protrusion from the exterior surface of spacer spool pipe 171 .
- Lock ring retainer 205 may, for example, retain lock ring 201 to spacer spool pipe 171 as discussed above with respect to diverter lower assembly.
- Lock ring 201 may include retaining flange 203 adapted to contact lock ring retainer 205 and prevent lock ring 201 from sliding off the end of spacer spool pipe 171 .
- spacer spool pipe 171 may couple to overshot housing 181 .
- overshot housing 181 may include upper coupler 183 .
- upper coupler 183 may include one or more overshot breach lock tabs 185 adapted to engage with overshot breach lock slots 165 of overshot lock ring 161 .
- overshot housing 181 may be coupled to spacer spool pipe 171 by axially engaging the two members and inserting overshot breach lock tabs 185 into overshot breach lock slots 165 of overshot lock ring. Overshot lock ring 161 may then be rotated such that overshot breach lock slots 165 engage overshot breach lock tabs 185 , retaining spacer spool pipe 171 to overshot housing 181 .
- overshot housing 181 may be adapted to slip over a casing portion or riser, depicted as mandrel 191 .
- Overshot housing 181 may be tubular and may include a plurality of seals 187 positioned within annular grooves 189 formed on the inner surface thereof. Seals 187 may serve to provide a fluid seal between mandrel 191 and diverter assembly bore 104 . In some embodiments, two or three seals 187 may be utilized.
- mandrel 191 may include lower coupler 197 . Lower coupler 197 may allow mandrel 191 to couple to additional drilling components. In some embodiments, lower coupler 197 may include coupler flange 199 .
- the upper packer body or canister of the diverter body assembly may be removed for servicing or replacement.
- the inner seals may provide a fluid seal against multiple diameters or pipe sizes of a drill string.
- a plurality of different sized canisters/upper packer bodies may be inserted into a diverter body assembly, wherein each canister is configured for a different size or range of casing pipe, drill collars, or drill pipes.
- a single-sized diverter body or diverter body assembly may be designed and produced for a wide variety of drill pipes, while a particular upper packer body or canister can be utilized for a particular size of drill string or pipe.
- a wide variety of canisters can be used with the single-sized diverter body. This interchangeability feature reduces installation and operation costs. At a specified time as the work schedule allows, the canister can be removed to repair or replace the problematic seal. In addition, the removable canister allows for backup and/or redundancy of sealing on the various casing pipe, drill collars, and/or drill pipes, based on the use of multiple seals.
- FIGS. 11A-11D illustrate this interchangeable canister feature.
- FIG. 11A depicts a cross section view of a diverter body assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 11A illustrates diverter body assembly 1101 with removable canister 1103 .
- FIG. 11B depicts a cross section view of canister 1103 removed from diverter body assembly 1101 of FIG. 11A .
- canister 1103 is configured for a 7 ′′ drill pipe, with inner cavity 1105 sized accordingly.
- FIG. 11C is substantially similar to FIG. 11A , and illustrates diverter body assembly 1111 with removable canister 1113 .
- FIG. 11D depicts a cross section view of canister 1113 removed from diverter body assembly 1111 of FIG. 11C .
- canister 1113 is configured for a 11 -3 ⁇ 8′′ drill pipe, with inner cavity 1115 sized accordingly.
- Diverter body housings 1101 and 1111 are substantially similar and may be the same size.
- Canisters 1103 and 1113 are similar, but are designed for different sized drill strings or pipes to which the diverter body housing will enclose/seal against.
- the exterior diameter of canisters 1103 and 1131 are substantially similar (to fit within a single diverter body housing), but the inner diameters are different (to allow for different sized drill strings/pipes).
- the components of FIG. 11A-11D are substantially similar to the components in FIG. 5 .
- diverter body assemblies 1101 and 1111 are substantially similar to diverter body assembly 121 in FIG.
- canisters 1103 and 1113 are substantially similar to upper packer body 136 in FIG. 5 .
- canisters come in various inner diameter (ID) bore sizes, depending on the size of pipe being ascended and descended through the diverter assembly.
- ID inner diameter
- FIG. 11B illustrates one size of inner bore 1105
- FIG. 11D illustrates a second size of inner bore 1115 .
- Each canister has its own set of seals.
- canister 1103 has a plurality of inner seals 1121 (such as three seals) and a plurality of outer seals 1123 (such as two seals)
- canister 1113 has a plurality of inner seals 1131 and a plurality of outer seals 1133 .
- diverter body assembly 1101 and 1111 may include diverter body 125 , as depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6 . Similar to FIGS. 5 and 6 , diverter body 125 may include one or more diverter outlet ports 127 , corresponding with outlet ports 109 of diverter support housing 101 thereby fluidly coupling diverter outlet ports 127 to outlet pipes 105 and the annulus of a wellbore.
- One embodiment of the disclosed canister/upper packer body includes a plurality of inner seals and a plurality of outer seals.
- the disclosed canister/upper packer body includes only a plurality of inner seals.
- one or more outer seals are positioned on an interior wall of the diverter body housing, such as packer sleeve 132 .
- the design and configuration of the canister is simplified.
- FIGS. 12A-12C depict a cross section view of a canister consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 12C depicts an exploded view of the canister from FIGS. 12A and 12B .
- canister 1201 is similar to upper packer body 136 illustrated in FIG. 5C . Similar to upper packer body 136 , as well as canisters 1103 and 1113 , canister 1201 may be removed from the rest of a diverter body assembly (not shown in FIGS. 12A-12C ). Canister 1201 comprise inner seals 1243 (such as two seals), while any secondary set of seals (such as outer seals 141 in FIG. 5C ) are located on an inside surface of the diverter body assembly 121 and/or sleeve 132 . Canister 1201 comprises top flange 1221 , top plate 1223 , upper seal 1243 a , middle plate 1225 , lower seal 1243 B, and lower plate 1227 .
- inner seals 1243 such as two seals
- any secondary set of seals such as outer seals 141 in FIG. 5C
- Canister 1201 comprises top flange 1221 , top plate 1223 , upper seal 1243 a , middle plate 1225 , lower seal
- middle plate 1225 separates upper seal 1243 a from lower seal 1243 b . While only two seals are illustrated, more or less may be utilized as is known by one of skill in the art. As described herein, upper and lower seals may be inflatable seals, as described further in reference to FIGS. 13A-13C .
- Top flange 1221 is coupled to top plate 1223 and bottom plate 1227 by a plurality of bolts or fasteners 1211 . Corresponding bolt recesses are located within top plate 1221 and bottom plate 1227 .
- O-ring 1213 may be positioned between top plate 1223 and upper seal 1241 a . As described above in relation to FIG. 5 and FIGS.
- canister 1201 can be removed from the rest of diverter body assembly 121 for servicing, cleaning, inspection, repair, and/or replacement of the canister itself or components thereof.
- canister 1201 can be disassembled for servicing or replacement of the seals, which are prone to wear and deterioration.
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Abstract
A diverter assembly may include a diverter body assembly. The diverter body assembly may also include a diverter body, the diverter body fluidly coupled to the annulus of a wellbore via a casing or riser, and the diverter body including one or more diverter outlet ports fluidly coupled to the annulus of the wellbore. The diverter body assembly may also include an upper packer assembly. The upper packer assembly may include a packer sleeve, the packer sleeve mechanically coupled to the diverter body. The packer sleeve may include one or more breach lock slots. The upper packer assembly may also include an upper packer body having one or more packer breach lock tabs engaged with the breach lock slots of the packer sleeve. The diverter assembly may also include a diverter support housing, the diverter support housing coupled to the diverter body assembly.
Description
- The present application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/752,621, filed on Jan. 25, 2020, which claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 15/229,589, filed on Aug. 5, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,557,324, which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/201,362, filed on Aug. 5, 2015. The entire contents of each of the above documents is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
- The present disclosure relates to diverters for drilling operations.
- While drilling a wellbore, a diverter may be positioned to divert any high pressure fluid resulting from, for example, a blowout, away from the drilling floor. A diverter may couple to an upper end of a casing or a riser and be positioned about the drill string as the wellbore is drilled. Traditionally, the diverter is positioned beneath the drill floor or rotary table and includes one or more outlets that may be coupled to exhaust conduits away from the drill floor.
- The present disclosure provides for a diverter assembly. A diverter assembly includes a diverter body assembly. The diverter body assembly includes a diverter body, the diverter body fluidly coupled to the annulus of a wellbore via a casing or riser, and the diverter body including one or more diverter outlet ports fluidly coupled to the annulus of the wellbore. The diverter body assembly also includes an upper packer assembly. The upper packer assembly includes a packer sleeve, the packer sleeve mechanically coupled to the diverter body. The packer sleeve includes one or more breach lock slots. The upper packer assembly also includes an upper packer body having one or more packer breach lock tabs engaged with the breach lock slots of the packer sleeve. The diverter assembly also includes a diverter support housing, the diverter support housing coupled to the diverter body assembly.
- The present disclosure also provides for a method. The method includes providing a diverter body assembly including a diverter body, the diverter body fluidly coupled to the annulus of a wellbore via a casing or riser, and the diverter body including one or more diverter outlet ports fluidly coupled to the annulus of the wellbore. The method also includes coupling a packer sleeve to the diverter body, and inserting an upper packer body into the packer sleeve such that one or more packer breach lock tabs of the upper packer body engage one or more corresponding breach lock slots of the packer sleeve. The method additionally includes rotating the upper packer body to a closed position such that the breach lock slots retain the upper packer body to the packer sleeve and sealing, with the upper packer body, between the diverter body and a drill string passing therethrough.
- The present disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion.
-
FIG. 1 depicts a cross section view of a diverter assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of a diverter support housing consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of the housing cylinder of the diverter support housing ofFIG. 2 . -
FIG. 4 depicts a cross section view of the housing cylinder ofFIG. 3 . -
FIG. 5 depicts a cross section view of a diverter body assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 5A depicts a cross section view of a diverter body assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 5B depicts a cross section view of a diverter body assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 5C depicts a cross section view of a diverter body assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIGS. 5D and 5E depict perspective views of an upper packer body removed from the diverter body assembly ofFIG. 5 . -
FIG. 6 depicts a cross section view of a diverter body of the diverter assembly ofFIG. 5 . -
FIG. 7 depicts a perspective view of the diverter body ofFIG. 6 . -
FIG. 8 depicts a diverter upper retainer of the diverter assembly ofFIG. 5 . -
FIG. 9 depicts a cross section of a diverter lower assembly, spacer spool, overshot, and mandrel consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 10 depicts a lock ring consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 11A depicts a cross section view of a diverter body assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 11B depicts a cross section view of a canister removed from the diverter body assembly ofFIG. 11A consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 11C depicts a cross section view of a diverter body assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 11D depicts a cross section view of a canister removed from the diverter body assembly ofFIG. 11C consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIGS. 12A and 12B depict a cross section view of a canister consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 12C depicts an exploded view of the canister fromFIG. 12A . -
FIG. 13A depicts a perspective view of an inflatable seal of a diverter body assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 13B depicts a top view of the inflatable seal fromFIG. 13A . -
FIG. 13C depicts a cross-sectional view of a port of the inflatable seal fromFIG. 13A . - It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of various embodiments. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed.
-
FIG. 1 depicts a cross section ofdiverter assembly 100 consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments,diverter assembly 100 may includediverter support housing 101.Diverter support housing 101 may be mechanically coupled to a drill floor (not shown) or other component of a drilling rig by, for example and without limitation, one or more structural beams underneath and supporting the drill floor.Diverter support housing 101 may be mechanically coupled todiverter body assembly 121.Diverter assembly 100 further includes diverterlower assembly 151,spacer spool pipe 171 and overshothousing 181.Diverter body assembly 121 may be mechanically coupled to diverterlower assembly 151, which may be mechanically coupled tospacer spool pipe 171.Spacer spool pipe 171 may be mechanically coupled toovershot housing 181.Diverter body assembly 121, diverterlower assembly 151,spacer spool pipe 171, and overshothousing 181 may each be generally tubular and may form diverter assembly bore 104 therethrough. In some embodiments a drill string (not shown) may extend through diverter assembly bore 104.Overshot housing 181 may fit around a tubular such as a riser or a portion of casing such that diverter assembly bore 104 is coupled to the annulus of the wellbore via the riser or portion of casing. - In some embodiments, as depicted in
FIGS. 2-4 ,diverter support housing 101 may includehousing cylinder 102.Housing cylinder 102 may be coupled tobase plate 103 as shown inFIG. 2 .Base plate 103 mechanically couplesdiverter support housing 101 to the drilling rig. In some embodiments, one or more outlet pipes may be fluidly connected to diverter assembly bore 104. In some embodiments,outlet pipes 105 may be formed at least partially indiverter support housing 101. During operation, one ormore outlet pipes 105 may conduct fluid from diverter assembly bore 104, which is fluidly connected to the interior ofdiverter assembly 100 as discussed herein below. In some embodiments,outlet pipes 105 may include couplers adapted to couple to exhaust conduits, allowing fluids to be routed to locations away from the drilling rig. For example and without limitation, the couplers may beflange couplings 107 as shown inFIG. 2 , though one having ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure will understand that any pipe coupling may be used without deviating from the scope of this disclosure. Outlet pipes 105 (shown removed inFIGS. 3, 4 ) may couple tooutlet ports 109 formed inhousing cylinder 102. In some embodiments,inlet ports 111 may be fluidly coupled toinlet pipes 113 to, for example, allow fluid to be introduced intohousing cylinder 102. - As shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4 , in some embodiments,housing cylinder 102 may include housingbreach lock slots 115. Housingbreach lock slots 115 may, as understood in the art, allow one or more corresponding breach lock tabs 123 (FIG. 5 ) fromdiverter body assembly 121 to axially enter thereinto and, upon rotation ofdiverter body assembly 121, axially lockdiverter body assembly 121 todiverter support housing 101. In some embodiments, housingbreach lock slots 115 may include rotation stop 117 to retard further rotation ofdiverter body assembly 121 when in a locked position. Likewise, rotation ofdiverter body assembly 121 in the opposite direction may movebreach lock tabs 123 into an open position, to allowdiverter body assembly 121 to be axially removed fromdiverter support housing 101.Rotation stop 117 may in some embodiments retard rotation ofdiverter body assembly 121 in both rotational directions. - As depicted in
FIGS. 5 and 6 , in some embodiments,diverter body assembly 121 may include diverterbody 125.Diverter body 125 may include one or morediverter outlet ports 127, corresponding withoutlet ports 109 ofdiverter support housing 101 thereby fluidly couplingdiverter outlet ports 127 tooutlet pipes 105 and the annulus of a wellbore. In some embodiments, as depicted inFIG. 5 , one ormore seals 129 may be positioned betweendiverter body 125 andhousing cylinder 102 to, for example and without limitation, provide a fluid seal betweendiverter outlet ports 127 andoutlet ports 109. In some embodiments,diverter body 125 may be fluidly coupled to the annulus of a wellbore via a casing or riser. - In some embodiments,
diverter body assembly 121 may includeupper packer assembly 131.Upper packer assembly 131 may form a fluid seal betweendiverter body 125 and a drill string (not shown) passing therethrough.Upper packer assembly 131 may includepacker sleeve 132.Packer sleeve 132 may fit within packer recess 133 (shown inFIG. 6 ) withindiverter body 125.Packer sleeve 132 may, in some embodiments, be coupled todiverter body 125 by, for example and without limitation, threaded fasteners such asbolts 137.Upper packer assembly 131 may includeupper packer body 136 adapted to fit withinpacker sleeve 132. Upper packer body may be annular. In some embodiments,upper packer body 136 may be inserted into or removed frompacker sleeve 132 in an axial direction. In some embodiments,upper packer body 136 may be coupled topacker sleeve 132 and thus todiverter body 125 byupper retainer 135. In some embodiments,upper retainer 135 may include one or more breach lock slots 139 (shown in detail inFIG. 8 ) corresponding to one or more correspondingbreach lock tabs 140 positioned on an end ofupper packer body 136 to allowupper packer body 136 to couple thereto asupper packer body 136 is rotated into a closed position from the open position used to insertupper packer body 136 intopacker sleeve 132. - In some embodiments, as depicted in
FIG. 5 ,upper packer assembly 131 may include twoouter seals 141 coupled toupper packer body 136.Outer seals 141 may provide a fluid seal betweenupper packer assembly 131 anddiverter body 125. In some embodiments,upper packer assembly 131 may include twoinner seals 143 coupled toupper packer body 136.Inner seals 143 may provide a fluid seal betweenupper packer assembly 131 and a drill string (not shown) during a drilling operation. In some embodiments,outer seals 141 andinner seals 143 may be fluid actuated to extend and seal between the respective members. In some such embodiments,outer seals 141 andinner seals 143 may be, for example and without limitation, inflatable seals. In some embodiments,outer seals 141 andinner seals 143 may be inflated simultaneously or may be selectively inflated independently. In some embodiments,outer seals 141 andinner seals 143 may be inflated by one or more ports. One embodiment of the inflatable seals and ports thereof is illustrated inFIGS. 13A-13C . In some embodiments,inner seals 143 may provide a fluid seal against multiple diameters or pipe sizes of a drill string. One having ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure will understand that any number ofouter seals 141 andinner seals 143 may be utilized without deviating from the scope of this disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, as depicted inFIG. 5A ,upper packer assembly 131′ may include threeouter seals 141′ and threeinner seals 143′. In some embodiments,outer seals 141′ may be positioned as part ofupper packer assembly 131′. In some embodiments, as depicted inFIG. 5B ,outer seals 141′ may be positioned as part ofpacker sleeve 132′ positioned withindiverter body 125 as previously discussed. In such an embodiment,outer seals 141″ may seal againstupper packer assembly 131″. In one embodiment, only oneinner seal 143 and oneouter seal 141 is utilized. In other embodiments, two or moreinner seals 143 and two or moreouter seals 141 are utilized. In other embodiments, oneinner seal 143 and two or moreouter seals 141 are utilized, or conversely, two or moreinner seals 143 and only oneouter seal 141 is utilized. Different configurations of inflatable seals may be utilized within the scope of this disclosure. If multiple seals are utilized, if one seal deflates or loses pressure, a second seal may be inflated to allow for well operations to continue. In contrast, existing technology utilizes a single seal without backup or redundant seals, which causes shut down of operations once the single seal is determined to be losing pressure or failing. -
Seals FIG. 13A depicts a perspective view of an inflatable seal of a diverter body assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. In one embodiment,inflatable seal 1301 comprises port 1311 (such as an ovality internal hole) on an exterior portion of the seal, which acts as the conduit for hydraulic fluid in and out of the seal.FIG. 13B depicts a top cross-sectional view ofinflatable seal 1301.FIG. 13C depicts a cross-sectional view ofport 1311 from line A ofFIG. 13B . In one embodiment,port 1311 is coupled toinner cavity 1313 of the seal andport 1311 may comprise a plurality of O-rings 1315, as illustrated inFIG. 13C . In one embodiment, when the inner seal is inflated, it travels radially inward circumferentially and closes on the outer diameter of the conductor pipe, casing pipe, drill collars and/or drill pipe suspended thru the inner diameter of the upper packer assembly/canister assembly. In one embodiment, hydraulic fluid injected into the upper packer assembly/canister assembly through a porting connection on top of the top flange of the canister assembly, allows for fluid driven by pressure to inflate the seals, causing expansion and inward radial travel of the seals. - Stresses on
outer seals 141 andinner seals 143 may cause the seals to deteriorate. In order to service or replaceseals upper packer body 136 may be removed from the rest ofdiverter body assembly 121 as illustrated inFIG. 5C . In some such embodiments,upper packer body 136 may be rotated such thatbreach lock tabs 140 are aligned withbreach lock slots 139 in an unlocked position, allowingupper packer body 136 to be axially removed fromdiverter body assembly 121. Replacement may similarly be accomplished by axially insertingupper packer body 136 intodiverter body assembly 121 and rotatingupper packer body 136 untilbreach lock tabs 140 are in a locked position withinbreach lock slots 139.Upper packer body 136 is removable, and may be considered as a canister assembly or packer sleeve assembly. Canister/packer sleeve assembly allows for reduced labor time when changing sealing sizes to close on different size casing pipe, drill collars and/or drill pipe suspended thru the inner diameter of the upper packer assembly. In other words, the packer sleeve assembly acts as a removable canister for different sized pipes.FIGS. 5D and 5E depict upper and lower perspective views, respectively, of anupper packer body 136 removed from the diverter body assembly ofFIG. 5 .Upper packer body 136 can be removed from the rest of diverter body assembly 121 (seeFIG. 5 ) for servicing, cleaning, inspection, repair, and/or replacement of the canister itself or components thereof. For example,upper packer body 136 can be disassembled for servicing or replacement of the seals, which are prone to wear and deterioration. - In some embodiments, as shown in
FIG. 5 , diverterlower assembly 151 may couple to the lower end ofdiverter body 125. In some embodiments, diverterlower assembly 151 may couple todiverter body 125 by a breach-lock assembly as described herein. In some embodiments, diverterlower assembly 151 may include mountingflange 153 to mechanically couple diverterlower assembly 151 to the lower end ofdiverter body 125 by, for example and without limitation, threaded fasteners such asbolts 155. Diverterlower assembly 151 may be a tubular member. As depicted inFIG. 9 , diverterlower assembly 151 may include a breach lock assembly includinglock ring retainer 157.Lock ring retainer 157 may be a generally annular protrusion from the exterior surface of diverterlower assembly 151.Lock ring retainer 157 may, for example, retainlock ring 161 to diverterlower assembly 151. As depicted inFIG. 10 ,lock ring 161 may include retainingflange 163 adapted to contactlock ring retainer 157 and preventlock ring 161 from sliding off the end of diverterlower assembly 151.Lock ring 161 may further includebreach lock slots 165 to couple tospacer spool pipe 171 and betweenspacer spool pipe 171 and overshothousing 181 as discussed herein. - In some embodiments, diverter
lower assembly 151 may couple tospacer spool pipe 171 as depicted inFIG. 9 . In some embodiments,spacer spool pipe 171 may includeupper coupler 173. In some embodimentsupper coupler 173 may include one or morebreach lock tabs 175 adapted to engage withbreach lock slots 165 oflock ring 161. In such an embodiment,spacer spool pipe 171 may be coupled to diverterlower assembly 151 by axially engaging the two members and insertingbreach lock tabs 175 intobreach lock slots 165 oflock ring 161.Lock ring 161 may then be rotated such thatbreach lock slots 165 engagebreach lock tabs 175, retaining diverterlower assembly 151 tospacer spool pipe 171. - In some embodiments,
spacer spool pipe 171 may includelock ring retainer 205.Lock ring retainer 205 may be a generally annular protrusion from the exterior surface ofspacer spool pipe 171.Lock ring retainer 205 may, for example, retainlock ring 201 tospacer spool pipe 171 as discussed above with respect to diverter lower assembly.Lock ring 201 may include retainingflange 203 adapted to contactlock ring retainer 205 and preventlock ring 201 from sliding off the end ofspacer spool pipe 171. - In some embodiments,
spacer spool pipe 171 may couple toovershot housing 181. In some embodiments, overshothousing 181 may includeupper coupler 183. In some embodimentsupper coupler 183 may include one or more overshotbreach lock tabs 185 adapted to engage with overshotbreach lock slots 165 ofovershot lock ring 161. In such an embodiment, overshothousing 181 may be coupled tospacer spool pipe 171 by axially engaging the two members and inserting overshotbreach lock tabs 185 into overshotbreach lock slots 165 of overshot lock ring.Overshot lock ring 161 may then be rotated such that overshotbreach lock slots 165 engage overshotbreach lock tabs 185, retainingspacer spool pipe 171 toovershot housing 181. - In some embodiments, as shown in
FIG. 9 , overshothousing 181 may be adapted to slip over a casing portion or riser, depicted asmandrel 191.Overshot housing 181 may be tubular and may include a plurality ofseals 187 positioned withinannular grooves 189 formed on the inner surface thereof.Seals 187 may serve to provide a fluid seal betweenmandrel 191 and diverter assembly bore 104. In some embodiments, two or threeseals 187 may be utilized. In some embodiments,mandrel 191 may includelower coupler 197.Lower coupler 197 may allowmandrel 191 to couple to additional drilling components. In some embodiments,lower coupler 197 may includecoupler flange 199. - As discussed herein, the upper packer body or canister of the diverter body assembly may be removed for servicing or replacement. In one embodiment, the inner seals may provide a fluid seal against multiple diameters or pipe sizes of a drill string. In one embodiment, a plurality of different sized canisters/upper packer bodies may be inserted into a diverter body assembly, wherein each canister is configured for a different size or range of casing pipe, drill collars, or drill pipes. For example, a single-sized diverter body or diverter body assembly may be designed and produced for a wide variety of drill pipes, while a particular upper packer body or canister can be utilized for a particular size of drill string or pipe. A wide variety of canisters (with different seals and/or bores) can be used with the single-sized diverter body. This interchangeability feature reduces installation and operation costs. At a specified time as the work schedule allows, the canister can be removed to repair or replace the problematic seal. In addition, the removable canister allows for backup and/or redundancy of sealing on the various casing pipe, drill collars, and/or drill pipes, based on the use of multiple seals.
-
FIGS. 11A-11D illustrate this interchangeable canister feature.FIG. 11A depicts a cross section view of a diverter body assembly consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG. 11A illustratesdiverter body assembly 1101 withremovable canister 1103.FIG. 11B depicts a cross section view ofcanister 1103 removed fromdiverter body assembly 1101 ofFIG. 11A . In one embodiment,canister 1103 is configured for a 7″ drill pipe, withinner cavity 1105 sized accordingly.FIG. 11C is substantially similar toFIG. 11A , and illustratesdiverter body assembly 1111 withremovable canister 1113.FIG. 11D depicts a cross section view ofcanister 1113 removed fromdiverter body assembly 1111 ofFIG. 11C . In one embodiment,canister 1113 is configured for a 11-⅜″ drill pipe, withinner cavity 1115 sized accordingly.Diverter body housings Canisters canisters FIG. 11A-11D are substantially similar to the components inFIG. 5 . Likewise,diverter body assemblies diverter body assembly 121 inFIG. 5 , andcanisters upper packer body 136 inFIG. 5 . In one embodiment, canisters come in various inner diameter (ID) bore sizes, depending on the size of pipe being ascended and descended through the diverter assembly. For example,FIG. 11B illustrates one size ofinner bore 1105, whileFIG. 11D illustrates a second size ofinner bore 1115. Each canister has its own set of seals. For example,canister 1103 has a plurality of inner seals 1121 (such as three seals) and a plurality of outer seals 1123 (such as two seals) Likewise,canister 1113 has a plurality ofinner seals 1131 and a plurality ofouter seals 1133. In some embodiments,diverter body assembly body 125, as depicted inFIGS. 5 and 6 . Similar toFIGS. 5 and 6 ,diverter body 125 may include one or morediverter outlet ports 127, corresponding withoutlet ports 109 ofdiverter support housing 101 thereby fluidly couplingdiverter outlet ports 127 tooutlet pipes 105 and the annulus of a wellbore. - One embodiment of the disclosed canister/upper packer body includes a plurality of inner seals and a plurality of outer seals. In another embodiment, the disclosed canister/upper packer body includes only a plurality of inner seals. In this embodiment, one or more outer seals are positioned on an interior wall of the diverter body housing, such as
packer sleeve 132. In this embodiment, the design and configuration of the canister is simplified. One such embodiment is illustrated inFIGS. 12A-12C .FIGS. 12A and 12B depict a cross section view of a canister consistent with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG. 12C depicts an exploded view of the canister fromFIGS. 12A and 12B . - In one embodiment,
canister 1201 is similar toupper packer body 136 illustrated inFIG. 5C . Similar toupper packer body 136, as well ascanisters canister 1201 may be removed from the rest of a diverter body assembly (not shown inFIGS. 12A-12C ).Canister 1201 comprise inner seals 1243 (such as two seals), while any secondary set of seals (such asouter seals 141 inFIG. 5C ) are located on an inside surface of thediverter body assembly 121 and/orsleeve 132.Canister 1201 comprisestop flange 1221,top plate 1223,upper seal 1243 a,middle plate 1225, lower seal 1243B, andlower plate 1227. In one embodiment,middle plate 1225 separatesupper seal 1243 a fromlower seal 1243 b. While only two seals are illustrated, more or less may be utilized as is known by one of skill in the art. As described herein, upper and lower seals may be inflatable seals, as described further in reference toFIGS. 13A-13C .Top flange 1221 is coupled totop plate 1223 andbottom plate 1227 by a plurality of bolts orfasteners 1211. Corresponding bolt recesses are located withintop plate 1221 andbottom plate 1227. O-ring 1213 may be positioned betweentop plate 1223 and upper seal 1241 a. As described above in relation toFIG. 5 andFIGS. 5A-5E ,canister 1201 can be removed from the rest ofdiverter body assembly 121 for servicing, cleaning, inspection, repair, and/or replacement of the canister itself or components thereof. For example,canister 1201 can be disassembled for servicing or replacement of the seals, which are prone to wear and deterioration. - The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments so that a person of ordinary skill in the art may better understand the aspects of the present disclosure. Such features may be replaced by any one of numerous equivalent alternatives, only some of which are disclosed herein. One of ordinary skill in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. One of ordinary skill in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure and that they may make various changes, substitutions, and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
Claims (23)
1. A diverter assembly, comprising:
a diverter body, wherein the diverter body is fluidly coupled to an annulus of a wellbore; and
a canister assembly mechanically coupled to the diverter body, wherein the canister assembly is removable from the diverter body,
wherein the canister assembly comprises a plurality of inflatable inner seals.
2. The diverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inflatable inner seals is positioned on an inner surface of the canister assembly.
3. The diverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inflatable inner seals is arranged to form a fluid seal between the canister assembly and a drill string or casing.
4. The diverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inflatable inner seals is configured to seal against multiple pipe diameters of a drill string or casing.
5. The diverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of inflatable inner seals is adapted to be inflated simultaneously.
6. The diverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of inflatable inner seals is adapted to be inflated selectively independently.
7. The diverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inflatable inner seals is configured to be inflated by fluid actuation.
8. The diverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inflatable inner seals is adapted to be serviced by the removal of the canister assembly from the diverter body.
9. The diverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inflatable inner seals is adapted to be replaced by the removal of the packer sleeve assembly from the diverter body.
10. The diverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the canister assembly is removable from the diverter body by axial rotation of the canister assembly.
11. The diverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the canister assembly is removable from the diverter body along an axis of the canister assembly.
12. The diverter assembly of claim 1 ,
wherein the canister assembly is configured to be axially coupled to or removed from the diverter body by a breach lock assembly,
wherein the canister assembly comprises one or more breach lock tabs and one or more breach lock slots.
13. The diverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the canister assembly is selectable based on a pipe size to be enclosed within the canister assembly.
14. The diverter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the canister assembly comprises an upper plate, a middle plate, and a lower plate, wherein one of the plurality of inflatable inner seals is positioned between the upper plate and middle plate and one of the plurality of inflatable inner seals is positioned between the middle plate and the lower plate.
15. A diverter assembly, comprising:
a diverter body, wherein the diverter body is fluidly coupled to an annulus of a wellbore; and
a canister assembly mechanically coupled to the diverter body, wherein the canister assembly is removable from the diverter body,
wherein the canister assembly comprises at least one inflatable inner seal positioned on an inner surface of the canister assembly,
wherein the diverter body comprises at least one inflatable outer seal, wherein the at least one inflatable outer seal is positioned on an inner surface of the diverter body.
16. The diverter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the at least one inflatable inner seal is arranged to form a fluid seal between the canister assembly and a drill string or casing.
17. The diverter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the at least one inflatable outer seal is arranged to form a fluid seal between the canister assembly and the diverter body.
18. The diverter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the at least one inflatable inner seal comprises a plurality of inflatable inner seals.
19. The diverter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the at least one inflatable outer seal comprises a plurality of inflatable outer seals.
20. A diverter body system, comprising:
a diverter body, wherein the diverter body is fluidly coupled to an annulus of a wellbore; and
a plurality of canister assemblies configured to mechanically couple to the diverter body, wherein each of the plurality of canister assemblies is removable from the diverter body, wherein each of the plurality of canister assemblies comprises at least one inflatable inner seal configured to form a fluid seal between the canister assembly and a pipe passing through the diverter body.
21. The diverter body system of claim 20 , wherein each of the plurality of canister assemblies is configured to seal against a specific diameter of the pipe.
22. The diverter body system of claim 20 , wherein one of the plurality of canister assemblies is selectable based on a specific diameter of the pipe.
23. The diverter body system of claim 20 , wherein the at least one inflatable inner seal comprises a plurality of inflatable inner seals.
Priority Applications (1)
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US17/858,439 US20220341270A1 (en) | 2015-08-05 | 2022-07-06 | Diverter for drilling operation |
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US201562201362P | 2015-08-05 | 2015-08-05 | |
US15/229,589 US10557324B2 (en) | 2015-08-05 | 2016-08-05 | Diverter for drilling operation |
US16/752,621 US11396781B2 (en) | 2015-08-05 | 2020-01-25 | Diverter for drilling operation |
US17/858,439 US20220341270A1 (en) | 2015-08-05 | 2022-07-06 | Diverter for drilling operation |
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US16/752,621 Continuation-In-Part US11396781B2 (en) | 2015-08-05 | 2020-01-25 | Diverter for drilling operation |
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US20220341270A1 true US20220341270A1 (en) | 2022-10-27 |
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US17/858,439 Pending US20220341270A1 (en) | 2015-08-05 | 2022-07-06 | Diverter for drilling operation |
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US20140014331A1 (en) * | 2011-02-08 | 2014-01-16 | Crocker Research Pty Ltd | Method and tool for evaluating a geological formation |
US9291011B2 (en) * | 2012-10-26 | 2016-03-22 | Dril-Quip, Inc. | Integral diverter system |
US20220381105A1 (en) * | 2019-11-11 | 2022-12-01 | Oil States Industries (Uk) Limited | Apparatus and method relating to managed pressure drilling (mpd) whilst using a subsea rcd system |
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US4971148A (en) * | 1989-01-30 | 1990-11-20 | Hydril Company | Flow diverter |
US20120174993A1 (en) * | 2011-01-11 | 2012-07-12 | Cameron International Corporation | Subsea retrievable insert with choke valve and non return valve |
US20140014331A1 (en) * | 2011-02-08 | 2014-01-16 | Crocker Research Pty Ltd | Method and tool for evaluating a geological formation |
US9291011B2 (en) * | 2012-10-26 | 2016-03-22 | Dril-Quip, Inc. | Integral diverter system |
US20220381105A1 (en) * | 2019-11-11 | 2022-12-01 | Oil States Industries (Uk) Limited | Apparatus and method relating to managed pressure drilling (mpd) whilst using a subsea rcd system |
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