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EP-4337841-B1 - LOCK SEQUENCING SYSTEM FOR A BLOWOUT PREVENTER

EP4337841B1EP 4337841 B1EP4337841 B1EP 4337841B1EP-4337841-B1

Inventors

  • Berthaud, Pascal
  • PUJOL, Jean-Luc
  • JAUZION, BENOIT

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20220511

Claims (11)

  1. A system, comprising: a blowout preventer (42) comprising: a housing (70) that houses opposing rams (50); a piston cavity (86, 88) disposed in the housing (70), a central bore (44) extending through the housing; and an actuator assembly (80) disposed in the housing (70), the actuator assembly (80) configured to drive the opposing rams (50) between an initial ram position and a final ram position, comprising: a piston (82) disposed in the piston cavity (86, 88); and a connecting rod (84) that connects the piston (82) to the corresponding ram (50) of the opposing rams (50); and a lock sequencing system, comprising: a first valve (154); a fluid source (152) configured to provide fluid through the first valve (154); and a lock (90) comprising: at least one lock member (92); and a hydraulic motor (158) that drives the at least one lock member (92), wherein the first valve (154), the fluid source (152), and the lock (90) are connected via at least one fluid line, wherein the at least one fluid line couples the fluid source (152) to a first portion of the piston cavity (86) of the blowout preventer (42) and to a hydraulic motor (158) of the lock (90); and wherein the lock sequencing system sequentially adjusts at least one ram (50) of the opposing rams (50) of the blowout preventer (42) and the at least one lock member (92) of the lock (90), and wherein a first discharge valve is positioned along the at least one fluid line, wherein the first discharge valve is positioned to delay delivery of fluid from the fluid source to the hydraulic motor of the lock to cause sequential closure of the at least one ram coupled to the piston and locking of the at least one locking member of the lock.
  2. The system of claim 1, wherein, in the initial ram position, the opposing rams (50) are withdrawn from the central bore (44), wherein, in the final ram position, the opposing rams (50) are positioned within the central bore (44), wherein the first valve (154) is configured to move to a first position, resulting in the fluid driving the at least one lock member (92) toward an unlock position, and then driving a corresponding ram (50) of the opposing rams automatically and sequentially to the initial ram position, and wherein the first valve (154) is configured to move to a second position, resulting in the fluid driving the corresponding ram (50) of the opposing rams (50) toward the final ram position, and then driving the at least one lock member (92) automatically and sequentially to a lock position.
  3. The system of claim 2, wherein the lock sequencing system further comprises: a ram-opening valve (160) that is configured to open in response to a pressure of the fluid reaching a first threshold; and a locking valve (164) that is configured to open in response to the pressure of the fluid reaching a second threshold, wherein the first valve (154), the fluid source (152), the lock (90), the ram opening valve (160), and the locking valve (164) are connected via the at least one fluid line.
  4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first threshold is reached when the at least one lock member (92) has reached the unlock position, and wherein the second threshold is reached when the opposing rams (50) are in the final ram position.
  5. The system of claim 3, wherein, when the ram-opening valve (160) is open, the fluid reaches a portion (88) of the piston cavity and drives the piston (82) and the connecting rod (84) connected thereto away from the central bore (44) of the blowout preventer (42), and wherein, when the locking valve (164) is open, the fluid reaches the hydraulic motor (158) of the lock (90), thereby causing the hydraulic motor (158) to drive the at least one lock member (92) to the lock position.
  6. The system of claim 1, wherein the lock sequencing system further comprises a control block (170) coupled to the lock (90), wherein the control block (170) comprises: a main inlet (174) in fluid communication with the first valve (154); a first outlet (176) that is configured to drive the at least one lock member (92) to an unlock position; a second outlet (178) that is configured to drive the at least one ram (50) of the opposing rams (50) to the initial ram position; a third outlet (180) that is configured to drive the at least one ram (50) of the opposing rams (50) to the final ram position; and a fourth outlet (182) that is configured to drive the at least one lock member (92) to a lock position.
  7. A method, comprising: coupling a blowout preventer (42) to a lock sequencing system, wherein the blowout preventer (42) comprises: a housing (70) that houses opposing rams (50); a central bore (44) extending through the housing (70); a piston cavity (86, 88) disposed in the housing (70); and an actuator assembly (80) comprising: a piston (82) disposed in the piston cavity (86, 88); and a connecting rod (84) that connects the piston (82) to a corresponding ram of the opposing rams (50), wherein the actuator assembly (80) is configured to drive the opposing rams (50) between an initial ram position and a final ram position, wherein the lock sequencing system comprises: a first valve (154); a fluid source (152) configured to provide fluid through the first valve; a lock (90) comprising: at least one lock member (92); and a hydraulic motor (158) that drives the at least one lock member (92), at least one fluid line coupling the fluid source (152) to a first portion of the piston cavity (86) of the blowout preventer (42) and to the hydraulic motor (158) of the lock (90); and a first discharge valve positioned along the at least one fluid line; pumping the fluid from the fluid source (152) through the first valve (154) of the lock sequencing system; and using the lock sequencing system to sequentially adjust at least one ram (50) of the opposing rams (50) of the blowout preventer and the at least one lock member (92) of the lock (90), wherein the first discharge valve is positioned to delay delivery of fluid from the fluid source to the hydraulic motor of the lock to cause sequential closure of the at least one ram coupled to the piston and locking of the at least one locking member of the lock.
  8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: moving the first valve (154) to a first position, resulting in the fluid driving the at least one lock member (920 toward an unlock position; and driving the corresponding ram (50) of the opposing rams (50) automatically and sequentially to the initial ram position, wherein, in the initial ram position, the opposing rams (50) are withdrawn from the central bore (44).
  9. The method of claim 7 or 8, further comprising: moving the first valve (154) to a second position, resulting in the fluid driving the corresponding ram (50) of the opposing rams (50) toward the final ram position, wherein, in the final ram position, the opposing rams (50) are positioned within the central bore (44); and driving the at least one lock member (92) automatically and sequentially to a lock position.
  10. The method of claim 8 and 9, wherein the locking sequencing system further comprises: a ram-opening valve (160) and a locking valve (164), the method further comprising: opening the ram-opening valve (160) in response to a pressure of the fluid reaching a first threshold; and opening the locking valve (164) in response to the pressure of the fluid reaching a second threshold.
  11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first threshold is reached when the at least one lock member (92) has reached the unlock position, and wherein the second threshold is reached when the opposing rams (50) are in the final ram position.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE PARAGRAPH This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/201,798, entitled "LOCK SEQUENCING SYSTEM FOR A BLOWOUT PREVENTER," filed May 13, 2021. BACKGROUND This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art. A blowout preventer (BOP) stack is installed on a wellhead to seal and control an oil and gas well during drilling operations. A drill string may be suspended inside a drilling riser from a rig through the BOP stack into the wellbore. During drilling operations, a drilling fluid is delivered through the drill string and returned up through an annulus between the drill string and a casing that lines the wellbore. In the event of a rapid invasion of formation fluid in the annulus, commonly known as a "kick," a movable component within the BOP stack may be actuated to seal the annulus and to control fluid pressure in the wellbore, thereby protecting well equipment disposed above the BOP stack. In some cases, a cavity lock system may also be operated to lock the movable component to maintain the seal in the annulus. US 6006647 A discloses a preventer having an actuator with a free-floating piston, a lock member body and a locking mechanism in the lock member body, the locking mechanism having a wedge reciprocable between a first position in which the wedge is disposed to one side of the tail rod, wherein the piston is moved to one of its alternate positions, and a second position in which the wedge is disposed across the outer end of the tail rod, as the piston is moved toward its other alternate position, WO 2020/169714 A1 discloses a remote locking system for a blowout preventer. US 2017/191337 A1 discloses a shearing sequence for a blowout preventer. US 9169713 B2 discloses a blowout preventer with a locking ram assembly. US 4969390 A discloses a rod locking device. SUMMARY According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a lock sequencing system includes a first fluid line that couples a fluid source to a first portion of a piston cavity of a blowout preventer and to a hydraulic motor of a lock; and a first discharge valve positioned along the first fluid line, wherein the first discharge valve is positioned to delay delivery of fluid from the fluid source to the hydraulic motor of the lock to cause sequential closure or a ram coupled to the piston and locking of a locking member of the lock. A system according to claim 1 is disclosed. A method according to claim 7 is disclosed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Various features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying figures in which like characters represent like parts throughout the figures, wherein: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a mineral extraction system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIG. 2 is cross-sectional side view of a blowout preventer (BOP) that may be used in the mineral extraction system of FIG. 1, wherein rams are withdrawn from a central bore of the BOP, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the BOP of FIG. 2, wherein the rams are within the central bore of the BOP, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIG. 4 is a hydraulic circuit diagram that illustrates features of a lock sequencing system that may be used with the BOP of FIGS. 2 and 3, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram that illustrates features of the lock sequencing system of FIG. 4 packaged within a control block, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of a lock with the lock sequencing system of FIG. 4, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the lock of FIG. 6, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIG. 8 is a side view of a portion of the lock of FIG. 6, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the lock of FIG. 6, wherein a housing is removed to illustrate certain components, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;FIG. 10 is a right side view and a left side view of the control block of FIG. 5, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; andFIG. 11 is a right side perspective view and a left side perspective view of the control block of FIG. 5, in accordance with