Reinforced drill pipe seal with floating backup layer

A system for sealing a drill pipe proximate a wellhead;

• the system comprising:
• an elastomeric layer;
• and
• a backup layer between the drill pipe and the elastomeric layer to reinforce the elastomeric layer, the backup layer having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a tapered portion, wherein the first end portion has a larger inner diameter than the second end portion and the tapered portion connects the first end portion and second end portion, and wherein:
• the backup layer and elastomeric layer are bonded to a common substrate along a complete circumference of an inner surface of the elastomeric layer at the first end portion of the backup layer;
• and
• the backup layer comprises an expandable mesh layer.

A method for sealing a drill pipe in a managed pressure drilling environment, the method comprising:

• providing an elastomeric layer adjacent a wellhead in a wellbore;
• providing a backup layer adjacent the elastomeric layer, wherein the backup layer comprises:
• a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion having a larger inner diameter than the second end portion,
• a tapered portion connecting the first end portion and second end portion, and
• a plurality of slats arranged circumferentially about the perimeter of the drill pipe along an internal surface of the elastomeric layer such that a portion of each slat underlies a portion of an adjacent slat, wherein fixing the backup layer and elastomeric layer relative to one another comprises bonding the backup layer and the elastomeric layer to a common substrate along a complete circumference of an inner surface of the elastomeric layer at the first end portion of the backup layer;
• and
• inserting a portion of the drill pipe into the wellbore.