Sealing and controlling of fluid pressure in an annular fluid passageway in a wellbore related process

A system for sealing and controlling fluid pressure in an annular fluid passageway in a wellbore related process, wherein a wellbore related fluid passes through the annular fluid passageway around a drilling tubulars string, which system comprises an annular fluid passageway sealing device, which sealing device comprises:

• a housing;
• a chamber within said housing;
• a lower chamber end member delimiting said chamber at a lower end thereof;
• and
• an upper chamber end member delimiting said chamber at an upper end thereof,
• wherein the lower chamber end member and the upper chamber end members are each provided with an opening therein, which openings are aligned on an axis of the sealing device and are dimensioned so that, in operation, the drilling tubulars string passes along said axis through said chamber and said chamber end members,
• wherein the lower chamber end member is arranged to be exposed, at least partially, to a wellbore related fluid pressure in said annular fluid passageway,
• wherein the housing is provided with:
• an inlet in communication with said chamber to introduce a liquid into said chamber;
• and
• an outlet in communication with said chamber to discharge said liquid from said chamber,
• wherein the system further comprises a pump that is adapted to feed said liquid into said chamber via said inlet, said liquid being discharged via said outlet and returned to the pump so that, in operation, said liquid is circulated through said chamber via said inlet and outlet,
• wherein the sealing device is embodied such that the liquid that is circulated through the chamber is in direct contact with the drilling tubulars string passing through the chamber,
• wherein the inlet and the outlet are vertically offset from each other, wherein the inlet is adapted to feed into a feed zone of the chamber, which feed zone is adjacent the lower chamber end member, and wherein the outlet is adapted to discharge from a discharge zone of the chamber, which discharge zone is adjacent the upper chamber end member,
• wherein the chamber is provided with one or more narrow annular gap defining members that are arranged between said vertically spaced apart feed zone and discharge zone and that, in operation, envelope the drilling tubular string,
• wherein the one or more narrow annular gap defining members define, in operation, in combination with the drilling tubular string an elongated and radially narrow annular gap through which said circulating liquid passes from the feed zone to the discharge zone,
• wherein the liquid that is circulated through the chamber is a high viscosity liquid, and
• wherein the circulation of said high viscosity liquid and the narrow annular gap are such that, in operation, shear of the high viscosity liquid is induced in said elongated and radially narrow annular gap, resulting in a pressure drop between said feed zone and said discharge zone such that high viscosity liquid pressure in said feed zone assists the lower chamber end member in absorbing the wellbore related fluid pressure in said annular fluid passageway to which said lower chamber end member is exposed.

A rotating control device for sealing and controlling a fluid pressure in an annular fluid passageway during a wellbore related process, said rotating control device comprising:

• a housing;
• a chamber within said housing;
• a lower chamber end member delimiting said chamber at a lower end thereof;
• and
• an upper chamber end member delimiting said chamber at an upper end thereof,
• wherein the lower chamber end member and the upper chamber end member are each provided with an opening therein, which openings are aligned on an axis of the sealing device and are dimensioned so that, in operation, the drilling tubulars string passes along said axis through said chamber and said chamber end members,
• wherein the lower chamber end member is arranged to be exposed, at least partially, to wellbore related fluid pressure in said annular fluid passageway,
• wherein the housing is provided with:
• an inlet in communication with said chamber to introduce a liquid into said chamber;
• and
• an outlet in communication with said chamber to discharge said liquid from said chamber,
• wherein a pump is connectable to the inlet in order to feed said liquid into said chamber via said inlet, said liquid being discharged via said outlet and returned to the pump so that, in operation, said liquid is circulated through said chamber via said inlet and outlet,
• wherein the rotating control device is embodied such that the liquid circulated through the chamber is in direct contact with the drilling tubulars string passing through the chamber,
• wherein the inlet and the outlet are vertically offset from each other, wherein the inlet is adapted to feed into a feed zone of the chamber, which feed zone is adjacent the lower chamber end member, and wherein the outlet is adapted to discharge from a discharge zone of the chamber, which discharge zone is adjacent the upper chamber end member,
• wherein the chamber is provided with one or more narrow annular gap defining members that are arranged between said vertically spaced apart feed zone and discharge zone and that, in operation, envelope the drilling tubular string,
• wherein the one or more narrow annular gap defining members define, in operation, in combination with the drilling tubular string an elongated and radially narrow annular gap through which said circulating liquid passes from the feed zone to the discharge zone,
• wherein the liquid that is circulated through the chamber is a high viscosity liquid, and
• wherein the circulation of said high viscosity liquid and the narrow annular gap are such that, in operation, shear of the high viscosity liquid is induced in said elongated and radially narrow annular gap, resulting in a pressure drop between said feed zone and said discharge zone such that high viscosity liquid pressure in said feed zone assists the lower chamber end member in absorbing the wellbore related fluid pressure in said annular fluid passageway.