Bop packing units selectively treated with electron beam radiation and related methods
OwnerStefan Butucinventor
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Abstract
A method of increasing the crosslink density of a seal for a blowout preventer that includes selectively applying electron beam radiation to a selected portion of a blowout preventer seal comprising a cured elastomeric material and at least one rigid insert to increase the crosslink density of the selected portion of the cured elastomeric material is disclosed. Methods of curing a seal for a blowout preventer, blowout preventers, and seals for blowout preventers are also disclosed.
Claims20
A method of increasing the crosslink density of a seal for a blowout preventer, the method comprising:
- selectively applying electron beam radiation to a selected portion of a blowout preventer seal comprising a cured elastomeric material and at least one rigid insert to increase the crosslink density of the selected portion of the cured elastomeric material.
A method of curing a seal for a blowout preventer, the method comprising:
- molding an elastomeric material With a plurality of rigid inserts;
- curing the molded elastomeric material with a curative;
- and
- selectively applying electron beam radiation to a portion of the cured elastomeric material to increase the crosslink density of the portion of the cured elastomeric material.
A seal for a blowout preventer, comprising:
- an elastomeric body;
- and
- at least one rigid insert disposed within the elastomeric body,
- wherein a portion of the elastomeric body has a crosslink density greater than the remaining portion of the elastomeric body.
A blowout preventer, comprising:
- a main body having a wellbore axis defined therethrough;
- and
- a packing unit disposed within the main body and configured to seal the wellbore, wherein the packing unit comprises an elastomeric body and at least one rigid insert disposed within the elastomeric body, a portion of the elastomeric body having a crosslink density greater than the remaining portion of the elastomeric body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.