Rotating flow control device for wellbore fluid control device
AssigneeElite Energy IP Holdings Ltd.
InventorMichael Boyd
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a rotating flow control device and methods of using the same for controlling wellbore fluids at the head of a riser diverter for use in offshore drilling operations or the head of a blowout preventer stacks annular for conventional land-based drilling operations. The rotating flow control device comprises a stationary housing to be mounted on the head of a riser diverter or the blowout preventer stacks annular, an inner tubular shaft that permits the passage of a tubular, sealed bearing elements for supporting and permitting the axial rotation of the inner tubular shaft, and an elastomeric stripper element attached to the inner tubular shaft for sealing around the tubular.
Claims13
A rotating flow control device for installation on the head of a wellbore fluid control device, the wellbore fluid control device having a central bore for the passage of tubulars and wellbore fluid therethrough, said rotating flow control device comprising:
- (a) a stationary housing being adapted to form a fluid-tight attachment to the head of the wellbore fluid control device and defining a central bore, the stationary housing being attached to the head of the wellbore fluid control device such that the central bores of the wellbore fluid control device and the stationary housing are axially aligned;
- (b) a sealed bearing assembly comprising:
- (i) an outer housing secured in a fluid-tight manner to the stationary housing, the outer housing defining a central bore, the outer housing being attached to the stationary housing such that the central bores of the stationary housing and the outer housing are axially aligned such that tubulars may pass through the rotating flow control device and into the wellbore fluid control device;
- (ii) an inner tubular shaft disposed within the central bore of the outer housing to define an annular space between the inner tubular shaft and the outer housing, said inner tubular shaft being sized to permit the passage of tubulars therethrough;
- (iii) bearing elements for radially and axially supporting the inner tubular shaft and permitting axial rotation of the inner tubular shaft within the outer housing, said bearing elements being disposed in the annular space;
- (iv) a seal for sealing the bearing elements from wellbore fluids, said seal disposed in the annular space;
- and
- (c) an elastomeric stripper element for sealing around the tubulars, said elastomeric stripper element being attached to the inner tubular shaft.
A rotating flow control device for installation on the head of a wellbore fluid control device, the wellbore fluid control device having a central bore for the passage of tubulars therethrough, said rotating flow control device comprising:
- (a) an outer housing being adapted to form a fluid-tight attachment to the head of the wellbore fluid control device and defining a central bore for permitting the passage of tubulars therethrough, the outer housing being attached to the head of the wellbore fluid control device such that the central bores of the wellbore fluid control device and the rotating flow control device are axially aligned;
- (b) an inner tubular shaft for permitting the passage of the tubulars, said inner tubular shaft disposed within the bore of the outer housing to define an annular space between the inner tubular shaft and the outer housing;
- (c) bearing elements for radially and axially supporting the inner tubular shaft and permitting axial rotation of the inner tubular shaft within the outer housing, said bearing elements being disposed in the annular space;
- (d) a seal for sealing the bearing elements from wellbore fluids, said seal disposed in the annular space;
- and
- (e) an elastomeric stripper element for sealing around the tubulars, said elastomeric stripper element attached to the inner tubular shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.