Interlocking low profile rotating control device

A rotating control apparatus, comprising:

• a bearing assembly having an outer member and an inner member disposed with said outer member, said inner member having a passage;
• a seal supported from said inner member and with the passage;
• a plurality of bearings disposed between said outer member and said inner member so that one member is rotatable relative to the other member;
• said seal extending radially inward from said plurality of bearings;
• a housing to receive at least a portion of said bearing assembly, wherein said housing having a height and a housing port;
• and
• a housing flange having an outer diameter and a flange port, wherein said housing port communicating with said housing flange port, and said housing flange outer diameter being at least seventy percent of said housing height.

A system for managing the pressure of a fluid in a borehole while sealing a rotatable tubular, the system comprising:

• a housing communicating with the borehole, said housing having a height and a housing port;
• a bearing assembly having an outer member and a rotatable inner member having a passage through which the tubular may extend, said bearing assembly removably disposed with said housing;
• a plurality of bearings between said inner member and said outer member;
• a seal supported by said inner member for sealing with the rotatable tubular;
• said housing port communicating with and aligned with said seal;
• a support member for removably supporting said seal with said inner member;
• and
• a seal retainer ring rotatably disposed with said inner member and configured to rotate between a blocking position blocking removal of said seal from said inner member, and an access position for removal of said seal from said inner member.

A rotating control apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing having a housing height and a housing port;
• a bearing assembly having an inner member and an outer member and being removably positioned with said housing, wherein said inner member rotatable relative to the outer member and having a passage;
• a seal having a seal height supported from said bearing assembly;
• a plurality of bearings disposed between said inner member and said outer member;
• and
• a plurality of accumulators configured to lubricate at least one of said plurality of bearings, and each of said accumulators spaced apart from each other accumulator and disposed radially outward from said plurality of bearings and in said bearing assembly outer member.

A method for assembling a rotating control device, comprising the steps of:

• aligning a bearing assembly rotating plate with a housing;
• moving a bearing assembly having an inner member and an outer member with bearings therebetween through said bearing assembly rotating plate and into the housing, wherein said bearing assembly inner member is rotatable relative to said bearing assembly outer member;
• rotating said bearing assembly rotating plate relative to said housing;
• and
• blocking removal of said bearing assembly from said housing after the step of rotating.

A method for assembling a rotating control device, comprising the steps of:

• aligning a seal with a bearing assembly having an inner member and an outer member with bearings therebetween, wherein said bearing assembly inner member is rotatable relative to said bearing assembly outer member;
• supporting said seal from said inner member;
• aligning a seal retainer ring with said inner member;
• moving said seal retainer ring into said inner member;
• rotating said seal retainer ring relative to said inner member;
• and
• blocking removal of said seal from said inner member after the step of rotating.