Rotating blowout preventer
OwnerJohn R. Williams, Vinson D. Williamsinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rotating blowout preventor having at least two rotating stripper rubber seals which provide a continuous seal about a kelly or drilling string having drilling string components of varying diameter. A stationary housing is designed to support a bearing assembly and a clamp cooperates with the housing to secure the bearing assembly in the housing. Chilled water and/or antifreeze may be circulated through the top inner barrel seal of the bearing assembly and lubricant is pumped into the top seal for lubricating the seals and bearings that facilitate rotation of the stripper rubber seals, kelly and drilling string with respect to the stationary housing and pressurize the inner barrel seals and bearings to at least partially offset well pressure.
Claims12
A rotating blowout preventor for an oil or gas well for resiliently engaging a drill string extending therethrough, comprising:
- a housing having a housing opening;
- a bearing assembly removably seated in said housing opening and having a passage, through which passage a drill string may extend;
- said bearing assembly having an outer generally cylindrical barrel and an inner generally cylindrical barrel having bearing elements positioned therebetween such that said inner barrel is mounted for rotation with respect to said outer barrel;
- a clamp assembly for engaging said housing and said outer barrel for removably securing said bearing assembly;
- a top rubber pot mounted on said inner barrel for rotation therewith;
- a first downwardly-converging seal mounted within said top rubber pot and having resilient engaging means for sealably engaging the drill string, said first downwardly-converging seal adapted to rotate in sealing engagement with the drill string;
- a second downwardly-converging seal mounted on said inner barrel in spaced relationship with respect to said first downwardly-converging seal and adapted to rotate in sealing engagement with said drill string;
- and
- said bearing assembly, top rubber pot, first downwardly-converging seal, said second downwardly-converging seal being removable as a unit for ease of replacement.
A rotating blowout preventor for sealing a drill siring in a well, comprising:
- a housing having an opening provided in said housing;
- a bearing assembly removably mounted in said housing opening;
- a clamp assembly for engaging said housing and bearing assembly for releasably clamping said bearing assembly in said housing;
- said bearing assembly including an inner and outer barrel with one or more bearings provided therebetween, said inner barrel having an inner barrel bore;
- top rotatable pot mounted on said inner barrel for rotation therewith;
- at least one first downwardly-converging seal mounted within said top rotatable pot;
- at least one second downwardly-converging seal attached to said inner barrel for rotating therewith, said second seal being mounted in spaced relationship with respect to said first seal;
- said first and said second downwardly-converging seals being adapted to rotate with said inner barrel and in sealing engagement with the drill string;
- a top pressure seal provided in said bearing assembly and for sealing between said inner and outer barrel;
- and means mounted in said bearing assembly for applying cooling fluid to said top pressure seal during rotation of said inner barrel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.