Riser fluid handling system
AssigneeRowan Companies, Inc.
InventorsMartin Tindle, Brian Patrick Garrett, Nicholas Blake Scholz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid handling system comprising an annular sealing device and a flow control system to divert fluid flow from an annulus of a riser package to a control system located on a rig. A method of installing a fluid handling system on a riser package from a rig comprises connecting the fluid handling system to an upper end of a riser string, supporting the fluid handling system and the riser string using a first tubular handling device, and lowering the fluid handling system and the riser string to an operating position.
Claims33
A riser package for use on a rig to handle high-pressure and uncontrolled release of flow returns in a riser upon failure of a subsea component connected by the riser to drilling equipment on the rig, the riser having a tensioning system, the drilling equipment having a drillstring, the riser package comprising:
- an annular sealing device integrated into the riser package and positioned toward a first end of the riser package below the tensioning system, the annular sealing device having a flow bore in fluid communication with the riser, wherein the annular sealing device is configured to open and close fluid flow of the flow returns around the drillstring and through the flow bore of the annular sealing device;
- a flow control device integrated into the riser package with the annular sealing device and positioned toward a second end of the riser package below the annular sealing device, the flow control device in fluid communication with the riser, wherein the flow control device includes one or more valves that open and close permitting fluid flow of the flow returns through one or more first lines;
- and
- one or more line segments integrated into the riser package with the annular sealing device and the flow control device and positioned between the first and second ends of the riser package, the one or more line segments communicating at the first end with one or more second lines in fluid communication with at least one control system from a point along the riser above the riser package, the one or more line segments communicating at the second end with the one or more second lines in fluid communication with the subsea component,
- the at least one control system in operable control with the riser package and communicating with the one or more first lines and the one or more second lines,
- wherein the at least one control system operates the riser package in a failure configuration, with the one or more valves opened and the annular sealing device closed, provides fluid communication between the flow control device and the at least one control system, and diverts the flow returns from the riser to the at least one control system to handle the high-pressure and uncontrolled release away from the drilling equipment;
- and
- wherein the at least one control system operates the riser package in a normal configuration, with at least the annular sealing device opened, and permits fluid communication of the flow returns from the riser.
An apparatus for handling high-pressure and uncontrolled release of flow returns in a riser upon failure of a subsea blowout preventer connected by the riser to drilling equipment on a rig, the subsea blowout preventer having one or more first lines in fluid communication with the drilling equipment, the apparatus comprising:
- an annular sealing device integrated into a package, the annular sealing device disposed on the package toward a first end and having a flow bore, the annular sealing device being operable in a first opened state to permit fluid communication of the flow returns from the riser through the flow bore and being operable in a first closed state to prevent fluid communication of the flow returns from the riser through the flow bore;
- a flow control device integrated into the package with the annular sealing device, the flow control device disposed on the package toward a second end between the annular sealing device and the riser, the flow control device operable in a second opened state and a second closed state, the flow control device in the second opened state permitting fluid communication of the flow returns through one or more second lines, the flow control device in the second closed state preventing fluid communication of the flow returns through the one or more second lines;
- and
- one or more line segments integrated into the package with the annular sealing device and the flow control device and positioned between the first and second ends of the package, the one or more line segments communicating at the first end with the one or more first lines in fluid communication with the drilling equipment on the rig from a point along the riser above the package, the one or more line segments communicating at the second end with the one or more first lines in fluid communication with the subsea blowout preventer,
- wherein the flow control device operable in the second opened state with the annular sealing device operable in the first closed state diverts the flow returns from the riser through the one or more second lines to handle the high-pressure and uncontrolled release away from the drilling equipment.
An apparatus for both managed pressure drilling of a wellbore and handling high-pressure and uncontrolled release of flow returns in a riser upon failure of a subsea blowout preventer connected by the riser to drilling equipment on a rig, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one annular sealing device integrated into a package, the at least one annular sealing device disposed on the package toward a first end between the drilling equipment and the riser and having a flow bore, the at least one annular sealing device being operable in a first opened state permitting fluid communication of the flow returns from the riser through the flow bore and being operable in a first closed state preventing fluid communication of the flow returns from the riser through the flow bore;
- a flow control device integrated into the package with the at least one annular sealing device, the flow control device disposed on the package toward a second end between the at least one annular sealing device and the riser, the flow control device operable in a second opened state and a second closed state, the flow control device in the second opened state permitting fluid communication through one or more flow lines, the flow control device in the second closed state preventing fluid communication through the one or more flow lines;
- and
- one or more line segments integrated into the package with the at least one annular sealing device and the flow control device and positioned between the first and second ends of the package, the one or more line segments communicating at the first end with one or more control lines in fluid communication with the drilling equipment on the rig from a point along the riser above the package, the one or more line segments communicating at the second end with the one or more control lines in fluid communication with the subsea blowout preventer,
- wherein the apparatus operated in a normal configuration, with the flow control device operable in the second opened and closed states, controls pressure during the managed pressure drilling, and
- wherein the apparatus operated in a failure configuration, with the flow control device operable in the second opened state and the at least one annular sealing device operable in the first closed state, diverts the flow returns from the riser through the one or more flow lines to handle the high-pressure and uncontrolled release away from the drilling equipment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.