Rotating and reciprocating swivel apparatus and method

• US 9,297,216 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2013
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mako Rentals, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mako Rentals, Inc.
• Inventors: Robichaux, Kip M., Robichaux, Terry P., Caillouet, Kenneth G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sayre, James G
• Application Number:
  US14/065,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20140090855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 166/358, 166/359, 166/344, 166/345, 166/367, 166/386, 166/385, 166/291, 166/292, 166/155, 166/381, 166/177.9
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/01 Risers
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/05 Swivel joints
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/1007 for the internal surface of a pipe, e.g. wear bushings for underwater well-heads
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/001 specially adapted for underwater drilling dual gradient drilling E21B21/082
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/038 Connectors used on well heads, e.g. for connecting blow-out preventer and riser
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/064 specially adapted for underwater well heads
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/076 specially adapted for underwater installations

Abstract

What is provided is a method and apparatus wherein a swivel can be detachably connected to an annular blowout preventer thereby separating the drilling fluid or mud into upper and lower sections and allowing the fluid to be displaced in two stages, such as while the drill string is being rotated and/or reciprocated. In one embodiment the sleeve or housing can be rotatably and sealably connected to a mandrel. The swivel can be incorporated into a drill or well string and enabling string sections both above and below the sleeve to be rotated in relation to the sleeve. In one embodiment the drill or well string does not move in a longitudinal direction relative to the swivel. In one embodiment, the drill or well string does move longitudinally relative to the sleeve or housing of the swivel.

Claims

1. A marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus comprising:

(a) a marine drilling platform;

(b) a drill string that extends between the marine drilling platform and a formation to be drilled, the drill string having a flow bore;

(c) a mandrel having upper and lower end sections and connected to and reciprocable with upper and lower sections of the drill string, the mandrel having an external diameter and including a longitudinal passage forming a continuation of a flow bore of the drill string sections, the mandrel having an area of reduced external diameter;

(d) a sleeve having a longitudinal sleeve passage and an internal diameter, the sleeve being reciprocably connected to the mandrel;

(e) an interstitial space between the internal diameter of the sleeve and the external diameter of the mandrel which interstitial space is sealed by a pair of spaced apart first and second packing units, and wherein the interstitial space is overlapping the mandrel'"'"'s area of reduced external diameter;

(f) a pressure relief mechanism that gradually relieves pressure in the interstitial space when the mandrel and sleeve are elevated in a well bore, the pressure relief mechanism including the second packing unit, and the pressure relief mechanism being in an activated state when the second packing unit at least partially extends over the mandrel'"'"'s area of reduced external diameter, and the pressure relieve mechanism being in a deactivated state when the second packing unit does not extend at least partially over the area of reduced external diameter of the mandrel.

2. The marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second packing unit has a plurality of oppositely sealing packing rings, the one set of the packing rings sealing in a first longitudinal direction, and the second set of packing rings sealing a second longitudinal direction, the second longitudinal direction being opposite of the first longitudinal direction.

3. The marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the packing units define a seal that moves longitudinally with the sleeve.

4. The marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure relief mechanism includes a passage that enables leakage of pressure into the well bore.

5. The marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure relief mechanism includes a leakage of the pressure into a well riser.

6. The marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure relief mechanism relieves pressure at the lower end of the mandrel.

7. The marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus of claim 6 wherein the lower end of the mandrel provides a pin end.

8. The marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure relief mechanism is activated by positioning the sleeve relative to the mandrel at a pre-designated pressure relief position, which position occurs where the second packing unit at least partially extends over the mandrel'"'"'s area of reduced external diameter.

9. The marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure relief mechanism is de-activated by changing the longitudinal position of the mandrel relative to the sleeve, which position occurs where the pressure relieve mechanism moves away from at least partially over the area of reduced external diameter of the mandrel.

10. The marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure relief mechanism includes seals, the mandrel provides a pressure relief portion which includes the area of reduced external diameter, the seals being movable into a position that is generally aligned with the pressure relief portion and to a position that is moved away from the pressure relief portion.

11. The marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus of claim 10 wherein longitudinal movement of the seals on the sleeve transition the pressure relief mechanism between pressure relief mode and non-pressure relief mode.

12. The marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus of claim 10 wherein the seals include a seal that sets, sealing in only one longitudinal direction.

13. The marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure relief mechanism includes an annular groove on the sleeve.

14. The marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure relief mechanism includes an annular recess on the sleeve.

15. The marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure relief mechanism includes a pressure relief channel provided on the mandrel.

16. The marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure relief mechanism includes a plurality of pressure relief channels provided on the mandrel.

17. The marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure relief mechanism enables relative movement of the sleeve and mandrel between a pressure relief mode and a non-pressure relief mode.

18. The marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure relief mechanism includes at least two sets of seals, the sets sealing fluid flow in opposite longitudinal directions.