Rotating and reciprocating swivel apparatus and method
First Claim
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 perimeter 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 perimeter;
(d) a sleeve having a longitudinal sleeve passage and an internal perimeter, the sleeve being reciprocably connected to the mandrel;
(e) an interstitial space between the internal perimeter of the sleeve and the external perimeter 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 perimeter;
(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 perimeter, 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 perimeter of the mandrel.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A marine oil and gas well drilling apparatus comprising:
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(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 perimeter 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 perimeter; (d) a sleeve having a longitudinal sleeve passage and an internal perimeter, the sleeve being reciprocably connected to the mandrel; (e) an interstitial space between the internal perimeter of the sleeve and the external perimeter 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 perimeter; (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 perimeter, 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 perimeter of the mandrel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification