1

TAMU - Pemex
Offshore Drilling

Lesson 4
Blowout Preventers
and Their Control
2
Lesson 4 - Blowout
Preventers and Their Control
The BOP Stack
Hydraulic Connectors
Kill and Choke Valves
BOP Controls


3
Blowout Preventers
and Their Control
Control Pods & Shuttle Valves
Redundancy
Accumulator Capacity
Requirements
Backup for BOP Controls

4
Major Changes in BOP
Equipment for Subsea Use:
1. The size of the BOPs is
increased.
2. External hydrostatic
pressure at the ocean floor
must be considered.

5
Major Changes in BOP
Equipment for Subsea Use:
3. Hydraulics have become more
important in reaction times, because
the longer flow lines increase the
pressure drop,
while the larger BOPs require more
fluid to operate than their land
counterparts.
6
Major Changes in BOP
Equipment for Subsea Use:
4. To avoid the pressure drop in the
return lines, the hydraulic fluid is
vented to the sea. This requires a
fluid that is non-polluting as well as
non-corrosive, yet has low
viscosity, and is a good lubricant,
7
Major Changes in BOP
Equipment for Subsea Use:
4 (contd.) and can mix with water
of high mineral content.
5. The philosophy of stack
arrangement, especially the location
of the kill and choke lines has been
changed.
8
Major Changes in BOP
Equipment for Subsea Use:

6. Pressure drop in the long choke
line influences well control
procedures.
9
10
11
CHOKE AND KILL LINES
MARINE RISER
CONNECTOR
INTEGRAL MARINE
RISER JOINTS
TELESCOPIC JOINT
CONNECTOR
BOP STACK
UNITIZATION GUIDE
FRAME SYSTEMS
FLEX JOINTS
TEMPORARY GUIDE
BASE
CONNECTOR
WELLHEAD HOUSING
GUIDE STRUCTURE
12
A Subsea
Blowout
Preventer
Stack

13

Subsea
Blowout
Preventer
Equipment
Failsafe
Valve
Figure 11-1
14
Figure 5-1. Cameron U-type ram
blowout preventer.
High pressure, close around pipe, usually for one size pipe only, hang pipe - 600k
15
Annular Blowout Preventer.
STEEL
FINGERS
CLOSING
PORT
OPENING
PORT
RUBBER SEAL
ANNULAR PISTON
Close around pipe of any size, open hole. Used for stripping and snubbing, often 2 EA
16
Annular Blowout Preventers
in Operation


Illustrations
and Diagrams
17

Annular: Element Partly Closed
18
Annular: Stripping Out
19
Annular: Stripping In
20
Complete Shutoff
21
Annular Preventer Closing Pressure, psig
Shaffer
spherical
BOP with
5 D.P.
22
The GL
Hydril
Blowout
Preventer
Figure
5-7
Piston
The preferred Hydril for subsea. Hydrostatic due to mud -> open. Compensate
23
Secondary Chamber to Riser
The mud may plug off the opening...
24
Secondary Chamber to Open Chamber
25
Secondary Chamber to Close Chamber
26
Shear
Rams
27
Mandril
Type
Hydraulic
Connector
Dog

Cam
Piston
28
Collet Type Hydraulic Connector
Collet
Finger
Cam
29
Fail-Safe Kill and
Choke Valve
* Spring loaded
* Hydraulic pressure
* Two in series
* Same WP as BOPs
30
Configurations
of kill/choke
line outlets for
conventional
four-ram stack
Figure 5-12
Examples

Wellhead Connector
31
Schematic
of a
hydraulic
control
system.
32
Hydraulic
Subsea BOP
Control
System
Hose Bundle
Pod (2 EA)
Accumulators
33
Typical hose bundle for hydraulic system.
5/16 Pilot Lines
1/4 Pilot Lines
Figure
5-15
Power Fluid Line
1+
34
Typical
1. Hydraulic Hose
2. Multiple-Conductor Electric Cable
(faster - better for deep-water wells)
35
Electro-Hydraulic Hose Bundle - contd
3. Protective Inner Cover
4. Strength Member
5. Outer Protective Jacket (Optional)
36
Pilot Line
Attachment
Power Fluid
To Function
Pilot Valve
- Poppet Type
Vent
Opening
37
BOP
Control
Pod
* Pilot valves
* Pressure regs.
* Retrievable
* Two for
Redundancy
38
Accumulator
- BladderType.
BLADDER
TAPERED
VALVE
GAS CHARGE
PORT
INLET/OUTLET
39
Fig. 5-19
Shuttle valve
POWER
FLUID TO
FUNCTION
POWER FLUID
FROM POD
SEAL
Directs power fluid to function. Isolates inactive pod.
Lines from valve to pod not redund.
40
Redundancy between pods on a stack.
Shuttle
valve
Pilot valves
41
Flow Paths to close rams from drillers panel.
Fig. 5-22
Drillers Handle; Air signal to Hydraulic unit; pressurize pilot line; pilot valve at pod, power fluid -->
42
Flow paths to open rams from the
drillers panel.
Fig. 5-23
43
44
1,465
0.577
45
Example: 1,000 ft of water
Precharge pressure is 1,000 psi above ambient
P
c
= 15 + 1,000 + 0.45 * water depth = 1,465 psia
P = 15 + 3,000 + 0.45 * water depth = 3,465 psia
577 . 0
P
P
1 . F . V
C
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
46
Friction Losses
Pressure losses caused by friction
in the plumbing is a major source of
decreased reaction times.
Fluid flow is difficult to define and
various books have been
written on the subject.
47
Fanning or Darcy Equation
A simple approach can be taken by
considering the friction losses as
described by the Fanning or Darcy
equation that may be expressed as:
5
2
D
q L f
K F =
50 gal in 30 sec => 100 gal/min
10 gal in 8 sec => 75 gal/min
48
Where:
conversion unit for constant K
diameter line D
rate flow q
length line L
line in the loss friction F
=
=
=
=
=
Re of function factor, friction f =
5
2
D
q L f
K F =
49
And Where:

Dv
number s Reynold' Re = =
D = line diameter
V = fluid velocity
= fluid density
= fluid viscosity
50
Figure 5-25. BOP Stack Schematic
Connected by clamps. Stresses from Tension, bending and pressure. Frequent stack testing.
51
Figure 5-26.
Pressure
Differentials
Acting on
Preventer.
52

See text


Example Calculations
53
Tension at the ball joint, kips
For a fixed ball joint angle, the maximum tension at the ball joint decreases as press. incr.
54
Surface Unit- Acoustic backup for BOP
control
Figure
5-29
5-29
55
Example from the GOM
3,200 ft
300 ft of 36csg, jet -in
2,300 ft of 20csg, run in 24 hole
WL
ML
56
3,200 ft
300 ft of 36csg, jet -in
WL
ML
Jetting-in the 36 Conductor
57
Drilling a 24 Hole
3,200 ft
300 ft of 36csg
WL
ML
24 Hole
58
Running the 20Casing
3,200 ft
2,300 ft of 20 csg.
WL
ML
24 Hole
59
Cementing the 20Casing
3,200 ft
Drillpipe
WL
ML
24 Hole