BOP Stack Structure Using Accumulator Bottles as Vertical Supports
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Solution Overview
Problem
Deepwater offshore drilling operations face challenges with the increasing size, weight, and complexity of subsea blowout preventer stacks due to higher working pressures, leading to congestion and safety issues, particularly with the need for larger and heavier pressure-containing components and accumulator capacity.
Innovation Solution
The use of high-pressure gas bottles as vertical support means within the blowout preventer structure to reduce the need for additional structural components, alleviate congestion, and enhance safety by integrating gas storage and structural support, thereby simplifying the design and operation of the blowout preventer stack.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If the working pressure of the blowout preventer stack is increased to handle deeper wells, then the pressure containment capability is improved, but the weight and height of the stack increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The accumulator bottles are designed to serve dual functions: containing high-pressure gas for accumulator operations and providing structural support for the blowout preventer stack. This eliminates the need for separate structural components, reducing overall weight while maintaining pressure containment capability.
2Stress or pressure
If the working pressure of the blowout preventer stack is increased, then the pressure containment capability is improved, but the height of the stack increases
Solution Approach 1:
The accumulator bottles provide structural support in addition to gas storage, eliminating the need for separate vertical support structures and reducing overall stack height while maintaining pressure containment capability.
3Quantity of substance
If accumulator capacity is increased to handle greater drilling depths, then the drilling capability is improved, but congestion within the blowout preventer stack increases
Solution Approach 1:
The accumulator bottles serve dual purposes as both gas storage vessels and structural support columns. This integration reduces the number of separate components needed, alleviating congestion within the stack while maintaining adequate accumulator capacity for deep drilling operations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces the size, weight, and complexity of subsea blowout preventer stacks, increases safety, and improves serviceability by utilizing the inherent strength of gas bottles for structural support, while minimizing the need for redundant components and accumulator congestion.
Implementation Method 1
utilize the strength inherent is high pressure gas bottles as a vertical support means in the blowout preventer structure
Data Source
AI summary
In a subsea blowout preventer stack system having a structural system and one or more accumulators providing a pressurized hydraulic supply wherein the accumulators comprise a compressed gas supply and a hydraulic fluid chamber in one or more vertical bottles, a method of using the one or more vertical bottles of the accumulators as structural members of the structural system.