Extendable Conductor Stand with Integrated Blowout Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The early stages of oil or gas drilling are hazardous due to the lack of blow-out protection, particularly during the initial setup and before the casing is installed, where behind-casing blowouts can occur, posing risks to the drilling platform and crew.
Innovation Solution
An extendable conductor stand with a nested pipe design, including a seal arrangement, gas choke line with safety valve, and BOP assemblies to provide blowout protection, allowing for quick installation and control of gas flow, and featuring a locking mechanism for stability and alignment assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional conductor pipe setup is used without integrated blowout protection, then the installation process is simpler, but the drilling platform and crew are vulnerable to behind-casing blowouts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the conductor stand and blowout protection system into a single integrated assembly. The conductor stand includes integrated BOP assemblies, choke lines, and seal arrangements that are built-in during manufacturing, eliminating the need for separate protection systems and reducing on-site complexity while enhancing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The blowout protection components are pre-installed and prepared during the manufacturing process before the conductor stand is delivered to the drilling site. This preliminary preparation ensures that protection systems are already in place and functional when needed, eliminating delays and reducing on-site assembly complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the conductor stand is made extendable to reach elevated platforms, then it can be positioned correctly on elevated drilling platforms, but the installation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conductor stand incorporates an extendable and telescopic design that allows dynamic adjustment of its length. The stand can be extended to reach elevated drilling platforms and then locked in place, providing adaptability to different elevation scenarios while maintaining a compact form for quick installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductor stand is divided into multiple sections that can be telescoped relative to each other. This segmentation allows the stand to be extended to the required length for elevated platforms while maintaining ease of installation through modular assembly, reducing the time needed compared to custom-length construction.
3Reliability
If seal arrangements are installed to prevent gas leakage, then pressure integrity is maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible seal arrangements including O-rings, gaskets, and flexible membrane seals at critical interfaces. These flexible sealing elements maintain pressure integrity by accommodating minor dimensional variations and thermal expansion while preventing gas leakage, and they are integrated in a way that minimizes overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal arrangements act as intermediary elements between different components of the conductor stand, creating pressure-tight interfaces without requiring complex mechanical coupling systems. The seals mediate the connection between pipe sections, flanges, and fittings, maintaining pressure integrity through a relatively simple sealing mechanism rather than complex interlocking structures.
4Reliability
If BOP assemblies and choke lines are integrated into the conductor stand, then blowout protection is enhanced, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The BOP assemblies, choke lines, and other blowout protection components are pre-assembled and tested during the manufacturing process before the conductor stand is shipped. This preliminary action allows for quality control and ensures proper integration, simplifying the on-site installation process despite the increased manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The blowout protection system is segmented into modular components that can be manufactured separately and then assembled into the conductor stand. This segmentation allows for specialized manufacturing of complex BOP components while keeping the overall conductor stand fabrication process manageable through standardized assembly procedures.
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
Significantly reduces the time required for connecting the conductor casing with the drilling platform and effectively protects the crew and equipment from behind-casing blowouts by ensuring pressure integrity and controlled gas discharge.
Implementation Method 1
a seal arrangement is installed on the outside bottom diameter of the top section and will engage the inside diameter of the bottom section, the seal preserves the pressure integrity of the structure
Implementation Method 2
The bottom section will include a gas choke line having a safety valve and optional choke valve. The choke valve may be manual or may be a remotely actuated hydraulic or pneumatic valve
Implementation Method 3
drilling fluid or drilling 'mud' is a mixture of water, clay and myriad other ingredients; the mud is injected under pressure down the center of the drill string, and as the mud recirculates back to the surface, on the outside of the drill string, the mud carries the rock cuttings out of the hole and serves to condition and seal the walls of the bore
Implementation Method 4
The BOP, as commonly known in the art, may be a ram or shear arrangement that blocks the well bore in the case of escaping gas or fluid
Data Source
AI summary
An extendable conductor stand allowing for rapid alignment and installation. The conductor stand having capacity to accept a BOP to protect against all blowouts, including behind the casing blowouts.