Monolithic Blowout Preventer for Wellhead Height Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Retrofitting oil and gas wells for artificial lift production is labor-intensive and costly, often requiring significant changes to the wellhead stack, which can damage components and increase the risk of leaks, while existing solutions do not adequately address the need for adaptable wellhead components that minimize height and component wear.
Innovation Solution
A multifunction blowout preventer with a monolithic housing featuring integrated ram and flow tee sections, gas lift/electrical ports, and a gate valve, designed to accommodate various production methods without the need for component removal or replacement, reducing the overall height of the wellhead stack and minimizing component damage during assembly and disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If equipment is added to the wellhead stack to enable artificial lift production, then the well can produce oil and gas through artificial lift methods, but the height of the wellhead stack increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the flow tee and ram assembly into a single integrated unit that forms part of the wellhead stack. This merging eliminates the need for separate equipment additions and reduces the overall height increase when transitioning to artificial lift production. The integrated design allows the same component to serve multiple functions: flow direction control through the flow tee and wellbore pressure control through the ram assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated ram assembly/flow tee section serves multiple functions: it provides flow paths for produced fluids, accommodates ram assemblies for wellbore pressure control, and integrates with the gate valve section for production control. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated equipment for each function, thereby reducing the overall height of the wellhead stack while maintaining adaptability to different production methods.
2Adaptability or versatility
If components are removed or replaced during retrofitting, then the wellhead can accommodate new artificial lift equipment, but the threads and sealing surfaces wear out after repeated assembly and disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The wellhead stack is divided into distinct functional sections: the gate valve section with cavities for gate valves, the integrated ram assembly/flow tee section with radial bores for ram assemblies, and the gas lift/electrical ports section. This segmentation allows each section to be independently designed and maintained, reducing the need to disassemble entire assemblies and minimizing wear on connection points during production method transitions.
Solution Approach 2:
By integrating the ram assembly and flow tee into a single monolithic housing, the patent eliminates multiple connection points between these components. The integrated design reduces the number of threaded engagements and potential leak points, thereby minimizing wear and maintaining component integrity over repeated use while still allowing production method changes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If new equipment is added to the wellhead stack, then artificial lift capability is achieved, but the number of potential leak points increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of the ram assembly and flow tee into a single monolithic housing eliminates multiple external connections and potential leak points. The internal radial bores provide sealed pathways for fluid flow and ram assembly operation without requiring external piping connections, thereby reducing the number of potential leak points while maintaining the ability to switch between production methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated ram assembly/flow tee section performs multiple functions within a single sealed unit: it directs produced fluids through radial flow bores, accommodates rod lock and sealing ram assemblies for wellbore pressure control, and integrates with the gate valve section. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate equipment and connections, thereby minimizing leak risk while enabling artificial lift production.
4Productivity
If the wellhead stack is retrofitted with artificial lift equipment, then production can continue when reservoir pressure is insufficient, but labor and installation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wellhead stack is segmented into functional sections that can be independently configured for different production methods. The gate valve section, integrated ram assembly/flow tee section, and gas lift/electrical ports section can be selectively activated or deactivated based on production needs, allowing for quicker retrofits compared to complete wellhead replacements.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated ram assembly/flow tee section and gas lift/electrical ports section provide universal functionality that accommodates multiple artificial lift methods (rod pumps, gas lift, electric submersible pumps). This multi-functionality eliminates the need for multiple separate retrofit operations if production methods need to be changed in the future, thereby reducing cumulative retrofitting time and costs over the well's production life.
Data Source
AI summary
A multifunction blowout preventer has a housing formed from a single piece of material, which has a central bore, a bottom connection, a gate valve section, an integrated ram assembly/flow tee section, and a top connection. The blowout preventer optionally includes a gas lift/electrical ports section. The components of the blowout preventer are radially offset and/or staggered from one another about the periphery of the housing to help minimize the height of the blowout preventer.