Professional Documents
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Atr En04
Atr En04
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HIGH-PRESSURE
MUD CIRCUIT
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Saipem - Training centre E.Gandolfi
SURFACE WELL CONTROL EQUIPMENT
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Saipem - Training centre E.Gandolfi
High-pressure mud circuit
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GENERALITY
kill lines
choke lines
choke manifold
flare lines
high-pressure valves
adjustable chokes
Note: All high-pressure circuit components must be protected from low temperatures by emptying them or by
replacing the mud with a suitable fluid, to avoid damages or obstructions due to freezing.
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Generality
Kill lines connect mud pumps to the BOP-stack side outlets and are used to pump into the well
when circulation through the pipes is not possible.
There can be one or two and they can be either installed on the BOP stack through the drilling
spools or connected to the BOP lateral flange.
On the section connected to the BOP stack two valves are installed:
manual valve
remotely operated hydraulic valve
On high-depth installations, an additional kill line is installed (remote kill line) to allow
interventions with emergency pumps if the installation pumps (maximum working pressure 5000
psi) cannot be used.
Manual valves are usually positioned on the well side and are kept open, while hydraulic valves
are positioned on the external side and are kept closed.
This line must be installed directly in the kill lines and installed near the installation to easily
accessible with emergency pumps.
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Generality
Choke lines are high-pressure lines which connect the BOP stack to the choke manifold and allow
the outgoing flow to be conveyed to the exit during blowout control. There can be either one or
two and they are inserted in the BOP stack through drilling spools or connected to the BOP lateral
flange.
If there are two lines, the upper line is regularly used, while the lower one is left for emergency
situations.
On the section connected to the BOP stack two valves are installed:
manual valve
remotely operated hydraulic valve
Manual valves are usually positioned on the well side and are kept open, while hydraulic valves
are positioned on the external side and are kept closed.
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Generality
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Flare line
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a. The choke manifold must have a working pressure equal to the BOP stack pressure. After
installation it has to be tested with the same frequency and procedure as the BOP stack.
b. It must be installed in an easily accessible place and preferably far from the installation
structures to ensure safety in any working condition.
c. Alternative lines must be provided to allow eroded, obstructed or malfunctioning parts to be
replaced without interrupting the blowout control operations.
d. The choke-manifold central-line (bleed line) diameter should be at least as large as the choke
line diameter to maintain the minimum back pressure and to allow large volumes of fluid to be
discharged when the BOP is closed.
e. Lines positioned after the chokes must be pressure tested during installation even if pressure
control is not required.
f. Proper pressure gauges must be installed to control casing and pipe pressure values. The Choke
manifold sensors communicate pressure values to the control panel.*
g. All the choke manifold valves, being subject to erosion due to the well flow, should be of the
full-opening type and designed to work with gas high pressure to resist formation fluids.
h. If a buffer chamber is being used, it has to be designed so that it allows isolating any broken
part and malfunctioning without interrupting blowout control procedures.
Notes: * Pipes pressure is transmitted to the pressure gauge (near the casing gauge) to allow comparing the two
values (SICP, SIDPP) during well control operations.
In installations with working pressure values above 5.000 psi, at least one of the manifold chokes
must be remotely operated.
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Generality
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Generality
Standard components can work with temperatures ranging between -30 °C and 120 °C, but special
components for lower and higher temperatures are available.
Notes: 1 - Valve opening and closing cannot be deduced from the stem position
2 - Sealing takes place by metal-to-metal contact between the gate and the sealing
ring installed on the retain plate.
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Components
All components have the same characteristics, with the exception of a connection sleeve (with a
gasket) between lateral outlet ends and the sealing unit.
body
head
sealing unit (gate and seat)
stem
The cylindrical cavity facilitates a more even distribution of stress due to pressure than the
rectangular cavity; it has a better grease-storage capacity and lower manufacturing costs.
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Sealing unit
Stem
Maintenance
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9. Accurately clean valve internal parts and apply a thin coat of grease on the stem, inside the
head and on the new gasket.
10. Re-install the gasket using the gland nut to fix it into place.*
11. Unscrew the gland nut to lubricate the stem and put back into place the gland nut.
12. Re-install the bearings, the stem adapter and the stem pin.
13. Put the cup back into place and screw it in.
14. Insert the wheel : three complete left-hand turns to create a distance from the sealing
surface.
15. Lubricate the cavity by using the head greaser.
Notes
step 3: sealing is performed by the annular protrusion on the stem fitting in the head conical seat.
step 4: in valves with 10000 psi working pressure or more, besides the greaser check valve a second check
valve is installed and screwed inside the lubrication duct. Testing is required for this valve, too.
step 5: if the cup does not come off easily, do not insist because it might pull up the gland nut annulling
sealing on the conical surface between the stem and the head.
step 10: make sure that the seal is positioned with the teflon side down.
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. Insert two or more nuts between the head flange and the body valve, then turn the wheel to
the right to lift the head from the body.
. Hld up the cover and turn the wheel to the right until the stem is released from the gate.
. Lft the head.
Notes
Step 9: Sealing plates must not stick out of the body valve upper part.
Step 14: For valves with a working pressure up to 5.000 psi, the two centering pins installed on the body must
line up with their respective seats in the head lower part. For valves with a working pressure ranging
10/15/20.000 psi, make sure the greaser is correctly positioned.
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A balancing stem passes through the packing unit provided in the lower part of the valve. The
stem function is:
to balance the displaced volume during the working stem stroke to avoid pressure increases (or
decreases) inside the valve;
indicate valve open/closed positioning (the valve is closed when the stem sticks out)
For this reason the balancing stem has a conical annular protrusion for metal-to-metal sealing
which allows the sealing unit to be replaced under pressure.
Note: The wheel does not allow manual opening of the valve: the valve must be hydraulically opened.
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They are made of highly resistant materials (carbide, tungsten, stellite, ceramic...) to resist the
abrasion created by the passage of high-speed and high-pressure fluids.
The opening can be adjusted through a cone-shaped element (shutter or needle ) which fits the
hole (seat) allowing the flow to be adjusted.
A ring nut graduated in 64ths of an inch, positioned on the needle, allows the manual-choke
opening measure to be read. The ring-nut zero point has to be matched beforehand with the
closing position.
To prevent damages, adjustable chokes should not be tested like normal valves during tests.
Note: Back pressure is caused by pressure losses inside the choke; these pressure losses, during circulation,
create the same effect as that of static pressure without circulation.
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Automatic choke: The choke can be manually operated through a wheel which directly controls
the opening adjustment
Manual choke:
Parts
Body
Hydraulic piston
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Shutter
Seat
Position indicator
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Note: All components are H2S service and can stand temperatures ranging between -30 °C and 120 °C; on
request high-temperature spare parts are available. The seat and the shutter are in tungsten carbide to be
resistant to erosion and have symmetric-profile interchangeable ends which grant a longer service life.
Positive seal
Initially, the CAMERON choke would not allow sealing in static conditions ("non positive seal"),
but it has subsequently been modified in order to provide total sealing also in static conditions.
("positive seal") :
Note: If a "non positive seal" has been installed in the choke manifold, during blowout control operations the
valve behind it must be closed to read the stabilised pressure values. Subsequent to the said
modifications, the seat internal diameter is 1/4" smaller: the puller to be used to remove it must be
smaller than the one used for previous model.
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The valve is hydraulically operated through a pneumatically-operated 125 psi hydraulic pump.
The hydraulic control creates a 47.400 Kg force that can control all the working pressure values
the valve is designed for. Working pressure values range between 5.000 and 20.000 psi, and the
valve dimensions are:
-seat internal diameter (hole diameter) = 1 3/4" for "positive seal" models
= 2" for "non-positive seal" models
Maintenance
Shutter replacement
The choke does not need to be removed from the choke manifold for components replacement: to
carry out replacement operations isolate it by closing the valves before and after the choke itself.
Note 5: Seat and shutter blunt ends allow these components to be used for a longer period, since either end
can be used.
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1. Unscrew and remove the hydraulic actuator by using the provided key.
2. Insert the provided puller in the seat leaning the puller plate agaist the valve body.*
3. Connect the 20.000 psi pump to the puller hydraulic connection.
4. Pressurise until the seat comes off.
5. Release pressure and remove the puller.
6. Check the wear sleeve condition after the seat and replace it if necessary.
7. Inspect the seat. If it is worn out, turn it (if the other end is in good condition) or replace it.
8. Insert the seat into place.*
9. Re-install the actuator and tighten it by using the provided key.
Notes
Step 2: there are two pullers: one for the "positive seal" model and one for the "non-positive seal" one.
Step 8: put the seat into place by using a hammer, inserting a layer of ductile material to prevent damages.
A pneumatic pump supplies the hydraulic pressure (300 psi) required for the choke opening and
closing operations.
Note: If no air is available, the pump can be manually operated through a lever positioned on the panel.
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Transmitter J2
3. Chokes selector
6. MAASP indicator
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3. Chokes selector
5. Choke adjuster
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6. MAASP Indicator
At that moment, the safety unit will slowly open the choke
until its pressure stabilises around the defined value
(MAASP).
The switch (on-off) must be in the "on" position when the counter is being set to zero by using the
reset button.
Note: The choke adjustment speed has to be set during installation to avoid water hammering phenomenon
in case of sudden closures.
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Flange
Connections between the high-pressure mud-circuit components are carried out by flanges with
ring gaskets (or ring joints)
6B
6BX
Note: Flanges with threaded ends can stand up to 5.000 psi; above this value connections have to be flanged
or clamped.
6B Flange
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6BX Flange
The ring gasket seats are designed on the flange ends with an RMS (Raffined Measuring Surface)
finishing degree of:
The seat inclination is 23 degrees for both models. The ring gasket seats can be coated with
corrosion-proof materials.
The flange internal diameter is of the utmost importance since tools might be sent in through the
flange. In the 6BX flange the internal diameter coincides with the flange nominal diameter.
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API RP 53 Table
Note: API regulations recommend that the minimum internal diameter should coincide with the valve nominal
diameter minus 1/32".
Ring gaskets
The ring gaskets are inserted into their seats on the flange matching surfaces to ensure sealing.
They are compressed by the flange bolt torque until they are deformed creating metal-to-metal
sealing.
type R
type RX
type BX
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Type R
The R type cannot be energised and it undergoes permanent deformation. This means that if the
coupling internal pressure increases substantially, it causes a decrease of the bolts force and
subsequent loss of sealing.
Shocks, vibrations and temperature changes can alter the ring compression force with subsequent
losses.
Type RX
After tightening, the flange ends are not in contact, and the gap between them varies according to
flange type.
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Type BX
Maintenance
Flanges represent a sort of interruption in the installation structure and are indeed weak points
where losses might occur; it is therefore of the utmost importance to keep to the given
recommendations for the following operations:
during transportation and handling operations, flanges have to be protected with suitable
covers.
Note: The flange most delicate point is the ring-gasket seat; in case of 6BX flanges, as sealing occurs
between the flange ends, the contact surface should be also adequately protected.
assembly
use
- occasionally check the bolt torque especially if R-type rings are being used, since these might
be loosened by vibrations or temperature changes;
- suitable spare ring gaskets for the installed flange should always be kept in stock
Note: it is usually recommended that to improve sealing ring gaskets should not be covered with teflon,
rubber or any other material.
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