Granted Patent B2

US 12,398,623 · App. 18/693,558 · Granted Aug 26, 2025

Inventors: Michael Raymond Netecke (Kristiansand, NO); Rogelio Cabrera (Kristiansand, NO); Nephtali Gonzalez (Kristiansand, NO)

Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation

E21B34/16E21B21/106F16K37/0083E21B2200/04

Abstract

Claims (43)

1. A system, comprising:

a top drive comprising:

a handling ring assembly comprising a main body;

a main shaft that traverses the main body of the handling ring assembly;

an internal blowout preventer valve, wherein the main shaft engages the internal blowout preventer valve;

a two-piece actuator sleeve assembly comprising:

a non-rotating portion; and

a rotating portion;

at least one hydraulic cylinder connected to the main body of the handling ring assembly, wherein the at least one hydraulic cylinder actuates the two-piece actuator sleeve assembly;

a left hand crank assembly having a left wireless encoder connected thereto; and

a right hand crank assembly having a right wireless encoder connected thereto,

wherein the crank assemblies with the wireless encoders are attached to, and are configured to rotate with, the internal blowout preventer valve along with the rotating portion of the two-piece actuator sleeve assembly.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the crank assemblies interface with a ball valve inside a body of the internal blowout preventer valve.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless encoders are powered by a battery.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wireless encoders are configured to provide an instantaneous position measurement of the internal blowout preventer valve.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein each wireless encoder is coupled with an anti-rotation bracket, and wherein each wireless encoder and corresponding anti-rotation bracket is encased in a protective guard.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the anti-rotation bracket comprises a plurality of rollers, and wherein the plurality of rollers facilitates axial movement of the protective guard relative to the wireless encoder coupled with the anti-rotation bracket.

7. The system of claim 1 ,

wherein the left wireless encoder is connected to the left hand crank assembly via a left crank/encoder interface, and

wherein the right wireless encoder is connected to the right hand crank assembly via a right crank/encoder interface.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a bearing disposed between the non-rotating portion and the rotating portion of the two-piece actuator sleeve assembly.

9. The system of claim 1 ,

wherein the internal blowout preventer valve comprises: a body; a box connection end; and a pin end, and

wherein the main shaft engages the box connection end of the internal blowout preventer valve.

10. A method comprising:

rotating the main shaft of the top drive of claim 1 , thereby causing the internal blowout preventer valve and the rotating portion of the two-piece actuator sleeve assembly to rotate;

applying pressure to the at least one hydraulic cylinder to actuate the two-piece actuator sleeve assembly, wherein actuating the two-piece actuator sleeve assembly comprises:

moving the non-rotating portion axially along a longitudinal axis of the internal blowout preventer valve; and

moving the rotating portion axially along the longitudinal axis of the internal blowout preventer valve, along with the non-rotation portion, as the rotating portion continues to rotate;

rotating the crank assemblies in a first direction to shift a position of the internal blowout preventer valve, wherein, during the rotating step, a shaft of the wireless encoders corresponding to the crank assemblies rotates in the first direction;

generating a plurality of measurements as the shaft of the wireless encoders rotates in the first direction;

receiving the plurality of measurements by a processing device;

calculating an instantaneous position measurement of the internal blowout preventer valve based on the plurality of measurements; and

determining an operating extent of the internal blowout preventer valve based on the instantaneous position measurement of the internal blowout preventer valve.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

tracking the instantaneous position measurement of the internal blowout preventer valve over a period of time; and

determining a condition of the internal blowout preventer valve based on the instantaneous position measurement tracked over the period of time.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the operating extent of the internal blowout preventer valve comprises determining whether the internal blowout preventer valve is fully opened or fully closed.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising: generating an alarm upon a determination that the internal blowout preventer valve is not fully opened or not fully closed.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

indicating that the internal blowout preventer valve should be replaced based on the determined operating extent of the internal blowout preventer valve on a screen of a human machine interface.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

displaying the determined operating extent of the internal blowout preventer valve on a screen of a human machine interface.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (44)