Seal for blowout preventer with selective debonding

Abstract

A seal and a method of manufacturing a seal for a blowout preventer. The seal includes a rigid material insert disposed within an elastomeric body, with at least a portion of the rigid material insert selectively de-bonded from the elastomeric body.

1 . A seal of a blowout preventer, comprising: 
 at least one rigid material insert disposed within an elastomeric body;    wherein at least one portion of the at least one rigid material insert is selectively de-bonded from the elastomeric body.    
     
     
         2 . The seal of  claim 1 , further comprising a release agent applied to the at least one portion of the at least one rigid material insert.  
     
     
         3 . The seal of  claim 1 , wherein the release agent comprises silicon.  
     
     
         4 . The seal of  claim 1 , further comprising a primer applied to a bonded portion of the at least one rigid material insert.  
     
     
         5 . The seal of  claim 1 , wherein the seal comprises a packing unit of an annular blowout preventer.  
     
     
         6 . The seal of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one portion comprises a back surface behind a head of the at least one rigid material insert.  
     
     
         7 . The seal of  claim 1 , wherein the seal comprises a top seal of a ram blowout preventer.  
     
     
         8 . The seal of  claim 1 , wherein the seal comprises a variable bore ram packer of a ram blowout preventer.  
     
     
         9 . A method of manufacturing a seal of a blowout preventer, the method comprising: 
 generating a finite element analysis seal model;    analyzing a strain plot of the finite element analysis seal model based on a displacement condition;    identifying in the finite element analysis seal model at least one portion of at least one rigid material insert to selectively de-bond from an elastomeric body; and    manufacturing the seal with the identified at least one portion of the at least one rigid material insert selectively de-bonded from the elastomeric body.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the manufacturing comprises: 
 applying a release agent to selectively de-bond the at least one portion of the at least one rigid material insert from the elastomeric body of the manufactured seal.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the manufacturing comprises: 
 applying a primer to the seal to a bonded portion of the at least one rigid material insert of the manufactured seal.    
     
     
         12 . An annular blowout preventer, comprising: 
 a housing;    a piston chamber formed in the housing;    a piston disposed within the piston chamber; and    a packing unit disposed adjacent to the piston, the packing unit comprising; 
 an elastomeric body; and  
 at least one rigid material insert disposed within the elastomeric body;  
 wherein at least one portion of the at least one rigid material insert is selectively de-bonded from the elastomeric body.  
   
     
     
         13 . The seal of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one portion of the at least one rigid material insert further comprises a back surface behind a head of the at least one rigid material insert.  
     
     
         14 . The seal of  claim 12 , further comprising a release agent applied to the at least one portion of the at least one rigid material insert.  
     
     
         15 . The seal of  claim 14 , wherein the release agent comprises silicon.  
     
     
         16 . The seal of  claim 12 , further comprising a primer applied to a bonded portion of the at least one rigid material insert.