High pressure-rated ram blowout preventer and method of manufacture

Abstract

A process to manufacture a ram blowout preventer, the process including: welding a bottom flange to a body, wherein at least one of the bottom flange and the body comprises a base material; selectively reinforcing the base material with an age-hardenable clad material; and heat treating the welded flange and selectively reinforced body to achieve selected properties in each of the clad material and the base material.

1 . A process to manufacture a ram blowout preventer, the process comprising: 
 welding a bottom flange to a body, wherein at least one of the bottom flange and the body comprises a base material;    selectively reinforcing the base material with an age-hardenable clad material; and    heat treating the welded flange and selectively reinforced body to achieve selected properties in each of the clad material and the base material.    
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the body is provided in a normalized and rough machined condition, and wherein the flange is provided in a normalized and rough machined condition.  
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising snap-tempering the welded flange and body.  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein the heat treating comprises finish tempering the welded flange and selectively reinforced body for a selected time and at a selected temperature to temper the base material and age harden the clad material.  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 age-hardening at least a portion of the clad material for a selected time and at a selected temperature profile;    wherein the age-hardening results in the clad material developing a selected strength gradient.    
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the heat treating comprises final tempering the welded flange and selectively reinforced body.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 age-hardening at least a portion of the clad material for a selected time and at a selected temperature profile;    wherein the age-hardening results in the clad material developing a selected strength gradient.    
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising final tempering the welded flange and body.  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the heat treating comprises: 
 age-hardening at least a portion of the clad material for a selected time and at a selected temperature profile;    wherein the age-hardening results in the clad material developing a selected strength gradient.    
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the clad material develops a yield strength of at least 135 ksi at a surface of the clad material.  
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 10 , wherein the clad material develops a yield strength of at least 120 ksi at a depth of about 0.375 inches.  
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the base material develops a maximum Brinell hardness of 237.  
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the body is a dual ram blowout preventer body.  
     
     
         14 . A ram blowout preventer, comprising: 
 a body comprising a low-alloy base material;    a vertical bore through the body;    a horizontal bore through the body intersecting the vertical bore;    a flange welded to a bottom of the body;    wherein at least a portion of the body is selectively reinforced with a clad material; and    wherein the selectively reinforced body is heat treated to achieve selected properties in each of the clad material and the base material.    
     
     
         15 . The ram blowout preventer of  claim 14 , wherein the heat treating comprises at least one of a snap temper, a finish temper, a final temper, and a supplemental age-hardening.  
     
     
         16 . The ram blowout preventer of  claim 14 , wherein the body is a dual ram blowout preventer body.  
     
     
         17 . The ram blowout preventer of  claim 14 , wherein the base material has a maximum Brinell hardness of 237.  
     
     
         18 . The ram blowout preventer of  claim 17 , wherein the clad material has a yield strength of at least 135 ksi at a surface of the clad material.  
     
     
         19 . The ram blowout preventer of  claim 18 , wherein the clad material has a yield strength of at least 120 ksi at a depth of about 0.375 inches.  
     
     
         20 . The ram blowout preventer of  claim 14 , wherein the clad material has a yield strength of at least 120 ksi at a depth of about 0.375 inches.