Blowout preventer and pump rod clamp

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a combined pump rod clamp/BOP for use in a wellbore. The pump rod clamp/BOP is capable of supporting the weight of the pump rod, preventing axial or rotational movement of the rod, and simultaneous preventing fluids from escaping from the well, while maintaining electrical conductivity between the BOP and the polish rod. The pump rod clamp/BOP features rams having an arcuate channel for clamping a pump rod. The rams include a gripping non-metallic material non-releasably disposed on the engaging face of the ram. The non-metallic material can coat the entire engaging face of the ram, the arcuate channel only, or part of the arcuate channel. The non-metallic gripping material prevents the rams from damaging the pump rod when they engage the rod.

1 . A pump rod clamp/blowout preventer for use in a well, comprising: 
 a housing having a bore for receiving a pump rod;    rams situated in the housing and movable between an activated position wherein the rams grippingly engage the pump rod with adequate force to support the pump rod and to prevent axial or rotational movement of the pump rod and prevent fluids from escaping from the well through the bore; the rams comprising: 
 an engaging face having an arcuate channel situated to receive the pump rod when the ram is the activated position, and  
 a non-metallic material non-releasably disposed on at least a portion of the engaging face for contacting the pump rod.  
   
   
   
       2 . The pump rod clamp/blowout preventer of  claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic material covers the entire engaging face.  
   
   
       3 . The pump rod clamp/blowout preventer of  claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic material is disposed substantially only in the arcuate channel.  
   
   
       4 . The pump rod clamp/blowout preventer of  claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic material is disposed as one or more bands in the arcuate channel.  
   
   
       5 . The pump rod clamp/blowout preventer of  claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic material is selected from the group consisting of elastomers, rubbers, polymers, ceramics, carbides, nitrides, metal oxides, chrysotile materials, metal oxides, and composites containing metal oxides.  
   
   
       6 . The pump rod clamp/blowout preventer of  claim 5 , wherein the non-metallic material is aluminum oxide.  
   
   
       7 . The pump rod clamp/blowout preventer of  claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic material is non-releasably affixed to the engaging face by gluing, brazing, form fitting, press fitting, molding, interference fitting, spray coating, or direct chemical deposition.  
   
   
       8 . The pump rod clamp/blowout preventer of  claim 1 , wherein the arcuate channel includes one or more pockets for non-releasably receiving a band of the non-metallic material.  
   
   
       9 . A pump rod clamp/blowout preventer for use in a well, comprising: 
 a housing comprising: 
 a longitudinal bore for receiving a pump rod;  
 at least one of an upper or lower flange for securing the housing to wellhead equipment; and  
 a pair of opposed radial bores generally perpendicular to, and terminating at, the longitudinal bore;  
   rams and a actuators received in each of the opposed radial bores, the actuators configured to move the rams between an activated and a non-activated position wherein in the activated position the rams grippingly engage the pump rod with adequate force to support the pump rod and to prevent axial or rotational movement of the pump rod and simultaneously prevent fluids from escaping from the well through the longitudinal bore, the rams comprising: 
 an engaging face having an arcuate channel situated to receive the pump rod when the ram is the activated position, and  
 a non-metallic material non-releasably disposed on at least a portion of the engaging face for contacting the pump rod.  
   
   
   
       10 . The pump rod clamp/blowout preventer of  claim 9 , wherein the actuators comprise stems threadably received within the actuators such that rotation of the stems moves the rams between the activated and non-activated positions.  
   
   
       11 . The pump rod clamp/blowout preventer of  claim 9 , wherein the non-metallic material covers the entire engaging face.  
   
   
       12 . The pump rod clamp/blowout preventer of  claim 9 , wherein the non-metallic material is disposed substantially only in the arcuate channel.  
   
   
       13 . The pump rod clamp/blowout preventer of  claim 9 , wherein the non-metallic material is disposed as one or more bands in the arcuate channel.  
   
   
       14 . The pump rod clamp/blowout preventer of  claim 9 , wherein the non-metallic material is selected from the group consisting of elastomers, rubbers, polymers, ceramics, carbides, nitrides, metal oxides, chrysotile materials, metal oxides, and composites containing metal oxides.  
   
   
       15 . The pump rod clamp/blowout preventer of  claim 14 , wherein the non-metallic material is aluminum oxide.  
   
   
       16 . The pump rod clamp/blowout preventer of  claim 9 , wherein the non-metallic material does not provide an electrically insulating barrier between the pump rod and the ram.  
   
   
       17 . The pump rod clamp/blowout preventer of  claim 16 , further comprising an electrical contact for maintaining electrical equilibrium between the housing and the pump rod.