Low profile rotating control device

Abstract

A system and method is provided for a low profile rotating control device (LP-RCD) and its housing mounted on or integral with an annular blowout preventer seal, casing, or other housing. The LP-RCD and LP-RCD housing can fit within a limited space available on drilling rigs.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A system for forming a borehole using a rotatable tubular, the system comprising:
 a housing having a height and disposed above the borehole, said housing having a port;   a bearing assembly having an inner member and an outer member and being positioned with said housing, one of said members rotatable with the tubular relative to the other said member and one of said members having a passage through which the tubular may extend;   a seal having a height to sealably engage the rotatable tubular with said bearing assembly;   a plurality of bearings disposed between said inner member and said outer member;   a lower member above the borehole; and   an attachment member for attaching said housing to said lower member.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the lower member is an annular blowout preventer. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said attachment member having a radially outwardly facing thread and said housing having a radially inwardly facing thread to threadly attach said housing to said attachment member. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said attachment member having a plurality of openings, wherein said attachment member having a radially outwardly facing thread and said plurality of openings are spaced radially inwardly of said radially outwardly facing thread. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a flange having an outer diameter and a port, wherein said housing port communicating with said flange port. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said flange outer diameter is substantially the same as said height of said housing and said bearing assembly after said bearing assembly is positioned with said housing. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said flange outer diameter is at least eighty percent of said housing height of said housing and said bearing assembly after said bearing assembly is positioned with said housing. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said housing port being alignable while being attached to said attachment member. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said housing port being alignable while being attached to said attachment member. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a ball and socket joint connection between said housing and said bearing assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein said outer member having a curved surface and said housing having a corresponding surface to said outer member curved surface to allow said bearing assembly to move to multiple positions. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising a conduit disposed between said housing port and said flange wherein said conduit having a width and a height wherein said conduit width being greater than said conduit height. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said attachment member having a radially outwardly facing shoulder and said housing having a radially outwardly facing shoulder, the system further comprising a clamp to clamp said attachment member shoulder with said housing shoulder. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a support member for supporting said seal with one of said members, wherein said supporting member allows removal of said seal from both of said inner member and said outer member.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein said seal height is greater than fifty percent of said height of said housing and said bearing assembly after said bearing assembly is positioned with said housing. 
     
     
         16 . A rotating control apparatus, comprising:
 an outer member;   an inner member disposed with said outer member, said inner member having a passage;   a seal having a height and supported from one of said members and with the passage;   a plurality of bearings disposed between said outer member and said inner member so that one member is rotatable relative to the other member;   said seal extending inwardly from the plurality of bearings;   a housing having a height to receive at least a portion of said inner member and said outer member and said housing having a port; and   a flange having an outer diameter and a port, wherein said housing port communicating with said flange port while being aligned with said seal wherein said flange outer diameter is at least eighty percent of said housing height.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising an attachment member having a connection means for connecting with said housing. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said housing port being alignable while being attached to said attachment member. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said flange outer diameter is substantially the same as said housing height. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said seal height is greater than fifty percent of said housing height 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a conduit disposed between said housing port and said flange, wherein said conduit having a width and a height wherein said conduit width being greater than said conduit height. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , further comprising a conduit disposed between said housing port and said flange, wherein said conduit having a width and a height wherein said conduit width being greater than said conduit height. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein said seal height is greater than fifty percent of said housing height. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein said conduit width is greater than said conduit height for said conduit positioned above said attachment means, and said flange port is substantially circular. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein said housing port, said flange port and said conduit each having a flow area and said flow areas being substantially equal. 
     
     
         26 . A system for managing the pressure of a fluid in a borehole while sealing a rotatable tubular, the system comprising:
 a housing having a height and communicating with the borehole, said housing having a port;   an outer member having an end rotatably adapted with an inner member having an end and having a passage through which the tubular may extend;   a plurality of bearings between said inner member and said outer member;   a seal having a height and supported by one of said members for sealing with the rotatable tubular;   said housing port communicating with and aligned with said seal; and   a support member for removably supporting said seal with one of said members end wherein said seal having height so that said seal height is greater than fifty percent of said housing height.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 an attachment member for attaching said housing to a lower member.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein said housing port being alignable while being attached to said attachment member. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising a flange having a diameter and a port, wherein said housing port communicating with said flange port. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 27 , further comprising a conduit disposed between said housing port and said flange, wherein said conduit having a width and a height and said conduit width being greater than said conduit height. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein said conduit width is greater than said conduit height for said conduit positioned above said attachment member, and said flange port is substantially circular. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein said housing port, said flange port and said conduit each having a flow area and said flow areas being substantially equal. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein said conduit is flexible. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein said flange diameter is at least eighty percent of said housing height. 
     
     
         35 . A method for managing the pressure of a fluid in a borehole while sealing a rotatable tubular, comprising the steps of:
 attaching an attachment member to a lower member;   attaching a housing having a height to the radially outwardly facing surface of said attachment member after the step of attaching the attachment member to the lower member;   passing the rotatable pipe through a bearing assembly having an inner member and an outer member with said housing wherein one of said members is rotatable relative to the other of said members;   sealing said bearing assembly with the rotatable tubular; and   allowing rotary motion of said bearing assembly within said housing while the rotatable tubular is sealed with said bearing assembly and said housing is sealed with said lower member.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the lower member is an annular blowout preventer. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the step of attaching the housing comprising the step of:
 threadly attaching said housing to said attachment member.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the step of attaching the attachment member to the lower member comprises the step of:
 securing said attachment member to the lower member.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said attachment member having a radially outwardly facing thread and wherein said attachment member is secured to the lower member radially inwardly of said radially outwardly facing thread. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising a flange having a diameter, wherein said housing having a port communicating with a port in said flange, wherein said flange diameter is at least eighty percent of said housing height. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising the step of:
 aligning said housing port while attaching said housing.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising a conduit disposed between said housing port and said flange, wherein said conduit having a width and a height wherein said conduit width being greater than said conduit height, further comprising the step of:
 positioning the portion of said conduit having said conduit width greater than said conduit height above said attachment member wherein the flow area in said housing port, said flange port and said conduit being substantially equal.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the step of attaching said housing to the lower member comprising the step of:
 clamping said attachment member with said housing.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising the step of:
 removably supporting said seal having a height with one of said members, wherein said seal height is greater than fifty percent of said housing height.   
     
     
         45 . A rotating control apparatus, comprising:
 an outer member having a longitudinal axis;   an inner member rotatably disposed with said outer member along said longitudinal axis;   a seal having a height and rotatably supported from one of said members along said longitudinal axis;   an annular blowout preventer seal disposed below said rotatably supported seal and along said longitudinal axis; and   an integral housing having a height to receive a portion of said inner member and said outer member, said rotatably supported seal and said annular blowout preventer seal, said housing having a port not aligned with said longitudinal axis while communicating with said rotatably supported seal and said annular blowout preventer seal.   
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein said rotatably supported seal and said annular blowout preventer seal are positioned in said integral housing while being free of an attachment member. 
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , further comprising:
 a support member for supporting said rotatably supported seal with one of said members.   
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein said support member allows removable of said rotatably supported seal from said inner member and said outer member. 
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , further comprising a ball and socket joint between said housing and said outer member. 
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein said outer member having a curved surface and said housing having a corresponding surface to said outer member curved surface to allow said inner member to move to multiple positions. 
     
     
         51 . Method for inspecting an annular blowout preventer seal in a housing, comprising the steps of:
 removing a bearing assembly having an inner member and an outer member from an opening in said housing, wherein one of said members is rotatable relative to the other said member and one of said members having passage; and   removing an annular blowout preventer seal from said housing through said housing opening after the step of removing the bearing assembly.   
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein after the step of removing the bearing assembly said housing provides a full bore access to said annular blowout preventer seal. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising the step of:
 removing a containment member for said annular blowout preventer seal through said housing opening after the step of removing the bearing assembly.   
     
     
         54 . Method for conversion of a drilling rig between conventional drilling and managed pressure drilling, comprising the steps of:
 providing a housing to receive an annular blowout preventer seal and a removable rotatably supported seal;   sensing the pressure in said housing above said annular blowout preventer seal;   directing drilling fluids from said housing to a pressure control device; and   positioning said rotatably supported seal to manage pressure in said housing while drilling.   
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , further comprising the step of:
 before the step of sensing the pressure in said housing, closing said annular blowout preventer.   
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 54 , further comprising the step of:
 after the step of positioning said rotatably supported seal, opening said annular blowout preventer.   
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising the step of:
 after the step of closing said annular blowout preventer, circulating a weighted drilling fluid.   
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising the step of:
 before the step of positioning said rotatably supported seal, removing a nipple from said housing.   
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 57 , further comprising the step of:
 after the steps of circulating a weighted fluid and positioning said rotatably supported seal, circulating a drilling fluid lighter than the weighted drilling fluid.   
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 54 , comprising the step of:
 remotely controlling the step of sensing the pressure.   
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 54 , comprising the step of:
 remotely controlling the step of directing drilling fluids.   
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein said rotatably supported seal and said annular blowout preventer seal are positioned in said housing while being free of an attachment member. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 54 , further comprising the step of:
 removably supporting said rotatably supported seal.