CHAPTER THREE

Annular Type Preventers

Pages
GENERAL ...................................................................................................................... 32

Closing on Tool Joints ............................................................................. 32

Wellbore Seals .......................................................................................... 32

Closing on Casing .................................................................................... 33

Stripping Operations ................................................................................ 33

N.L. SHAFFER ANNULAR PREVENTER ..................................................................... 33

Hydraulic System ...................................................................................... 33

Water Depth Sensitivity ............................................................................ 33

Packing Element Design .......................................................................... 34

Hydraulic System ...................................................................................... 34

Packing Element Design .......................................................................... 34

Chapter 3

HYDRIL G.L. PREVENTER ........................................................................................... 34

CAMERON TYPE D PREVENTER ................................................................................ 35

Hydraulic System ..................................................................................... 35

Packing Element Design .......................................................................... 35

FIGURES 50 THRU 59 ................................................................................... 36 thru 315

ANNULAR TYPE PREVENTERS

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Annular Type Preventers

GENERAL

nnular type preventers have the ability to seal around smooth surface objects in the wellbore
such as drill collars, square kellys, casing and drill pipe. They will not, however, seal against
spiralled drill collars.
They are also capable of sealing across an open wellbore, but as this practise will noticeably
shorten the packing element life it is not recommended to attempt this unless absolutely necessary. Each packing element is pressure tested at full working pressure on full closure prior to
leaving the manufacturing plant.
One of the most important functions of an annular preventer is its ability to sustain repeated
movement of drill pipe and tool joints through a closed packing element, while at the same time
containing well bore pressure. This situation would arise if the drill string had to be stripped back
to bottom to kill a well.
Three types of materials are used in the manufacture of annular packing elements. These are:
1)

Natural rubber - The natural rubber elements have the better wear resistance; however
they should only be used in water based muds and at temperatures ranging from -20 F
to 170 F

2)

Nitrile synthetic compound - Packing elements manufactured from Nitrile are recommended for use in oil based muds and at temperatures ranging from, 40 F to 170 F

3)

Neoprene synthetic compound - Packing elements manufactured from neoprene are

recommended for low temperature use, -30 F to 170 F in oil based mud.

Selection of the correct material for the well conditions to be encountered is vitally important to
the performance of the packing element. Premature failure could occur if material selection is
incorrect. Material selection should be made on a well by well basis.
Closing on Tool Joints
Although annular preventers have the ability to allow stripping of tool joints, through a closed packing
element, extreme care must be taken to ensure that tool joints do not interfere with initial closing of the
preventer as this could cause severe damage to the metal segments of the packing element.
This damage usually consists of deformation of the steel segments, which in turn can cause
damage to other preventer components, such as the wear sleeve and upper housing.
Wellbore Seals
On all annular preventers there are lip type seals which prevent wellbore fluids entering the operating system. The cameron type D and DL preventers provide weepholes in the body to allow

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CHAPTSUBSEA EQUIPMENT TRAINING MANUAL

venting to atmosphere, any wellbore fluids which may pass a leaking seal. The Shaffer and Hydril
preventers do not have this facility and therefore in the event that these wellbore seals should leak
the wellbore fluids will enter the control system with possible catastrophic results.
Closing on Casing
Due to the collapse resistance properties of most casing strings, consideration has to be given to
the initial closing pressures used when closing annular preventers on casing. Normal practice is
to close the preventer with the minimum required closing pressure, and then increase the closing
pressure sufficiently to maintain a seal as wellbore pressure increases. Figures 50 and 51 show
recommended initial closing pressures for various pipe sizes using the N.L. Shaffer and Hydril
G.L. preventers respectively.

Stripping Operations
Provision must be made to protect the packing element from closing pressure surges caused by
tooljoints passing through the closed element during stripping operations. A ten gallon accumulator pre-charged with nitrogen to approximately 500 P.S.I. plus 45 P.S.I. per 100 feet of water depth
located as close to the closing port as possible will reduce these pressure surges and protect the
packing element from surge induced damage. Figure 52 shows a typical accumulator hook up.

N.L. SHAFFER ANNULAR PREVENTER

Hydraulic System
The hydraulic operating system of the N.L. Shaffer preventer consists of an opening chamber and
a closing chamber, separated by a single operating piston with opposing lip type seals. The inside
diameter of the preventer body forms the cylinder walls on which the piston operates.
During the closing cycle the operating fluid enters the closing chamber and forces the piston
upwards. The upward motion of the piston drives the packing element against the spherically
contoured upper housing which in turn directs the sealing surface of the element into the wellbore.
During the opening cycle operating fluid forces the piston downwards allowing the packing element to return to its original position due to its own elastic energy. Figure 53 shows the N.L.
Shaffer preventer and packing element. Figure 54 shows a dual preventer.

Water Depth Sensitivity

The N.L. Shaffer preventer is sensitive to water depth and mud weight and therefore the closing
pressure required to effect a seal increases relative to water depth and mud weight.

ANNULAR TYPE PREVENTERS

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This is due to the hydrostatic pressure of the mud column inside the riser, acting on the area of the
piston exposed to wellbore fluid creating an opening force, which has to be overcome by additional closing pressure. Figure 55 shows the closing pressure correction required for various
water depths and mud weights.
Packing Element Design
The N.L. Shaffer packing element uses a series of steel segments which retain the element within
the preventer body and prevent excess rubber extrusion when closing with high wellbore or operating system pressures.

HYDRIL G.L. PREVENTER

Hydraulic System
The hydraulic operating system of the Hydril GL preventer consists of an opening chamber, a
closing chamber and a secondary chamber separated by a single operating piston with opposing
lip type seals. The inside diameter of the preventer body forms the cylinder walls on which the
piston operates.
The Hydril G.L. Preventer, unlike the N.L. Shaffer Preventer, has been designed specifically for
subsea use. A secondary chamber has been added to the hydraulic system which has a cross
sectional area, equal to the area of the operating piston which is exposed to hydrostatic pressure
from the mud column in the riser.
Operational hook up of the secondary chamber determines the effect of the hydrostatic pressure
of the mud column in the riser on the closing pressure correction required for subsea operation.
The closing pressure correction is dependent on whether the secondary chamber is connected to
(1) The closing port; (2) The opening port; or (3) The riser. Connecting the secondary chamber to
the riser requires no change in closing pressure.

Figure 56 shows the Hydril G. L. Preventer. Figure 57 shows the equations used to determine the
closing pressures for the applicable secondary chamber hook up, mud weight and water depth.
Packing Element Design
The Hydril Packing Element uses steel segments which serve the same purpose as of those
used in the N.L. Shaffer preventer. The major difference is that where the Shaffer preventer utilizes a flat-topped piston with a spherically shaped upper housing, the Hydril preventer utilizes a
flat upper housing with a tapered piston.
As with the N.L. Shaffer preventer, accumulators are used to protect the packing element during
stripping operations.

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CHAPTSUBSEA EQUIPMENT TRAINING MANUAL

CAMERON TYPE D PREVENTER

Hydraulic System
The Cameron type D preventers hydraulic system uses cylinder liners to separate the operating
piston from the main body. There is an inner cylinder, an outer cylinder and an operating piston
which together constitute the hydraulic section of the preventer. The opening and closing chambers are separated by the operating piston lip seals. The piston has a detachable pusher plate
which acts on the element during the closing cycle.
Packing Element Design
The Cameron packer is a two piece design consisting of a packer and donut assembly. As the
operating piston is forced upwards by closing pressure, the pusher plate acts on the outer donut
forcing it radially inwards. This radially inward motion of the donut forces the packer into the
wellbore. The packer has rotating steel inserts which rotate inwards as the packer is closed forming a continuous ring of steel to support the packer and prevent extrusion of the elastomer. Figures 58 and 59 show the Cameron type D.

ANNULAR TYPE PREVENTERS

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Figure 50

Recommended Closing Pressures on Large Pipe

Guidelines to Determine Initial Closing Pressures for Stripping Operations

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CHAPTSUBSEA EQUIPMENT TRAINING MANUAL

Figure 51

ANNULAR TYPE PREVENTERS

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Figure 52

ACUMULATOR
BOTTLE

OPENING
LINE

CLOSING
LINE

OPENING
LINE

CLOSING
LINE

STATION 1

STATION 2

HYDRAULIC UNIT

Typical Accumulator Hookup

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CHAPTSUBSEA EQUIPMENT TRAINING MANUAL

Figure 53

UPPER
HOUSING

UPPER
HOUSING

ELEMENT
ADAPTER
RING

ELEMENT
ADAPTER RING

PISTON

PISTON

LOWER
HOUSING

Bolted Cover Sperical BOP

Closing action begins.

LOWER
HOUSING

Wedge Cover Sperical BOP

Seal around drill pipe.

Shut-off sealno drill pipe.

N.L. Shaffer Preventer and Packing Element

ANNULAR TYPE PREVENTERS

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Figure 54

Dual Preventer

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CHAPTSUBSEA EQUIPMENT TRAINING MANUAL

Figure 55

MUD WEIGHT

CLOSING CHAMBER PRESSURE

CORRECTION, PSI

16#/4 INCH, 5000 PSI

SEAWATER

WATER DEPTH, FT.

Closing Pressure Correction for Various Water Depths

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Figure 56
RING GROOVE
WEAR PLATE
PACKING UNIT
LATCHED HEAD
HYDRAULIC
CONNECTION

SEALS

PISTON BOWL
SEALS

PISTON
HYDRAULIC
CONNECTION

SEALS
HYDRAULIC
CONNECTION
SEAL

Type GL
RING GROOVE

Hydril G.L. Preventer

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CHAPTSUBSEA EQUIPMENT TRAINING MANUAL

Figure 57
Secondary Chamber
Connection

Closing Pressure, PSI

Closing port

P = @/3 [PR + (0.026 MW .222) D]

Opening port

P = PR + (0.026 MW .222) D

Riser

P = PR

Closing pressure for subsea operation, PSI.

PR

Recommended average surface closing pressure.

MW =

Mud weight, ppg.

Water depth, ft.

Equations to Determine Closing Pressures for Hydril G.L.

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Figure 58

Cameron Type D Preventer

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CHAPTSUBSEA EQUIPMENT TRAINING MANUAL

Figure 59

18#/4" 10,000 PSI WP D Annular Blowout Preventer

ANNULAR TYPE PREVENTERS

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