Method of in situ repair of a wellhead base flange

摘要

An in situ method for repairing a base flange of a wellhead. At least one layer of a polymerizable composite material is applied to a damaged surface, an elastic seal is placed on the layer of composite material, and a reinforcing collar is pressed against the seal on the surface of the flange covered with the composite material. An arrangement of an in situ repair of a base flange of a wellhead includes at least one layer of a polymerized composite material on a damaged surface, an elastic seal on the composite material, and a reinforcing collar pressing the seal against the damaged surface.

主权项

1. A method of in-situ repair of a wellhead assembly, the wellhead assembly including a base flange and a tube having an outside surface and a longitudinal axis, extending from beneath and toward the base flange, and engaging the base flange, wherein the base flange surrounds and extends radially outwardly, at a planar lower surface of the base flange, from the outside surface of the tube, a damaged surface area to be repaired is located at a junction of the planar lower surface of the base flange and the outside surface of the tube, and includes part of the planar lower surface of the base flange and part of the outside surface of the tube, with both the part of the outside surface and the part of the planar lower surface adjacent to the junction, and the planar lower surface of the base flange forms a corner having an angle of at least 90 degrees and up to 160 degrees with the outside surface of the tube, the method comprising:
applying a layer of a polymerizable composite material on the damaged surface area at the junction of the planar lower surface of the base flange and the outside surface of the tube, covering the damaged surface area, wherein the layer of a polymerizable composite material comprises layer portions that cover adjacent portions of the planar lower surface of the base flange and of the outside surface of the tube and are disposed within the corner formed by the planar lower surface of the base flange and the outside surface of the tube; placing a single elastic seal ring on the outside surface of the tube, coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the tube, on the layer of the polymerizable composite material, in contact with the layer portions of the polymerizable composite material, covering the damaged surface area on the parts of the planar lower surface of the base flange and the outside surface of the tube, and opposite the junction, wherein the single elastic seal ring engages the layer of the polymerizable composite material within the corner; and installing a reinforcing collar on the tube, coaxially surrounding the tube, in contact with the single elastic seal ring, pressing the single elastic seal ring toward the junction, against the layer portions of the polymerizable composite material, and pressing the layer portions of the polymerizable composite material onto the parts of the planar lower surface of the base flange and of the outside surface of the tube.