The Unitized Lock-Ring Wellhead: Engineering Begins with Conversation
True innovations don’t happen in a vacuum chamber. At Weir, our engineers make it part of the design process to collaborate with everyone—customers, manufacturing, and supply chain experts included. This approach allows us to address pain points on paper before they become reality. In the process, we engineer real-world solutions customers really appreciate.
Take the Seaboard™ Unitized Lock-Ring (ULR) wellhead, the subject of this three-part web series. In listening to customers, we learned their biggest issues are safety, time, and cost. So we built a wellhead from the ground up to directly address those issues.
Before the wellhead even arrives on site, Weir’s collaborative and streamlined approach to manufacturing leverages parallel development paths to optimize efficiency. Time from design to field delivery is typically about 12 weeks—six months faster than what’s required for a traditional wellhead.
And that’s before the installation process even begins. As a team, we took a hard look at running procedures on traditional wellheads. For the BOP, removal is required to install the next stage. Then it must be reconnected, with each flange connection taking three to four hours. Operators also have to wait for cement to dry before lifting the BOP up and off the next wellhead, manually setting slips and trimming casing to match the next spool. This procedure alone can take up to 18 hours.
Not only is the process time-consuming. It’s dangerous, requiring flame cutting, welding, and grinding in a volatile environment. The longer it takes, the greater the risk to personnel and assets. Our goal was to simplify the installation, eliminating these time-consuming procedures, along with the attendant risks and costs—an operational trifecta achieved with the ULR.
First off, the ULR features a nested system within a single-piece housing, resulting in an overall shorter stack-up height and reduced weight—making access easier and installation less risky. With mandrel casing hangers, technicians can run, land, circulate, and cement the casing through the rotary table and BOP with no cutting, welding or grinding required. An internal lock-down seal assembly eliminates the multiple leak paths found on traditional wellheads.
As another strategy for improving safety, Weir looked for ways to limit the amount of time workers are exposed in this dangerous environment. The internal lock ring assembly and mandrel hangers can save 6-8 hours per casing string. And with a quick-connect hub, an operator can align, land, and secure the BOP on the wellhead much faster than with a conventional flange connection, reducing rig-up time from two hours to less than 30 minutes. Plus, there’s no longer a need to wait for cement to dry before resuming operations.
Obviously, reducing the amount of time involved reduces the associated labor costs. A day of rig time could conceivably pay for the wellhead, plus, by reducing risk, you’re also protecting valuable assets, which include your people—that’s the underscore beneath every bottom line.
With the ULR, Weir has listened to customers and delivered a solution that lowers total cost of ownership. Next time, we’ll dive deeper into some of the features of this safer, innovative, time-saving wellhead.