Shear ram testing results released

Offshore staff

HOUSTON – Axon Energy Products subsidiary company Church Energy Services has announced the results of its successful blowout preventer shear ram test conducted on June 7, 2010. 

Church was requested by several major offshore drilling contractors and the (former) United States MMS to perform shear testing using shear rams designed and manufactured by Church in a 13 5/8-in. 10,000 psi Cameron Type U BOP recently re-manufactured and re-certified by Church. The purpose of the shear testing was to obtain data that describes the shear ram’s capabilities for shearing 5-in. S-135 and 5-in. G-105 drill pipe that is used while drilling a well to the NTL No. 2010-N05 requirements. The test was conducted to demonstrate at what pressure the BOP would shear the pipe in a given drilling rigs operation.

“The actual shear and seal test results exceeded all expectations,” said Dan Church, Vice President of Operations. Church supplied the calculations for the predicted maximum operating shearing pressure. The actual operating shearing pressure from the test was approximately 46% of the calculated maximum operating shearing pressure and only 31% of the maximum allowable operating shearing pressure.

A visual inspection of the shear rams was made between each shear test, and a surface NDE was performed on the shearing blade surface upon completion of the testing. The surface NDE (MPI) showed no indications of damage to the ram shear blade areas caused by the shear test.