Vetco Gray Inc.

Benjamin James Kubichek

Joseph W Pallini

Rockford Dee Lyle

Steven Wong

Robert James Wagner

Daniel Louis Havelka

Jesus J Garcia

Jesse B Riha

Joseph William Pallini

Embodiments of the present disclosure include a riser tensioner includes a cylinder barrel, a rod reciprocally carried within the cylinder barrel and having an external end sealingly extending out of a proximal end of the cylinder barrel, and a piston on an interior end of the rod that slides and seals against an inner surface of the cylinder barrel. The tensioner further includes a selectively sealed low pressure chamber in the cylinder barrel between the piston and a distal end of the cylinder barrel and fillable with a low pressure fluid, and a selectively sealed annulus between the rod and the cylinder barrel, the annulus extending between the piston and the proximal end of the cylinder barrel and fillable with an annulus fluid at a pressure higher than the low pressure fluid, thereby urging the piston and rod towards retraction.

Inverted pull-up riser tensioner

A hydraulic cylinder enclosing a cavity, the cylinder containing a thru hole, an inner cylinder surface, and a longitudinal axis, and a piston within the cavity and movable relative to the cylinder in parallel to the longitudinal axis between a first and second positions. The piston includes a rod extending through the thru hole, the piston attached to the rod and in sealed engagement with the inner cylinder surface, and dividing the cavity into low and high pressure cavities, and each of the low and high pressure cavities containing a hydraulic fluid. The hydraulic cylinder further including a flexible bladder within the high pressure cavity containing a gas and preventing the gas from mixing with hydraulic fluid in the high pressure cavity. The flexible bladder is attached to an end of the cylinder, and is expandable within the high pressure cavity so that when the piston is in the first position, the flexible bladder and the gas are compressed, and as the piston moves toward the second position, the flexible bladder and the gas fill at least a portion of the high pressure cavity.

Tensioner cylinder with internal gas bladder in high pressure chamber

A tensioner assembly for applying tension to a tubular member, such as a riser, can include an upper latch connected to the tubular member, a platform with a bore, and a lower latch ring. After applying tension to the tubular member, the lower latch ring can be closed around the tubular member so that when the tension is released, the upper latch lands on and engages the lower latch. The assembly can include a locking mechanism that prevents axial movement of the upper latch, relative to the lower latch, after engagement. The upper latch can self-center on the lower latch as it is moved into the latching position.

Tensioner latch with sliding segmented base

A tensioner assembly for applying tension to a tubular member, such as a riser, can include an upper latch connected to the tubular member, a platform with a bore, and a plurality of lower latch segments, each having a base that is pivotally connected to the platform. After applying tension to the tubular member, the segments pivot inward to form an annular lower latch ring having an inner diameter less than an outer diameter of the upper latch. The assembly can include a locking mechanism that prevents axial movement of the upper latch, relative to the lower latch ring, after engagement. The upper latch can self-center on the lower latch as it is moved into the latching position.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Benjamin James Kubichek