Plexus Ocean Systems Limited

Plexus Holdings, Plc.

Vetco, Inc.

Shell Oil Comapny

Plexus Pipe Products Limited

Bernard Herman Van Bilderbeek

Craig Francis Bryce Hendrie

Michael Robertson

Craig Hendrie

Mark Boyd

Brent Harrald

Mark Bridges

Ian F Milne

Craig Francis Hendrie

A pressure energised seal for a wellhead, in particular, provides a seal of an annulus between an inner wellhead casing member and an outer wellhead casing member. The wellhead incorporates a clamping arrangement whereby the outer member is arranged to be deflected radially inwardly in order to grip and secure the inner member within the bore of the outer member. Also, a seal for use in such a clamping arrangement. In particular, the seal includes a sealing lip which locates within a groove provided in the outer clamping surface of the inner member. A seal is activated and created as the outer member is clamped inwardly since this causes the outer member to compress the inner member and to reduce the diameter of the inner member. Also, a well and a method of sealing an annulus in a well.

Seal for a well

The present invention provides a running toolfor a casing hangerin which the casing hangeris arranged to be clamped within a well bore. In the clamped position, the suspension weight of the casing hanger(and suspended) casing string is supported by the wellhead and the running toolis then releasable from the casing hanger. The release of the running toolfrom the casing hangeris performed by applying an axial pressure down the running toolwhich then enables the securement meansof the running toolto be moved into an unsecured position. In the secured position, the casing hangeris suspendable from the running tooland the running toolsupports the suspension weight of the casing hanger(and the casing string located there below). The running toolcomprises activation meansin order to enable the securement meansto move from the secured position to the unsecured position. The running toolincludes release prevention meansin order to prevent the movement of the securement meansfrom the secured position to the unsecured position whilst the suspension weight of the casing hangeris suspended from the running tool

Running tool

The present invention provides monitoring means for monitoring the space and volume within a lower annulus. In particular, the monitoring means monitors the space and volume within the lower annuluslocated between the inner surface of theintermediate casing stringand the outer surface of the inner casing string. Furthermore, the monitoring means provides the capability to retrieve and/or introduce fluid(s) into the annular space. The monitoring means provides a port, specifically a passageway, which extends upwardly from the annular spaceto an outlet located above the hangerfor the intermediate casing string. The passagewayis provided in a sleeve. The monitoring means includes a sensor located above the hangerwhich means that the fluid in the annular spacecan be monitored without the need for penetrating a casing in the wellhead.

Subsea wellhead including monitoring apparatus

A wellhead securement arrangement releasably clamps casing strings such that they cannot move in an upwards or downwards longitudinal direction. Prior to being clamped, the securement arrangement secures the casing strings in a first position whereby cement returns are able to flow around the hangers towards the surface. Once cemented, the casing strings are released and moved upwardly, where the securement arrangement clamps the hangers into position, thus creating an axial load on the casing strings while also preventing movement in the upward and downward longitudinal directions.

Securement arrangement for securing casing inside a subsea wellhead

A method and apparatus for installing casing hangers in a wellbore utilizing an externally activated gripping system to temporarily bind wearbushings secured to casing and tubing hangers in order to lock-down such hangers during various wellbore drilling activities, thereby minimizing the size of landing shoulders and eliminating additional lock down equipment and simplifying running procedures.

Externally activated seal system for wellhead

A joint for joining the ends of two pipes has a socket (or box) on the end of one pipe into which the end of the other pipe is inserted. The part of the socket which surrounds the inserted pipe has an external tapered surface. A correspondingly tapered sleeve surrounds the socket and can be moved axially to apply a compressive force to the taper on the socket which is thus compressed inward against the inserted pipe end to frictionally grip the inserted pipe end.

Pipe joint

A joint for joining the ends of two pipes () has a socket (or box) on the end of one pipe () into which the end () of the other pipe is inserted. The part () of the socket which surrounds the inserted pipe has an external tapered surface (). A correspondingly tapered sleeve () surrounds the socket and can be moved axially to apply a compressive force to the taper on the socket which is thus compressed inward against the inserted pipe end to frictionally grip the inserted pipe end.

A method and apparatus for a seal assembly for a unitized wellhead system for land or platform applications utilizes a friction grip technology to create maintainable metal-to-metal seals with finely-controlled contact stresses, lock-down casing and tubing hangers, support test loads to minimize the size of landing shoulders required, and to rotationally lock casing hangers to provide simplified running procedures. The system can be used in combination with a friction grip clamping assembly to greatly streamline the wellhead design.

A sealing device is provided for making a seal against an annular surface. The device includes at least one flexible seal ring having a relaxed position in which the seal ring is out of contact with the surface and an active position in which the seal ring is in sealing contact with the surface, an operating member movable relative to the seal ring in a direction substantially parallel to the annular surface to produce a substantially radial movement of the ring into the active position, and a plurality of elongate, substantially parallel shape-memory material actuators arranged around the annular surface. A change of shape of the actuators produces the movement of the operating member which moves the seal ring into the active position.

Seal

A washout arrangement for a well where a washout process is to take place to wash cement out of an annulus between two concentric casings 10, 16. Washports 36 are provided in a casing hanger 18, and an axially movable, telescopically extending lower body 40 is provided in a running tool 26 which is to engage with the casing hanger. When the running tool and casing hanger are engaged with each other, the lower body 40 can be moved axially (for example by mounting the lower body on a thread within the running tool and then rotating the lower body) between a position where it closes the washports and a position where the ports are open.

Washout arrangement for a well

A clamp for clamping two concentric tubes, typically two concentric tubes 2,4 in an oil or gas well. The clamp has two axially movable tapered components 6,7 which can be pulled over one another in an axial direction to provide a contraction of internal diameter which grips the smaller diameter tube. In one embodiment, a spacer 12 is fitted to allow the tapered components to be held apart until the tubes have been correctly positioned. The spacer is then removed, and the tapered components are drawn together to effect the clamping. A hydraulic ram 5 can be provided to separate the tapered components should readjustment be required. In another embodiment, the larger diameter tube is made with a relatively thin wall, so that it can be distorted inwards to grip the smaller tube.

Clamping well casings

A releasable connector (3) is described for connecting a first member (2) to a second member (1), the members (1, 2) being adapted to be inserted into one another. The releasable connector (3) comprises a lock element (4) located in a recess (5) in a surface of the first member (2) and biasing means is provided to bias the lock element (4) to a first position in which the lock element (4) extends from the recess (5) to engage a shoulder on the second member (1) to lock the first member (2) to the second member (1) against withdrawal. A movable release device (7) is located on the second member (1) so that actuation of the release device (7) causes the release device (7) to co-operate with a surface (9) of the lock element (4) to move the lock element (4) to a second position against the action of the biasing means. This causes the lock element (4) to be disengaged from the shoulder on the second member (1) with the release device (4) terminating short of the recess (5) in the first member (2). The arrangement is such that during withdrawal of the members (1, 2) from each other the lock element (4) moves to a third position in which the lock element (4) is further into the recess (5) than in the second position.

Releasable connector

A casing installation system usable with tubular casing having an upper end portion and a lower portion, for anchoring the upper end portion of the casing on an outer casing string secured to a wellhead having a housing, the wellhead housing being positioned at a fixed position over a well, said casing extending upwardly to the wellhead from a location in the well at which location the lower portion of the casing is landed, the upper end of the casing being terminated by a generally annular casing hanger secured to the casing, said outer casing string having an upwardly-facing shoulder, the system also having a locking ring located on the casing hanger and movable thereon in a direction towards the lower end portion of the casing, the locking ring having means for preventing its movement on the casing in a direction away from the lower end portion of the casing in response to a force exerted on the locking ring in said direction away from the lower end of the casing, the locking ring having a downwardly-facing shoulder engageable with the upwardly-facing shoulder on the outer casing string.

Surface wellhead

An annulus cementing and washout technique and equipment, particularly for use in an offshore oil or gas well. An annulus is formed between an outer casing and a second-outer casing, this annulus being filled with cement up to a predetermined level and washed free of cement above said level. The second-outer casing is fitted with a washout casing section having washports at the predetermined level. The washports are selectively opened and closed by axially moving a hollow sleeve mounted in the washout casing section, preferably by turning the sleeve on a screw thread using a remotely operated tool. Details of a suitable tool include spring-loaded radial dogs which engage axial slots within the sleeve. Use of the sleeve and the tool to move the sleeve enables the washports to be opened and closed as required without troublesome rotation or support of the casing.

Annulus cementing and washout systems for wells

Surface wellhead apparatus for use in tying-back casing from a subsea structure to a surface structure or when drilling with mudline-supported casing hangers wherein the casing is maintained in tension by means of a lock member which releasably engages with a support surface, the lock member and support surface being, on release, relatively movable in a direction longitudinal of the casing and, on engagement, locked against downward movement of the casing.

Growing community of inventors

London, United Kingdom

Bernard Herman Van Bilderbeek