Abb Vetco Gray Incorporated

Vetco Gray Inc.

Hughes Tool Company LLC

Carl F Boehm

David Lawrence Ford

Nicholas Peter Gette

Herman O Henderson, Jr

Thomas J Ames

Daniel Ralph Barnhart

Lawrence A Eckert

A high capacity single trip lockdown bushing and a method to operate the same is disclosed. The lockdown bushing includes a tubular body that carries a locking ring and an energizing ring about an upper portion of the tubular body. The energizing ring includes a cam portion interposed between the locking ring and the tubular body so that the cam portion and the locking ring overlap along mating cam surfaces in an unset position. A running tool carries the lockdown bushing to land on a casing hanger. The running tool is actuated to drive the energizing ring downward so that the mating cam surfaces interact to move the locking ring radially outward into engagement with wickers formed in a wellhead.

High-capacity single-trip lockdown bushing and a method to operate the same

A well has a metal seal for sealing between tubular inner and outer members. The seal has a solid metal body with an inner wall and an outer wall that are cylindrical. The radial thickness of the seal is initially greater than the pocket between the inner and outer tubular members. Also, the inner diameter is greater than the outer diameter of the inner tubular member. The seal is radially deformed in an interference fit.

Well assembly metal seal

A seal for a wellhead housing employs a locking groove. The seal is of a U-shape, having an inner and outer radially spaced apart legs. An energizing ring is stroked downward to force the legs apart to cause them to seal between the wellhead housing in the conduit and the wellhead housing. At least one groove is located on one side of the energizing ring, with the groove being of a saw-toothed shape to allow entry but to resist upward movement of the energizing ring. In a metal version of a seal, the groove is located on the exterior of the energizing ring so as to allow some axial movement of the inner leg of the seal relative to the energizing ring. In a second version, the seal is of plastic.

Wellhead annulus seal

A casing hanger seal has facilities to enable periodic testing from the exterior of the wellhead housing. The casing hanger seal has inner and outer walls separated by a cavity. An energizing member moves downward to force the inner and outer walls into engagement with the casing hanger and bore of the wellhead housing. Test passages extend through the inner and outer walls, energizing member, and wellhead housing. The test passages divide the seal member into primary and secondary seal areas. Applications of test fluid, from the exterior, to the test passages determines whether a leak is present.

Casing hanger seal with test port

A metal seal for sealing against casing in a well has a plurality of circumferentially spaced metal hands. An inlay material fills the cavities located between the metal bands. The inlay material has a groove formed in its sealing side. The metal bands are soft enough to deform when the seal if pressed into contact with the casing. The inlay material is softer than the material of the metal bands.

Metal seal with grooved inlays

A metal seal or packoff for a casing hanger has features which allow a slight downward movement of the casing hanger relative to the well head after the seal has been set. The seal ring has a base and inner and outer walls that extend upward from the base. The inner and outer walls are radially separated by an annular cavity. An energizing ring will move into this cavity to push the inner and outer walls farther apart into sealing engagement with the casing hanger and wellhead. A protective member locates below the base. A flexible section extends downward from the protective member, while joining the protective member to the base. The flexible section is located on the inner side of the base and has a radial dimension that is much less than the base. This thin section enables the base to flex if downward movement of the casing hanger occurs after the seal has been set. The flexing reduces the chance for any movement between the inner and outer walls and the wellhead and casing hanger to take place.

Packoff with flexible section for casing hanger

A metal support ring is located between a housing and a wellhead for reducing bending movement of the wellhead relative to the housing. The support ring has a plurality of circumferentially extending ribs for engaging the bore of the housing. The ribs are parallel to and vertically spaced apart from each other. Each rib protrudes outwardly from the wellhead a distance greater than the inner diameter of the housing. This causes the ribs to deflect in an interference fit when the wellhead is inserted into the housing.

Wellhead stabilizing member with deflecting ribs

A casing hanger seal for a subsea well uses a seal ring having inner and outer walls spaced radially apart from each other. An energizing ring is moved from disengaged position to an engaged position between the walls, wedging them apart to form the metal seal. Vertical slots are formed in the walls to facilitate expansion. The slots ae located in a gripping section that engages wickers formed on the inner and outer tubular members of the well. Circumferential grooves are located in the sealing areas.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Carl F Boehm