Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC

Daryl Attaway

Samuel H Cheng

Joseph W Pallini

Greg Dunn

Amini Shakib

Shakib Amini

A system for rigid locking of components in a wellhead assembly is also disclosed. The system includes a wellhead housing, a hanger, a lockdown ring, and an actuating member. The lockdown ring has a first lockdown ring surface with lockdown ring stepped tapers. The actuating member has a first actuating member surface with actuating member stepped tapers that correspond to the lockdown ring stepped tapers. The lockdown ring stepped tapers and the actuator ring stepped tapers are configured to mate when positioned between the wellhead housing and the hanger.

Mechanical connector with interface having stepped tapers

An annular seal system for sealing between a casing hanger and a wellhead housing, the system including an actuator ring having a rigid portion and a flexible portion, and a lockdown ring positioned adjacent the actuator ring. The annular seal system further includes a seal assembly capable of moving between a de-energized position and an energized position, wherein the seal assembly in the de-energized position has a defined a space between the seal assembly and the rigid portion of the actuator ring, wherein the seal assembly in the energized position has the space closed, wherein the rigid portion of the actuator ring is to contact a surface of the casing hanger, wherein the flexible portion of the actuator ring is to push the lockdown ring into engagement with the wellhead, and wherein the flexible portion of the actuator ring adapted is to axially compress to allow positional variation between the lockdown ring and the wellhead housing.

Annular seal assembly with axial load decoupling feature

An annular seal system for sealing between a casing hanger and a wellhead housing, the system including an actuator ring having a rigid portion and a flexible portion, and a lockdown ring positioned adjacent the actuator ring. The annular seal system further includes a seal assembly capable of moving from a de-energized position to an energized position, wherein when the seal assembly is in the de-energized position there is defined a space between the seal assembly and the rigid portion of the actuator ring, and when the seal assembly is in the energized position the space is closed, the rigid portion of the actuator ring contacts a surface of the casing hanger, and the flexible portion of the actuator ring pushes the lockdown ring into engagement with the wellhead, the flexible portion of the actuator ring adapted to axially compress to allow positional variation between the lockdown ring and the wellhead housing.

A wellhead system includes a first position casing hanger and a second position casing hanger, arranged within a wellbore. The second position casing hanger is positioned axially higher and stacked on the first position casing hanger, and a weight of the second position casing hanger is supported, at least in part but less than entirely, by the first position casing hanger and, at least in part but less than entirely, by an actuated load shoulder transferring the force into a high pressure housing. The actuated load shoulder includes a load ring having a hanger side profile and a housing side profile, the load ring is adapted to engage a hanger profile formed in the second position casing hanger and a housing profile formed in the high pressure housing upon activation via the first position casing hanger.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Daryl Attaway