Hydril Company

Stewart & Stevenson Oiltools, Inc.

C. Jim Stewart & Stevenson, Inc.

Jack Whiteman

David P Herd

Terry W Pollard

A system including a solid propellant gas generator for generating closing pressure for an oilfield closing device is disclosed. The system provides a reliable source of hydraulic power for emergency operation of blowout preventers, diverters and the like. A solid propellant gas generator is actuated by an actuating signal. Resultant high pressure gases are applied either directly to the oilfield closing device, or to a hydraulic reservoir operably forcing hydraulic fluid to the closing device.

Oilfield closing device operating system

A hydraulic control system for controlling a plurality of remotely positioned hydraulically actuated underwater devices by a single hydraulic control line extending underwater. A reference hydraulic manifold is connected to the single control line and a signal hydraulic manifold is connected to the single control line. A pilot actuated hydraulic control valve is connected to each of the underwater devices controlling the flow of actuating fluid thereto. The pilot of each valve is connected to both the reference manifold and the signal manifold, but the pilot of each of the valves is actuated by different pressure levels in the signal manifold whereby the underwater devices may be controlled in a predetermined sequence by applying predetermined pressure levels to the single hydraulic control line. A pressure regulator is positioned in the control line upstream of the reference manifold to maintain the reference manifold at a predetermined pressure level. Time delay and fail safe circuits are provided in the reference manifold and signal manifold. In one embodiment the hydraulic control valves are connected to provide one mode of sequencing the underwater devices. In another embodiment the hydraulic control valves are connected to provide a different mode of sequencing.

Hydraulic control system for controlling a plurality of underwater

A valve assembly for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid through a subsea control system providing hydraulic control of underwater equipment and having a female member adapted to be connected to the underwater equipment and having a retrievable male member coacting with the female member in which each of said members includes a plurality of flow control passageways. A laminated manifold block having top, middle and lower layers is connected to the top of the male member and supports a plurality of individual valve housings releasably secured to the top layer of the manifold block for receiving control valves. The laminated manifold block includes fluid supply, fluid exhaust and fluid outlet passageways between the control valves and the controlled underwater equipment. The laminated manifold block is longer than the width of the male member thereby accommodating larger control valves to provide an adequate volume of fluid for control purposes. The manifold block may include a plurality of separate fluid supply manifolds for controlling different underwater equipment requiring different actuating pressures.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Jack Whiteman