Fmc Corporation

Vetco Gray Inc.

Abb Vetco Gray Incorporated

Dril-Quip, Inc.

Vetco Offshore, Inc.

Other

Combustion Engineering, Inc.

The University of Texas System

The British Petroleum Company, P.l.c.

Vetco Offshore Industries, Inc.

Chevron Limited

Lionel J Milberger

Larry E Reimert

Morris B Wade

Joseph William Pallini, Jr

Glen E Lochte

Albert R Tucker

John Edward Nelson

Herman O Henderson, Jr

Jason Charles McCanna

B Lee Danner

Thomas P Mataway

Jimmy R Martin

Alford M Williams

Gary L Hurta

Joseph W Pallini

David Lawrence Ford

Norman Brammer

Charles D Bridges

Philippe C Nobileau

Bruce J Watkins

William M Moore

Stanley Hosie

Amin Radi

Gregory Dale Williams

Paul C Berner, Jr

James M Walker

David W Hughes

Gilbert P Mican

Richard A Zimmer

Fergus Coutts Hines

Darren W T Mills

Charles E Horn

Anthony J Masciopinto

Egil E Rebne

Charles E Gibbs

Paul A Hebert

Gilbert Swift

Xhemal Kaculi

Byrd M Sasser, Jr

Eddie W Denk

Kai R Hostrup

Marvin H Kluttz

Donald Baron

Max E Kattner

Robert R Funderburg, Jr

Timothy A Pillow

H O Henderson

Louis D Slaughter

Larrey E Reimert

J Keith Caulfield

Edward E Thames

A system and method for subsea drilling/completion. The system comprises a high-pressure riser extending from a semi-submersible platform to a subsea wellhead. A landing string extends along the insider of the riser, and has a surface blowout preventer and at least one subsea blowout preventer attached thereto. A tubing hanger running tool is run from the platform toward the wellhead. In one embodiment, hydraulic control for various functions of the tubing hanger running tool is communicated either through the tubing string or through the riser. In another embodiment, hydraulic control lines for the tubing hanger running tool extend from the platform to the tubing hanger running tool through an umbilical line, which may either run through the tubing string, inside the riser but outside the tubing string, or outside and alongside the riser. In an embodiment where the umbilical line runs inside the riser, a protective structure is provided to prevent damage to the umbilical line in the event that the subsea blowout preventer is deployed.

Method and apparatus for blow-out prevention in subsea drilling/completion systems

A subsea production system is disclosed. The subsea production system may comprise a well head, a tubing spool, a tubing hanger, an annulus, a production tree, and a bypass flow path.

Subsea production systems

A running tool, a lockdown sleeve, and a seal ringare provided for axially fixing upward movement of a tubular hanger with respect to a subsea wellhead. The running toolincludes a tool latching and unlatching mechanismfor axially connecting the running tool to the subsea wellhead housing, a tool force applicatorfor exerting a downward setting force, and a sleeve latching mechanismfor securing the lockdown sleeve to the subsea wellhead housing. The sealis provided between the lockdown sleeve and one of the tubular hanger and the wellhead housing. The method of the invention includes running the tool and sleeve in open water to the subsea wellhead housing, locking the tool to the housing, setting the seal, locking the sleeve to the housing, then retrieving the tool in open water.

Open water running tool and lockdown sleeve assembly

A composite metal sealing ring and method are provided for sealing between tubular members. First and second tubular members have first and second conical inner sealing surfaces. A metal sealing ring has corrosion-resistant inlays defining opposing conical outer sealing surfaces for sealing with the first and second conical inner sealing surfaces. The resulting composite sealing ring has the corrosion-resistant benefits of stainless steel at the sealing surfaces, along with the desired expansion ratio of a conventional carbon steel.

Metal seal with corrosion resistant alloy overlay

The seal assemblyseal between a subsea wellhead housingand a casing hanger. A metal seal bodyincludes fingersandand one or more elastomeric seals. An upper seal bodymay include threads for engagement with the metal seal body. According the method of the invention, an initial elastomeric seal is first formed, and fluid pressure is applied from above to set the high temperature metal seal.

Split carrier annulus seal assembly for wellhead systems

The horizontal spool tree assemblycontrols fluid flow through a production tubing stringwithin a well. The horizontal spool tree assembly is adapted for use with a workover string for fluid communication with the tree assembly. The spool bodyhas a central borefor receiving a tubing hangertherein, with a production passageway extending laterally through the spool body to a production line. The spool body also includes an annulus passageway extending laterally through the spool body for fluid communication between the tubing annulusand the annulus line. The spool tree assembly has improved porting for the production line and the annulus line, and also for both workover and crossover operations.

Horizontal spool tree with improved porting

A tool is used for installing a string of casing in a well. The casing is supported by a casing hanger that lands on a landing shoulder of the wellhead assembly. A running mechanism is releasably secured to the casing hanger for landing the casing hanger and setting a casing hanger seal. A profile is formed in the wellhead assembly above the landing shoulder. The tool includes a body having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion being secured to the running mechanism. A mandrel is mounted to the body for axial movement relative to the body, the mandrel having a threaded upper end for securing to a running string of conduit. A cam surface is formed on the mandrel. A plurality of dogs are mounted to the upper portion of the body in sliding engagement with the cam surface for movement in response to axial movement of the mandrel into engagement with the profile. While in the engaged position, the dogs resist upward movement of the casing hanger during cementing of the string of casing.

Locator and holddown tool for casing hanger running tool

A tubular connection is provided for connecting an upper tubular member with a lower tubular member . A radially movable latch body is positioned outward of the tubular members. Outer load flanks on the latch body are slidably engageable with inner load flanks on the tubular members. A radially projecting member and a corresponding guide recess are provided for guiding the latch body with respect to one of the tubular members. A safety actuator and corresponding mating surface may also be provided for urging the latch body outward.

Riser connector

A tubing hanger positioned within the bore of a wellhead body has a vertical bore from which a tubing string may be suspended within a well bore. When the hanger is landed, a fluid passageway in the tubing hanger has one end in fluid communication with a passageway in the wellhead body and its other end connected to a pressure responsive downhole function. The poppet valve mounted in the passageway is urged closed, and when opened permits fluid pressure from a source to be supplied to the function.

Subsea well production system

A sealing system for sealing with a generally cylindrical surface of a tubular or another tool includes an annular packer element a wedge ring having a substantially conical outer surface configured to radially expand the packer element, and a positioner for moving one of the packer element and wedge ring relative to the other packer element and wedge ring. The packer element includes an first elastomeric seal body axially supported on a first metal rib extending radially from a metal base and a second seal body axially supported on a second metal rib The second seal body has an elasticity lower than that of the first seal body. According to the method of the invention, the positioner is moved to cause the first seal body to sealingly engage the cylindrical surface, and hydraulic forces due to that sealing engagement then move the packer element to the expanded diameter sealing position, in which the second seal body seals against the cylindrical surface.

Sealing system and method

The ball valve assembly includes a valve body , a ball , a seat ring , a support ring , and an actuator sleeve surrounding the ball and axially moveable within the valve body for rotating the ball between the open position and the closed position. A plurality of seals seal with the seat ring, the actuator sleeve, the support ring, and the valve body. The actuator sleeve maintains fluid pressure within the valve body. The ball, support ring and seat ring are each formed from a selective material to enhance life of the ball valve assembly. A pair of pins each extend in a slot within the ball and holes in the sleeve, and preferably the pair of pins and the ball rotate with respect to the sleeve as the sleeve moves axially within the valve body.

Ball valve assembly

A running tool is used to install a load shoulder and a wear bushing in a subsea wellhead. A subsea wellhead has a locator shoulder, and grooved upper and lower profiles. The running tool has a cylindrical wear bushing that lands on a locator shoulder provided in the bore above a grooved lower profile in a wellhead housing. The running tool also carries a load shoulder ring and a split lock ring. The installation process consists of preparing the tool before running the tool subsea. Flowby ports on the running tool remain open during installation to speed the trip-in operation. The flowby ports are closed by lowering the central mandrel after the running tool lands. Then a portion of the wear bushing is moved downward, which in turn pushes the load shoulder out into the lower grooved profile to retain the load shoulder ring and wear bushing with the wellhead.

Apparatus and method for remotely installing shoulder in subsea wellhead

A caisson wellhead system having a weak point wherein the wellhead system may be installed in a well as a single unit. The caisson wellhead system of the invention includes a lower tubular member having an upper rim. A lower rim of an upper tubular member is placed on the upper end of the lower tubular member. A removable connector is installed inside of and between the lower tubular member and upper tubular member for temporarily connecting the upper tubular member and the lower tubular member. A weak point is formed at the interface between the lower tubular member and the upper tubular member when the removable connector is removed. Therefore, the caisson wellhead system will break at a controlled location if any external components of the well equipment are struck by a foreign object such as an iceberg.

Caisson wellhead system and method of installing the same

A horizontal tree has a vertical bore and a horizontal production passage and is landed in a wellhead housing. A tubing hanger lands in the bore and has a vertical passage and a horizontal passage that aligns with that of the tree. A retrievable first plug seals the vertical passage. A tree cap seals in the tree bore above the tubing hanger and has an axial passage. A retrievable second plug seals the tree cap passage. A vent port extends laterally through the tree cap between its axial passage and outer surface. A pair of seals on the second plug seal above and below the vent port. A tubing annulus passage communicates with the vent port and an annulus passage. The second plug serves as a second pressure barrier to the first plug and blocks the vent port. The annulus passage is sealed from communication with a void between the plugs.

Annulus porting of horizontal tree

A tool is employed to shift an external valve sleeve on an outer wellhead housing at a subsea location. The tool has an engaging member that moves between upper and lower positions. The tool has a locking member that locks to the inner wellhead housing with the engaging member sliding over the outer wellhead housing. In one embodiment, the tool also is employed to run the inner wellhead housing and preload it. The engaging member moves to a lower position to shift the valve sleeve after the inner wellhead housing has been preloaded by the tool. In another embodiment, the tool is lowered over a previously installed inner wellhead housing to retrieve the valve sleeve for repair or replacement.

Tools for shallow flow wellhead systems

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Lionel J Milberger