Oil States Industries Limited

Continental Emsco Company

Michael Eugene Hogan

John Ray Baileys

Joseph Michael O'Neil

Daniel Joseph Tye

Charles J Moses

Todd M Pottorff

Carl C Spicer

Philip S Moses

Rigid riser adapter operable to be at least partially installed into a lower riser balcony. The rigid riser adapter includes a receptacle support structure. Additionally, the rigid riser adapter also includes an adapter tube extending from the receptacle support structure substantially along a vertical direction, the adapter tube operable to be inserted through a lower riser balcony. The rigid riser adapter can also include a rigid riser receptacle coupled to the receptacle support structure, wherein the rigid riser receptacle is angled between six degrees and twenty degrees in relation to the vertical direction.

Rigid riser adapter for offshore retrofitting of vessel with flexible riser balconies

The invention involves utilizing variable reluctance measurement technology ('VRMT') sensors to monitor forces and stresses on drilling risers and riser towers. The tension monitoring system described herein includes an optimized configuration of variable reluctance measurement technology sensors, wherein the sensors have increased wire turns around each end of their C-cores or alternatively are mounted on mechanical amplifiers or both. An array of optimized variable reluctance measurement technology sensors can be configured at multiple points on a riser system. The VRMT sensors may be integrally attached to the risers or flexible joints for the risers, or may be installed on existing riser or flexible joint systems.

Variable reluctance measurement technology for drilling risers and riser towers

The invention relates to floating platform mooring and involves an improved platform mounted tendon tension monitoring system with porch mounted variable reluctance measurement technology sensors configured. The variable reluctance measurement technology sensors of this system are optimized for porch mounting. The porch mounted tendon tension monitoring system can also be configured such that the porch-mounted optimized variable reluctance measurement technology sensors are replaceable. Sensors may be replaced to extend the desired useful lifetime of a tendon tension monitoring system or in the event that a sensor happens to malfunction. A plurality of variable reluctance measurement technology sensors can be configured in sensor packs at the corners or at other locations where tendon tension monitoring can be useful for a floating platform.

Retrofit variable reluctance measurement technology tendon tension monitoring system

The invention relates to floating platform mooring and involves an improved platform mounted tendon tension monitoring system with porch-mounted variable reluctance measurement technology sensors configured. The variable reluctance measurement technology sensors of this system are optimized for porch mounting. The porch-mounted tendon tension monitoring system can also be configured such that the porch-mounted optimized variable reluctance measurement technology sensors are replaceable. Sensors may be replaced to extend the desired useful lifetime of a tendon tension monitoring system or in the event that a sensor happens to malfunction. A plurality of variable reluctance measurement technology sensors can be configured in sensor packs at the corners or at other locations where tendon tension monitoring can be useful for a floating platform.

Porch mounted variable reluctance measurement technology tendon tension monitoring system

For continuous high temperature operation over a service life in excess of twenty years, a flexible pipe joint includes various features that tend to reduce the temperature of the load-bearing flex element or reduce strain in the warmer elastomeric layers of the flex element. These features include a heat shield of low heat conductivity material integrated into the inner profile of the pipe extension and interposed between the central bore of the pipe joint and the flex element, low heat conductivity metal alloy components between the hot production fluid and the flex element, high temperature resistant elastomer at least in the warmest inner elastomer layer of the flex element, and a flex element constructed to shift strain from the warmer inner elastomer layers to the colder outer elastomer layers by providing greater shear area, different layer thickness, and/or higher elastic modulus elastomer for the warmer inner elastomer layers.

High temperature flexible pipe joint

Force transducers are integrated in an elastomeric flex bearing to provide signals for determining the tension and torque upon a tension member coupled to the bearing and for computation of the azimuth and elevation of the tension member. Preferably the force transducers are mounted to or embedded in an outer metal load ring of the flex bearing and are bonded with the outer metal load ring to the elastomer of the flex bearing. The force transducer, for example, include a diaphragm bonded to the elastomer, and the diaphragm has a diameter in excess of the spacing between the outer metal load ring and the nearest laminated metal reinforcement of the bearing. In one embodiment, metal foil strain gages are bonded to the surface of the diaphragm opposite from the elastomer. In another embodiment, the diaphragm transmits pressure to hydraulic fluid between the diaphragm and the outer metal support ring. A proximity sensor sensing the position of the diaphragm with respect to the outer metal support ring can be used to detect any loss of hydraulic fluid and to calibrate the hydraulic transducer under an unknown load by injecting hydraulic fluid under pressure until the diaphragm assumes a position for which the fluid pressure is indicative of the pressure applied by the elastomer to the diaphragm.

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Arlington, TX, United States of America

Michael Eugene Hogan