Smith International, Inc.

Michael J Best

Charles D Morrill

Joseph H Hynes

Richard J Pond

Richard H Jones

Colin R Gordon

Apparatus for connecting portions of subsea flow conduits includes a stab member with a body and having a bore therethrough, one end of which exits from the stab body through a side port. A stab receptacle includes a bore for receiving the stab body, and a flow bore intersecting the receiving bore and leading to the exterior of the receptacle. The side port communciates with the receptacle flow bore when the stab member is landed in the receiving bore. Seals above and below the side port seal the receiving bore above and below the intersection of the receptacle flow bore and receiving bore. The cross-sectional areas of the seals exposed to internal fluid pressure are substantially equal, resulting in zero blow-apart force on the stab connection. Alternatively, the lower seal can have a larger exposed cross-sectional area than the upper seal, resulting in a net force tending to hold the connection teogether. Split retainer rings having external chamfer surfaces are mounted on the stab body above and below the lower seals. The retainer rings are disposed in grooves allowing the rings limited sliding radial movement with respect to the stab body. The stab receptacle is mounted to a support frame with relatively long, thin, vertically disposed studs which resist vertically directed forces but permit lateral and rotational deflection of the stab receptacle when acted upon by non-vertical forces. The stab body bore and receptacle flow bore include shaped portions to reduce turbulence of fluids flowing therethrough.

Pressure-balanced stab connection

A temporary hub cover for the hubs of flow lines, hydraulic lines, and electrical conduits and the mating hubs of the underwater production unit includes a body enclosing the hub, plungers within the body for releasably engaging into detents on the hub to hold the cover on the hub, and a trigger mechanism operable from a remote location to release the engagement between the cover and hub whereby the cover can be removed from the hub. A connector tool is lowered through the water and supports means for operating the trigger mechanism upon downward movement of the connector tool.

Apparatus for connecting underwater flow line hubs

A cap for an underwater Christmas tree having locking probes to lock down the operating rods of a connector connecting the Christmas tree to an underwater wellhead housing. The tops of the operating rods are housed within hollow canisters at the top of the Christmas tree. The cap includes a body having circumferentially disposed locking dogs housed therein for engagement with the top of the Christmas tree. The dogs are actuated by a cam ring which telescopically receives the body and has a tapered surface for sliding over a correlatively tapered surface on each of the dogs. The body includes a metal gasket seal for sealing engagement with the top of the Christmas tree, and seals are provided between the cam ring and body. The cap has downwardly extending locking probes which extend telescopically into the canisters above the operating rods. The locking probes each include a housing and a releasable tubular piston slidably disposed in the housing. The piston is biased in a downward direction, and is held in a cocked or loaded raised position prior to release by a trigger held in engagement with the piston and housing by a pin on a running tool telescopically slidably disposed in the piston. The piston is released by removal of the pin, which cams the trigger out of engagement with the housing. Upon release the piston is biased into engagement with the rod. The piston is provided with locking dogs which engage the walls of the housing and prevent upward movement of the piston and rod after release of the piston.

Underwater Christmas tree cap and lockdown apparatus

A temporary hub cover for the hubs of flow lines, hydraulic lines, and electrical conduits and the mating hubs of the underwater production unit includes a body enclosing the hub, plungers within the body for releasably engaging into detents on the hub to hold the cover on the hub, and a trigger mechanism operable from a remote location to release the engagement between the cover and hub whereby the cover can be removed from the hub.

Growing community of inventors

Dursley, United Kingdom

Michael J Best