Cameron International Corporation

Sonsub Inc.

Oil States Industries Limited

Big Inch Marine Systems

Michael W Spiering

Bruce E Morris

Eric Dale Larson

Paul Bunch

Maoye Sun

Richard L Ahlgrim

Walter S Going

William C Parks

Williams C Parks

Reginald L Currier

In accordance with certain embodiments, the present invention provides a connector for attaching to a multi-toothed profile on a wellhead features a tooth profile that staggers loading preferably starting at a loading surface furthest from the connector body sitting on the wellhead and moving toward the connector body. The staggered loading more evenly distributes stresses on the matching loading surfaces as compared to the result of using a tooth profile on the connector that nearly exactly matches the profile on the wellhead. The joint can then take advantage of an increased preload and exhibit improved stress characteristics when operating at high loading conditions.

Stress distributing wellhead connector

An articulating connector system including an active connector coupled to a first line and a hub assembly coupled to a second line. The active connector includes a swivel coupling element intermediate a grip and a ball nose to allow rotational and articulating motion. A seal is coupled to the ball nose and is protected and guided by an alignment lip into mating engagement with a sealing surface defined by the hub. A clamp closes about the swivel coupling element and hub to draw together the seal and sealing surface into sealing contact to connect the first line to the second line.

Remote connector including support structure

Remote articulated connector

A spanner joint assembly for connecting between an upper riser and a conventional dual bore tubing hanger in a subsea well. The spanner joint assembly includes upper and lower spanner joint portions connected to each other through an emergency disconnect portion. The upper spanner joint portion has a longitudinal production bore and a longitudinal annulus. The lower spanner joint portion has a longitudinal production bore with a production bore valve and a longitudinal nonconcentric annulus access bore. The emergency disconnect portion includes an upper mandrel connected to the upper spanner joint portion and a lower mandrel connected to the lower spanner joint portion. A releasable mechanical connector includes a retaining groove in the lower mandrel and a collet connected to the upper mandrel. The collet has a latching portion extending beyond the upper mandrel which is adapted to be received in the retaining groove. An actuator sleeve extends around the collet and has a locked position and an unlocked position. The actuator sleeve maintains the collet latching portion in the retaining groove in the locked position and allows the collet latching portion to slide out of the retaining groove in the unlocked position. The production bore valve requires hydraulic pressure to hold it open and the production bore valve fails safe closed when hydraulic pressure is relieved.

Blowout preventer spanner joint with emergency disconnect capability

A bore selector assembly having a unitary bottom section having primary and secondary inlet passageways extending therethrough, a unitary interior section having a bore therethrough, a unitary top section with a primary outlet passageway therethrough, and an outer sleeve extending over the interior section and securing the bottom, interior and top sections together.

Non-welded bore selector assembly

Growing community of inventors

Kingwood, TX, United States of America

Michael W Spiering