Vetco Gray Controls Limited

Ge Oil & Gas UK Limited

Abb Offshore Systems Limited

Baker Hughes Energy Technology UK Limited

Peter John Davey

Ian John Kent

Graeme Alexander Thomson

Matthew Alexander Lehar

Parag Vyas

Nicholas Josep Ellson

Steven Lewis Charles Simpson

Mark Edwin Organ

Harry Richard Cove

Ashalatha Devarajan

Vernon Lester Hutchings

David John Luckhurst

Graeme Thomson

An actuator assist apparatus for use with an actuator has a housing and a piston member slidably disposed in the housing. The piston member divides the interior of the housing into a first fluid chamber and a second fluid chamber. The actuator assist apparatus is configurable between a first, primed, configuration and an activated configuration. A force applicator is configured to store energy when the apparatus is in the primed configuration and release the energy to move the piston member relative to the housing. Movement of the piston member applies a force which assists in urging the actuator towards an extended configuration, thereby reducing the minimum operating pressure of the actuator.

Actuator assist apparatus, actuator system and method

A production control system for an underwater well, comprises: first electrically operated means for supplying first hydraulic fluid, for opening a first control valve of the well; second electrically operated means, for supplying second hydraulic fluid at a higher pressure than said first fluid, for opening a further control valve of the well; electronic circuitry (SEM1) for providing electrical power for operating said first and second means; and means for controlling the sequence of closing said control valves as a result of a loss of electrical power from said electronic circuitry. The controlling means comprises: electrical power storage means; detection means responsive to said loss of power from said electronic circuitry; and means coupled with said detection means for using electrical power from said storage means to keep said further control valve open for a period after closure of said first control valve and close it after said period.

Shutting down an underwater fluid production well

A communication connection in a subsea well for converting an optical signal from an optical fiber to an electrical signal, comprising a small form factor pluggable device.

Communications connection in a subsea well

A grease delivery system for delivering grease to a location is provided. The grease delivery system comprises: a first grease reservoir having a first grease output and a first output device configured to output grease from the first grease reservoir; a second grease reservoir having a second grease output and a second output device configured to output grease from the second grease reservoir; and a common grease output for delivering grease to the location, wherein the common grease output is fluidly connected to the first and second grease outputs, wherein the system is configured to simultaneously output grease from the first and second grease reservoirs to the common grease output.

Grease delivery system

A high pressure intensifier system is disclosed. The system has a high pressure intensifier configured to receive hydraulic fluid from an input and provide the fluid to an output at a higher pressure than at the input, a monitor configured to monitor the pressure of hydraulic fluid provided at the output, and a control configured to control the supply of hydraulic fluid from the input, and configured to maintain the pressure of hydraulic fluid provided at the output at substantially a predetermined value.

High pressure intensifiers

A method for providing auxiliary electrical power to an underwater well installation, the installation being linked to a surface location via an umbilical cable, to supplement any electrical power received at the installation from the umbilical cable, comprises the steps of: providing power generation means at the installation; and providing an electrical power output line for transferring electrical power generated by the power generation means to the installation.

Underwater power generation

A method of enabling communication between components of a hydrocarbon extraction plant, the plant having an underwater hydrocarbon extraction installation including at least one hydrocarbon extraction well with an associated tree, comprises providing a plurality of RF communication means at respective components of the installation.

Communication system for a hydrocarbon extraction plant

A module for use as a subsea electronic module of a subsea well, comprises an input () for receiving signals from a sensor arrangement which senses at least one parameter of a well, the module including a plurality of separate, different electronic circuits (), each of which is selectable to be in communication with said input and each of which is adapted to co-operate with a respective, different form of such a sensor arrangement.

Subsea electronic modules

Modern subsea wells utilise an electrohydraulic control system which switches hydraulic power to various control components in dependence on received control signals. The mounting and interconnection of the control components tends to be complicated. The invention provides a manifold comprising a first manifold body having a number of openings and flow passageways therethrough. The manifold body is selectively configurable by selecting predetermined openings in order to achieve a desired configuration of flow passageways between control devices . The manifold simplifies the interconnection of the hydraulic components and provides greater flexibility in the location of the components. The manifold body also provides a platform for mounting the control devices.

Growing community of inventors

Bristol, United Kingdom

Peter John Davey