Kvaerner Oilfield Products, Inc.

Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Cooper Industries, Inc.

Cameron Iron Works, Inc.

Cameron Iron Works Usa, Inc.

Kraerner Oilfield Products

Other

Kvaerner National, Inc.

Kvaerner Dilfield Products

Robert Lee Wilkins

Steven Dwayne Gullion

Charles Edward Jones

Eugene J Cegielski

Peter Moles

Edward J Szymczak

James P McEver

Donald E Skoczylas

Charles F Williams

A coupling element having two ends, and outer surface and a longitudinal axis extending between the ends, wherein the first end of the coupling element defines a sealing surface where extends normally to the longitudinal axis and the outer surface of the other end defines a cam follower surface forming an angle on the range of from about 2 to about 10 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis and wherein the second end defines the cam follower surface and the coupling element defines a passage extending from the sealing surface to the outer surface and apparatus comprising the coupling element and valve elements.

Lateral connector for tube assembly

A tree running tool is provided which has a means for actuating a latch for latching a side valve tree to a wellhead. Also disclosed is a tree running tool having an external axially movable actuator, preferably in the form of a sliding piston sleeve which is capable of exerting great forces. Also disclosed is a tree running tool having an external connector unit for connecting the tree running tool to a side valve tree. The connector unit is preferably mounted to the sliding piston sleeve and is for axially mechanically connecting the tree running tool to a linkage extending upwardly from the side valve tree.

Tree running tool with actuator for latch

An apparatus for joining two flowlines, one having an external flanged end and the other an enlarged flaring portion at one end. A ball with an axial flow passage is seated in receptacle cavities formed in said ends and in fluid-tight sealing engagement therewith. A collar is sleeved and clamped about the flared end of the second flowline by bolts which connect the first flowline flange with the collar. Piston drive means are provided for driving against the collar to stretch the bolts by an amount sufficient to release the second flowline member and allow limited articulated movement of the second flowline without compromising the seal effectiveness of the joint.

Adjustable ball joint connector

In accordance with certain preferred aspects of the present invention, there is provided tree running tool with a mechanical mechanism for unlatching the tree running tool from a side valve tree. The tree running tool is formed from a tool body, a stem, a telescoping element, a retractable spacer, a means for moving the spacer, and a means for attaching the telescoping element to a lift device. The tool body has an upper end, a lower end, and a longitudinal axis. The stem is fixedly attached to the upper end of the tool body and extends axially therefrom. The stem has a lower end attached to the tool body and a generally annular flange at a position spaced apart from the tool body. The telescoping element is positioned alongside the stem. The telescoping element has a generally annular flange at a position between the generally annular flange of the stem and the tool body. The retractable spacer is movable from an engaged position between the generally annular flange of the stem and the generally annular flange of the telescoping element, in which the spacer spaces the generally annular flange of the stem apart from the generally annular flange of the telescoping element, to a retracted position in which a void is formed between the generally annular flange of the stem and the generally annular flange of the sleeve. The means for moving the spacer is mounted to the tool body and the spacer for moving the spacer from the engaged position to the retracted position. The means for attaching the telescoping element to a lift device is mounted to the telescoping element.

Tree running tool with emergency release

An apparatus for use in subsea well completion systems is provided. The apparatus has an isolation sleeve and an extension sleeve. The isolation sleeve has a first end, a second end and a longitudinal axis defined between the first end and the second end. The isolation sleeve has a generally tubular shape. The extension sleeve has a first end attached to the second end of the isolation sleeve to form an assembly comprising the isolation sleeve and the extension sleeve, a second end, and a longitudinal axis that is coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the isolation sleeve. Like the isolation sleeve, the extension sleeve has a generally tubular shape.

Adjustable isolation sleeve

A method for connecting a subsea wellhead to a subsea manifold by an articulated flowline comprised of a plurality of flowline segments joined in series by adjustable ball joint connectors each of which comprises a plurality of bolts for clamping the joined segments in a fixed position and means for stretching the bolts by applying a force which does not exceed the yield strength of the bolts to loosen the connection. The method includes attaching one end of the flowline to an outlet of the wellhead, adjusting each of the ball joint connectors to configure the flowline as necessary for attaching the other end of the flowline to the manifold, and attaching said other end of the flowline to the manifold.

Subsea wellhead connection assembly and method of installation

A subsea wellhead assembly comprises a subsea wellhead, a spool body assembly, a helix, and a tubular bore protector. The spool body assembly is mounted to the wellhead and has an inside surface defining a vertical bore. The spool body assembly has an upper end, a lower end, and a lateral production fluid outlet port. The helix is formed from a tubular member and is positioned in a lower portion of the spool body assembly. The helix has a generally cylindrical outer surface defining an outer diameter and a generally cylindrical inner surface defining an inner diameter, an upper end and a lower end. The tubular member has an organ pipe-shaped cut in the upper end so that the upper end is generally elliptically shaped and forms a pair of arcuate ramps to orient a tubing hanger. The tubular bore protector body has an upper end, a lower end, and a longitudinal axis. The tubular bore protector is mounted in the spool body assembly with the upper end of the tubular bore protector body being positioned adjacent to the upper end of the spool body assembly. The lower end of the tubular bore protector body is positioned adjacent to the lower end of the spool body assembly. The tubular bore protector body extends inside of the helix, to protect the vertical bore through the spool body assembly and the helix from mechanical damage while the well is being completed.

Tree bore protector

A well completion system for a side valve tree that has a precision cut low profile helix that can be used in completing a wellbore where the bore is substantially curved is provided. The well completion system has a typical spool body assembly having an inside surface defining a vertical bore extending therethrough and having at least a lateral production fluid outlet port. The spool body assembly has a helix is positioned at the lower end. The helix has a tubular member having a generally cylindrical outer surface defining an outer diameter and a generally cylindrical inner surface defining an inner diameter, an upper end and a lower end. The tubular member has an organ pipe-shaped cut in the upper end so that the upper end is generally elliptically shaped to form a pair of arcuate ramps which meet at an apex at the upper end and at a longitudinally extending slot near the lower end and a means for attaching the helix to the spool body assembly. An orientation key on the tubing hanger is precision machined to match the profile of the helix.

Well completion system having a precision cut low profile helix

A lateral connector for a tube assembly has a modular unit which can be used to establish a lateral connection through the sidewall of a tubular member positioned around it. The modular unit has a carrier ring, a coupling element, and a carrier body. The coupling element can move radially but not axially. The carrier ring has generally cylindrical inside and outside surfaces. The coupling element is carried by the carrier ring. The coupling element has a longitudinal axis which is generally radially positioned with respect to the longitudinal axis of the carrier ring. The coupling element has an inner end and an outer end and the outer end has a sealing face.

In one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a tubular assembly having a lateral connection. The assembly comprises a spool body, a carrier ring, penetrators, and an urging means. The carrier ring is built to carry the radial penetrator(s) for the carrier body. The carrier ring is mounted in sliding relationship, concentric with the carrier body. The ring is spring loaded down relative to the carrier body, against a stop shoulder (device) there. This fixes or at least stabilizes the ring on the body during running into the spool body or retrieving from the spool body. The carrier ring fits into the spool body and seats on a stop in the spool body. The carrier body also seats in the spool body, but on a different stop. Radially extending penetrators are mounted in radial ports or passages in the carrier ring, and are fixed to control fluid lines which conduct the fluid down into the well. The penetrators can move radially relative to the ring, but not axially. The urging means includes a wedge which is also mounted in the ring, one wedge for each penetrator, a carrier for the ring, and a detent mechanism which establishes cooperation between the penetrator and the carrier. The wedge(s) can move axially relative to the ring, but not radially. Finally, the wedge devices are 'fixed' to the carrier body by a flexible spring detent (or similar). This arrangement links the wedge in downward movement to the carrier body, as the carrier body moves downward in turn relative to the carrier ring (and penetrators).

A lateral connector for a tube assembly has a modular unit which can be used to establish a lateral connection through the sidewall of a tubular member positioned around it. The modular unit has a carrier ring, a coupling element, and a carrier body. The coupling element can move radially but not axially. The carrier ring has generally cylindrical inside and outside surfaces. The coupling element is carried by the carrier ring. The coupling element has a longitudinal axis which is generally radially positioned with respect to the longitudinal axis of the carrier ring. The coupling element has an inner end and an outer end and the outer end has a sealing face. A carrier body having a generally cylindrical outside surface is positioned coaxially inside the carrier ring. The cylindrical outside surface of the carrier body is adjacent to the cylindrical inside surface of the carrier ring. A wedge positioned within a slot and grove arrangement is used to radially move the coupling element in the carrier ring in response to relative longitudinal movement between the carrier ring and the carrier body. A special seal is used to seal the coupling element.

The present invention relates to an improved subsea wellhead and to the method of retrieving the production string from the wellhead and the method of retrieving the tree from the wellhead. The wellhead includes a lower tubing hanger landing within the wellhead housing and an upper false tubing hanger landed within the tree. The upper false tubing hanger includes preps for receiving two plugs within its central bore above the radial bore through the upper tubing hanger which communicates with the radial bore through the tree through which production fluids flow from the well. A tubular member extends from the upper false tubing hanger to the lower tubing hanger and defines the flow passage through which production fluids flow between the two hangers. A sleeve surrounds the exterior of the tubular member and contains fluids communicated to the interior of the sleeve from the annulus surrounding the tubing string. Orienting means is provided to orient the upper false tubing hanger as it is being landed within the tree so that the radial passages in the upper false tubing hanger and the tree are in registry.

Subsea wellhead

A flowline safety joint having a tubular member supported from a subsea tree structure, an elbow having a horizontal passage therethrough and a vertical passage extending upwardly from said horizontal passage, a stab-in male member having a leading end, a trailing flowline connecting end, a passage therein and terminating short of said leading end and a vertical opening in said male member communicating with said vertical passage through said elbow when installed within said horizontal passage, and a flat surface surrounding the opening of said vertical opening in said male member. A seal providing a metal-to-metal seal between the lower end of the tubular member and the flat surface on said male member, and a swivel member for connecting said elbow to said tubular member, said swivel member including an element increasing the downward loading of said tubular on said seal to control the loading of said male member at which it releases from said horizontal passage through said elbow.

Flowline safety joint

An improved tubing hanger having an annulus passageway therethrough and with an improved annulus control valve therein including an annular hanger body having an annulus passageway extending therethrough with a chamber interrupting said passageway and a valve ball positioned within said chamber for rotation responsive to rotation of gear means associated with said valve ball, a sleeve slidably positioned within said hanger body and having a rack secured thereto and engaging said gear means so that movement of said sleeve controls the position of said valve ball to open and close flow through said annulus passageway.

Wireline downhole annulus valve

An improved riser for a multiple bore subsea well providing wireline access to each of the bores through a single opening at the upper end of the riser and including an upper tubular member having a single bore, a tubular housing surrounding the lower portion of said upper tubular member, bearing means within said tubular housing for supporting rotation of said upper tubular member with respect to said tubular housing, a lower housing member having multiple bores which mate with the multiple bores of the tubing hanger running tool or the christmas tree running tool, said upper tubular member having an offset portion within said tubular housing which, when rotated can align with the opening of the upper end of the bores through said lower housing member, means securing the lower end of said tubular housing to said lower housing member, a skirt connected to said upper tubular member within said tubular housing and extending into sealing engagement with said lower housing member and being in surrounding relation to said offset portion of said upper tubular member, means for stopping the rotation of said upper tubular member in positions of alignment with the bores of said lower housing member, and means for providing an indication to the upper end of said upper tubular member of the position of the tubular member with respect to said lower housing bores.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Robert Lee Wilkins