Vetco Gray Inc.

Abb Vetco Gray Incorporated

Rockford Dee Lyle

Joseph W Pallini

Brian Munk

Joseph William Pallini, Jr

Jesse B Riha

Steven Wong

Gregory M Dunn

Robert James Wagner

Benjamin James Kubichek

Chii Ren Lin

Jesus J Garcia

Chii-Ren Lin

Alireza Shirani

Jerry Keith Rhodes

Kim Hoang Phan

Daniel Louis Havelka

Irving Jair Villasenor

Glenn Wald

Viviana Resendiz

Rickie Gene Wester

Sergio Romero

Joseph P Pallini, Jr

Ali Hasan

Jerome T Leonard

Joseph William Pallini

Irving Jair Villasensor

Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods with a piston cylinder arrangement comprising an inner barrel positioned within an outer barrel, the inner barrel being linearly moveable along an axis. A primary sealing assembly at an upper end of the outer barrel includes a plurality of seals positioned to block debris from entering an interior chamber. Additionally, an end cap is coupled to the inner barrel and an end cap diameter is greater than an inner barrel outer diameter. Moreover a secondary sealing assembly is arranged between the end cap and the primary sealing assembly and includes a plurality of secondary seals positioned to block debris from entering the interior chamber of the riser tensioner, wherein the secondary sealing assembly reduces a stroke length of the inner barrel when installed above the primary sealing assembly.

Wiper seal system and method

A pipe connection includes a pin having circumferentially extending external grooves. A box has an annular base with deflectable fingers extending upward from the base. Each of the fingers has circumferentially extending internal grooves on an inner side and an external thread on an outer side. A collar has an internal thread on an inner side. A radial dimension from the axis to the internal thread crest decreases from turn to turn of the internal thread in a downward direction. The box and the pin are movable from a stab-in position to a locked position in response to rotation of the collar. In the locked position, the external thread crests are in engagement with the internal thread crests, and the internal grooves are in full engagement with the external grooves.

Thread form for connector collar of offshore well riser pipe

An external tieback connector secures to a lower end of a driller riser. The tieback connector has a locking element that engages an external profile on the wellhead housing and an actuating piston within a piston chamber. A hydraulic fluid accumulator is in communication with the piston chamber through a hydraulic circuit having valves. An umbilical extends from a floating platform to the accumulator. Sending a signal through the umbilical opens the valves to supply hydraulic fluid pressure from the accumulator to the piston chamber. An acoustic signal receiver also connects to the hydraulic circuit. An acoustic transducer deployed subsea on a transducer cable will emit an acoustic signal that is received by the receiver. The receiver opens the valves to apply hydraulic fluid pressure to the piston chamber.

Remotely operated external tieback connector

A mechanical lockdown system for a subsea wellhead connector includes a lockdown member or plate that engages with a tie rod that is connected to the wellhead assembly. The lockdown system includes a support member that is permanently secured to an annular ring through which the tie rod passes. The lockdown system also includes a first handle and a second handle that are installed using a plunger or spring loaded system such that mechanical lockdown system can be easily moved from a lockdown open position to a lockdown engaged position as and when desired with minimal ROV interface.

Lockdown mechanism and lockdown system for wellhead connector

A method for tying back a subsea well assembly to a surface platform and a tieback connector used to perform this operation. The tieback connector includes a mandrel having an axis, external threads, an upward facing lip on an external lower end portion of the mandrel, a backup ring having internal threads engaged with the external threads of the mandrel, a sleeve carried on an outside diameter of the backup ring. When the mandrel is rotated relative to the backup ring, the mandrel moves axially upward relative to the sleeve, deforming an annular seal assembly between the upward facing lip of the mandrel and the load bearing surface of the sleeve, thereby creating a seal between the apparatus and the wellhead housing.

Internal tieback with outer diameter sealing capability

A subsea well connector for connecting a tubular member to a subsea wellhead assembly includes a tieback connector having an annular stationary connector body that circumscribes a portion of an annular moveable connector body. A tie rod with a tie rod profile extends axially from the stationary connector body. A dog ring circumscribes the tie rod and is moveable between a lockdown open position where the dog ring is spaced from the tie rod, and a lockdown engaged position where a dog ring inner diameter profile engages the tie rod profile, to axially couple the stationary connector body and the moveable connector body. An annular piston circumscribes the dog ring and has a region with a reduced inner diameter that engages an outer diameter of the dog ring to retain the dog ring in the lockdown engaged position. A cylinder circumscribes the annular piston, defining a lockdown piston cavity.

Hydraulic lockdown

A collet assembly connects two tubular members with a rotation of an outer sleeve. The collet assembly includes a first tubular member with a grooved outer diameter end. The end is inserted into a collet having grooved inner and outer diameter surfaces, and an outer annular sleeve is threaded onto the collet. A grooved outer diameter end of a second tubular member is inserted into the collet. The outer annular sleeve is rotated relative to the collet. The rotation causes the collet to partially disengage from the outer annular sleeve and fully engage the grooves of the ends of the first tubular member and the second tubular member, thereby securing the first tubular member to the second tubular member.

Rotationally actuated collet style tubular connection

A tensioner assembly for applying tension to a tubular member, such as a riser, can include an upper latch connected to the tubular member, a platform with a bore, and a lower latch ring. After applying tension to the tubular member, the lower latch ring can be closed around the tubular member so that when the tension is released, the upper latch lands on and engages the lower latch. The assembly can include a locking mechanism that prevents axial movement of the upper latch, relative to the lower latch, after engagement. The upper latch can self-center on the lower latch as it is moved into the latching position.

Tensioner latch with sliding segmented base

A tensioner assembly for applying tension to a tubular member, such as a riser, can include an upper latch connected to the tubular member, a platform with a bore, and a plurality of lower latch segments, each having a base that is pivotally connected to the platform. After applying tension to the tubular member, the segments pivot inward to form an annular lower latch ring having an inner diameter less than an outer diameter of the upper latch. The assembly can include a locking mechanism that prevents axial movement of the upper latch, relative to the lower latch ring, after engagement. The upper latch can self-center on the lower latch as it is moved into the latching position.

Tensioner latch with pivoting segmented base

A subsea riser assembly connects two tubular members with axial movement of an outer sleeve. The assembly includes a first tubular member having an end, and a second tubular member having an end with a plurality of box end fingers separated by slots, the second tubular member coaxial with the first tubular member. The end of the first tubular member is inserted into the end of the second tubular member. An outer sleeve having an inner diameter that engages an outer diameter of each box end finger. Axial movement of the outer sleeve relative to the box end fingers causes the inner diameter of the outer sleeve to interact with the outer diameter of the box end fingers, thereby causing the box end fingers to contract radially. The radial contraction of the box end fingers secures the first tubular member to the second tubular member in a made-up position.

Slide actuating tubular connector

A string of conduit extending from a subsea wellhead assembly to a surface wellhead assembly on a platform has a plurality of grooved profiles on an upper portion of the conduit. Each profile is spaced axially from another of the grooved profiles. After a lower end of the conduit is secured to the subsea wellhead assembly, the operator pulls on the conduit to apply a selected tension to the conduit. The operator attaches a support ring to the profile that was closest to and above a load shoulder in the surface wellhead assembly when the desired tension was reached. After landing the support ring on the load shoulder, the operator may cut off any excess portion of the upper portion of the conduit located above the support ring. A seal ring is set between the upper portion of the conduit and the surface wellhead housing.

Adjustable hanger for inner production riser

A self-inserting seal assembly that sets a seal at a well component to allow for pressure testing of the well component. The seal assembly can be landed on a well component with an ROV. A seal is located on the lower portion of a lower body in the assembly. A set of outer dogs lock with a grooved mating profile formed on the well component to lock the outer housing to provide a reaction point for setting the seal, which may require several thousand pounds of force. A set of inner dogs lock with a grooved mating profile formed on the inner diameter of the outer housing. This locks the lower body to the outer housing to ensure the seal remains set in place. After the well component is pressure tested, the seal assembly can be unlocked and retrieved from the well via an ROV.

Self-inserting seal assembly

A seal assembly includes a tubular member having a longitudinal axis and a tubular member seal profile. A metal seal ring having a proximal base and a distal end has a seal ring seal profile between the proximal base and distal end that contacts the tubular member seal profile. A distal annular recess is in one of the seal profiles, the distal annular recess being spaced axially from the distal end of the seal ring, defining a seal surface between the distal end of the seal ring and the distal annular recess that engages a seal surface of the tubular member seal profile. The contacting portions of the seal surfaces form a metal-to-metal seal area. A proximal annular recess in one of the seal profiles is spaced axially from the distal annular recess, defining a support area axially spaced from the metal-to-metal seal area.

Metal-to-metal seal for smooth bore

A tieback connector connects a tieback conduit from an offshore platform to a subsea wellhead assembly. The tieback connector has a mandrel that is connected to a string of tieback conduit and a sleeve and load ring that are carried by the mandrel. The load ring is radially expansible and has a conical portion with internal threads. The load ring has an external grooved profile that engages an internal grooved profile in the subsea assembly. The mandrel is rotatable relative to the sleeve while in its lower position, causing the load ring to further expand outward into engagement with the internal profile. A locking member is carried below the load ring on an exterior cam surface of the mandrel. The cam surface moves the locking member outward when the mandrel moves downward into engagement with an internal profile in the subsea assembly.

Internal tieback for subsea well

A high pressure seal assembly configured for sealing contact with an opposing surface. The seal assembly comprises an annular seal body with a sealing surface on one side of the seal body. An end of the sealing surface includes a sealing face for sealing contact with the opposing surface. The sealing surface also includes at least one support point that contacts the opposing surface when the seal is placed in sealing contact. Strategically positioning the support point on the sealing surface selectively adjusts the sealing contact stress between the sealing face and the opposing surface.

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Pinehurst, TX, United States of America

Rockford Dee Lyle