Abstract: A remote, automatic make-up, stab-in sealing system for providing metal-to-metal seals between a projecting structure and a surrounding bore telescopically receiving the projecting structure is disclosed. The sealing system includes the projecting structure, such as a pipe hanger or pack-off nipple. The sealing system further includes apparatus having the bore for receiving the projecting structure, such as a wellhead or tubing hanger. The sealing system also includes a seal assembly. The seal assembly includes at least one frusto-conical shaped metal gasket, a split ring and an actuator ring. The rings force the frusto-conical shaped metal gasket into metal-to-metal sealing engagement with the walls of both the projecting structure and the bore as the projecting structure is telescopically received by the bore.

Abstract: A high pressure gate valve having at least one pressure actuated seal means between the bonnet part of the valve body and the valve actuating stem and between the chamber part of the valve body and the valve actuating stem is disclosed. Each seal means includes at least one seal assembly. Each seal assembly includes two sets of plural, e.g., four, metal rings with an elevated temperature resistant and chemical resistant ring of solid lubricant, e.g., tetrafluoroethylene or graphite, separating the metal rings. Each metal ring is softer than the stem and is of rectangular cross-section. The seal assembly is actuated by pressure on larger follower metal rings. When multiple seal means are involved, another metal follower ring larger than the set of metal rings of the seal means also separates the two sets of seal assemblies. The seal means may also include a biasing spring. Each seal means is disposed in an annular pocket or stuffing box in the adjacent part of the valve body extending around the stem.

Abstract: A seismic streamer section includes a flexible tube with bulkheads at intervals therealong, end means to make electrical and mechanical connections with adjacent sections, tension lines extending from one end means to the other through the bulkheads, hydrophones in the tube between the bulkheads, an electric bundle including through conductors extending from one end means to the other through the bulkheads to various ones of the hydrophone. Each hydrophone comprises a drum shaped case with dished ends and convex sides providing standoff from the bundle and lines for piezoelectric wafers supported inside the ends. A cylindrical metal ring forms the side of the case. Stainless steel cups disposed with their bottoms adjacent and having their rims welded to the rims of the ring form the ends of the case. The piezoelectric wafers are conductively secured one each to the inner surfaces of flexible diaphragms forming the bottoms of the cups.

Abstract: A structure for use in supporting a platform above a body of water is disclosed. The structure includes a leg extending between the bed of the body of water, the seabed, and the platform. The overall cross-sectional area of the leg is greatest near the seabed and decreases moving upwardly away from the seabed.

Abstract: An apparatus including a source of a coherent light beam of low divergence for quickly and simultaneously establishing a plurality of reference lines or planes for use in leveling, squaring, plumbing, and other alignment functions and for controlling the operation of construction equipment is disclosed. The apparatus includes feet for supporting the housing on a surface, the feet being attached to the housing through an alignment and leveling device that permits adjustment of the orientation of the housing relative to the surface. The alignment and leveling device may be controlled in part by a pair of level vials which, when the feet support the housing on a substantially horizontal surface, have substantially horizontal axis that are perpendicular to one another. The level vials actuate a motor drive servomechanism that adjusts that housing relative to the surface until the axis of each level vial is horizontal.

Abstract: A marine riser including a uniquely designed three element connection structure and associated connecting and releasing means for the inhibiting of fatigue failure caused by moments and axial loads resulting from relative motion between the fixed ocean bottom and a floating drilling platform or ship, such as a semisubmersible rig. The system includes a preloaded connection including a female member and a male member coaxially aligned and held in compression by a nut placed in tension. The connection holds riser pipe sections together. The connection is preloaded through a tool to a degree such that when a load equal to the yield strength of the pipe section material is applied to the pipe sections joined by the connector, the compressed faces of the male and female members do not separate from each other. The degree of preload would be sufficient to maintain the contact between the compressed faces under expected working loads of the pipe sections.

Abstract: Underwater flow lines, control lines and electrical conduits are connected to mating hubs on an underwater manifold center or other production unit by utilizing hydraulically powered means for pulling the lines toward the mating hubs and aligning them therewith, lock-down means actuated from the surface being utilized to lock the lines in axial alignment with the hubs, and a seal member being lowered from the surface and inserted between the facing hubs, with a split clamp being used to draw the hubs into sealing engagement with the seal means.

Abstract: In accordance with the teachings of the invention, the combustion system includes a combustion chamber, hearth, burners, and an air/fuel control system. The control system controls a pressurized air supply, a regulated gas supply, and means for regulating the gas supply as a function of the air pressure. The burner includes an air manifold within which is housed an air control orifice telescoped in a gas manifold and a diffuser inserted within the air control orifice for mixing the air and gas and causing turbulence of the air/gas mixture. The diffuser protrudes through an aperture in the air manifold for communication with a juxtaposed combustion chamber and hearth having a flue gas outlet. Regulated air and gas are supplied to the air manifold and gas manifold respectively and are preheated. The pessurized preheated air passes through a throat and nozzle created by the diffuser and air control orifice creating a low pressure area at ports communicating with the gas manifold.

Abstract: A comparison circuit for use in an apparatus including a source of a coherent light beam of low divergence for quickly and simultaneously establishing a plurality of reference lines or planes for use in leveling, squaring, plumbing, and other alignment functions and for controlling the operation of construction equipment is disclosed.The present invention is a circuit that finds particular utility in automatically adjusting the orientation of the tool. More particularly the present invention is a circuit for comparing the amplitude of a first alternating current signal to the amplitude of a second alternating current signal, such signals being in phase with one another and having the same frequency.

Abstract: A drilling head comprises a tubular body adapted for connection above a well head and having a removable side outlet with a replaceable wear bushing. An assembly removably secured in the head includes a stator and rotor with bearing means and rotating seal means therebetween. A replaceable tubular, kelly seal boot or stripper carried by the rotor includes an enlarged upper end which diverts drilling mud away from the rotating seal and toward the side outlet.

Abstract: A bulkhead for a marine seismic streamer section comprises a generally cylindrical body of rigid tough plastics material such as polycarbonate polymer, having an axial hole therethrough, through which passes the electric conductor bundle of the streamer section, and peripheral radial slots with hemicylindric bottoms receiving the tension lines of the streamer section. The bulkhead has an annular circumferential groove which is radially as deep as the axes of the bottoms of the slots and in which is disposed a belt of phosphor bronze, or stainless steel, or other strong corrosion resistant metal. The belt holds the tension lines in the slots and holds together the bulkhead, which is made of two sectors. One sector is greater than 180 degrees in extent and the other is less than 180 degrees in extent, e.g. the one sector may extend 240 degrees and the other 120 degrees.

Abstract: A fail-safe non-pressure locking valve, actuated by hydraulic controls responsive to ambient sea pressure, disposed over 1000 feet below the surface on a submerged pipeline controlling the flow of fluids therethrough. The valve includes a housing having a chamber within which a gate, having upper and lower attached stems, reciprocates for opening and closing the valve to fluid flow. A piston, responsive to the hydraulic actuator controls, is attached to the upper stem for urging the gate to the open position upon application of hydraulic actuator fluid pressure. A spring is arranged in the valve housing to assist the internal valve pressure on the stem in urging the gate to its closed position in the event of loss of hydraulic actuator fluid pressure. A lower detached stem is disposed in the valve chamber below the lower attached stem and is responsive to ambient sea pressure.

Abstract: Dual flow passage drilling means includes a dual flow passage sub and a dual flow passage bit. The bit has a threaded tubular pin and a flat seal shoulder there around, adapted to make a rotary shouldered connection with a central box at the lower end of the sub.The bit includes a cylindrical body with a central flow passage and three circumferentially spaced off-axial holes centered 120 degrees apart providing outer fluid passage means communicating through the bit shoulder with the sub's annulus. Beneath the body are earth formation reducing means, including three jet nozzles connected to the off-axial holes. The earth formation reducing means further includes three drilling cones rotatably mounted on three legs depending from the body. The legs are centered 120 degrees apart, for example midway between the nozzles. The diameter of the earth bore is determined by the locus of the outermost parts of the cones as the cones rotate at the bottom of the bore.

Abstract: Two fluid passages are connected through flow restrictors to a fluid supply. Downstream of the restrictors the fluid supply has a drooping pressure-load characteristic. Venting means for the fluid passages comprises vent openings therein downstream of the restrictors and variable position obstructor means cooperating with vent openings to vary venting and thereby vary fluid pressures in the fluid passages.Fluid conduits connect these pressure outputs to a fluid to mechanical translator comprising a double acting piston moving in a cylinder whose opposite ends are connected to the fluid conduits.A receiver is formed by a piston and cylinder or other fluidic motor remotely fluidically connected to the responder, the motor driving a load. Alternatively the remote motor may be omitted, the responder itself constituting a receiver and its piston connected, mechanically or fluidically, to an output display or load for indication or proportional control.

Abstract: A drill string splined resilient tubular telescopic joint for balanced load deep well drilling comprises a double acting damper having a very low spring rate upon both extension and contraction from the zero deflection condition. Preferably the spring means itself is a double acting compression spring means wherein the same spring means is compressed whether the joint is extended or contracted. The damper has a like low spring rate over a considerable range of deflection, both upon extension and contraction of the joint, but a gradually then rapidly increased spring rate upon approaching the travel limits in each direction. Stacks of spring rings are employed for the spring means, the rings being either shaped elastomer-metal sandwiches or, preferably, roller Belleville springs. The spline and spring means are disposed in an annular chamber formed by mandrel and barrel members constituting the telescopic joint.

Abstract: A drilling head includes a tubular body having removable means for sealing the body to a kelly or other drive tube, a drive bushing releasably mounted in the sealing means to turn the sealing means with the drive tube, the sealing means including a seal tube having a rotating seal means for sealing with the body and a non-rotating seal means for sealing with the drive tube, both seal means being releasably held to the seal tube by common retainer means, such sealing means being rotatably mounted on the body on removable outboard mono-stratum double acting anti-friction thrust bearing means at the top of the body, the outer bearing race being held between annular flanges, one flange being integral with the body and the other releasably connected to the body, and the inner bearing race being held between annular plates releasably connected to the seal tube, the body having a side outlet and flange connection for the drilling fluid return line substantially flush with the body.

Abstract: A wall contacting tool, such as a fixed blade rotating stabilizer, useful in earth boring has replaceable wear pads. Each pad is of generally sector shape cross section, the pad corner having a 90.degree. apex angle and fitting in a correlative V groove flute at the end of an arm of the stabilizer body, being held in place by radial dowel pins each bisecting the apex angle of the corner and flute. Each pin has a head turned to be retained in a slot in the body and having a threaded socket receiving a cap screw whose head engages an outwardly facing shoulder in a stepped hole in the pad. The pad corner above and below the dowel pin locks the dowel pin head against turning. A releasable retainer ring in an annular groove in the stepped hole prevents withdrawal of the cap screw from the pad. A lateral dowel inbetween one side of the pad corner and one side of the body flute prevents movement of the pad radially outwardly from the flute.

Abstract: A wire line well tool is connected to a fluid gun which is run into the hole along with the tool. Should the tool become stuck, the gun is actuated, e.g. electrically, to direct mud active fluid around the stuck tool and the inside of the well bore, to destroy the pressure imbalance about the tool and to exert a radial force pushing the tool toward the center of the hole to free same.

Abstract: A double acting damper for use in rotary drilling includes a splined tubular telescopic joint and employs plural paralleled stacks of double acting series stacked roller Belleville spring washers in an annular pocket between the inner and outer tubular members of the joint. The springs, spline and telescopic bearings are in an oil filled volume sealed from the outside by a pressure seal at the lower end of the damper and a floating seal at the upper end. Electric and magnetic means are provided to check on the condition and quantity of the lubricant.

Abstract: A box tool joint member of generally tubular configuration is adapted for securement by welding to one end of a steel tube to form a drill pipe. The box tool joint member comprises a body having a cylindrical outer periphery, an internally threaded socket at one end of the body, and a weld neck of smaller outer diameter than the body adjacent to the other end of the body. A tapered transition piece connecting the neck with the adjacent end of the body provides an elevator shoulder. A correlative pin tool joint member is welded to the opposite end of the tube to complete the drill pipe.The box tool joint member has an annular band of hard facing over the outer periphery of the transition piece and extending down over the adjacent part of the weld neck and up around the adjacent part of the body. The hard facing is corrosion resistant and has a smooth finished surface. Underneath the hard facing and extending beyond both ends of the hard facing is an annular butter layer of non-hardenable steel.