Abstract: An adjustable two-piece rope guiding device [21, 26], particularly adaptable for use on offshore guyed tower drilling and production structures [11]. On such structures it is necessary to deflect a taut guy rope [14] into a direction that may not be precisely known, or that may vary with time. Such deflection must not damage the rope by excessive static or cyclic straining or by wearing. To minimize problems of clearance within the structure the guiding is performed in two parts: (1) a permanent deflection into a direction that satisfies the foregoing clearance requirements and (2) a variable deflection occurring beyond clearance problems that completes the required total deflection.

Abstract: A hydraulically operated actuator employs multiple metal-to-metal static seals to isolate the hydraulic fluid and to isolate the actuator from surrounding contaminating (ambient) fluids. A housing contains at least two linearly spaced apart chambers. A piston reciprocates from a retracted position to an extended position (power stroke) and from the extended position to the retracted position (return stroke) in one of the chambers (hydraulic chamber). The hydraulic chamber is separated by the piston into two sections, one of which contains high pressure hydraulic fluid and the other of which contains low pressure hydraulic fluid. A first static metal seal ring unit is designed to seal first at the completion of the power stroke of the piston to isolate the low pressure hydraulic fluid section from external contaminating fluids which may be at a higher pressure.

Abstract: A circulating (kill) valve for hot, high pressure wells includes a valve assembly to be positioned in an open-ended tubular-shaped side-pocket housing of a mandrel connected into a well tubing string. The valve assembly includes an open-ended cylindrical valve body provided with an interior sealing seat and spaced-apart side openings. A valve element is arranged within the valve body and is urged by unbalanced pressures to the open or closed position depending on the direction of the pressure imbalance. In the closed position a sealing surface on the exterior of the valve element engages and seals with the lower interior sealing seat of the valve body. A ported access to the inner well string pressure permits that pressure to urge the valve element to the closed position. Such pressure may be overcome by pressure imbalance when fluid pressure exterior of the tubing string forces the valve element upwardly from its seat.

Abstract: A spring cushioned static seal hydraulically operated actuator is disclosed which contains a hydraulically driven piston arranged to reciprocate in a chamber. A spring couples the piston to a rotatable shaft which limits the torque placed on the shaft by the piston in its drive stroke. A return spring functions to return the piston and drive spring to their initial positions upon release of the hydraulic drive applied to the piston. A static seal on the piston seals at the completion of the drive stroke of the piston. The actuator may be used to operate a subsea diverter to direct "pump down" or through flow line (TFL tools) through wye-branched flow passageways formed in a diverter body member located on a submerged well head.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for measuring at the water's surface the distance between a submerged wellhead and a downhole tubing hanger located in a subsea well which includes lowering an electrical conductor cable through the wellhead until the weighted lower end of the cable engages the tubing hanger. The cable contains two tools, one of which is capable of emitting an electrical signal for transmission to the surface when the cable is picked up and the lower end of the cable disengages from the hanger and the other of which is capable of emitting another electrical signal when it passes a preselected point in the wellhead. The cable is picked up to generate one signal and raised until the other tool passes the preselected point in the wellhead to generate the other signal. The distance the cable has been raised between emission of the two signals is then added to the known distance between the lower end of the cable and the other tool to determine the distance between the wellhead and the tubing hanger.

Abstract: A blowout preventer control system for use in well operations includes a BOP having at least one opening chamber and at least one closing chamber, and an operating power fluid source connected to the BOP opening and closing chambers by an opening conduit and a closing conduit, respectively. A valve controlled conduit is connected to the opening conduit to ensure drainage of power fluid from the opening chamber of the BOP. A three-way shuttle valve is connected into the closing conduit close to the BOP. The shuttle valve is provided with an inlet which is connected to the closing conduit and another inlet which is connected by a conduit to an independent BOP operating power fluid source. An outlet of the shuttle valve is connected to the closing chamber of the BOP.

Abstract: Carbonyl sulfide is removed from propane and other similar liquefied petroleum gas products by mixing liquid methanol with the untreated liquefied gas and then contacting the liquid mixture with solid potassium hydroxide.

Abstract: An applicator for applying chemical treating fluid to equipment, such as pump-sucker rod equipment, being run into a well includes a housing capable of being mounted on a wellhead and having an opening to permit passage of the equipment therethrough. A series of circumferentially spaced apart nozzles are arranged in the housing for directing flow of the chemical radially onto said equipment. Valve means are provided for controlling the flow of the chemical to the nozzles. A movable actuator which operates the valve means has a first position at which flow of the chemical through the valve is prevented and a second position at which flow of the chemical through the valve is permitted. The actuator includes spring means for urging the actuator to the first position thereof and means supported on the housing, which is responsive to the weight of the suspended equipment in the well to move the actuator to the second position thereof.

Abstract: An artificial ice structure for use as, for example, a base for oilfield operations or a road, is constructed in an offshore frigid environment where the water is covered by a sheet of floating ice. A berm or dike enclosing a predetermined area is built on the ice sheet to contain flood water and a trench is cut through the ice sheet around the perimeter of the dike to separate the predetermined area from the parent ice sheet and thereby form an island. The island of predetermined area is flooded with water and the water is allowed to freeze and weight the island down until essentially the entire ice mass of the island is resting on the ground underlying the body of water. After the structure is grounded, flooding with water is continued until the island has sufficient mass, in combination with other defensive measures, to resist the forces imposed by movement of the surrounding fast ice.

Abstract: A device for measuring the length of a string of well pipe as it is run into or pulled from a well bore and for counting the number of pipe collars connecting the pipe sections together includes a support frame having an opening therethrough for accommodating a pipe string. A laterally moveable carriage is mounted on the frame. A measuring wheel and a roller are connected to the carriage. Tension springs connect the roller to the carriage for urging the roller and measuring wheel into engagement with the well pipe and pipe collars. An actuator is connected to the roller for registering lateral movement of the roller. Recoil springs connect the carriage and the frame for absorbing the force of the shock caused by contact of the measuring wheel with the pipe collars and means are connected to the measuring wheel to convert rotational travel of the wheel to the length of the pipe string measured.

Abstract: A sealing ring assembly is disclosed for use in sealing the annular gap between two concentric cylindrical members, one of the members having an annular groove and the other member having a surface opposed to the groove. Deformable seal material and a radially expansible-contractible non-deformable split retaining ring are located in the groove, the seal material engaging one surface of the retaining ring and the retaining ring being positioned on one of the sidewalls of the groove. The seal material and the retaining ring extend radially to the surface of the other cylindrical member, the retaining ring being sized to elastically compress against that surface. The surface of the retaining ring facing the seal material is beveled or chamfered along a portion or all of its width, the beveled surface extending inwardly to the inner edge of the retaining ring.

Abstract: A metal seal plug for use in sealing a tubing run is disclosed. The plug includes upper and lower tubular housings connected together for limited movement therebetween by an inner mandrel. The lower housing contains a locking unit which when actuated locks into a recess formed in the tubing to lock the plug in the tubing. The upper housing contains an actuator for actuating the locking unit when the upper housing is forced down with respect to the lower housing. The lower housing also contains a metal seal ring which engages metal sealing surfaces on the tubing and on the lower housing to seal off the space between the plug and the tubing. The distance between the locking unit and the metal seal ring and the distance between the recess and the sealing surface on the tubing run are selected to ensure that the metal seal ring is properly loaded when the plug is locked in the tubing.

Abstract: An anode clamp assembly for use in protecting metallic support structure for an offshore oil and/or gas well operations platform from galvanic corrosion is disclosed. The assembly comprises a U-shaped metallic channeled member having straight sides and means for connecting the free ends of two sides of the U-shaped member to each other to clamp the member on the support structure of the offshore platform to be protected and at least one metallic anode spaced from and connected to the channeled member. The anode clamp assembly is transported to the support structure to be protected and then clamped to that support structure by divers. Electrical contact between the channeled member and the support structure is then assured by welding the channeled member to the support structure and/or by means of a set screw connecting the channeled member to the metal of the support structure.

Abstract: In a method for recovering more gas from natural water drive gas reservoirs than is recovered using present methods, large volumes of water are produced from the reservoir, and/or from the aquifer adjacent to the reservoir to reduce reservoir pressure. Residual gas after water displacement is thereby left in the reservoir at a lower pressure than it would have been had such water not been produced. Since the quantity of gas, in cubic feet corrected to standard pressure and temperature conditions, left in the reservoir at depletion is a direct function of pressure, use of the this method results in increased gas recovery.

Abstract: A high pressure, antigalling, thread interference pipe connection for use with well pipe includes pin and box members, the thread pitch lines of which are curved at the entrance of the box member and at the nose of the pin member so that sharp corners on the threads at the end of one member do not engage the threads of the other mating member and, also, so that pressure due to thread interference is built up in a smooth fashion over several threads rather than as a sharp pressure spike created by the first threads of one member engaging the threads of the other mating member. In addition, the pitch diameters of the threads of the pin and box members are selected so that makeup of the pin and box members occurs only on full height threads.

Abstract: A balanced stem fail-safe valve controls flow of fluids through a submerged pipeline. A closed subsea hydraulic pressure system operates or powers the valve. In the fail-safe mode the operating or reservoir pressure equals ambient sea pressure. A valve housing is arranged on the pipeline and a valve chamber is formed in the valve housing. A valve element is movable in the valve chamber between open and closed positions to control the flow of fluids through the pipeline. A first fluid pressure operable means is connected to the valve element to move the valve element to open position upon application of pump pressure to the first fluid pressure operable means. Electrically operated valves are used to direct the flow of power fluid to and from the valve. A spring is arranged in the valve housing to urge the valve element to its closed position in the event of power failure.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are disclosed for externally testing flanged or hubbed connections used on fluid conducting conduits. A ring gasket fits between the faces of the connecting flanges or hubs to effect a fluid tight seal. A test ring also fits between the faces of the hub or flange connection in a manner so as to form a space between the test ring and the ring gasket. Seal means closes the space between the test ring and the faces of the flanges or hubs. The outside diameter of the test ring is confined within fastening means which secures the hubs or flanges together. Fluid under pressure, used to test the effectiveness of the ring gasket seal, is applied to the space between the ring gasket and the test ring seal means. The pressure in that space falls when the ring gasket is defective but remains constant if the ring gasket is sound. Following the test, fluid pressure is bled off the space between the ring gasket and the test ring seal means.

Abstract: A method for joining two or more jacket or substructure components of an offshore platform in the water to form a single jacket unit. An offshore platform is located in deep water by dividing a jacket or support of extensive length therefor into at least two sections which have only sufficient buoyancy to float at water surface when the sections are launched from at least a vessel at a selected location. The sections are aligned and connected together. Guide means ensure proper alignment of the legs of the sections. Access tubes from the surface of the water to the hollow legs permit direct internal welding in securing the legs of the sections together. The sections are then sunk at the selected location until the jacket is in an upright position at which point it is anchored by driving piling through the jacket's hollow legs into the sea floor, following which the deck of the platform is placed or stabbed on the anchored jacket.

Abstract: A method for joining two or more jacket or substructure components of an offshore platform in the water to form a single jacket unit. An offshore platform is located in deep water by dividing a jacket or support of extensive length therefor into at least two sections which have only sufficient buoyancy to float at water surface when the sections are launched from at least a vessel at a selected location. The sections are aligned and connected together. Guide means ensure proper alignment of the legs of the sections. Access tubes from the surface of the water to the hollow legs permit direct internal welding in securing the legs of the sections together. The sections are then sunk at the selected location until the jacket is in an upright position at which point it is anchored by driving piling through the jacket's hollow legs into the sea floor, following which the deck of the platform is placed or stabbed on the anchored jacket.

Abstract: A subsea pipeline hub is connected to the hub of an adjacent spool piece connected to an in-place manifold of a subsea structure used in the production of oil and/or gas. The pipeline hub is positioned relative to the opposing spool hub and a remotely operated pipeline connecting tool is lowered from the water's surface to the subsea structure using guidelines and structural guidance for alignment of the pipeline hub with the spool piece hub. The spool piece hub is then drawn to the pipeline hub and the hubs are clamped together by operation of the connecting tool. The seal in the connection can be tested by means of the connecting tool. The spool piece may be retrieved and replaced by the connecting tool if maintenance is needed. Connecting tool operations are powered by hydraulic fluid and controlled from the surface. The pipeline hub may be lowered vertically and pivoted into its position adjacent the spool piece or may be pulled into that position.