Abstract: A gate valve has downstream shear and seal capabilities in which the gate will stroke far enough to cover the downstream seat interface, and has a single shearing surface for shearing of a wireline. The gate has an inlay of a hard ductile material such as Stellite® along the shearing edge of the gate. The gate also has a coating of an extremely hard material such as tungsten carbide on the sealing surface of the gate. The seat also has an inlay of a hard ductile material such as Stellite® along its shearing edge. The gate fully covers and seals the upstream seat interface after the shear media has fallen below the upstream gate/seat interface. An upstream lip seal for the upstream seat ring is energized to seal on upstream pressure.

Abstract: A wellhead housing includes a metal seal with a ring portion and a rib portion. The ring portion includes two frustoconical surfaces for mating with tapered surfaces of a wellhead connector and the wellhead housing. Two conical, metal-to-metal seals are created where the ring portions of the seal engage the tapered surfaces of the wellhead connector and housing. These metal-to-metal seals contain internal pressure within the wellhead. Two legs extend outward from the rib portion. An upward-facing foot surface at the end of the top leg engages the wellhead connector, while a downward-facing foot surface at the end of the bottom leg engages the wellhead housing. A metal-to-metal seal created between each foot surface and the corresponding tubular member resists external pressure to prevent water ingress into the joint.

Abstract: An attachment extends between an outer sleeve and an inner riser pipe where the pipe penetrates the keel of a platform. In one version, the attachment is a conically-shaped with a small diameter ring that engages the riser pipe and a large diameter ring that engages the outer sleeve. This attachment has elements that are very flexible in bending but relatively stiff and strong in axial load. Other versions include flat rings where lateral load is taken directly into tension and compression in the beams, allowing for relatively high lateral load transfer. Both the conically-shaped attachment and the flat ring have a number of variations that provide low bending stiffness but high axial stiffness of the elements. Depending on whether resistance to axial loads, lateral loads, or resistance to combination of both loads is desired, the attachment and the flat ring may be used alone or in combination.

Abstract: A running tool is used to install a tubing hanger without entangling the continuous control lines. The tubing hanger running tool is made up of a central mandrel, an outer housing, a setting member, and an actuator. The mandrel has a lower end for securing to a tubing hanger. The outer housing surrounds the mandrel and is connected to the setting member. The actuator moves the setting member axially with respect to the mandrel so that the setting member can set the lock element on the tubing hanger, securing the tubing hanger to the tubing head. The setting member has openings which allow the control lines from the tubing hanger to be fed through to the outside of the running tool so that they are not entangled during the placement of the tubing hanger.

Abstract: A drill bit guide is mounted in a wellhead in place of a wear bushing. The bit guide is capable of guiding strings and tools through the wellhead without damage to the wellhead or string while drilling. In one version of the bit guide, a pair of linear actuators radially extend and retract separate halves of the bit guide to conform to the size of the object located between them. In another version of the bit guide, a set of interlocking arms and wear bars are articulated to form a circular opening having a variable inner diameter. A drill string may be lowered through a fully open bit guide or landed on top of a filly closed bit guide. The bit guide also can be moved to more closely receive the drill string passing through it to prevent damage to the drill string and the wellhead.

Abstract: A drill cuttings injection system for a well with a wellhead housing and a casing hanger supported in the wellhead housing. The wellhead has an axial flow port with an upper end in communication with an outer surface of the housing and a lower end in communication with an inner surface of the housing. An injection ring is positioned on the wellhead housing and has an external port. The injection ring defines an annular gallery in communication with the upper end of the axial flow port. A cuttings injector is adapted to land on the injection ring and has a hydraulic passageway sealable to the external port through which drill cuttings can be pumped into the well.

Abstract: An all-metal seal assembly is located between the exterior of a string of casing and the bore of a lower wellhead housing. The seal assembly has abase seal member with inner and outer legs that define a U-shaped cross-section extending upward into the bore. Each leg is provided with a set of seal bands for sealing against the bore and casing, respectively. When an upper wellhead housing is landed on top of the lower wellhead housing, an energizing ring is forced into the U-shaped cross-section and spreads the legs apart from each other, thereby moving the two sets of seal bands into sealing engagement with the bore and the casing.

Abstract: A subsea wellhead and completion system which provides for monitoring pressure in the annulus of the production casing through communication passages that are pressure-isolated from tubing annulus passages and production fluid passages. The communication passages route production casing annulus fluid pressure from the production casing annulus through the production casing hanger to a communication passage provided between the wellhead housing and an isolation sleeve that spans and seals between the production casing hanger and the tree and then through the tree to an outlet on external diameter of the tree and thence to monitoring equipment located typically at the rig. A removable closure member is located in the production casing hanger to isolate the communication passage during drilling operations. This closure member is removed after drilling operations are concluded and after the tree is installed, but before the isolation sleeve and tubing hanger are landed.

Abstract: A device for supplying hydraulic pressure to one or more hydraulically actuable components in a well production system and positioned within the well bore including a reservoir, and electrically powered pump, and a controller each positioned within the well bore and carried on the component. The controller operates the pump to supply fluid from the reservoir to actuate the components. Additionally, valves to route the fluid to the components and sensors to sense when the components are actuated are included.

Abstract: A device automatically makes up a riser string from riser spools, each having an ancillary line and dog-type connectors. A support member supports a second riser spool for connection. A torque arm above the support member hinges open to accept a first riser spool and hinges close to engage the first spool and rotate the first spool to align its ancillary line with the ancillary line of the second spool. A guide arm above the support member hinges open to accept the first spool and hinges closed to engage and radially position the first spool while allowing vertical movement of the first spool. Connector actuators are positioned around the support member to actuate the connectors when the first spool is lowered onto the second spool.

Abstract: A dog-style connector with a fail-safe mechanism for a marine riser system that connects a box portion and a pin portion of a riser. An actuator housing is affixed to an external surface of the box portion. The actuator housing has an outer bore and a threaded inner bore. An actuator body is threadably received in the inner bore. The actuator body has a hex head on its first end. The actuator body has a threaded fastener bore extending from the first end for receiving a threaded fastener. The actuator body has a second end that has a stem receptacle formed therein. The fastener bore is in communication with the stem receptacle. An actuator head, which includes a flange and a stem, is provided wherein the stem is positioned within the stem receptacle for sliding engagement therewith. Threads formed on the threaded fastener engage a threaded fastener receptacle formed in the stem of the actuator head.

Abstract: A running tool is used to install a load shoulder and a wear bushing in a subsea wellhead. A subsea wellhead has a locator shoulder, and grooved upper and lower profiles. The running tool has a cylindrical wear bushing that lands on a locator shoulder provided in the bore above a grooved lower profile in a wellhead housing. The running tool also carries a load shoulder ring and a split lock ring. The installation process consists of preparing the tool before running the tool subsea. Flowby ports on the running tool remain open during installation to speed the trip-in operation. The flowby ports are closed by lowering the central mandrel after the running tool lands. Then a portion of the wear bushing is moved downward, which in turn pushes the load shoulder out into the lower grooved profile to retain the load shoulder ring and wear bushing with the wellhead.

Abstract: A well production assembly includes a production tree which has a lateral production passage extending laterally from a vertical bore of the tree. A tubing hanger, also having a lateral production passage, lands in the tree, with the lateral passages registering with each other. The junction of the lateral passages has flat, tapered sealed areas which mate with one another. An annulus passage extends vertically through the tubing hanger offset from and parallel to the tubing hanger vertical production passage. The annulus passage also has a lateral passage which registers with the lateral passage formed in the tree. The annulus lateral passages have a flat seal area at their junction. The tubing hanger has a downward facing hydraulic connector which registers with an upward facing hydraulic connector located on a shoulder formed in the bore. Once mated, the connectors provide hydraulic or other auxiliary fluid communication to downhole equipment.

Abstract: A connector for tying back a riser from a subsea wellhead to a platform, wherein the wellhead has an internal wellhead housing with external grooves thereon. The connector having a plurality of dog members carried within a cavity which engage the external grooves. The dog members are actuated by axial movement of a piston linked to a cam ring. The connector has a plurality of transfer members located within the cavity to support the dog members and transfer upward loading to the wellhead housing during tension on one side due to bending. Further, the connector has a release ring which forces the dog members out of engagement with the external grooves when the connector is released.

Abstract: A diverter body having an upper portion, a central portion and a lower portion is secured to the upper end of a riser and lands in a housing. The central portion has lateral flow openings that axially align with a lateral flowline outlet in the housing. A pair of identical gallery seals locate above and below the lateral flowline outlet. The upper gallery seal is located between the upper portion, the central portion and the housing. The upper gallery seal has upper and lower metal rings and a central elastomer sandwiched therebetween. An outer diameter of the elastomer seals against the housing bore. The rings are symmetric and are mated to the elastomer along interfaces which are S-shaped in cross-section to form shoulders. The shoulders face radially inward. An annular cavity and a pair of flexible annular lips are formed along the inner diameter portion of the elastomer. A passage extends through the diverter bodies and communicates with the cavity.

Abstract: An apparatus for insertion into a well to displace well fluid. A flexible hose is lowered into an annulus between strings of casing. A nozzle is affixed to the lower end of the hose. During insertion, the hose is pressurized and rigid to keep the hose from winding about the well. To keep the hose rigid, internal pressure is maintained in the hose. The nozzle is provided with a check valve that holds the internal pressure up to a selected amount. Once the hose is lowered to a desired depth, the operator increases the pressure sufficiently in the hose to open the check valve, thereby allowing heavy liquid to flow out. The heavy liquid displaces the lighter well production, which flows out of the outlet. After the heavy fluid has been dispensed, the internal pressure is reduced, causing the check valve to close. The check valve can also be opened during insertion, if desired.

Abstract: A centralizing device is provided for a riser of an offshore well platform having an opening through which the riser passes from the platform to a subsea wellhead. The riser has generally planar fins extending radially outward from its outer diameter. The centralizing device has a frame which is mounted to the platform about the riser. A plurality of centralizing rollers are mounted to the frame and are radially extensible relative to the riser. The centralizing rollers bear against the riser and retain it laterally. A plurality of torsional rollers are mounted to the frame and are extensible towards the fins. The torsional rollers bear against the fins and retain the riser torsionally.

Abstract: An internal tieback connector for connecting a riser from a platform to a subsea wellhead having internal grooves and a casing hanger therein. The connector has an inner body which carries a lower housing adapted to land on the wellhead. A plurality of dogs abut the lower housing and are adapted to engage and lift the inner body relative to the lower housing. An upper housing is carried on the inner body and adapted to force the dogs inward into engagement with the inner body. A plurality of latch members are carried on the inner body and are adapted to engage the internal grooves when the internal is moved upward relative to the lower housing.

Abstract: A method for installing a string of tubing in a subsea well has a provision for killing the well due to malfunction while the tubing is being installed. A running tool is attached to a tubing hanger located at the upper end of the string of tubing. A completion safety module secures to the running tool and to a monobore running string. The assembly is lowered through a riser into the well, with the tubing hanger landing in a production tree. After the tubing hanger has been secured to the tree, earth formation pressure is communicated to the interior of the string of tubing while the running tool still remains connected to the tubing hanger. If a problem occurs, and the valves of the completion safety module fail to open, rams of the riser blowout preventer are closed around the running tool. The running tool is then disconnected from the tubing hanger and allowed to move upward a short distance due to pressure in the well.

Abstract: A drilling head used to seal around a drill pipe while drilling is employed in a subsea location. The drilling head has an inner body located within an outer body. At least one bearing is located between the outer body and the inner body for facilitating the rotation of the inner body relative to the outer body. A seal mounted to a lower portion of the inner body seals around the outer surface of the drill pipe. While lowering the drilling head to the wellhead, a support attached to the drill pipe is inserted into a skirt which surrounds a portion of the seal. The skirt and support are releasably connected using a J-slot mechanism. An inner annulus and an outer annulus are located between the inner and outer bodies, the annuluses containing a lubricating fluid. Helical vanes are located within the inner annulus and affixed to the inner body. The vanes rotate with the inner body for circulating the fluid through the inner and outer annuluses.