Abstract: The plug holder sub 110 for being supported on a conveyance tubular temporarily supports a liner wiper plug 150, so that a pump down plug may land in the liner wiper plug and be supported from a generally tubular body 116 of the plug holder sub. The retaining member 114 is provided for attaching the liner wiper plug to the tubular body, and a piston 134 moves within the tubular body from a retaining position to a release position. A metering jet 130, 131 on a fluid flow path 128 from chamber 132 restrains the piston movement, thereby preventing release of the liner wiper plug until the piston moves to the release position.

Abstract: A sealing system for sealing with a generally cylindrical surface 52 of a tubular or another tool 50 includes an annular packer element 10, a wedge ring 60 having a substantially conical outer surface 62 configured to radially expand the packer element, and a positioner 40 for moving one of the packer element and wedge ring relative to the other packer element and wedge ring. The packer element 10 includes an first elastomeric seal body 20 axially supported on a first metal rib 14 extending radially from a metal base 12, and a second seal body 22 axially supported on a second metal rib 16. The second seal body 22 has an elasticity lower than that of the first seal body. According to the method of the invention, the positioner is moved to cause the first seal body 20 to sealingly engage the cylindrical surface, and hydraulic forces due to that sealing engagement then move the packer element to the expanded diameter sealing position, in which the second seal body 22 seals against the cylindrical surface.

Abstract: The ball valve assembly 10 includes a valve body 12, a ball 14, a seat ring 30, a support ring 40, and an actuator sleeve 50 surrounding the ball and axially moveable within the valve body for rotating the ball between the open position and the closed position. A plurality of seals seal with the seat ring, the actuator sleeve, the support ring, and the valve body. The actuator sleeve 50 maintains fluid pressure within the valve body. The ball, support ring and seat ring are each formed from a selective material to enhance life of the ball valve assembly. A pair of pins 80, 82 each extend in a slot within the ball and holes in the sleeve, and preferably the pair of pins and the ball rotate with respect to the sleeve as the sleeve moves axially within the valve body.

Abstract: A retrievable hydraulically operated running tool 10, 50 is run in a wellbore to preform a desired downhole tool activation. The port closure member 14, 52 is movable with a tubular body 12 from a port isolation position to an open port position. A seat 18, 56 supported on the port closure member receives a plug to shift the port closure member to the open port position, wherein the port 32, 56 exposes increased fluid pressure to the piston 24, 58, 70 to move to an activated position. The seat may be deformable for release in the plug from the seat after the port closure member has moved the open port position.

Abstract: A tool for use in a subterranean wellbore seals with a generally cylindrical interior surface of a tubular or another downhole tool. The tool includes a conveyance tubular 16 for positioning the tool at a selected location below the surface of the well, an annular seal assembly 10 disposed about the conveyance tubular, and a substantially conical wedge ring 14 having an outer surface configured to radially expand the annular seal assembly upon axial movement of the seal assembly relative to the wedge ring. The seal assembly 10 includes a metal framework having an annular base 18 and a plurality of metal ribs 30, 32, 34, 36 each extending radially outward from the base. A primary elastomeric seal 24 is positioned between the ribs 32, 34, while backup elastomeric seal body 22 is positioned between ribs 30 and 32 and backup seal body 26 is positioned between ribs 34 and 36.

Abstract: There is disclosed a system in which a liner is lowered into and landed within an outer casing. The casing includes a casing joint having upwardly facing landing shoulders formed about its bore, and the liner has a recess thereabout which receives a “C” shaped hanger carried in a retracted position as it is lowered into the bore. The hanger has teeth about it which are arranged to seat upon the landing shoulders when the hanger is released to expand against the bore so that its teeth may be lowered onto the landing surface.

Abstract: The ball valve assembly 10 includes a valve body 12, a ball 14, a seat ring 30, a support ring 40, and an actuator sleeve 50 surrounding the ball and axially moveable within the valve body for rotating the ball between the open position and the closed position. A plurality of seals seal with the seat ring, the actuator sleeve, the support ring, and the valve body. The actuator sleeve 50 maintains fluid pressure within the valve body. The ball, support ring and seat ring are each formed from a selective material to enhance life of the ball valve assembly. A pair of pins 80, 82 each extend in a slot within the ball and holes in the sleeve, and preferably the pair of pins and the ball rotate with respect to the sleeve as the sleeve moves axially within the valve body.

Abstract: A sealing system for sealing with a generally cylindrical surface 52 of a tubular or another tool 50 includes an annular packer element 10, a wedge ring 60 having a substantially conical outer surface 62 configured to radially expand the packer element, and a positioner 40 for moving one of the packer element and wedge ring relative to the other packer element and wedge ring. The packer element 10 includes an first elastomeric seal body 20 axially supported on a first metal rib 14 extending radially from a metal base 12, and a second seal body 22 axially supported on a second metal rib 16. The second seal body 22 has an elasticity lower than that of the first seal body. According to the method of the invention, the positioner is moved to cause the first seal body 20 to sealingly engage the cylindrical surface, and hydraulic forces due to that sealing engagement then move the packer element to the expanded diameter sealing position, in which the second seal body 22 seals against the cylindrical surface.

Abstract: Wellhead apparatus is shown to comprise a casing hanger releasably latched to a running tool for lowering, landing and locking within the bore of a housing so as to suspend an inner casing which is suspended from the hanger within an outer casing string to which the housing is connected. The hanger includes a mandrel carrying a lock ring for locking in a recess in the housing bore, and a seal sleeve is carried by the mandrel for movement between an upper position to permit cement to be circulated through a space between the mandrel and a lower position closing the space. The tool includes a body carrying a latch ring which is held within a groove in the bore of the mandrel as the hanger is lowered and locked within the housing bore, and which may be actuated to lower the sleeve into sealed position and release the latch ring for retrieval of the tool, from the hanger within the well bore.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed to complete a threaded connection between two connector members by relative rotation between the connectors, utilizing fluid pressure between them to overcome radial load resistance during make up by rotation, and thereafter to produce axial and radial loading in the completed connection, but without otherwise applying longitudinal forces to drive the two connectors together to make up the threaded connection. In a disclosed embodiment, a pin connector has a tapered neck with external threads, and a box connector has a collar with a tapered interior, featuring tapered threads. The pin neck is received within the box collar, and the two sets of threads are made up by relative rotation between the pin and box. When a stall position is reached due to radial resistance forces, two combinations of bump and ramp seals provide a sealed zone between the sets of threads.

Abstract: There are disclosed two embodiments of subsea wellhead apparatus each of which includes a subsea wellhead housing installed at the ocean floor, a casing hanger connectable to the to the upper end of a casing string and supported in the bore of the housing to suspend the casing string in the well bore, and a tubing hanger connectable to the upper end of a tubing string and also supported within the housing bore above the casing hanger for suspending the tubing string within the casing string. A primary valve and a secondary backup valve are installed in series for controlling a passageway in the tubing hanger, and during the completion process, with an additional passageway in a Christmas tree which is installed on the head above the tubing hanger.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for use in lowering an object such as a well pipe through a guide tube suspended from the water surface and onto an upstanding subsea conduit beneath the lower end of the guide tube.

Abstract: There is disclosed two embodiments of a gate valve having a pair of parallel-sided gates for opening and closing a flowway through the valve body upon reciprocation within a gate cavity intersecting the flowway intermediate its ends. The gates are connected to an actuator stem by a lost motion connection which causes one to be moved from closed toward open position prior to the other, and the one gate has a passageway therein for moving into a position to connect the cavity with the flowway prior to movement of the gates together toward open position.

Abstract: Subsea wellhead equipment is disclosed as comprising a housing including a main body of a first material having an internal cavity thereabout and a weld body of a material having a considerably greater yield strength than that of the main body formed integrally with the main body within the cavity to provide an upwardly facing seat in the housing bore, and a hanger including a main body and a ring of a material having a considerably greater yield strength than that of the main body and carried by the main body in a position to provide a downwardly facing shoulder engageable with the seat to support the load of the hanger therefrom.

Abstract: There is disclosed subsea well equipment in Which an inner wellhead housing is lowered into and landed in the bore of an outer wellhead housing in order to install an inner casing string suspended from the inner housing within an outer casing string to which the outer housing is connected. The inner housing is locked down in the bore of the outer housing by a locking part on the inner housing which is forced into a locking recess in the bore in order to preload the connection between the housings. An assembly releasably connectable to the inner housing is provided for lowering the inner housing in the landed position and then locking it down within the bore of the housing in response to manipulation of a pipe string from which the assembly is suspended.

Abstract: There is disclosed a gate valve having a pair of side-by-side through conduit gates which are adapted to be reciprocated relatively to one another by a fail safe actuator of such construction as to move the upstream gate to closed position before the downstream gate and the downstream gate to open position before the upstream gate.

Abstract: There are disclosed several embodiments of wellhead equipment wherein a seal assembly is installed within a frusto-conically shaped space between the bore of a first wellhead member and a conically shaped surface about a second wellhead member to close same. In one embodiment, the first member is a casing hanger landed within the bore of a subsea casing head, the second member is a tubing hanger within the head, and the seal assembly closes off a space between the bore of the casing hanger and the outer surface of the tubing hanger. In another embodiment, the first member is a surface casing head, the second member is a tubing hanger landed within the bore of the head, and the seal assembly closes off a space between the bore and hanger.

Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus for use in suspending an inner case within an outer casing of an offshore well at the ocean floor, which includes an outer body adapted to be connected to the outer casing for lowering therewith into a landed position at the ocean floor, a hanger body adapted to be connected to the inner casing for lowering therewith into the bore of the outer hanger body, and first and second circumferentially split rings carried about the hanger body for radial movement with respect thereto between contracted and expanded positions in which they may be moved with the hanger body into and out of the bore and normally expanded expansion in which they are seated within the bore of the outer body to support the hanger body from the outer body.

Abstract: A tieback connector for use in connecting the lower end of a well conductor to the upper end of a tubular wellhead member by a radially movable split locking ring carried by the tieback connector for locking engagement within grooves formed in the bore of the wellhead member.

Abstract: There is disclosed a subsea wellhead connector comprised of a lower tubular member mounted on the upper end of a lower wellhead member, and an upper tubular member suspended from an upper wellhead member for lowering into end-to-end connection with the lower tubular member. Locking teeth are formed about the ends of the tubular members, and circumferentially spaced locking segments are carried by the upper tubular member for movement radially into or out of locking engagement with the grooves about the upper and lower tubular members. The locking segments are moved inwardly to locking position by means of a cam ring which surrounds them, and are withdrawn from locking position by spreader dogs carried by the cam ring and extending between the ends of adjacent locking segments.