Seal Actuated With Anchor Patents (Class 166/88.3)
  • Patent number: 9677369
    Abstract: A system for holding a tubular string in a well is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a cartridge having a body that can be installed within a wellhead spool attached to a well, and the cartridge includes slips and a setting ring that are disposed within a bore of the body. The slips and the setting ring are retained within the bore of the body and are axially movable within the body such that, when installed within the wellhead spool, the slips are retained in a retracted position when the setting ring is in a first axial position within the body and the slips contract inwardly when the setting ring is moved to a second axial position. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Kyle R. Welsh, Dwayne C. Raynard
  • Patent number: 8752634
    Abstract: A locking assembly for seals within inner and outer members. The locking assembly includes a segmented tube with an inner surface that is segmented into a plurality of pieces cut in radial or reversed angles to allow assembling segments in a circumferential groove machined in the internal diameter of a housing. The housing has an internal diameter that is smaller than the outside diameter of the segmented tube. The segments that make up the segmented tubing are locked into place within the housing via a bushing or locking ring that match a profile on the inner surface of the segmented tube to lockingly engage. The bushing and segmented tube retain a lower inner seal in place and support an upper inner seal. The segmented design of the segmented tube allows for smaller diameter members to be used and minimizes leak paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventors: Fabio Okamoto Tanaka, Miguel A Garcia
  • Publication number: 20140110126
    Abstract: A wellhead seal assembly that forms a metal-to-metal seal between inner and outer wellhead members. A metal seal ring has inner and outer legs separated by a slot. An extension of seal ring contacts an upward facing shoulder of the inner wellhead member. An energizing ring with a tapered nose is moved into the slot. The tapered nose has a downward facing stop shoulder that contacts an upper end of inner leg when the energizing ring is in its lower position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventors: Chad Eric Yates, Detrick Deyon Garner
  • Publication number: 20140069632
    Abstract: In a wellhead near the top of an oil and gas well, a locking profile configured for locking engagement with an inner well member and including a locking ridge having a rib and a locking shoulder. The locking ridge extends radially inward from an inner surface of the wellhead into a well bore. The rib is located on an end of the ridge distal from the wellhead and protrudes into the inner well member. The locking shoulder is located on an end of the ridge distal from the wellhead and adjacent a lower end of the rib, so that as the inner well member exerts an upward force on the rib, the upward force creates a moment in the locking ridge that pushes the locking shoulder into tighter engagement with the inner well member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: VETCO GRAY INC.
    Inventors: Nicholas Peter Gette, Daniel Ralph Barnhart, David Lawrence Ford
  • Publication number: 20130319688
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include a rotating casing hanger having a housing configured to abut a casing spool and a casing hanger body disposed within the housing, wherein the casing hanger body is configured to suspend a casing element within a wellbore, and the casing hanger body is configured to rotate within the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: TESCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Timothy Eric Moellendick
  • Publication number: 20130248199
    Abstract: An outer tubular wellhead member having wickers formed in a bore of the outer tubular wellhead member that vary in axial position and methods to assemble a subsea wellhead including the same is disclosed. The plurality of circumferentially extending wickers are formed in sealing profiles of the wellhead member. Each wicker varies axially in position around the circumference of the bore so that when a seal member engages each wicker, the wicker deforms the surface of the annular seal to form circumferential sealing bands at each wicker from an upper end of the sealing profile to a lower end of the sealing profile, upper portions of each wicker deforming the surface of the annular seal before lower portions of the same wicker so that fluid between adjacent wickers flows from the higher axial location of the wicker to the lower axial location of the wicker to limit hydraulic lock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: VETCO GRAY INC.
    Inventors: Nicholas Peter Gette, Daniel Ralph Barnhart
  • Patent number: 8517089
    Abstract: A wellhead assembly having a wellhead housing, a casing hanger set within the wellhead housing, and sealing areas provided on opposing surfaces of the wellhead housing and casing hanger. The sealing areas circumscribe an axis of the wellhead assembly along respective axial distances on the wellhead housing and casing hanger. A seal is included with the wellhead assembly that has inner and outer legs that respectively engage the sealing areas and form sealing surfaces against the sealing areas. The axial distances of the sealing areas exceeds the length of the inner and outer legs, so that an original seal can be removed and replaced by a secondary seal, wherein the secondary seal engages sealing areas different from the sealing areas engaged by the original seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Galle, Nicholas P. Gette, Ryan Herbel
  • Patent number: 8511393
    Abstract: A slip hanger assembly for installation of casing in a wellhead, the assembly including a slip ring capable of restraining the casing in the wellhead. The assembly including a seal assembly with an inner and outer seal. The assembly also includes a hanger assembly actuator including a load ring flange, a BOP adapter including a horizontal torque provider and the BOP adapter being connectable to the wellhead, and a seal assembly actuator. The hanger assembly actuator can set the inner and outer seals independently of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventor: Dennis P. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8186426
    Abstract: A seal assembly for sealing between wellhead members in a wellhead, the assembly may include a seal element and a lockdown member. The seal assembly is attachable to either one of the wellhead members by coupling the lockdown member to a locking surface on the wellhead member. The lockdown member and locking surface may include corresponding profiles for mating engagement thereby preventing relative movement between the wellhead member and seal assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventor: John E. Nelson
  • Patent number: 8146670
    Abstract: A wellhead seal assembly forms a metal-to-metal seal between inner and outer wellhead members. A metal seal ring has inner and outer walls separated by a slot. A lock ring has grooves for locking the inner wellhead member to the outer wellhead member during installation. An energizing ring has a C-ring captured on its inner surface. When the energizing ring is moved further into the slot, the C-ring is forced from its pocket and engages the surface of the inner wellhead member, locking the seal assembly to the inner wellhead member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventors: Steven C. Ellis, Javier Garcia, Jr., Rick C. Hunter, John E. Nelson
  • Publication number: 20110030974
    Abstract: A slip hanger assembly for installation of casing in a wellhead, the assembly including a slip ring capable of restraining the casing in the wellhead. The assembly including a seal assembly with an inner and outer seal. The assembly also includes a hanger assembly actuator including a load ring flange, a BOP adapter including a horizontal torque provider and the BOP adapter being connectable to the wellhead, and a seal assembly actuator. The hanger assembly actuator can set the inner and outer seals independently of each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: CAMERON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Dennis P. Nguyen
  • Publication number: 20100116486
    Abstract: A wellhead system comprising a high pressure housing having a retractable ring and a casing hanger having an activation ring configured to be engaged by the retractable ring when the casing hanger is lowered into the high pressure housing. An expandable load member is carried by the casing hanger into the high pressure housing. When the activation ring is engaged by the retractable ring, the activation ring is blocked from further downward motion. The activation ring and the body of the casing hanger cooperate with the load member to expand the load member outward into engagement with the high pressure housing as the casing hanger is lowered further into the high pressure housing. The outer surface of the load member and the inner surface of the high pressure housing are configured so that the high pressure housing supports the casing hanger when the load member is expanded into engagement with the high pressure housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventors: Marc Minassian, David L. Ford
  • Patent number: 7325600
    Abstract: A coil tubing hanger includes a hanger body having a hanger base with a lower end for connection to a well tree, an upper end for connection of a hanger cap and an internal cylindrical cavity for receiving an annular, externally actuated, pack-off element for selectively providing a high-pressure fluid seal against the coil tubing. The hanger cap seals the cylindrical cavity and provides a slip bowl. Slips received in the slip bowl suspend the coil tubing. An injection nipple mounted to the slip bowl includes an injection nipple port through which the coil tubing extends, and a surface pack-off provides a high pressure fluid seal around the coil tubing above the slips, so that the pack-off element may be released from the coil tubing after the coil tubing is landed and the surface pack-off is secured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: BJ Services Company, U.S.A.
    Inventor: Donald Sieben
  • Publication number: 20070175626
    Abstract: A blowout preventer (BOP) is provided in which one of the BOP rams is formed with an extended central bore sealing section to seal across the central bore in a central bore closing position when the polish rod is not present. The ram bores of the BOP are sized to accommodate this extended central bore sealing section in any of the open, sealing or central bore closing positions. The front ends of the BOP rams may be adapted to carry elastomeric or thermoplastic seals to seal against the polish rod or against each other. The central bore seals for the extended central bore sealing section may be formed with elastomeric or thermoplastic seals. In the case of thermoplastic seals, the rams and ram bores are adapted to ensure that the thermoplastic seals are compressed outwardly, to seal the ram bores, or are lifted upwardly, to seal the central bore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Publication date: August 2, 2007
    Applicant: STREAM-FLO INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventor: Tony M. Lam
  • Patent number: 6948565
    Abstract: A slip spool for selectively supporting a tubing string suspended in a wellbore can be mounted to a wellhead. The slip spool has an axial passage that is aligned with the wellbore, and at least two radial passages extending through a side wall of the slip spool and communicating with the axial passage. At least two slip assemblies are slidably received within the respective radial passages. Actuators move the respective slip assemblies between a retracted position in which the slip jaws clear the axial passage of the slip spool, and an extended position in which wedge-shaped slip jaws of the respective slip assemblies are inserted into an annulus between the axial passage of the slip spool to grip the tubing string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: H W C E S International
    Inventor: L. Murray Dallas
  • Patent number: 6588510
    Abstract: A coil tubing hanger system and a method of installing such system is provided. The coil tubing hanger system comprises a body having an axial opening there through. A slip bowl having a base and housing a slip that can be retained in a first position spaced apart from bowl base and a second position proximate the bowl base is fitted within the opening. The slip has inner teeth. Tubing is fitted within the slip and through the bowl while the slip is retained in the first position. The slip is then allowed to drop to the second position such that the slip teeth bite onto the outer surface of the tubing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Duhn Oil Tool, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary A. Card, Robert K. Meek
  • Patent number: 6488084
    Abstract: A casing hanger lands on a load shoulder in a wellhead to seal and support a string of casing. The casing hanger has a lower ring for landing on the load shoulder, the lower ring having an upward facing surface. A plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses are in the upward facing surface of the lower ring, each of the recesses having a base. A seal is located on the lower ring and has a plurality of holes that register with the recesses in the upward facing surface of the lower ring. A slip assembly bowl has a wedging surface that carries a plurality of slip members. The slip members grip the casing and cause the bowl to transmit downward forces from the casing to the seal to axially compress and energize the seal. Fasteners extend from the lower ring through apertures provided in the seal into threaded apertures provided in a downward facing surface of the bowl to secure the lower ring to the slip assembly but allow relative axial movement between the bowl and the lower ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: ABB Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventor: Eugene A. Borak, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6209652
    Abstract: A deployment system and apparatus for running bottomhole assemblies and/or downhole tools in wells, particularly applicable to coiled tubing operations, including pressurized deployment apparatus, a pressure operated connector tool and a multi-functional coiled tubing head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Inventors: Lance N. Portman, John E. Ravensbergen