Abstract: A space-out mechanism that may be used in a tubing hanger system to install a tubing hanger and rigidize the tubing hanger and a casing hanger within a wellhead housing in a single trip is provided. The space-out mechanism may include two pieces that are configured to rotate against each other such that the axial length of the space-out mechanism can be adjusted to remove any axial gaps created in the installation of the tubing hanger or rigidizing of the tubing hanger and casing hanger within the wellhead housing. The two pieces of the space-out mechanism may include a ramp ring and a piston. The ramp ring and piston may each have ramp surfaces that rotate and bear against each other until the system is rigidized.

Abstract: An improved anti-rotation device and connector assembly designed to prevent rotation of a first threaded portion of the connector assembly with respect to a second threaded portion of the connector assembly is provided. The anti-rotation device and connector assembly include features that guide and smooth the transition of the anti-rotation device into a position extending through the first and second threaded portions. The anti-rotation device may extend through a tab/groove interface between the first and second threaded portions, or the anti-rotation device may engage opposing interfacing edges of the first and second threaded portions along the length of the anti-rotation device. Once the anti-rotation device is installed through the first and second threaded portions, the anti-rotation device may prevent rotation of the threaded portions relative to each other.

Abstract: Systems and methods for landing a tubing hanger in a wellhead, landing a tree on the wellhead, and making electrical and hydraulic couplings between the tree and the tubing hanger without having to orient the tree or the tubing hanger relative to each other are provided. This is accomplished using a seal sub that is coupled to the tree and lowered with the tree into contact with the tubing hanger located in the wellhead. The seal sub features an electrical conductor that facilitates electrical coupling of the tree to the tubing hanger. The tubing hanger and seal sub may include a metal-to-metal and elastomeric seal arrangement designed to seal off electrical and hydraulic connections between these components when, the tree is positioned within the wellhead.

Abstract: A high capacity universal connector for use in connecting tubular members and a method for sealing the tubular members is provided. First and second tubular members are provided which each have ends that are brought into face-to-face engagement by a connector. A metal sealing element seals against conical surfaces at the ends of the first and second tubular members and enables the entire surface of the end of one tubular member to be bought into engagement with the surface of the end of the other tubular member so as to improve the bending and compression capacity of the assembly comprising the tubular members and the metal sealing element. A metal sealing ring for use in this assembly is also provided, along with a gasket retention assembly.

Abstract: Systems and methods for control/monitoring of internal equipment in a riser assembly are disclosed. The method includes running a tool through at least a portion of an internal bore of a riser assembly associated with a well, and outputting a control signal from a first wireless communication interface disposed along the internal bore of the riser assembly. The first wireless communication interface is coupled to a communication system on the riser assembly. The method also includes receiving the control signal at a second wireless communication interface disposed on the tool, and actuating at least one equipment component of the tool in response to the second wireless communication interface receiving the control signal.

Abstract: A well production system comprises a barrier providing a pressure barrier between components of the well production system located upstream of the barrier and components of the well production system located downstream of the barrier; a safety instrumented system (SIS) communicatively coupled to the barrier and having one or more logic solvers; one or more pressure transmitters disposed along a flowpath, within the barrier, and communicatively coupled to the one or more logic solvers; one or more valves disposed along the flowpath within the barrier and communicatively coupled to the SIS, wherein the SIS is configured to selectively actuate the one or more valves based on feedback from the one or more pressure transmitters; a spare pressure transmitter disposed along the flowpath within the barrier; and a monitoring device, wherein the monitoring device is configured to selectively couple the spare pressure transmitter to the one or more logic solver.

Abstract: Systems and method for providing a soft landing of a wellhead connector onto a subsea wellhead are provided. One such system includes a wellhead connector configured to be coupled to a subsea wellhead, and a soft landing system disposed on a body of the wellhead connector. The soft landing system includes one or more cylinder assemblies coupled to the body of the wellhead connector, and one or more valve assemblies coupled to the body of the wellhead connector. Each cylinder assembly includes a barrel, a rod disposed within the barrel and extending in one direction from the barrel, and a pad attached to an extended end of the rod. The one or more valve assemblies are each fluidly coupled to the one or more cylinder assemblies.

Abstract: A system including a releasable connector having a housing and a split ring, and a complementary mandrel that is attachable/detachable from the connector, is provided. The mandrel is designed to be received into the housing such that a portion of the mandrel extends out of the housing for connection to a tool. The split ring is disposed in an annular space between the housing and the mandrel when the mandrel is in the housing. The split ring includes at least one set of threads and a detent formed on a radially internal surface, and the mandrel includes complementary threads. The threads on the split ring fully engage the complementary threads on the mandrel when the mandrel is in a particular axial position within the housing. The detent prevents the split ring from collapsing into engagement with the threads on the mandrel until the mandrel is in a desired axial position.

Abstract: A cementing system and method for selectively providing bottom-up cementing and top-down cementing of a liner during a single downhole trip are provided. The cementing system has three configurations. A first configuration of the tool allows fluid flow through a central flowbore of the cementing tool, a liner hanger setting tool below the cementing tool, and the liner. A second configuration of the tool routes fluid from the central flowbore of the cementing tool to an annulus surrounding the liner hanger setting tool and the liner. A third configuration of the tool reestablishes flow through the central flowbore of the cementing tool and enables a dropped ball to reach the liner hanger setting tool.

Abstract: Systems and methods for coupling subsea tubular members together are provided. An apparatus may be used to properly orient and/or provide communication between a first subsea tubular member that is being landed on a second subsea tubular member. An apparatus for coupling subsea tubular members may include an alignment sub and a corresponding alignment member. The alignment sub includes: a generally cylindrical body having one or more fluid, electric, or fiber optic lines extending therethrough, one or more couplings coupled to at least one end of the alignment sub, and an orientation profile disposed on a surface of the alignment sub. The alignment member has a profile designed to interface with the orientation profile of the alignment sub. One of the alignment sub and the alignment member remains stationary while the other rotates relative to the stationary structure.

Abstract: Systems and methods for landing a tubing hanger in a wellhead and then orienting a tubular housing (e.g., tree, spool, or flowline connection body) relative to the tubing hanger while landing the tubular housing on the wellhead are provided. The systems may include a tubing hanger alignment device, wherein the tubing hanger alignment device includes one or more hydraulic, electric, or fiber optic lines extending therethrough and one or more couplings disposed on a lower end thereof. The tubing hanger alignment device is configured to couple one or more hydraulic, electric, or fiber optic lines on the tubular housing with one or more hydraulic, electric, or fiber optic couplings on the tubing hanger during landing of the tubular housing onto the wellhead regardless of a relative orientation of the tubing hanger and the tubular housing with respect to the wellhead.

Abstract: A ball valve assembly including a fluid storage mechanism (e.g., accumulator) that absorbs excess fluid pressure vented through a communication port is provided. The ball valve assembly includes a housing with a fluid passage formed therethrough, a seat located in the fluid passage, and an inlet of the fluid passage on a first side of the seat for coupling the ball valve assembly to the communication port. The ball valve assembly includes a ball with a bore formed therethrough. The ball is positioned in the seat and rotatably movable between an open position allowing flow through the fluid passage and a closed position preventing flow through the fluid passage. The ball valve assembly also includes an accumulator disposed in the housing and fluidly coupled to the first fluid passage on a second side of the seat opposite the first side.

Abstract: A lockdown sleeve and a running tool that may be used to install the lockdown sleeve within a wellhead in a single trip are provided. The lockdown sleeve, may include two pieces that are rotatably coupled together via threads such that the axial length of the lockdown sleeve can be adjusted by rotation of one portion of the lockdown sleeve relative to the other. The running tool may lower the lockdown sleeve into the wellhead, actuate the lockdown sleeve to lock against an inner wall of the high-pressure wellhead housing and subsequently adjust the length of the lockdown sleeve so that the lockdown sleeve is fully landed on the casing hanger and applying any desired pre-load to the connection.

Abstract: Systems and methods for landing a tubing hanger in a wellhead and then orienting a tree (or spool, or flowline connection body) relative to the tubing hanger while landing the tree on the wellhead are provided. This alignment is accomplished without the use of either a tubing spool or a BOP stack with an orientation pin. The tubing hanger alignment devices may be used to orientate the tree as the tree is landed so that the couplings and stabs between the tree and the tubing hanger line up with each other just at the moment of landing.

Abstract: Systems and methods for landing a tubing hanger in a wellhead and then orienting a tree (or spool, or flowline connection body) relative to the tubing hanger while landing the tree on the wellhead are provided. This alignment is accomplished without the use of either a tubing spool or a BOP stack with an orientation pin. The tubing hanger alignment devices may be used to orientate the tree as the tree is landed so that the couplings and stabs between the tree and the tubing hanger line up with each other just at the moment of landing.

Abstract: A subsea production system and method for installing the same are provided. The subsea production system includes a high pressure subsea wellhead, a tubing hanger landed proximate the wellhead, a production tree disposed above the wellhead downstream of the tubing hanger, a riser, a subsea flowline system coupled between the production tree and the riser, at least one barrier located downstream of the tubing hanger, and a secondary barrier valve disposed within the tubing hanger or in line with and upstream of the tubing hanger. The at least one barrier provides a pressure barrier that controls pressure of fluid flowing from components of the subsea production system located upstream of the barrier to components of the subsea production system located downstream of the barrier, and the secondary barrier valve is remotely actuable between a closed position and an open position.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an anti-rotation system includes a first tubular member having an extended thread and a torque shoulder, the first tubular member comprising a radial recessed area, the radial recessed area located axially between the external thread and the torque shoulder of the first tubular member. The system may further include a second tubular member comprising a radial recessed slot, the radial recessed slot located in the inner circumference of the second tubular member. The system may also include a pin toothed insert mechanically coupled to the first tubular member within the recessed area, the pin toothed insert comprising a first circumferential tooth pattern facing radially outward from the first tubular member. The system may also include a spring loaded, radial ratchet dog located within the radial recessed slot, the spring loaded radial ratchet dog comprising a second circumferential tooth pattern facing radially inward from the second tubular member.

Abstract: A self-locking packer carrier includes an integrated locking mechanism that locks the packer carrier directly to the packer cone after the sealing element is fully set. The integrated locking mechanism may include one or more compression splines extending from a packer carrier base in a radially outward direction to engage a casing after the attached sealing element has created a fluid tight seal, and a tooth profile formed along an inner diameter of the packer carrier base to lock the packer carrier to the packer cone in response to a compression force transferred to the base via the splines. The integrated locking mechanism is designed to eliminate backlash on the liner hanger system, increase vibrational resistance, accommodate liner stretch, withstand pump-out loads, and tolerate liner movement while maintaining sealing integrity.

Abstract: A high capacity universal connector for use in connecting tubular members and a method for sealing the tubular members is provided. First and second tubular members are provided which each have ends that are brought into face-to-face engagement by a connector. A metal sealing element seals against conical surfaces at the ends of the first and second tubular members and enables the entire surface of the end of one tubular member to be bought into engagement with the surface of the end of the other tubular member so as to improve the bending and compression capacity of the assembly comprising the tubular members and the metal sealing element. A metal sealing ring for use in this assembly is also provided, along with a gasket retention assembly.

Abstract: An improved c-ring slip retention system and method for extraction of the c-ring slip are provided. The c-ring slip retention system may use a lip portion of a retention sleeve to hold the c-ring slip against a liner hanger body. The c-ring slip may have a multi-load shoulder profile that interfaces directly with a complementary profile formed in the liner hanger body. The disclosed retention system prevents the c-ring slip from being prematurely extracted from a liner hanger body while the liner hanger is lowered through a borehole. The c-ring slip retention system may include a first retention mechanism and a second retention mechanism used to secure the retention sleeve to the liner hanger body. A single actuation of at least one setting segment in an axial direction may disengage both retention mechanisms, move the retention sleeve axially relative to the liner hanger body, and extract the c-ring slip.