Abstract: This invention provides a method and apparatus for maintaining safe pressure in the annulus of a deepwater marine riser by preventing the displacement of drilling mud with formation gas. By providing an improved flow diverting control device having an annular sealing device in the riser string below the riser telescopic joint, liquid well fluids under limited pressure can be maintained in the riser despite the impetus of formation gas below the mud column to displace the liquid. Provision of the annular shut-off below the telescopic joint eliminates the necessity to seal well fluid pressure at the telescopic joint packer during kick control circulating operations. The flow diverting control device includes an outlet which opens on the closing of the annular sealing device and which provides a flow path beneath the annular sealing device to a choke line to facilitate bringing the well under control by circulating kill mud.

Abstract: An improved pin member adapted for use in a tubular connection where said pin member is adapted for coaxial threaded engagement with a box member having a counterbore for receiving the pin member. A pilot surface is disposed from a distal-proximate end to the distal end of the pin member inclining to a lesser extent than the angle of the incline of an internal sealing surface of the pin member. The pilot surface is substantially parallel to the axis of the connection. This pilot surface allows the end-of-pin flat thickness to be increased thereby allowing positioning of the interengaged threads so as to provide an increased radial thickness of the box member thereby increasing the axial tensile strength capability and burst pressure rating of said tubular connection while additionally protecting said internal surface of said pin member and providing a rugged end-of-pin flat.

Abstract: A marine riser safety valve is disclosed which, when placed in series with a deep water marine riser string, prevents collapse of riser pipe when inadvertent gas influx replaces the drilling fluid column. A cylindrical body is provided having a depression formed therein with at least one diaphragm port from the central bore of the body through the wall of the depression. A valve port is provided axially from the depression. A cylindrical member including a cylindrical diaphragm and a valve sleeve are joined end-to-end. The cylindrical member is disposed about the exterior of the body with the elastomeric diaphragm covering the depression and the valve sleeve covering the valve port. When a differential pressure develops across the wall of the diaphragm of a predetermined threshold, the diaphragm constricts into the body depression and moves the valve sleeve axially, opening the valve port to permit sea water influx.

Abstract: A system including a solid propellant gas generator for generating closing pressure for an oilfield closing device is disclosed. The system provides a reliable source of hydraulic power for emergency operation of blowout preventers, diverters and the like. A solid propellant gas generator is actuated by an actuating signal. Resultant high pressure gases are applied either directly to the oilfield closing device, or to a hydraulic reservoir operably forcing hydraulic fluid to the closing device.

Abstract: A well test system for automatically testing a plurality of wells in an oilfield is disclosed. The system includes means for detecting leaking diverter valves. The system also includes means for purging a test separator as a function of the number of free water dumps and the number of emulsion oil dumps or for alternatively controlling the purging of the test vessel or separator as a function of time or alternatively as a function of the first to occur of a predetermined number of dumps being achieved or predetermined time having elapsed. The system also has means for determining leaking or stuck open dump valves in the water leg or emulsion oil line of the system.

Abstract: A choke valve with a power system operated via a single hydraulic line. The sleeve of the choke valve is operated by a carrier mounted through an eccentric pin and guide track arrangement to open and close the valve with the rotation of a valve drive shaft. A power shaft is driven by a clutch plate, ratchet connected to a drive clutch plate, in turn, operated by the shaft of an hydraulic actuator. The valve actuator creates an incremental step sensing of its full sixteenth turn movement by closing a fluid exhaust port and causing back pressure in the hydraulic line to occur. The actuator is reset by a pre-loaded torsion bar. Reset of the actuator also ratchet resets the drive clutch plate.

Abstract: A tool for installing a corrosion barrier ring into its groove behind the threads of a tapered box end comprises a tapered metallic liner for covering the threads and a suitable mandrel for carrying the ring to its location through the liner. A suitable seating tool may be used for the final seating of the ring in the groove. The tip is notched to permit axial deformation of the ring, but not appreciable radial deformation, so as to allow the ring to be positioned to the location of the groove. The tip of the mandrel is sized to prevent the ring from sliding over the mandrel as the mandrel is pushed through the liner. Rotating the mandrel starts the ring into the groove by straightening out the ring deformations and permits removal of the mandrel and the liner. The seating tool is then subsequently used for the final seating of the ring in its groove. Stacked tip pieces permit adjusting the contour and size of the seating tool tip to accommodate to a variety of ring shapes and sizes.

Abstract: A method for forming as by drilling multiple boreholes into a shallow hydrocarbon pay zone from a single central vertical borehole is disclosed. A single large diameter vertical hole is first provided between the pay zone to a depth greater than a predetermined distance.Using special drilling equipment, one or more directional wells are then drilled starting at locations below the pay zone and proceeding in an upwardly and outwardly direction from the vertical hole. By selecting the predetermined starting depth and angle of direction for the upward and outward drilling phase of the method, great range of horizontal penetration may be obtained with respect to the central borehole thereby facilitating the efficient production of a shallow pay zone from a single drilling platform.

Abstract: An annular blowout preventer packer unit is disclosed having an annulus of elastomeric material in which is embedded metallic drive inserts provided in an outward circle about the axis. Metallic lead inserts are provided in an inward circle about the axis. The top and bottom plates of the drive inserts have two angled longitudinal forward surfaces which interface with reverse angled adjacent longitudinal rearward surfaces of the top and bottom plates of the lead inserts, respectively. When the BOP piston is closed, the drive inserts cause the lead inserts to advance inwardly a greater radial distance than the advance of the drive inserts. The result is that less stroke may be required to close the blowout preventer, and a controlled, predictable, uniform movement of the lead inserts is achieved. The drive inserts top plates are broad across their rearward longitudinal surface operably covering the area behind the lead inserts on closure of the packer unit.

Abstract: A tubing retrievable surface controlled subsurface safety valve having a rotatable ball-type flow closure element is disclosed. The ball element is rotationally operated and guided by a pair of guide members fixed in the valve by a stop ring. The guide members co-act with the ball to provide the desired rotational movement as well as providing a movement limit stop to prevent rotational overtravel of the ball. The tubular operator means imparts longitudinal movement to the ball greater than the predetermined movement required to effect the desired ball rotation prior to engaging the stop ring.A locking sleeve having a longitudinal locking movement greater than the predetermined movement to rotate the ball open is provided. Operating movement of the locking sleeve uncovers a control fluid port for operating a supplemental subsurface valve operably secured with the valve. Prior to activating the locking sleeve to install the supplemental valve, the valve may be controlled through either of two conduits.

Abstract: A tubing retrievable surface controlled subsurface safety valve having a rotatable ball-type flow closure element is disclosed. A tubular operator assembly imparts longitudinal movement to the ball greater than the predetermined movement required to effect the desired ball rotation. The ball element is normally maintained by a closing spring arrangement and is rotated open by increased control fluid pressure. Camming slides on the ball rotation pins reduce contact stress during ball operation.A locking sleeve having a longitudinal locking movement greater than the predetermined movement to rotate the ball open is provided. Operating movement of the locking sleeve uncovers a control fluid port for operating a supplemental subsurface valve operably secured with the valve. Prior to activating the locking sleeve to install the supplemental valve, the valve may be controlled by control fluid pressure communicated into an expansible chamber.

Abstract: A system and method for installing a fluid flow controller and telescoping spools beneath an offshore bottom supported drilling rig rotary table is disclosed. Upper and lower telescoping spools are provided for initially connecting a Diverter/BOP convertible fluid flow controller between structural casing in the well and a permanent housing beneath the drilling rig rotary table.A system and method for installing a fluid flow controller and a lower telescoping spool beneath and offshore bottom supported drilling rig rotary table is disclosed.This alternative embodiment of the invention provides the lower telescoping spool connected between the diverter/BOP convertible fluid flow controller and structural casing in the well. The top of the controller is connected to the permanent housing beneath the drilling rig rotary table. Additionally, a diverter system, a low pressure blowout preventer system and a high pressure blowout preventer system are disclosed for both embodiments.

Abstract: A ring seal comprising a main body member having a U-shape cup recess opening on one side, usually having a U-shape metal spring located therein, and a hat ring with a solid projection fitting into the U-shape cup recess opening and having its opposite face being flat and normal to the ring axis. A back up ring adjacent the heel of the main body ring can be provided. An assembly of such ring seals can be stacked heel-to-heel; hat-ring-to-hat-ring or heel-to-hat-ring.

Abstract: A thread protector structure is disclosed having a threaded body structure for threading about the threaded end surface of a tubular member. A sealing structure connected to and extending inwardly beyond the thread length has at least one resilient circumferential protrusion for circumferentially sealing about the tubular member. Another sealing structure is provided for sealing about the end of the tubular member.

Abstract: A workpiece gaging system includes carriage structure for a gaging part, movable longitudinally and laterally, and a rotor to rotate that structure; also indicator means is operatively connected with the part to indicate the status of engagement, displacement, or need for displacement, of the gaging part relative to a surface or surfaces (such as pipe threads) to be gaged, as at multiple locations. Measurement encoding and signal processing means are also provided.

Abstract: A remote sensing and indicating system for monitoring and displaying at a central operating location the state or position of a remotely located multiple state element. The multiple state element may be a subsea valve which may be either in an open state or a closed state. The system electronically scans valve position switches, stores data indicating the position and drives lamps to display valve position. Switches at the remotely located valve are selectively closed in response to the state of the valve. The switches are connected to the central location by only two leads.

Abstract: An improved remotely operable safety valve which is adapted for use between the swivel and the kelly is disclosed. An annular hydraulic piston moves the valve to the open and closed position whether or not the drill string is rotating, and in the event of hydraulic failure, the valve may be operated manually. Centering spring means are provided to reduce wear on the operable elements when the valve is in the open position.

Abstract: A composition for use in geothermal or high temperature and steam applications of ethylene-propylene copolymer with peroxide generated carbon to carbon crosslinkage. Effective amounts of antioxidants, carbon black, lubricant, thermal stabilizer and aid to peroxide crosslinkage is added. An antioxidant and thermal stabilizer system is used to produce a product with unusual thermal stability characteristics. The composition also has a mixture of high and low particle size carbon black which act as an antioxidant and reinforcing system. The composition can be used for rubber components in geothermal drilling for pipe protectors, valve seals and other products which are exposed to a high temperature and steam saturated environment.

Abstract: Safety equipment for land or marine well completions is disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention a gate valve is provided in which the gate has a removable insert so that in one position of the valve, the insert can be removed (or inserted) via an upper vertical passage of the valve to provide full-bore access via an attached blowout preventer stack to the well head below.In another embodiment of the invention a gate valve is provided having at least two vertical passages through the gate. The first is large enough to provide full-bore access via an upper passage in the housing of the valve. The second is of a smaller diameter to provide vertical communication with tubing disposed in a lower vertical passage and in an upper vertical passage.Either of the above embodiments may be used in a lateral production tree where the gate is provided with an "L" or "T" shaped passage in another lateral portion of the gate and lateral outlets are provided in the valve housing.

Abstract: A connector apparatus for releasably securing two separate force transmitting assemblies in a force transfer relationship is disclosed. A first connector assembly having a tubular member forming a central opening having a locking recess formed therein is anchored at a desired location. A second connector assembly having a primary and a secondary housing operably connects with the first connector assembly for transferring the static forces therebetween. The primary housing mounts an expandable locking ring which fits in the recess of the first connector assembly for effecting the mechanical securing. The locking ring may be released by two separate modes of operation. When released, all operating parts of the connector except the first connector assembly may be retrieved to a convenient location for inspection or repair. Should the locking ring fail to release by either mode, the secondary housing may in the alternative be released from the primary housing.