Abstract: A horizontal spool tree wellhead system 10 utilizes a casing 18, 19 installed in a well bore and a wellhead housing 20 at the upper end of the casing. A spool 23 of the horizontal tree 22 is connected to the upper end of the wellhead housing, and includes at least one radially extending side port. The BOP 28 is also installed at the upper end of the housing with a bore aligned with the wellhead housing bore. After drilling the well, the casing string 19 carrying a casing hanger 42 may be lowered through the bores of the BOP, the spool tree, and the wellhead housing and into the well. An orientation/isolation sleeve 60 may be installed in a predetermined rotational orientation with the spool tree. A tubing hanger 70 having a side port is landed onto the orientation sleeve and is automatically oriented to align the tubing hanger side port with the spool side port.

Abstract: A slip assembly carried about a liner for lowering into a wellbore includes a C-ring having an inner conical surface contracted about a matching outer surface of the liner and held in contracted position by disposal of its end closely within a recess in the member. When its end is raised from the recess, the c-ring expands to cause its teeth to engage with the wellbore, whereby the liner may be lowered to further expand the c-ring to cause its teeth to dig into the wellbore to suspend the liner therefrom.

Abstract: A horizontal spool tree assembly 10 is provided for supporting a production tubing string 22 within a well below a BOP. The spool body 12 includes a laterally extending passageway 36 which is in fluid communication with a similar laterally extending passageway 34 provided in a tubing hanger 20. The tubing hanger includes a central bore for fluid communication with the production tubing string, and a workover flow path 30 extending axially through the tubing hanger, with a workover valve 32 provided for controlling the fluid flow in the workover passageway. An annulus port 70 extends laterally through the spool body, and an annulus valve 72 controls fluid flow through the annulus port.

Abstract: The liner hanger running tool 120 includes improvements to the running tool release mechanism, the packoff bushing, and the packer setting assembly. The release mechanism may be operated hydraulically in response to fluid pressure, although the tool may also be released mechanically by right-hand rotation of the running string. The releasing mechanism includes inner piston 340, an outer piston 342, and a clutch 316. The packoff bushing 10 includes a C-shaped lock ring 36 which allows the packoff bushing to be repeatedly restabbed into the top of the liner hanger. The packer setting assembly 52 includes a C-shaped ring 64 for applying set-down weight to a setting sleeve, with pressure assist provided by seals for engaging the mandrel 132 and the setting sleeve 90. A method is provided for reliably releasing a running tool from a liner hanger, for allowing stabbing of the running tool packoff bushing into the top of the liner hanger, and for reliably setting the radial set packer element.

Abstract: A tubing hanger is provided for suspending a tubing hanger from a wellhead housing. The tubing hanger body includes a production bore and an annulus bore, a valve opening inlet port, a valve closed inlet port, and a hydraulically operated ball valve to selectively open and close the annulus bore. An actuator sleeve surrounds the ball valve and is movable in response to fluid pressure between the open and closed positions.

Abstract: An apparatus suspends a pipe from the lower end of a tubular body positioned concentrically within an outer casing. Pockets are formed about the outer circumference of the body, each to receive a cone having an inner conical side adjacent the inner wall of each pocket, and a slip having an inner conical side adjacent an outer conical side of the cone. Slots are formed in side walls of the pocket for guiding the slip an securing the slip and cone with respect to the body.

Abstract: A tubing hanger positioned within the bore of a wellhead body has a vertical bore from which a tubing string may be suspended within a well bore. When the hanger is landed, a fluid passageway in the tubing hanger has one end in fluid communication with a passageway in the wellhead body and its other end connected to a pressure responsive downhole function. The poppet valve mounted in the passageway is urged closed, and when opened permits fluid pressure from a source to be supplied to the function.

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: There is disclosed apparatus for use in cementing a liner within an outer casing, wherein a ball is lowered into a diverter and thus guided into a pocket in one side thereof to permit passage of a pump down plug into a lower wiper plug.

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: 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: A wellhead apparatus which includes a spool for use in a horizontal tree and having a vertical bore therethrough, and a tubing hanger adapted to be lowered into and landed within the bore of the spool to suspend a tubing string on the lower end of the tubing hanger within the wellbore. The spool has a radial opening therethrough to receive a bellows which forms a fluid passageway removably mounted within the opening by means of a flange on the outer end of the bellows releasably connected to the outer side of the spool. The tubing hanger has an opening therethrough which includes a lateral portion connecting with its outer diameter and a vertical portion leading to a pressure responsive operator for a tubing safety valve. The passageways have seal surfaces on their opposing ends, and the end of the stem is engaged by the seal surface of the bellows to open the poppet as the hanger is lowered.

Abstract: There is disclosed a ball and plug dropping head which includes a housing having an inlet at its upper end and an outlet at its lower end, and passages extending downwardly within the housing at circumferentially spaced locations, each to receive a ball or plug. A lateral opening connects the inlet with each passage beneath a removable plug closing the upper end of each passage, and valves are mounted in the housing each to close the passage beneath the lateral opening and thus beneath a ball on plug in the passage.

Abstract: An outlet nozzle for use within a centrifuge rotor. The outlet nozzle includes an axial inlet channel and an outlet channel disposed angularly with respect to the inlet channel. An insert is received within the holder and includes an orifice portion and a directing portion. The directing portion shields at least a portion of the outlet channel for preventing impact therewith and for diverting fluid flow from the inlet channel of the holder and into the orifice portion of the insert. The insert further includes an inlet edge at a proximal end which is defined by the intersection of the outlet channel and the inlet channel.

Abstract: A pressurized cyclone for separating solid material from a fluid flow in which the solid material is entrained in a gaseous fluid maintained in an elevated pressure. The cyclone includes a housing having upper and lower ends and defining a longitudinal axis. An agitator assembly is positioned within the housing proximate the lower end, and includes a plurality of radially extending agitator members supported for rotation about the longitudinal axis. A plurality of radially extending anti-rotation members are removably supported within the side wall, wherein the plurality of anti-rotation members are axially spaced relative to the plurality of agitator members. A motor is operably connected to the agitator members for rotating the agitator members about the longitudinal axis whereby the agitator members move relative to the anti-rotation members for agitating the solid material.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for use in drilling and completing a subsea well of the type in which a blowout preventer stack positioned on a floating rig is connected to the well by a drilling riser, and wherein the flow of well fluid between the tubing/casing annulus and the upper end of the wellhead is controlled by valves means within passageway in a relatively thick walled upper portion of the housing above a relatively thin walled portion thereof in which a casing hanger is installed.

Abstract: There are disclosed two embodiments of a subsea drilling, completion and/or workover apparatus which includes a spar buoy having a well therethrough, and a riser which extends through the well in the buoy for connection to the subsea wellhead during the drilling and/or completion process. A buoyancy tank is disposed about the riser within the buoy well to support the riser, and the upper end of the tank is fee to move vertically with respect to the well deck so that it will not be placed in compression despite anticipated rise and fall of the buoyancy tank.

Abstract: A nozzle removal assembly including an outlet nozzle for centrifuge rotors and cooperating hand tool. The nozzle has an improved structure for facilitating the installation within and removal from a rotor wall. The centrifuge nozzle includes a body portion having inlet and outlet ends wherein the outlet end includes a placement channel. The placement channel defines a radially inwardly facing engagement surface supported externally to the rotor wall for engagement with a hand tool. The hand tool is adapted for engaging the radially inwardly facing engagement surface of the placement channel wherein both rotational and axial forces may be applied to assist in the removal of the nozzle from the rotor wall.