Abstract: A ball drop wellhead control apparatus provides a ball controller between a frac ball drop or frac ball injector used to drop frac balls into a frac fluid stream being pumped into a subterranean well.

Abstract: A frac head with a sacrificial wash ring located above a mixing chamber protects a frac head body from erosion caused by abrasive frac fluids pumped through the frac head.

Abstract: A controlled aperture ball drop includes a ball cartridge that is mounted to a frac head or a high pressure fluid conduit. The ball cartridge houses a ball rail having a bottom end that forms an aperture with an inner periphery of the ball cartridge through which frac balls of a frac ball stack supported by the ball rail are sequentially dropped from the frac ball stack as a size of the aperture is increased by an aperture controller operatively connected to the ball rail.

Abstract: A plug valve has a valve body, a cage fitted within the valve body and a rotatable plug housed within a cylindrical cavity in the cage, for controlling fluid flow through the valve. The cage has first and second opposed flat side surfaces, each side surface has a port for receiving a replaceable flow-path insert in a fluid-tight seal. In one embodiment, the plug also includes at least one inset seal for sealing the at least one of the ports when the plug is in a closed position to inhibit leakage through the valve at low fluid pressures.

Abstract: An injector spool supports a plurality of ball injector assemblies having respective ball cartridges adapted to load one frac ball at a time into a ball chamber of a ball launcher of the respective ball injector assemblies to provide a horizontal frac ball injector adapted to be connected to a frac head by frac iron.

Abstract: A metal ring gasket provides a high-pressure temperature tolerant metal-to-metal seal between subcomponents of a threaded union. The metal ring gasket is received in an annular cavity formed between mating surfaces of the subcomponents of the threaded union. The metal ring gasket is capable of maintaining a fluid seal even at very high temperatures resulting from direct exposure to fire. At high fluid pressures the metal ring gasket is energized because hoop stress induced by the fluid pressure forces the metal ring gasket into tighter contact with the subcomponents of the threaded union.

Abstract: An injector spool supports a plurality of ball injector assemblies having respective ball cartridges adapted to load one frac ball at a time into a ball chamber of a ball launcher of the respective ball injector assemblies to provide a low profile, high capacity ball injector.

Abstract: A casing mandrel for an independent screwed wellhead includes a seal bore for receiving a fixed-point packoff connected to a high-pressure mandrel of a pressure isolation tool, and a pin thread adapted for engagement with a box thread of a tubing head supported by the casing mandrel.

Abstract: A multipart frac head with removable components permits the frac head to be refurbished in the field. A bottom leg and inlet ports of the multipart frac head can be replaced. The bottom leg is provisioned with a flange.

Abstract: A hybrid wellhead system for a hydrocarbon well, having a wellhead supported by a conductor; an intermediate head spool secured to the wellhead by a hammer union; and a tubing head spool secured to the intermediate head spool by a hammer union.

Abstract: A multipart frac head with removable components permits the frac head to be refurbished in the field. A bottom leg and inlet ports of the multipart frac head can be replaced.

Abstract: Fracturing heads with one or more replaceable wear-resistant inserts have annular sealing elements for inhibiting fracturing fluids from circulating between the inserts and a main body of the fracturing head. Worn inserts and degraded sealing elements are easily replaced to refurbish the fracturing head without replacing or rebuilding the main body. Service life of the main body is therefore significantly prolonged. In one embodiment, an entire flow path through the main body is lined with wear-resistant replaceable inserts to further prolong the service life of the main body.

Abstract: A multi-lock adapter used to inject high-pressure well stimulation fluids through an independent screwed wellhead includes an adapter pin having a central passageway with an internal diameter at least as large as a passageway through the wellhead. A lockdown flange secures the adapter pin to a casing mandrel of the wellhead. The lockdown flange ensures that stress on connection points to the screwed independent wellhead due to elevated fluid pressures used for well stimulation procedures does not exceed engineered specifications.

Abstract: An erosion resistant frac head with a convergence chamber, an expansion chamber and a mixing chamber provides improved resistance to erosion caused by abrasive frac fluids pumped through the frac head. A bottom leg of the erosion resistant frac head terminates in a flange and may be replaced in the field by field hands.

Abstract: A threaded union for tubulars used for high-pressure fluid applications includes a unitary nut supported by at least two nut retainer segments received under a top wall of the nut in an annular segment retainer groove in one of the tubulars. The nut retainer segments fully support the unitary nut. The nut retainer segments are held in the annular segment retainer groove by limiting travel of the nut or by securing the nut retainer segments in the segment retainer groove.

Abstract: A multi-lock adapter used to inject high-pressure well stimulation fluids through an independent screwed wellhead includes an adapter pin having a central passageway with an internal diameter at least as large as a passageway through the wellhead. A lockdown flange secures the adapter pin to a casing mandrel of the wellhead. The lockdown flange ensures that stress on connection points to the screwed independent wellhead due to elevated fluid pressures used for well stimulation procedures does not exceed engineered specifications.

Abstract: An erosion resistant frac head with a convergence chamber, an expansion chamber and a mixing chamber provides improved resistance to erosion caused by abrasive frac fluids pumped through the frac head. A bottom leg of the erosion resistant frac head may be replaced in the field by field hands.

Abstract: A hybrid wellhead system for a hydrocarbon well, having a wellhead supported by a conductor; an intermediate head spool secured to the wellhead by a hammer union; and a tubing head spool secured to the intermediate head spool by a hammer union.

Abstract: A casing mandrel for an independent screwed wellhead includes a seal bore for receiving a fixed-point packoff connected to a high-pressure mandrel of a pressure isolation tool, and a pin thread adapted for engagement with a box thread of a tubing head supported by the casing mandrel.

Abstract: A choke for removing large diameter particulate matter from an oil or natural gas well includes a housing having a chamber with an integral solids receptacle. The chamber is in communication with a flow stream outlet and a flow stream inlet. The flow stream inlet is located below the flow stream outlet. The flow stream inlet directly adjoins the integral solids receptacle in the chamber. The choke includes a solids removal outlet located below the flow stream inlet in communication with the chamber for flowing particulate from the chamber when actuatedby a user. The choke includes a needle disposed in a bonnet connected to the chamber above the flow stream inlet for controlling the flow stream from the flow stream inlet to the flow stream outlet by engaging a choke face of a seat with the needle.