Abstract: A subsea wireline system for soft landing equipment during installation. The subsea soft landing wireline system includes coarse alignment members that can be part of a tree and interact with a funnel located on the equipment to be installed by the soft landing system. Smaller alignment members can provide fine alignment and also interact with a funnel located on the equipment to be installed. The funnels are used to trap sea water that provides a cushion for the equipment being installed. Once in alignment, trapped water can be released from the funnel via a restricted orifice or a control valve located on an ROV. The system achieves soft landing without the use of a running tool, thus reducing expense.

Abstract: A guide funnel for guiding a subsea infrastructure for connection with a subsea wellhead or mandrel profile is provided. The guide funnel comprises a plurality of sections, wherein the sections are collapsible such that the guide funnel can be in an extended state or a collapsed state.

Abstract: A ball valve assembly is provided. The ball valve assembly comprises a pipe section having an axial bore for enabling fluid flow therethrough in use; a valve ball having an internal conduit, the valve ball being mounted within the pipe section and being for rotation with respect to the pipe section between an open position in which fluid within the axial bore may flow through the internal conduit and a closed position in which the internal conduit is inaccessible to fluid within the axial bore; a device configured to rotate the valve ball, the device being located radially outside the axial bore; and an encapsulation positioned to receive the valve ball and having portions located radially between the pipe bore and the device configured to rotate the valve ball, such that the encapsulation prevents fluid within the axial bore from accessing the device configured to rotate the valve ball.

Abstract: A solution based polymer nanofiller composite processing method to improve mechanical, electrical, thermal and/or chemical properties. The solution based synthesis method may include the steps of surface functionalizing carbon nanomaterials and dissolving a polymer in a solvent. The functionalized carbon nanomaterials and dissolved polymer may be mixed until the mixture is homogenous. The mixture may be cured to form the polymer carbon nano-composite material, which provides significant improvements in modulus, hardness, strength, fracture toughness, wear, fatigue, creep, and damping performance.

Abstract: A tubular connection has first and second tubular members having aligned bores with a common axis and having first and second seal surfaces, respectively. A metal seal has a first end portion that sealingly engages the first seal surface and a second end portion that sealingly engages the second seal surface. The metal seal has a sidewall with at least two folds. One of the folds defines an axial interior gap. The other of the folds defines an axial exterior gap. An exterior spacer member is positioned in the exterior gap to limit closer of the exterior gap in response to a greater pressure on the interior of the seal than on the exterior. An interior spacer member is positioned in the interior gap to limit closure of the interior gap in response to a greater pressure on the exterior of the seal than on the interior.

Abstract: A solution based polymer nanofiller composite processing method to improve mechanical, electrical, thermal and/or chemical properties. The solution based synthesis method may include the steps of surface functionalizing carbon nanomaterials and dissolving a polymer in a solvent. The functionalized carbon nanomaterials and dissolved polymer may be mixed until the mixture is homogenous. The mixture may be cured to form the polymer carbon nano-composite material, which provides significant improvements in modulus, hardness, strength, fracture toughness, wear, fatigue, creep, and damping performance.

Abstract: A method for forming an elongated tubular member for use with hydrocarbon production includes forming a blank member of a steel material having an outer diameter equal to a first outer diameter. The blank member is mounted on a rotating mandrel. A tubular member is formed by engaging a rotary disk with an outer surface of the blank member and moving the rotary disk in a first axial direction, lengthening the blank member in a second axial direction and reducing the outer diameter of the blank member until the outer diameter of a central portion of the blank member is equal to a second outer diameter and the outer diameter of end portions of the blank member is equal to a third outer diameter. The tubular member is heat treated to reduce a residual stress. A mechanical connection is formed in each of the end portions.

Abstract: A gate valve has a body, the body having a cavity and a flow passage intersecting the cavity. A seat fabricated from a ceramic and/or hardfacing alloy matrix composite substrate is mounted to the body at the intersection of the flow passage and the cavity. A gate fabricated from a ceramic and/or hardfacing alloy matrix composite substrate is installed at the cavity and has an engaging face that slidingly engages the seat while the gate is being moved between open and closed positions. The engaging faces of the gate and seats are coated with a low-friction material to facilitate sliding. The ceramic and/or hardfacing alloy matrix composite substrate construction of the gate and seats with low friction engaging surfaces enhances the gate valve's bearing stress capacity.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for managing cementing operations are provided. An example method includes connecting a cementing adapter atop a casing head itself positioned atop a surface casing landed within a conductor pipe, connecting a drilling adapter atop the cementing adapter, connecting a blowout preventer to the drilling adapter, and drilling for and running production casing. The method also includes positioning a casing hanger at least partially within a bore of the cementing adapter to be immobilized therein to retain back pressure of cement within an annulus located between the production casing and the surface casing, cementing the production casing within the surface casing, and removing the drilling adapter and blowout preventer after running the cement, but typically prior to cement bonding.

Abstract: A wellhead seal assembly that forms a metal-to-metal seal between inner and outer wellhead members. A seal member has inner and outer seal legs separated by a slot. A locking ring is positioned in the outer seal leg and has wickered sections, where each of the wickered sections protrude through a window in the outer seal leg of the seal member. An energizing ring has an upper tapered surface that is oblique to an axis of the annular energizing ring and extending laterally from the axis over a portion of the locking ring and a lower tapered surface that is oblique to and extending laterally from the axis. As the energizing ring is moved into the slot, the upper tapered surface engages an inner surface of the locking ring, and the lower tapered surface engages an inner annular wall of the slot.

Abstract: A control system for a subsea well is provided. The control system comprises a tree comprising a hydraulic control supply line for use in opening a downhole safety valve as a result of hydraulic pressure in the line. A part of the line is carried by a structure which is subject to the pressure of a production fluid from the well used in the control system so that the line is separable in response to a failure of the integrity of the structure.

Abstract: A seal for sealing an annulus between an outer tubular wellhead member and an inner tubular wellhead member is described. The seal is an annular sealing ring that has a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart sealing ring grooves extending at least from a first end to a second end of the sealing surface of at least one of the wellhead members. When the seal is energized, fouling on the sealing surface is urged toward and then through the slot, axially away from the sealing surface.

Abstract: A coating for use in protecting surfaces susceptible to environmental degradation. The coating may be applied to metallic surfaces for providing a barrier against elements and/or ambient conditions that would otherwise degrade the surface material. The coating includes multiple layers, where a thermoplastic polymer is included, wholly or partly, within one or more of the layers. Example applications of the coating are for protecting valve seat seals and valve stem seals of a valve assembly used in conjunction with handling of fluids produced from a subterranean formation.

Abstract: A tool for testing pressure in a wellhead, having a stem for insertion in the wellhead. the stem having an up position and a down position. The tool further includes an energizing member and an isolation seal, so that when the stem is in the down position, the energizing member energizes the isolation seal so that it seals against the wellhead. In addition, the tool includes a plug adapter surrounding the stem and having a variable inner diameter that selectively seals against the stem, so that when the stem is in the up position the interface between the plug adapter and the stem is sealed, and when the stem is in the down position, the interface between the plug adapter and the stem is not sealed.

Abstract: A collet assembly connects two tubular members with a rotation of an outer sleeve. The collet assembly includes a first tubular member with a grooved outer diameter end. The end is inserted into a collet having grooved inner and outer diameter surfaces, and an outer annular sleeve is threaded onto the collet. A grooved outer diameter end of a second tubular member is inserted into the collet. The outer annular sleeve is rotated relative to the collet. The rotation causes the collet to partially disengage from the outer annular sleeve and fully engage the grooves of the ends of the first tubular member and the second tubular member, thereby securing the first tubular member to the second tubular member.

Abstract: A gate valve for use in oil field applications having a seal assembly made up of an elastomeric case and a spring in the case having a V-shaped cross section. The spring has legs that depend from one another, and free ends of the legs that are contoured towards one another to define a rounded surface on outer surfaces of the legs. The rounded surface reduces stress contact between the spring and the case, thereby prolonging seal assembly life. The seal assembly can be placed between a stem in the valve and a gland packing. Other seal assembly locations include between a seat ring and counterbore in the valve body.

Abstract: A wear bushing assembly protects and locks down a hanger in a wellhead housing; and which includes a wear bushing body that inserts into a wear bushing sleeve. A lock ring extends into registered recesses on the body and sleeve to couple together the body and sleeve. The wellhead housing has a profiled recess circumscribing its inner surface. A lockdown ring selectively mates with the profiled recess; and when mated is in interfering contact with an upper surface of the wear bushing sleeve, thereby coupling the sleeve to the wellhead housing. The sleeve outer surface is profiled to interfere with upward movement of the hanger, so that force is transferred from the hanger to the housing through the sleeve which locks down the housing.

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. An energizing ring has a C-ring captured on its outer surface. When the energizing ring is moved further into the slot, the C-ring is forced from its pocket and engages a profile on the seal ring, locking the energizing ring to the seal assembly.

Abstract: A seal assembly for sealing an annulus between inner and outer wellhead members includes an energizer ring formed of a high strength elastic material having inner and outer legs. An annular inner recess with grooves on its base is formed on an inward facing surface of the inner leg. An inner diameter seal ring formed of an inelastic material engages the grooves of the inner recess. An annular outer recess with grooves on its base is formed on an outward facing surface of the outer leg. An outer diameter seal ring formed of an inelastic material engages the grooves of the outer recess. When the energizer ring is coaxially inserted in the annulus, the inner diameter seal ring is compressively and permanently deformed into sealing contact with the inner wellhead member, and the outer diameter seal ring is compressively and permanently deformed into sealing contact with the outer wellhead member.

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.