Patents Assigned to Vetco Offshore, Inc.
  • Patent number: 4397357
    Abstract: A production riser assembly for producing oil to a floating platform includes a central riser (22) and a plurality of production risers (34) annularly spaced around the central riser. The central riser has a flexible joint (26) with a hydraulic connector (82) therebelow. Each production riser has a flexible hose (47) at its lower end which is connectable to flowline subs (46) located in spaced relation from the central riser connector. Hydraulically operated connectors (45) are located at the bottom end of each flexible pipe, and each riser is independently tensioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1983
    Assignee: Vetco Offshore, Inc.
    Inventor: Fredric L. Hettinger
  • Patent number: 4391554
    Abstract: A mooring system bearing apparatus (28) has a flexible connector (16). The body (32) is connected to a bearing sleeve (52) thru elastomeric bearings 40,42. Stops 44,60 46,62 limit strain of the elastomeric bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1983
    Assignee: Vetco Offshore, Inc.
    Inventor: Darrell L. Jones
  • Patent number: 4374630
    Abstract: An anchor connector with a latch segment retainer body (28) having a lost motion connection to the connector body (36) which has a downwardly-extending skirt (38). Latch segments (30) pivotally connected to the retainer body are free to swing outwardly when the retainer body is retained in its upward position but are locked against the groove (24) in a support mandrel (22) when the retainer body is in its downward position. The latch segments engage the mandrel with a boss (32) which has a tapered upper surface (34) to ensure outward movement for disengagement, and a tapered lower surface (50) which permits diver assist disengagement in the event of a malfunction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1983
    Assignee: Vetco Offshore, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Fraser, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4343495
    Abstract: A conductor tieback connector for connecting a conductor to a subsea wellhead includes a downwardly extending funnel. Two bearing rings within the funnel interact with the outside surface of the wellhead to generate bending forces to force the tool in alignment with the wellhead. Thereafter a separate lockdown nut secures the connector to the wellhead without rotation of the conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1982
    Assignee: Vetco Offshore, Inc.
    Inventors: Philippe C. Nobileau, Darrell L. Jones
  • Patent number: 4324422
    Abstract: A pack-off seal assembly 26 particularly suitable for use for purposes of effecting a seal between a wellhead housing 18 and a casing hanger 16. The subject pack-off seal assembly 26 is designed to be interposed between the cylindrical wall surface 18a of the wellhead housing 18 and that of a casing hanger 16 so as to be movable between a non-sealing position and a sealing position relative thereto in response to an actuating force of low torque magnitude being applied thereto. The pack-off sealing assembly 26 includes an upper metal seal 30 having downwardly extending lips 44, a lower metal seal 32 having upwardly extending lips 46, and a plurality of independent non-bonded elastomeric members 36, 38 of differing diameters suitably supported between the upper and lower metal seals 30, 32.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1982
    Assignee: Vetco Offshore, Inc.
    Inventors: John K. Rains, Larry E. Reimert
  • Patent number: 4068865
    Abstract: Pipe connectors particularly useful in securing sections of an underwater marine riser together, including a pin received in a box and bearing against a box shoulder, the pin and box being secured together by coengaging members mounted on the box, and between the pin and box, and forced against a shoulder at the outer portion of the pin over substantially 360.degree. of the shoulder, to correspondingly force the outer end of the pin against the box shoulder, with the contacting pin and box surfaces axially preloaded against each other. The coengaging members can include a plurality of lock dogs mounted in the box and movable radially inwardly against a ring device disposed between the box and pin and engaging the shoulder at the outer portion of the pin, the dogs and pin device having coengaging cam surfaces causing dogs to exert an axial thrust on the ring device which is transmitted from the ring device to the pin shoulder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1978
    Assignee: Vetco Offshore, Inc.
    Inventor: Forrest E. Shanks, II