Abstract: A ball valve comprising a housing comprising a fluid passage, a first seat surface, a second seat surface, and a ball rotatably movable within the housing between an open position allowing flow through the fluid passage of the housing and a closed position preventing flow through the fluid passage of the housing, wherein the ball contacts the first seat surface and the second seat surface to form one or more seals within the ball valve, wherein the ball comprises a fluid passage and a fluid path, wherein the fluid path fluidly connects a space between the first seat surface and the second seat surface with the fluid passage of the housing, with the fluid passage of the ball, or both, when the ball is in the open position.

Abstract: A subsea wellhead assembly comprising at least a casing housing and a casing extending down inside the well, and a tubing hanger. The tubing hanger comprises first and second valves, each valve being a fail safe valve.

Abstract: A safety device and method for protection of the integrity of well barrier(s) or other interfacing structure(s) at an end of a riser string or a hose includes a releasable connection in the riser string or hose, the releasable connection arranged to release or disconnect during given predefined conditions in order to protect the well barrier(s) or other interfacing structure(s). The safety device safety device includes at least one sensor to monitor at least one of tension loads, bending loads, internal pressure loads and temperature. The sensor provides measured data relating to at least one of tension loads, bending loads, internal pressure loads and temperature. An electronic processing unit receives and interprets the measured data from the sensor. An electronic, hydraulic or mechanical actuator or switch is arranged to receive a signal from the electronic processing unit and initiate a release or disconnect of the releasable connection.

Abstract: A containment system having a containment dome and a seal plate which is attached to an oil wellhead casing or riser to prevent oil spills and contamination when an oil leak occurs. The containment dome is sealed to the seal plate by a compression mechanism so that oil will not leak from the containment dome. The seal plate may be part of a drilling package having a lower marine riser package, a blowout preventer, and a shear module below the blowout preventer. The containment dome can provide a wellhead patch to a wellhead system wherein the wellhead patch can interface with a capping stack. Chemicals can be injected into the containment dome to prevent hydrates from forming. All aspects of controlling and operating an oil wellhead can be performed through the containment dome and seal plate, and all aspects of installation, regulation, and control of the containment dome can be performed by remote operating vehicles under water.

Abstract: A subsea leak detection system for an off-shore operation facility includes a leak detector operatively connected to a controller located on a subsea assembly. The system is provided with a floating member on which the leak detector is suitably attached. The floating member is adapted to be installed and stably positioned, above the assembly.

Abstract: Long lateral wellbores are prepared for the production of hydrocarbons by preparing only a portion of the wellbore for production at a time, starting at a remote end of the long lateral wellbore. The prepared production section is produced until production becomes uneconomic before a further production section is prepared and produced.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and a system of high resolution modular heating for soil evaporative desorption. In one embodiment, a soil box comprising contaminated soil is mounted within a treatment chamber. Heated gas are directed into the soil box through a plurality of injection ports. A heat front from the heated gas desorbs the surrounding contaminated soil. The delivery of the heated gas may be in sections and independently controlled among the plurality of injection ports. A bottom section of the soil box is heated prior to a top section to minimize or reduce condensation formation within lower areas of the soil box, thereby creating roadways of desiccated, heated, and/or cracked soil at the bottom section. Vaporized contaminants from the top section is able to flow freely through the roadways to get to an exit pathway at the bottom of the soil box.

Abstract: A system for producing well production fluids through a tubing hanger connected with a tubing string, in certain embodiments, includes a subsea tree and a tubing spool. The subsea tree includes a production flow passage, and the tubing spool includes a longitudinal bore configured to receive the tubing hanger and a lateral production flow passage configured to transfer well production fluids to the production flow passage of the subsea tree. The subsea tree and the tubing spool are configured to be run and retrieved independently of one another in any order.

Abstract: A subsea drilling, production or processing actuation system comprising a variable speed electric motor (10) adapted to be supplied with a current, a reversible hydraulic pump (8, 28) driven by the motor, a hydraulic piston assembly (92, 101, 111, 121, 131) connected to the pump and comprising a first chamber (2), a second chamber (3) and a piston (4) separating the first and second chambers and configured to actuate a valve (91) in a subsea system, a fluid reservoir (14) connected to the pump and the hydraulic piston assembly, the pump, hydraulic piston assembly and reservoir connected in a substantially closed hydraulic system, and a pressure compensator (13, 65) configured to normalize pressure differences between outside the hydraulic system and inside the hydraulic system.

Abstract: A method of deploying a jointed tubular string into a subsea wellbore includes lowering the tubular string into the subsea wellbore from an offshore drilling unit. The tubular string has a slip joint. The method further includes, after lowering, anchoring a lower portion of the tubular string below the slip joint to a non-heaving structure. The method further includes, while the lower portion is anchored: supporting an upper portion of the tubular string above the slip joint from a rig floor of the offshore drilling unit; after supporting, adding one or more joints to the tubular string, thereby extending the tubular string; and releasing the upper portion of the extended tubular string from the rig floor. The method further includes: releasing the lower portion of the extended tubular string from the non-heaving structure; and lowering the extended tubular string into the subsea wellbore.

Abstract: A pipe-laying vessel has a bow, a stern and a weather deck therebetween, with a moonpool passing through the weather deck. The vessel includes an S-lay pipe deployment facility located below the weather deck, having a main firing line extending along a centerline of the vessel and a pipe assembly factory for assembling single lengths of pipe to form pipe assemblies and introduce them into the firing line for deployment from the vessel. The vessel further includes a J-lay pipe deployment facility for deploying pipe through the moonpool, the J-lay pipe deployment facility including a tower located above the moon pool and pipe handling equipment for delivering pipe assemblies from the firing line to the tower. The moonpool is located to one side of the firing line. By virtue of this configuration a relatively compact structure can be achieved whereby minimal length and width dimensions for the vessel are achievable.

Abstract: A method for delivery of drilling fluid to a seafloor drilling assembly, the method comprising the steps of filling at least one container with drilling fluid; lowering the container through a body of water to adjacent a seafloor drilling assembly; connecting the container to the seafloor drilling assembly to deliver drilling fluid to the seafloor drilling assembly.

Abstract: A hanger assembly for supporting a tubular member within an outer well member includes a slip bowl that is moveable between an expanded condition with an enlarged diameter and a contracted condition with a reduced diameter, and has a downward facing slip bowl shoulder on an outer diameter of the slip bowl. Slips with teeth on an inner diameter surface are carried by the slip bowl. The slips are moveable between a retracted position, and an extended position where the teeth protrude radially inward from the inner diameter of the slip bowl. A false bowl has a lower upward facing false bowl shoulder located on an inner diameter and is sized to selectively engage the downward facing slip bowl shoulder. The false bowl also has a downward facing landing shoulder located on an outer diameter that is sized to selectively engage a support shoulder of the outer well member.

Abstract: A system and method to eliminate the need for a dummy run comprises a logging assembly to detect the position of one or more blow-out preventer (“BOP”) rams and a hang off location. During a logging operation, the logging assembly logs the positions of the BOP rams and wear bushing. The logged positions are then used to determine the correct placement of the subsea test tree (“SSTT”) in relation to its hanger. Thus, the need to perform a dummy run is eliminated because correct placement of the SSTT can be determined during routine logging operations.

Abstract: The present invention is a new and improved bladder for use with a piston accumulator apparatus, system and method of using same that provides a dispersion tube in the bladder to allow fluid to be communicated under a vacuum from the bladder to the accumulator seawater chamber and back again.

Abstract: A containment system for recovering hydrocarbon fluid from a leaking device comprising a wall extending from a base level to a first level for surrounding the leaking device, and a dome situated above the wall and forming a cavity for accumulating hydrocarbon fluid. The dome comprises an upper output opening for extracting the hydrocarbon fluid. The containment system further comprises a lower output opening extending up to a dome level. The wall and the dome are independent members so as the wall can be landed on the seafloor before the dome is installed.

Abstract: A composite structure for a pile foundation for anchoring a tower structure (e.g., an offshore wind turbine) in ground, which includes a hollow pile introduced into the ground at an erection site of the tower structure and a corner post which is connected to the tower structure and which, on a connection side, is arranged within the pile. The pile and the corner post are fixedly bonded to one another in a bonding region by a cured bonding material. At least one bonding means for transmitting shear forces is fixedly arranged on the pile and/or on the corner post in the bonding region. The bonding means has at least one aperture which is filled with the bonding material or, together with the corner post or pile, forms the aperture that is filled with the bonding material. The aperture encloses the bonding material by an angular range of 90° or more.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for deploying a casing patch in a wellbore. One casing patch assembly includes a setting kit arranged at an uphole end, an upper wedge portion operatively coupled to the setting kit and defining an upper ramp portion, a lower wedge portion arranged at a downhole end and defining a lower ramp portion, and a casing patch axially interposing the upper and lower wedge portions and having a proximal end configured to radially expand upon slidably engaging the upper ramp portion and a distal end configured to radially expand upon slidably engaging the lower ramp portion.

Abstract: A method for abandonment of a subsea well includes: setting a packer of a lower cementing tool against a bore of an inner casing at a location adjacent to an outer casing; fastening a pressure control assembly (PCA) to the subsea wellhead; hanging an upper cementing tool from the PCA and stabbing the upper cementing tool into a polished bore receptacle of the lower cementing tool; perforating a wall of the inner casing below the packer; perforating the inner casing wall above the packer by operating a perforator of the upper cementing tool; and pumping cement slurry followed by a release plug through bores of the cementing tools. The release plug engages and launches a cementing plug from the lower cementing tool. The cementing plug drives the cement slurry through the perforations below the packer and into an inner annulus formed between the inner casing and the outer casing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a safety joint and a method of operation, the safety joint comprising: a first riser part and a second riser part overlapping in an axial direction and having end connections to be connectable as part of a riser, a release unit, locking the two riser parts together in a not activated mode, the release unit having other modes comprising a partly activated mode and fully activated mode, where the release unit comprises at least one axial extending tension rod connected between the two riser parts, which tension rod is configured to deform plastically before breaking, thereby activating the partly and fully activated modes.