Abstract: A tubing hanger for locking to a tubing head is provided on its outer surface with a metal seal that seals between the tubing hanger and the tubing head when weight or hydraulic pressure is applied on the tubing hanger. This can be done either as a result of the weight of tubing hanging from the hanger or by applying pressure on the hanger from above. Elastomer seals may be provided above and below the metal seal so that the integrity of the metal seal can be tested. The seal is broken by disengaging a wedge ring and pulling the tubing hanger out with a running tool. The metal seal can either be used with conventional tubing hangers or with a purpose-designed tubing hanger. In this latter case, the number of operations needed to set the wedge ring can be reduced.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus suitable for example in enabling the installation of a casing hanger within a bore in an oil-drilling wellhead in a manner so that the installation and the sealing-in of the casing hanger is accomplished in a single operation. The invention thus comprises installing a component (2) within a bore (4) so as to be received therewithin in a fluid-type manner utilizing expandible seals (8) and a shoulder (36) within the bore (4) adapted to be contacted by a leading edge (32) of one of two concentrically arranged sleeve members (12, 14) which are driven downwardly within the bore towards the shoulder, the two sleeve members which encircle the component (2) being secured together by shearable links (25).

Abstract: The invention provides an emergency suspension system for use particularly with drill casings in a wellhead. The system, which is intended to surround the casing, comprises an annular bowl member (6) having an internal tapered annular space (16) which reduces in diameter from its upper to its lower end and a support means comprising an annular support element arrangement (28) at least partially formed from resilient material and a plurality of support members (20,22,24) at least partially embedded in said resilient material and having a circular cross-section in at least one direction, said members forming a plurality of annular arrays adapted to surround said tubular member, the uppermost of said arrays (20) comprising support members having said circular cross-section larger than that of a lowermost (24) of said arrays.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus suitable for angularly adjusting an attachment member to be sealed to a bore, for example a wellhead body (2) in the bore of a conductor (4). The attachment body (2) is to be sealed through the intermediary of a housing (6) and a metal-to-metal wedge seal. A support ring (14) encircling the external peripheral surface of the housing (6) is movable between two axially spaced positions on the peripheral surface, and movable pins are provided to maintain the support ring (14) in a first, out-of-the-way position until the housing (6) is positioned in the bore (4) mouth, the pins (9) being releasable to permit axial movement of the annular support member ring (14) from the first position towards a second position in which the member body (2) is in direct contact with the bore mouth.