Abstract: A valve trim that is configured to abate noise in a control valve. These configurations may include a cage with a flow path that has interior and exterior openings. The cage may also have a bore to receive a closure member or “plug.” This plug can travel longitudinally to change parameters of flow through the control valve. In one implementation, the exhausts of flow paths with adjacent inlets are offset or spaced from another. In one implementation, the exterior openings vertically offset. However, other designs may adopt combinations of radial, helical, or angular offsets as well. This feature can prevent mixing of flow from jets that are in the same inlet plane. This feature, in turn, can reduce jet-to-jet interactions that may abate noise. Use of additive manufacturing may be useful (or even necessary) to create these parts within certain design envelopes because these techniques can create the unique flow geometry within a unitary or monolithic body.

Abstract: A closure member is configured for use in a valve. These configurations may have a coating or conformal layer that may cover most, if not all, of the underlying material. This layer may include pre-propagated cracks that form due to thermal cycling prior to use in service. These pre-propagated cracks act as stress relief to accommodate for possible thermal stress that occurs due to different rates of thermal expansion between the underlying closure member and the coating. In one implementation, the layer may include a crack profile, which is engineered to direct formation of the pre-propagated cracks as well as to arrest crack development to a certain depth to maintain at least some integral layer of material over the underlying plug 118. This feature can extend service life of the plug, particularly in highly-erosive process fluids, like particle-entrained fluids commonly found in hydrocracking or refining operations.

Abstract: A bellows is configured for use on a valve. These configurations may include a corrugated section that is hollow to receive a valve stem therethrough. At its ends, the corrugated section can terminate at adapters. In one implementation, additive manufacturing can construct the bellows as a unitary or monolithic unit, avoiding welds or fasteners that can complicate manufacture of the parts. This techniques can create interfaces between the corrugated section and the adapters that comprises the same material as the adjacent parts.

Abstract: A valve trim that is configured to abate noise in a control valve. These configurations may include a cage with a flow path that has interior and exterior openings. The cage may also have a bore to receive a closure member or “plug.” This plug can travel longitudinally to change parameters of flow through the control valve. In one implementation, the interior and exterior openings are vertically offset or spaced from another along the axis of the bore. In one implementation, the exterior openings are in a section of the cage that is not normally exposed to flow. This feature can increase density of noise-abating features within given dimensions for the cage (or the valve trim itself). Use of additive manufacturing may be useful (or even necessary) to create these parts within certain design envelopes because these techniques can create the unique flow geometry within a unitary or monolithic body.

Abstract: A bellows is configured for use on a valve. These configurations may include a corrugated section that is hollow to receive a valve stem therethrough. At its ends, the corrugated section can terminate at adapters. In one implementation, additive manufacturing can construct the bellows as a unitary or monolithic unit, avoiding welds or fasteners that can complicate manufacture of the parts. This techniques can create interfaces between the corrugated section and the adapters that comprises the same material as the adjacent parts.

Abstract: A valve trim that is configured to abate noise in a control valve. These configurations may include a cage with a flow path that has interior and exterior openings. The cage may also have a bore to receive a closure member or “plug.” This plug can travel longitudinally to change parameters of flow through the control valve. In one implementation, the exhausts of flow paths with adjacent inlets are offset or spaced from another. In one implementation, the exterior openings vertically offset. However, other designs may adopt combinations of radial, helical, or angular offsets as well. This feature can prevent mixing of flow from jets that are in the same inlet plane. This feature, in turn, can reduce jet-to-jet interactions that may abate noise. Use of additive manufacturing may be useful (or even necessary) to create these parts within certain design envelopes because these techniques can create the unique flow geometry within a unitary or monolithic body.

Abstract: A valve trim that is configured to abate noise in a control valve. These configurations may include a cage with a flow path that has interior and exterior openings. The cage may also have a bore to receive a closure member or “plug.” This plug can travel longitudinally to change parameters of flow through the control valve. In one implementation, the interior and exterior openings are vertically offset or spaced from another along the axis of the bore. In one implementation, the exterior openings are in a section of the cage that is not normally exposed to flow. This feature can increase density of noise-abating features within given dimensions for the cage (or the valve trim itself). Use of additive manufacturing may be useful (or even necessary) to create these parts within certain design envelopes because these techniques can create the unique flow geometry within a unitary or monolithic body.

Abstract: A closure member is configured for use in a valve. These configurations may have a coating or conformal layer that may cover most, if not all, of the underlying material. This layer may include pre-propagated cracks that form due to thermal cycling prior to use in service. These pre-propagated cracks act as stress relief to accommodate for possible thermal stress that occurs due to different rates of thermal expansion between the underlying closure member and the coating. In one implementation, the layer may include a crack profile, which is engineered to direct formation of the pre-propagated cracks as well as to arrest crack development to a certain depth to maintain at least some integral layer of material over the underlying plug 118. This feature can extend service life of the plug, particularly in highly-erosive process fluids, like particle-entrained fluids commonly found in hydrocracking or refining operations.

Abstract: A coating that is configured for use on parts of a control valve. The configurations may incorporate various material layers, preferably that form a layered structure on a base or substrate (for example, an Inconel body). In one implementation, the layered structure can be arranged as “stacked” individual layers that exhibit different concentrations or ratios of materials, including by example tungsten carbide and nickel alloy. The concentration of tungsten carbide may increase from an innermost layer to an outer most layer. This feature can extend service life of the parts, particularly when in use with highly-erosive process fluids, like particle-entrained fluids commonly found in hydrocracking or refining operations. Manufacture of the layered structure on the parts may require use of additive manufacturing technology in order to deposit layers of material of varying composition and thickness on the unique fluted design contemplated herein.

Abstract: A valve trim that is configured to abate noise in a control valve. These configurations may include a cage with a flow path that has a spiral design or layout. This flow path can direct flow around a central bore. A plug may reside in this bore. This plug can travel longitudinally to change parameters of flow through the control valve. In one implementation, the spiral design can split flow inside of the cage. This feature can elongate travel of flow without any increase in dimensions of the cage (or the valve trim itself).

Abstract: A coating that is configured for use on parts of a control valve. The configurations may incorporate various material layers, preferably that form a layered structure on a base or substrate (for example, an Inconel body). In one implementation, the layered structure can be arranged as “stacked” individual layers that exhibit different concentrations or ratios of materials, including by example tungsten carbide and nickel alloy. The concentration of tungsten carbide may increase from an innermost layer to an outer most layer. This feature can extend service life of the parts, particularly when in use with highly-erosive process fluids, like particle-entrained fluids commonly found in hydrocracking or refining operations. Manufacture of the layered structure on the parts may require use of additive manufacturing technology in order to deposit layers of material of varying composition and thickness on the unique fluted design contemplated herein.

Abstract: An elastomeric sealing device operable at an operating temperature above an installation temperature. The sealing device includes a body fabricated from an elastomeric material. A channel is formed within the body. A mesh is disposed within the channel. The mesh includes a plurality of interwoven fibers forming an inner volume. A filler is disposed within the inner volume. At least a portion of the filler is a liquid at the installation temperature. The at least a portion of the filler is a gas at the operating temperature.

Abstract: A valve assembly for managing a flow of fluids in hydrocarbon development and production operations includes a valve body having an internal body cavity and a body bore intersecting the body cavity. A valve plug is located within the body cavity and is rotatable between an open position and a closed position. A sleeve is located between the valve plug and the valve body and is rotationally fixed to the valve body and remains rotationally static relative to the valve body as the valve plug rotates. A seal groove is located on a sidewall surface of the sleeve and circumscribes one of the sleeve openings. A seal assembly has a seal ring that is U shaped in cross section with an inner leg that engages the seal groove and an outer leg that extends out of the seal groove and engages one of the valve body and the valve plug.

Abstract: A valve assembly for managing a flow of fluids in hydrocarbon development and production operations includes a valve body having an internal body cavity and a body bore intersecting the body cavity. A valve plug is located within the body cavity and is rotatable between an open position and a closed position. A sleeve is located between the valve plug and the valve body and is rotationally fixed to the valve body and remains rotationally static relative to the valve body as the valve plug rotates. A seal groove is located on a sidewall surface of the sleeve and circumscribes one of the sleeve openings. A seal assembly has a seal ring that is U shaped in cross section with an inner leg that engages the seal groove and an outer leg that extends out of the seal groove and engages one of the valve body and the valve plug.

Abstract: A system includes a wellhead monitoring system. The wellhead monitoring system includes a processor configured to receive from a sensor a detection of one or more operating parameters associated with a wellhead disposed within a subsea environment. The sensor is coupled to the wellhead, and is configured to detect the one or more operating parameters within the subsea environment. The processor is configured to store the detection of the one or more operating parameters, and to generate an output based at least in part on the detection of the one or more operating parameters. The output includes an indication of an operational fatigue or an operational health of the wellhead.

Abstract: The present invention provides an insulated fluid conduit useful in facilities in which a hot fluid susceptible to one or more deleterious phase changes in response to heat loss to a cold environment is transported. Such conduits may be particularly well suited to improve thermal control in subsea hydrocarbon production operations. The fluid conduit includes an inner first insulating layer containing a first polymer matrix, and a first phase change material undergoing a phase change at T1. The fluid conduit includes an outer second insulating layer containing a second polymer matrix, and a second phase change material undergoing a phase change at T2, wherein T1 is greater than T2. One or more barrier layers inhibit migration of the phase change material from the insulation layers and into the environment. In one or more embodiments, the phase change material is present as a microencapsulated phase change material.

Abstract: A system for monitoring the orientation and position of components in an oil well. The system includes a first well component, a second well component, and a transducer attached to the first well component, for generating a pulse. The system also includes a transceiver attached to the second well component for measuring the parameters of the pulse generated by the transducer, and a processor in communication with the transceiver that receives information about the parameters of the pulse as measured by the transceiver, and that calculates the position of the transceiver relative to the transducer.

Abstract: An elastomeric sealing device operable at an operating temperature above an installation temperature. The sealing device includes a body fabricated from an elastomeric material. A channel is formed within the body. A mesh is disposed within the channel. The mesh includes a plurality of interwoven fibers forming an inner volume. A filler is disposed within the inner volume. At least a portion of the filler is a liquid at the installation temperature. The at least a portion of the filler is a gas at the operating temperature.

Abstract: The present invention provides an insulated fluid conduit useful in facilities in which a hot fluid susceptible to one or more deleterious phase changes in response to heat loss to a cold environment is transported. Such conduits may be particularly well suited to improve thermal control in subsea hydrocarbon production operations. The fluid conduit includes an inner first insulating layer containing a first polymer matrix, and a first phase change material undergoing a phase change at T1. The fluid conduit includes an outer second insulating layer containing a second polymer matrix, and a second phase change material undergoing a phase change at T2, wherein T1 is greater than T2. One or more barrier layers inhibit migration of the phase change material from the insulation layers and into the environment. In one or more embodiments, the phase change material is present as a microencapsulated phase change material.

Abstract: A system for monitoring the orientation and position of components in an oil well The system includes a first well component a second well component, and a transducer attached to the first well component, for generating a pulse. The system also includes a transceiver attached to the second well component for measuring the parameters of the pulse generated by the transducer, and a processor in communication with the transceiver that receives information about the parameters of the pulse as measured by the transceiver, and that calculates the position of the transceiver relative to the transducer.