Abstract: Underwater flow lines, control lines and electrical conduits are connected to mating hubs on an underwater manifold center or other production unit by utilizing hydraulically powered means for pulling the lines toward the mating hubs and aligning them therewith, lock-down means actuated from the surface being utilized to lock the lines in axial alignment with the hubs, and a seal member being lowered from the surface and inserted between the facing hubs, with a split clamp being used to draw the hubs into sealing engagement with the seal means.

Abstract: The underwater flowline connector includes a cable puller, cable cutter, alignment device, and flowline bundle for remotely pulling and aligning an outboard hub with a subsea inboard hub disposed on an underwater unit. The cable puller is located atop the underwater unit and includes a plurality of hydraulic cable grippers alternatingly engaging and releasing the pull-in cable connected to the flowline bundle to pull the bundle with outboard hub to the underwater unit. Pulling by the cable puller cntinues until the flowline bundle has reached the porch of the underwater unit. During its final ascent along a ramp of the porch, the flowline bundle rights itself because of a self-righting moment on the bundle caused by attaching the cable above the center of gravity of the flowline bundle. The flowline bundle is attached to the alignment device using a universal joint. The alignment device has central hydraulic extension cylinder mounted on the universal joint to engage and lock the flowline bundle.

Abstract: A temporary hub cover for the hubs of flow lines, hydraulic lines, and electrical conduits and the mating hubs of the underwater production unit includes a body enclosing the hub, plungers within the body for releasably engaging into detents on the hub to hold the cover on the hub, and a trigger mechanism operable from a remote location to release the engagement between the cover and hub whereby the cover can be removed from the hub.

Abstract: A balanced high pressure rising stem gate valve has lubricated metal-to-metal seal means between the bonnet part of the valve body and the valve actuating stem and between the chamber part of the valve body and the balancing stem. Each seal means includes plural, e.g. three dished elastic metal ring gaskets with a high temperature resistant and chemical resistant ring of solid lubricant, tetrafluoroethylene or graphite between each adjacent pair of metal gaskets. Each metal gasket is softer than the stem and is of rectangular cross-section and the edge at the inner periphery on the concave side is rounded. Each seal means is disposed in an annular pocket in the adjacent part of the valve body extending around the stem.

Abstract: A remote, automatic make-up, stab-in sealing system for providing metal-to-metal seals between a projecting structure and a surrounding bore telescopically receiving the projecting structure is disclosed. The sealing system includes the projecting structure, such as a pipe hanger or pack-off nipple. The sealing system further includes apparatus having the bore for receiving the projecting structure, such as a wellhead or tubing hanger. The sealing system also includes a seal assembly. The seal assembly includes at least one frusto-conical shaped metal gasket, a split ring and an actuator ring. The rings force the frusto-conical shaped metal gasket into metal-to-metal sealing engagement with the walls of both the projecting structure and the bore as the projecting structure is telescopically received by the bore.

Abstract: Underwater flow lines, control lines and electrical conduits are connected to mating hubs on an underwater manifold center or other production unit by utilizing hydraulically powered means for pulling the lines toward the mating hubs and aligning them therewith, lock-down means actuated from the surface being utilized to lock the lines in axial alignment with the hubs, and a seal member being lowered from the surface and inserted between the facing hubs, with a split clamp being used to draw the hubs into sealing engagement with the seal means.

Abstract: A valve has a metal-to-metal seal system between the flow bores of the valve body housing and each of the valve seat hubs. Each seal system includes an elastic dished metal ring gasket and a retainer ring. Each metal gasket is softer than each of the seat hub and the valve housing, is of rectangular cross-section, and the edge at the inner periphery on the convex side is flattened. Each seal system is disposed on an annular groove cut in the outer periphery surface of the end of the seat hub. One side of the metal ring gasket is located adjacent to the shoulder of the seat hub formed by the groove cut into the outer periphery end of the seat hub. The retainer ring is reciprocably mounted on the seat hub groove adjacent to the other side of the metal ring gasket and extends beyond the end of the seat hub prior to activation of the seal system.

Abstract: A tool for preloading a marine riser connection having a first member, a second member and a nut having a lug extending therefrom, the connection being made up by rotating the nut with respect to the first member so as to place the nut in tension, such tension operating to hold the first and second members together in compression, is disclosed. The tool includes a lug holder for holding the lug, a block for engaging a reference member attached to the first member, and a device for forcing the lug holder and block apart so that the nut is rotated with respect to the first member.

Abstract: A remote, automatic make-up, stab-in sealing system for providing metal-to-metal seals between a projecting structure and a surrounding bore telescopically receiving the projecting structure is disclosed. The sealing system includes the projecting structure, such as a pipe hanger or pack-off nipple. The sealing system further includes apparatus having the bore for receiving the projecting structure, such as a wellhead or tubing hanger. The sealing system also includes a seal assembly. The seal assembly includes at least one frusto-conical shaped metal gasket, a split ring and an actuator ring. The rings force the frusto-conical shaped metal gasket into metal-to-metal sealing engagement with the walls of both the projecting structure and the bore as the projecting structure is telescopically received by the bore.

Abstract: An oil well pipe suspension apparatus including a wellhead having a pipe hanger supported therein and a christmas tree supported thereon, a frusto-conical metal gasket providing a metal-to-metal seal between the hanger and the wellhead, and an "X" cross section resilient metal gasket providing a metal-to-metal seal between the hanger and the christmas tree.

Abstract: A marine riser including a uniquely designed three element connection structure and associated connecting and releasing means for the inhibiting of fatigue failure caused by moments and axial loads resulting from relative motion between the fixed ocean bottom and a floating drilling platform or ship, such as a semisubmersible rig. The system includes a preloaded connection including a female member and a male member coaxially aligned and held in compression by a nut placed in tension. The connection holds riser pipe sections together. The connection is preloaded through a tool to a degree such that when a load equal to the yield strength of the pipe section material is applied to the pipe sections joined by the connector, the compressed faces of the male and female members do not separate from each other. The degree of preload would be sufficient to maintain the contact between the compressed faces under expected working loads of the pipe sections.

Abstract: Disclosed is a unique high speed information processing system capable of storing and operating on large volumes of data without the necessity of complicated data file systems or sophisticated programming techniques. Fundamentally, the invention combines an associative processor having a content-addressable memory with a parallel disc magnetic memory. The disc memory is utilized for the bulk storage of data while the associative processor is utilized for performing logical and arithmetic operations on the data. Data transfers between the associative processor and the disc memory are controlled by a servomechanism and an interface circuit. The servomechanism guarantees that the disc memory will operate at a speed synchronous with signals created by the associative processor and the interface circuit, under the control of the associative processor, manipulates data transfers between the disc memory and the associative processor.