Abstract: A slimbore marine riser and BOP are provided for a subsea completion system which includes a tubing spool secured to a wellhead at the sea floor. The tubing spool has an internal landing profile for a reduced diameter tubing hanger which is arranged and dimensioned to pass through the bore of the riser and BOP at the end of a landing string. The tubing hanger, arranged and designed to be sealingly positioned in the tubing spool landing profile, has a production bore and a relatively large multiplicity of electric and hydraulic passages which terminate at a top end of the hanger with vertically extending electric and hydraulic couplers. A passage is provided through the body of the tubing spool which provides communication from above the tubing hanger to the well annulus below the hanger. A remotely controllable valve is placed in the annulus bypass passage.

Abstract: The concentric tubing completion system of the present invention comprises a surface Christmas tree which is located on a surface structure, a tieback connector which is secured to a mudline wellhead that is installed at the upper end of a subsea well bore, a mudline tubing hanger which is supported in the tieback connector, and a pair of concentric tubing strings which are suspended from corresponding tubing hangers in the surface Christmas tree and connected to the mudline tubing hanger. The annulus between the concentric tubing strings communicates with a number of passages in the mudline tubing hanger which are connected to the tubing annulus below the mudline tubing hanger. Thus, lift gas or other fluids may be communicated between the surface christmas tree and the tubing annulus through this annulus between the concentric tubing strings.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a valve for controlling the flow of fluid through a component which includes a flow conduit extending therethrough. The valve comprises a first closure member for controlling the flow of fluid through the conduit, a second closure member for controlling the flow of fluid through the conduit, and a valve stem which is connected to both the first and second closure members. The stem is responsive to an external force to move the first and second closure members from a closed position, in which the fluid is blocked from flowing through the conduit by both the first and second closure members, to an open position, in which the fluid is permitted to flow through the conduit past both the first and second closure members.

Abstract: A flow completion system for controlling the flow of fluid from a well bore, the flow completion system comprising a tubing spool which includes a central bore that extends axially therethrough and a production outlet which communicates with the central bore; a tubing hanger which is supported in the central bore and which includes a production bore that extends axially therethrough and a production passageway that communicates between the production bore and the production outlet, the tubing hanger supporting a tubing string which extends into the well bore and defines a tubing annulus surrounding the tubing string; a first closure member which is positioned in the production bore above the production passageway; a first annular seal which is positioned between the tubing hanger and the central bore above the production passageway; wherein the first closure member and the first seal comprise a first pressure-containing barrier between the well bore and a surrounding environment; a second closure member which

Abstract: A flow completion apparatus for controlling the flow of fluid through a tubing string which extends into a well bore and defines a tubing annulus surrounding the tubing string, the flow completion apparatus comprising a wellhead housing which is installed at an upper end of the well bore; a tubing spool which is connected over the wellhead housing and which includes a central bore that extends axially therethrough, a production outlet which communicates with the central bore, and an annulus passageway which communicates with the tubing annulus; a tubing hanger which is supported in the central bore, is connected to an upper end of the tubing string, and includes a production bore which extends axially therethrough and a production passageway which communicates between the production bore and the production outlet; a first closure member which is positioned in the production bore above the production passageway; and a first annular seal which is positioned between the tubing hanger and the central bore above t

Abstract: The invention is directed to a tubing hanger for a flow completion system which comprises a Christmas tree connected above a wellhead housing that includes a central bore in which the tubing hanger is supported, the tubing hanger comprising a generally annular body; a production bore which extends generally axially through the body; an annulus bore which extends generally axially through the body; the annulus bore comprising a generally lateral first branch which is connected to a generally axial second branch; and a closure member which includes a gate that is moveable generally axially across the first branch between an open position in which a hole in the gate is aligned with the first branch and a closed position in which the hole is offset from the first branch.

Abstract: A controls bridge for a flow completion system which comprises a tubing spool having a production outlet, a tubing hanger having a production bore that communicates with the production outlet and at least one service and control conduit extending therethrough, and at least one external service and control line that terminates near the tubing spool, the controls bridge comprising a first body portion; a mechanism for securing the first body portion to the top of the tubing spool and/or the tubing hanger; at least one first coupling member which is adapted to engage a second coupling member that is mounted in the service and control conduit; at least one third coupling member which is adapted to engage a fourth coupling member that is connected to the external service and control line; a bridge line which is connected between the first coupling member and the third coupling member; a first actuator for moving the first coupling member into engagement with the second coupling member; and a second actuator for mo

Abstract: A gate valve for a component which includes an elongated body and a flow passage extending generally longitudinally through the body, the flow passage including a generally lateral first branch connected to a generally longitudinal second branch. The gate valve comprises a gate which is moveable generally longitudinally across the first branch between an open position in which a hole in the gate is aligned with the first branch and a closed position in which the hole is offset from the first branch; a conduit which extends through the body from the gate; an actuating mechanism positioned in the conduit for moving the gate from a first position to a second position; and a return biasing mechanism for moving the gate from the second position to the first position; wherein one of the first and second positions corresponds to the open position of the gate and the other position corresponds to the closed position of the gate; and wherein the conduit extends generally longitudinally through the body.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a compact and modular gate valve comprising an elongated body which comprises first and second ends, a hole which extends longitudinally between the first and second ends, a first opening which communicates with the hole proximate the first end, a second opening which communicates with the hole proximate the second end, and a bore which extends transversely through the body and intersects the hole; a first seat which is mounted in a first intersection of the bore with the hole and a second seat which is mounted in a second intersection of the bore with the hole, the first and second seats each including a passageway that aligns with the bore; a valve stem which is slidably positioned in the hole and which includes first and second piston portions that are separated by a gate portion, the stem being movable between an open position in which a hole in the gate portion is aligned with the passageways and a closed position in which the hole is offset from the passageways; and

Abstract: The invention is directed to a gate valve assembly which comprises an elongated body having a longitudinal bore extending therethrough; a plurality of gates slidably disposed in the longitudinal bore across respective flow passages which each extend laterally through the body between corresponding inlet and outlet ports; each gate being movable between an open position wherein an opening in the gate is aligned with its respective flow passage and a closed position wherein the opening is offset from its respective flow passage; and an actuator for moving the gates simultaneously between a first position, wherein at least one of the gates is in its open position, and a second position, wherein the at least one gate is in its closed position.

Abstract: A slimbore marine riser and BOP are provided for a subsea completion system which includes a tubing spool secured to a wellhead at the sea floor. The tubing spool has an internal landing profile for a reduced diameter tubing hanger which is arranged and dimensioned to pass through the bore of the riser and BOP at the end of a landing string. The tubing hanger, arranged and designed to be sealingly positioned in the tubing spool landing profile, has a production bore and a relatively large multiplicity of electric and hydraulic passages which terminate at a top end of the hanger with vertically extending electric and hydraulic couplers. A passage is provided through the body of the tubing spool which provides communication from above the tubing hanger to the well annulus below the hanger. A remotely controllable valve is placed in the annulus bypass passage.

Abstract: A lightweight ROV deployable tree cap (28) for deployment on a subsea production hub (10) of a subsea tree. A tree cap (28) has a lightweight body (30) with parallel planar sides and including suitable openings and slots for mounting of the various operating elements. A seal plate structure (64) includes a piston (66) connected to a seal plate (68) having a pair of downwardly projecting tubular seal members (70, 72) for fitting within the production bore (13) and annulus bore (15) of the tree hub (10) in a sealed landed position. Fluid pressure is applied to fluid line (96) to urge piston (66) and seal plate (68) downwardly into sealing landed position. For removal or retrieval of tree cap (28) from the installed position on subsea tree hub (10), fluid pressure is applied through fluid lines (108, 110) for the upward movement of seal plate (68) and tubular seal members (70, 72) from sealing relation with production bore (13) and annulus bore (15).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a valve position indicator for indicating an open or closed position of a valve having a valve stem, the valve position indicator comprising a body adapted to be mounted to a subsea xmas tree structure, a traveling block movably connected to the body by at least one guide bolt, the traveling block including a threaded hole for engaging a threaded extension shaft which is coupled to the valve stem, a rigid tube connected to the body and having first and second open ends, and a coiled spring member having one end connected to the traveling block and the other end extending through the first end of the rigid tube, wherein the extension of the spring member beyond the second end by a predetermined amount provides a visual indication that the valve is in its open or closed position, whereby movement of the traveling block in response to actuation of the valve will push or pull the spring member through the tube to provide the desired visual indication.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an annulus access valve system for selectively opening and sealing an annulus bore in a wellhead apparatus comprising an annular bore insert sealingly and fixedly attached within the annulus bore; at least one flow port formed in the bore insert for establishing a fluid path through the annulus bore; an annular valve sleeve sealingly and slideably attached within the bore insert; and a hydraulic actuator for raising and lowering the valve sleeve over the flow port; whereby the sleeve may be actuated to open the flow port and thereby open the annulus bore and the sleeve may be actuated to close the flow port and thereby seal the annulus bore.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuously extruding a product, and forming it into a bend by applying a force to it at a point of application downstream of where its surface becomes solid. The force has a transverse component relative to the die axis, and performs work upon the extruded material, extra to the work that has already been performed to extrude it. Non-contact members of applying the force are described, and various ram-type contacting members are illustrated. Alternative means of operation are described in which the point of application of the force to the extrudate during bending varies relative both to the extrudate and to the die, relative to the extrudate only, and relative to the die only. Means to alter the direction of bending are described, and to diminish the necessary bending force by creating a fluctuating melt pressure within the die.