Abstract: A subsea production system for a well including a subsea production tree, a tubing hanger, and a production tubing extending into the well and supported by the tubing hanger. A downhole equipment suspension system includes a suspension head supported directly or indirectly by the production tree above and separately from the tubing hanger. The suspension system also includes downhole equipment inside the production tubing below the tubing hanger and a suspension line extending through the tubing hanger vertical production bore and the production tree vertical bore. The suspension line suspends the downhole equipment from the suspension head.

Abstract: A guide and protection bushing assembly is mountable in a well production system (e.g., a subsea tree) having an intervention member (e.g., a blowout preventer). The assembly guides a string of components to a cable hanger sealing surface disposed in the production system without damaging the sealing surface. The assembly includes a body having a first end engaging an intervention member, a second end engaging the production system, an outer surface, and an inner through passage that expands radially at the first end to form a funnel shape. In some embodiments, the assembly may further include rollers, leaf springs, or a protective sleeve coupled to biasing members, a plurality of centering disks having a plurality of flexible flaps separated by spacers, and/or centering devices with fins separated by spacers.

Abstract: A system including a seal delivery system, including a mandrel, a seal tool coupled to the mandrel, wherein the seal tool is configured to deliver and actuate a bridge seal assembly, and a gear system coupled to the mandrel and to the seal tool, wherein the gear system is configured to rotate the seal tool from a first position to a second position to align the piston assembly.

Abstract: A system includes a bridge seal assembly configured to form a seal within mineral extraction equipment. The bridge seal assembly includes an annular bridge seal having an accordion-shaped body portion with a plurality of folded portions. Each of the plurality of folded portions extends circumferentially about the annular bridge seal, and the plurality of folded portions are configured to enable the annular bridge seal to expand and contract with the mineral extraction equipment to maintain the seal. The bridge seal assembly also includes a reaction ring and one or more wedge rings configured to be inserted between the annular bridge seal and the reaction ring to actuate the annular bridge seal.

Abstract: An annular seal assembly for forming a seal between two annular surfaces. The seal assembly includes an annular base including a sealing surface. The seal assembly also includes a pair of spaced apart rims extending from the annular base opposite the base sealing surface and in opposite directions, the rims also including sealing surfaces. The base is elastically deformable and the rims are elastically deformable relative to the base to effect a self-energized seal between the two annular surfaces.

Abstract: A system including a seal delivery system, including a mandrel, a seal tool coupled to the mandrel, wherein the seal tool is configured to deliver and actuate a bridge seal assembly, and a gear system coupled to the mandrel and to the seal tool, wherein the gear system is configured to rotate the seal tool from a first position to a second position to align the piston assembly.

Abstract: A guide and protection bushing assembly is mountable in a well production system (e.g., a subsea tree) having an intervention member (e.g., a blowout preventer). The assembly guides a string of components to a cable hanger sealing surface disposed in the production system without damaging the sealing surface. The assembly includes a body having a first end engaging an intervention member, a second end engaging the production system, an outer surface, and an inner through passage that expands radially at the first end to form a funnel shape. In some embodiments, the assembly may further include rollers, leaf springs, or a protective sleeve coupled to biasing members, a plurality of centering disks having a plurality of flexible flaps separated by spacers, and/or centering devices with fins separated by spacers.

Abstract: A torsion measurement device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the device includes a component having a marked surface and an optical sensor. The marked component and the optical sensor may be attached to a tube or other elongate member and positioned to enable the optical sensor to measure angular deflection of the tube from rotation of the marked component with respect to the optical sensor. The angular deflection may be combined with other data to determine applied torque and torsional stress on the tube or other elongate member. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A subsea production system for a well including a subsea production tree, a tubing hanger, and a production tubing extending into the well and supported by the tubing hanger. A downhole equipment suspension system includes a suspension head supported directly or indirectly by the production tree above and separately from the tubing hanger. The suspension system also includes downhole equipment inside the production tubing below the tubing hanger and a suspension line extending through the tubing hanger vertical production bore and the production tree vertical bore. The suspension line suspends the downhole equipment from the suspension head.

Abstract: A torsion measurement device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the device includes a component having a marked surface and an optical sensor. The marked component and the optical sensor may be attached to a tube or other elongate member and positioned to enable the optical sensor to measure angular deflection of the tube from rotation of the marked component with respect to the optical sensor. The angular deflection may be combined with other data to determine applied torque and torsional stress on the tube or other elongate member. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An annular seal assembly for forming a seal between two annular surfaces. The seal assembly includes an annular base including a sealing surface. The seal assembly also includes a pair of spaced apart rims extending from the annular base opposite the base sealing surface and in opposite directions, the rims also including sealing surfaces. The base is elastically deformable and the rims are elastically deformable relative to the base to effect a self-energized seal between the two annular surfaces.

Abstract: In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a sensor system for detecting a change in condition. The system includes a radioactive source. This system also includes at least one radiation detector configured to detect radiation from the radioactive source. Furthermore, the system includes a displacement assembly configured to physically displace in response to the change in condition and configured to change the radiation levels detected by the radiation detector in response to such displacement. Advantageously, this system facilitates non-intrusive communication of information across a physical barrier, via the measurement of changing radiation levels that change in response to a change in condition, for example.

Abstract: A drill-through spool body sleeve assembly comprises a test sleeve removably installed within a drill-through spool body having a bore with the terminal ends of the outer diameter of the test sleeve sealingly engaging the bore wall. The sleeve assembly also comprises a wear bushing removably installed in the bore between the bore wall and the test sleeve. The test sleeve is of sufficient thickness to pressure test the spool body outlets, ports, and valves before drilling and production. The test sleeve seals the bore from the outside of the spool body during the pressure testing. After the pressure tests are completed, the test sleeve is removed from the spool body, leaving the wear bushing in place. The wear bushing protects the bore wall, outlets, ports, and valves while allowing equipment such as drilling and wellhead equipment to pass through the spool body.

Abstract: A rod brake, and a method, including an elastic device, such as a coil spring, array of split rings, or an elastic sleeve, that engages one or more grooves in a cylindrical surface to restrain the rod from longitudinal movement relative to another body, and wherein longitudinal force is applied to distort the elastic device and push it out of the one or more grooves to release the rod for longitudinal movement is disclosed. A locking sleeve is added to lock the elastic device against distortion and movement to the release configuration.

Abstract: A drill-through spool body sleeve assembly comprises a test sleeve removably installed within a drill-through spool body having a bore with the terminal ends of the outer diameter of the test sleeve sealingly engaging the bore wall. The sleeve assembly also comprises a wear bushing removably installed in the bore between the bore wall and the test sleeve. The test sleeve is of sufficient thickness to pressure test the spool body outlets, ports, and valves before drilling and production. The test sleeve seals the bore from the outside of the spool body during the pressure testing. After the pressure tests are completed, the test sleeve is removed from the spool body, leaving the wear bushing in place. The wear bushing protects the bore wall, outlets, ports, and valves while allowing equipment such as drilling and wellhead equipment to pass through the spool body.

Abstract: Disclosed is a rod brake, and a method, including an elastic device, such as a coil spring, array of split rings, or an elastic sleeve, that engages one or more grooves in a cylindrical surface to restrain the rod from longitudinal movement relative to another body, and wherein longitudinal force is applied to distort the elastic device and push it out of the one or more grooves to release the rod for longitudinal movement. A locking sleeve is added to lock the elastic device against distortion and movement to the release configuration.

Abstract: The riser system includes a small diameter riser that can be disconnected from the subsea BOP/wellhead assembly to obtain access to the wellbore for large diameter casing while continuously maintaining a hydrostatic head to control the well. The riser system further includes a large diameter riser joint having one end connected to the BOP/wellhead assembly and one or more hydraulic conduits extending from the BOP/wellhead assembly to the small diameter riser which extends to the surface. The small diameter riser has a first position where the small diameter riser is aligned and connected to the other end of the riser joint and a second position where the small diameter riser is non-aligned and unconnected with the large diameter riser joint. The riser system further includes a shifter which moves the small diameter riser from the first position to the second position. Downhole operations are conducted through the small diameter riser in the first position.

Abstract: The improved wellhead system includes a wellhead housing with an internal annular shoulder having a plurality of removed arcs to form an interrupted support shoulder. A casing hanger is provided with an external annular shoulder having a plurality of removed arcs which correspond with those on the wellhead housing. In a first orientation, the removed arcs of the casing hanger shoulder align with the arcs of the support shoulder in the wellhead housing to allow the casing hanger to pass through the wellhead housing or the wellhead housing to be lowered below the casing hanger. In a second orientation the remaining shoulder arcs of the casing hanger align with the support shoulder arcs to support the casing hanger. The casing hanger also includes a thread for attaching a tool whereby the casing hanger and casing attached thereto can be tensioned. An alternate embodiment of the improved wellhead system includes a wellhead housing with an internal support groove.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the protection of downhole equipment from excessive pressure conditions which includes providing structures of volume compensating material which are designed to resist normal pressures expected in the well bore. One form of the invention has a plurality of half sections of volume compensating material positioned around one of the tubular member in the annulus which has fluids that can increase in pressure to a point approaching damage to the interior of exterior member of the annulus. In another application a resilient seal includes a recess into which a ring of volume compensating material is placed to allow a place for fluids to flow when they are subjected to overpressure conditions.

Abstract: A ratcheting connector for providing a radial connection between two concentric tubular members, with one of the members having a recess in which a split latching ring is mounted with coarse threaded engagement between said split latching ring and said one member and fine threads on the side of said split latching ring facing the other member which has mating fine threads with a shape which cams said split latching ring into its recess as the threads move past each other in the direction of installation. Setting of the connector is accomplished after full engagement of the fine threads by rotation of the central tubular member less than a full revolution.