Patents by Inventor David Lawrence Ford

David Lawrence Ford has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10900316
    Abstract: An annular seal for sealing an interface between a wellhead housing and a casing hanger. The annular seal includes a central body portion and a first pair of seal legs extending in a first direction from the central body portion. Each of the first pair of seal legs sealingly engages one of the wellhead housing or the casing hanger, and are further energized by bore pressure. The annular seal also includes a second pair of seal legs extending in a second direction from the central body portion. Each of the second pair of seal legs sealingly engages one of the wellhead housing or the casing hanger, and is further energized by annulus pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: VETCO GRAY INC.
    Inventors: David Lawrence Ford, Joseph William Pallini, Thomas Allen Fraser, Daniel Ralph Barnhart, Daniel Caleb Benson
  • Patent number: 10822907
    Abstract: A wellhead assembly includes an outer wellhead member having a bore and an inner wellhead member located in the bore, defining an annular pocket between the outer and inner wellhead members. A sealing assembly is located within the annular pocket, the sealing assembly having an annular seal and an energizing ring. The energizing ring engages inner and outer legs of the annular seal to push the inner and outer legs into sealing engagement with the inner and outer wellhead members. A retainer nut is threadingly attached to the free end of the outer leg of the sealing assembly. Mating grooves are located on one of an inner diameter of the retainer nut and an outer diameter of the energizing ring and mating protrusions located on the other. The mating protrusions mate with the mating grooves to prevent relative axial movement between the energizing ring and the annular seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: VETCO GRAY INC.
    Inventors: Robert Jen-Yue Du, Dinesh Narayan, Durai Balaji, David Lawrence Ford, Baozhi Zhu, Krishnanand Anandan, Kendra Limbrick
  • Patent number: 10508505
    Abstract: A wellhead assembly includes a tubular wellhead housing having a bore and an annular gallery slot. The annular gallery slot is defined by an enlarged inner diameter of the bore. A tubular hanger is selectively landed in the bore of the wellhead housing, defining an annular cavity between the bore and an outer diameter of the tubular hanger. The tubular hanger is supported by the wellhead housing with a hanger support located in the annular cavity. A flow-by passage is in fluid communication with the annular cavity at locations above and below the hanger support. The flow-by passage intersects with the gallery slot and intersects an outer radial surface of the tubular hanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: VETCO GRAY, LLC
    Inventors: Mayur Mansukh, Aniruddha D. Gadre, Daniel Caleb Benson, David Lawrence Ford
  • Publication number: 20190234169
    Abstract: A wellhead assembly includes an outer wellhead member having a bore and an inner wellhead member located in the bore, defining an annular pocket between the outer and inner wellhead members. A sealing assembly is located within the annular pocket, the sealing assembly having an annular seal and an energizing ring. The energizing ring engages inner and outer legs of the annular seal to push the inner and outer legs into sealing engagement with the inner and outer wellhead members. A retainer nut is threadingly attached to the free end of the outer leg of the sealing assembly. Mating grooves are located on one of an inner diameter of the retainer nut and an outer diameter of the energizing ring and mating protrusions located on the other. The mating protrusions mate with the mating grooves to prevent relative axial movement between the energizing ring and the annular seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Applicant: Vetco Gray, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Jen-Yue Du, Dinesh Narayan, Durai Balaji, David Lawrence Ford, Baozhi Zhu, Krishnanand Anandan, Kendra Limbrick
  • Patent number: 10233711
    Abstract: A wellhead assembly includes an outer wellhead member having a bore and an inner wellhead member located in the bore, defining an annular pocket between the outer and inner wellhead members. A sealing assembly is located within the annular pocket, the sealing assembly having an annular seal and an energizing ring. The energizing ring engages inner and outer legs of the annular seal to push the inner and outer legs into sealing engagement with the inner and outer wellhead members. A retainer nut is threadingly attached to the free end of the outer leg of the sealing assembly. Mating grooves are located on one of an inner diameter of the retainer nut and an outer diameter of the energizing ring and mating protrusions located on the other. The mating protrusions mate with the mating grooves to prevent relative axial movement between the energizing ring and the annular seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: VETCO GRAY, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Jen-Yue Du, Dinesh Narayan, Durai Balaji, David Lawrence Ford, Baozhi Zhu, Krishnanand Anandan, Kendra Limbrick
  • Patent number: 10184311
    Abstract: A wellhead assembly has a casing hanger for supporting a string of casing, the casing hanger having an external upward-facing shoulder. A radially movable annular lockdown member is carried on the shoulder for movement between a retracted position while the casing hanger is being run and an expanded position. In the expanded position, the lockdown member is in engagement with a lockdown profile shoulder in a wellhead housing. A casing hanger seal is carried by the casing hanger above the lockdown member. The casing hanger seal has a lower extension that includes a connection leg and a nose ring. The nose ring has a cam surface that engages and moves the lockdown member to the expanded position while the casing hanger seal is being lowered into a set position. Slots are formed in the extension to reduce the axial stiffness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: VETCO GRAY, LLC
    Inventors: Aniruddha D. Gadre, Mayur Mansukh, Joseph W. Pallini, David Lawrence Ford, Baozhi Zhu
  • Patent number: 10174574
    Abstract: A wellhead assembly having an insert that is disposed between a wellhead housing and casing hanger. Axial slots through the insert define a flow path between the wellhead housing and casing hanger. The insert is made from a higher strength material and supports a load exerted between the casing hanger and wellhead housing. The insert is a ring like member, and the slots can more easily be machined in the insert than in the wellhead housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: VETCO GRAY, LLC
    Inventors: Mayur Mansukh, Aniruddha D. Gadre, Daniel Caleb Benson, David Lawrence Ford
  • Publication number: 20180073319
    Abstract: An annular seal for sealing an interface between a wellhead housing and a casing hanger. The annular seal includes a central body portion and a first pair of seal legs extending in a first direction from the central body portion. Each of the first pair of seal legs sealingly engages one of the wellhead housing or the casing hanger, and are further energized by bore pressure. The annular seal also includes a second pair of seal legs extending in a second direction from the central body portion. Each of the second pair of seal legs sealingly engages one of the wellhead housing or the casing hanger, and is further energized by annulus pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: David Lawrence Ford, Joseph William Pallini, Thomas Allen Fraser, Daniel Ralph Barnhart, Daniel Caleb Benson
  • Patent number: 9797214
    Abstract: A wellhead assembly has a casing hanger for supporting a string of casing, the casing hanger having an external upward-facing shoulder. A shoulder ring is mounted on the shoulder. A radially movable annular lockdown member is carried on the shoulder ring for movement between a refracted position while the casing hanger is being run and an expanded position for engaging an interior surface of a wellhead housing. A casing hanger seal is carried by the casing hanger above the lockdown member. The casing hanger seal has a nose on a lower end that engages and moves the lockdown member to the expanded position while the casing hanger seal is being lowered into a set position. The shoulder ring is formed of a material of greater yield strength than the shoulder. Flow channels between the shoulder and the shoulder ring assist in flowing debris from above the shoulder to below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: VETCO GRAY INC.
    Inventors: Aniruddha D. Gadre, Mayur Mansukh, David Lawrence Ford
  • Patent number: 9797215
    Abstract: A wellhead assembly includes an outer tubular wellhead member and an inner tubular wellhead member with a seal pocket between them. A seal ring is located in the seal pocket. An annular energizing ring urges the seal ring into sealing engagement with the outer tubular wellhead member and the inner tubular wellhead member. A recess is located on an outer diameter of the annular energizing ring or a radially inner diameter of the seal ring, and a ratcheted retainer is on the other. A ratchet clip with a clip profile is located within the recess. The recess and the ratchet clip extend less than a full circumferential distance around the outer diameter of the annular energizing ring or the radially inner diameter of the seal ring. A retainer profile on the ratcheted retainer selectively engages with the clip profile of the ratchet clip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: VETCO GRAY INC.
    Inventors: David Lawrence Ford, Daniel Ralph Barnhart, Daniel Caleb Benson
  • Patent number: 9765588
    Abstract: A wellhead assembly includes a wellhead housing having a bore and a locking profile including a gallery slot, and an annular notch. An inner wellhead assembly is selectively landed in the bore of the wellhead housing, the inner wellhead assembly having a lock ring with a lock ring profile that engages the locking profile. The engaging surface is a sloped downward facing surface at an axially upper end of the gallery slot. The annular notch has a notch engaging profile with a downward facing notch upper shoulder and an upward facing notch lower shoulder. The locking profile includes an inlay, the inlay being located on the notch upper shoulder and the engaging surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: VETCO GRAY INC.
    Inventors: Mayur Mansukh, Aniruddha D. Gadre, David Lawrence Ford
  • Patent number: 9732582
    Abstract: A wellbore system includes a sealing assembly for creating an annular seal between wellbore members. The sealing assembly includes a wicker profile defined a first sealing surface for engaging and embedding into a radially adjacent, second sealing surface. The wicker profile includes a first section having a first hardness and a second section adjacent to the first section and having a second hardness greater than the first hardness. Both the first and second sections of wickers are embedded into the second sealing surface, and can thus provide a high degree of both sealing and lockdown performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: VETCO GRAY INC.
    Inventors: Mayur Mansukh, Aniruddha D. Gadre, David Lawrence Ford, Baozhi Zhu, Robert Du
  • Patent number: 9695662
    Abstract: A retention system for limiting axial and radial movement of a wellbore lock ring. The retention system includes pins for resisting axial movement of the lock ring and assemblies for limiting radial outward movement of the lock ring. The lock ring circumscribes and couples to a wellbore hanger. The pins project radially from the hanger into the lock ring and into slots, where the slots extend a distance along the inner surface of the lock ring. The assemblies also project radially into the hanger and each have a portion that registers with a channel on a lower end of the lock ring. Lock ring outer radial movement is limited by contact between the portions of the assemblies and inner surfaces of the channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: VETCO GRAY INC.
    Inventors: Mayur Mansukh, Aniruddha D. Gadre, Joseph William Pallini, David Lawrence Ford
  • Publication number: 20170122058
    Abstract: A wellhead assembly includes an outer wellhead member having a bore and an inner wellhead member located in the bore, defining an annular pocket between the outer and inner wellhead members. A sealing assembly is located within the annular pocket, the sealing assembly having an annular seal and an energizing ring. The energizing ring engages inner and outer legs of the annular seal to push the inner and outer legs into sealing engagement with the inner and outer wellhead members. A retainer nut is threadingly attached to the free end of the outer leg of the sealing assembly. Mating grooves are located on one of an inner diameter of the retainer nut and an outer diameter of the energizing ring and mating protrusions located on the other. The mating protrusions mate with the mating grooves to prevent relative axial movement between the energizing ring and the annular seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Applicant: VETCO GRAY INC.
    Inventors: Robert Jen-Yue Du, Dinesh Narayan, Durai Balaji, David Lawrence Ford, Baozhi Zhu, Krishnanand Anandan, Kendra Limbrick
  • Publication number: 20170114605
    Abstract: A wellhead assembly has a casing hanger for supporting a string of casing, the casing hanger having an external upward-facing shoulder. A radially movable annular lockdown member is carried on the shoulder for movement between a retracted position while the casing hanger is being run and an expanded position. In the expanded position, the lockdown member is in engagement with a lockdown profile shoulder in a wellhead housing. A casing hanger seal is carried by the casing hanger above the lockdown member. The casing hanger seal has a lower extension that includes a connection leg and a nose ring. The nose ring has a cam surface that engages and moves the lockdown member to the expanded position while the casing hanger seal is being lowered into a set position. Slots are formed in the extension to reduce the axial stiffness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Inventors: Aniruddha D. Gadre, Mayur Mansukh, Joseph W. Pallini, David Lawrence Ford, Baozhi Zhu
  • Patent number: 9476262
    Abstract: A wear bushing assembly protects and locks down a hanger in a wellhead housing; and which includes a wear bushing body that inserts into a wear bushing sleeve. A lock ring extends into registered recesses on the body and sleeve to couple together the body and sleeve. The wellhead housing has a profiled recess circumscribing its inner surface. A lockdown ring selectively mates with the profiled recess; and when mated is in interfering contact with an upper surface of the wear bushing sleeve, thereby coupling the sleeve to the wellhead housing. The sleeve outer surface is profiled to interfere with upward movement of the hanger, so that force is transferred from the hanger to the housing through the sleeve which locks down the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Caleb Benson, David Lawrence Ford, Stephen David Peters
  • Patent number: 9410647
    Abstract: An anti-rotation system for use in retaining a threaded connection between a pin and a box. The anti-rotation system includes a key that sets in a recess formed in one of the box or pin. The key is selectively in contact with one of the other of the box or pin, and is activated when the threaded connection begins to decouple. The key is profiled and operates in a cam like fashion to wedge itself between the box and pin when these members begin to decouple and prevents further relative rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Lowell Steen, Joseph William Pallini, Daniel Caleb Benson, David Lawrence Ford, Kevin Edward O'Dell, Stephen David Peters, William Rey Patterson, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20160145960
    Abstract: A wellhead assembly has a casing hanger for supporting a string of casing, the casing hanger having an external upward-facing shoulder. A shoulder ring is mounted on the shoulder. A radially movable annular lockdown member is carried on the shoulder ring for movement between a refracted position while the casing hanger is being run and an expanded position for engaging an interior surface of a wellhead housing. A casing hanger seal is carried by the casing hanger above the lockdown member. The casing hanger seal has a nose on a lower end that engages and moves the lockdown member to the expanded position while the casing hanger seal is being lowered into a set position. The shoulder ring is formed of a material of greater yield strength than the shoulder. Flow channels between the shoulder and the shoulder ring assist in flowing debris from above the shoulder to below.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Aniruddha D. Gadre, Mayur Mansukh, David Lawrence Ford
  • Publication number: 20160090811
    Abstract: A wellbore system includes a sealing assembly for creating an annular seal between wellbore members. The sealing assembly includes a wicker profile defined a first sealing surface for engaging and embedding into a radially adjacent, second sealing surface. The wicker profile includes a first section having a first hardness and a second section adjacent to the first section and having a second hardness greater than the first hardness. Both the first and second sections of wickers are embedded into the second sealing surface, and can thus provide a high degree of both sealing and lockdown performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Mayur Mansukh, Aniruddha D. Gadre, David Lawrence Ford, Baozhi Zhu, Robert Du
  • Publication number: 20160076328
    Abstract: A wellhead assembly includes an inner wellhead member with wickers extending outwardly therefrom and an outer wellhead member with wickers extending inwardly therefrom. A seal assembly having an inner leg and an outer leg is inserted between the wellhead members. An energizing ring forces the legs radially apart from each other. An inlay is located along at least one of an inner diameter of the inner leg and an outer diameter of the outer leg, positioned to sealingly engage the wickers. The inlay is located in a single groove configured so that no part of the seal member body contacts an exterior wall of the inner wellhead member or an interior wall of the outer wellhead member. The inlay has a smooth outer surface flush with the diameter and is made of a material softer than the inner wellhead member, the outer wellhead member, and the seal member body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Aniruddha D. Gadre, David Lawrence Ford