Abstract: Embodiments presented provide a compressed air and liquid separator having a shell adapted to be vertically or horizontally oriented in use. The shell has an inlet end and an outlet end and defines a separating chamber therein. An inlet plate is coupled to the inlet end of the shell and provides a compressed gas ingress into the separating chamber, the compressed gas including a liquid therein. A plurality of inlet nozzles is disposed in the inlet plate, each inlet nozzle having an inner diameter and a length that are selected so as to accelerate the compressed gas therethrough to below a dew point thereof. A plurality of separating baffles positioned within the separating chamber above the compressed gas ingress, the separating baffles providing a means for separating the liquid from the compressed gas. An outlet plate is coupled to the outlet end of the shell, the outlet plate providing a compressed gas egress out of the separating chamber.

Abstract: A gas and liquid separator includes a wet gas feedstock ingress, a plurality of separating baffles, a dried gas egress, and a first liquid egress. A wet gas feedstock under pressure enters the separator through the wet gas feedstock ingress. The wet gas feedstock ingress adiabatically and isentropically converges the wet gas feedstock and then accelerates the wet gas feedstock into the separation baffles. The separation baffles separate the constituents of the wet gas feedstock. The separated, dry gas egresses the separator through a straw of the dried gas egress that extends into the interior of a separation chamber of the separator from the top thereof. The separated liquids egress from the separator through the first liquid egress.

Abstract: A subsea system including a frame including an intensifier, the intensifier providing structural support to the frame and capable of providing pressurized delivery fluid. The intensifier includes an intensifier chamber and a delivery fluid chamber separated by a piston, the intensifier chamber capable of receiving ambient pressure to provide a pressure on the delivery fluid through the piston. Also, a regulation system regulates the amount of ambient pressure communicated to the intensifier chamber to maintain the delivery fluid pressure substantially constant as the delivery fluid is depleted.

Abstract: A subsea system including a frame including an intensifier, the intensifier providing structural support to the frame and capable of providing pressurized delivery fluid. The intensifier includes an intensifier chamber and a delivery fluid chamber separated by a piston, the intensifier chamber capable of receiving ambient pressure to provide a pressure on the delivery fluid through the piston. Also, a regulation system regulates the amount of ambient pressure communicated to the intensifier chamber to maintain the delivery fluid pressure substantially constant as the delivery fluid is depleted.

Abstract: A subsea system including a frame including an intensifier, the intensifier providing structural support to the frame and capable of providing pressurized delivery fluid. The intensifier includes an intensifier chamber and a delivery fluid chamber separated by a piston, the intensifier chamber capable of receiving ambient pressure to provide a pressure on the delivery fluid through the piston. Also, a regulation system regulates the amount of ambient pressure communicated to the intensifier chamber to maintain the delivery fluid pressure substantially constant as the delivery fluid is depleted.

Abstract: An apparatus for rapid venting of the compressed air and deballasting of a buoyant air tank in a positively buoyant riser system in the event of a premature drive off or a riser section parting is shown. The buoyancy tank or housing includes an annularly shaped flange positioned on its upper end and retained by explosive bolts. The inner circumference of the flange is sealed to the riser section supported by the buoyancy housing. A sensing means, activated by a parting of the riser, actuates the explosive bolts to release the annularly shaped flange and flood the buoyancy housing while restraining lines limit movement of the buoyancy housing with respect to the riser section.

Abstract: An apparatus for rapid venting of the compressed air and deballasting of a buoyant air tank in a positively buoyant riser system in the event of a premature drive off or a riser section parting is shown. The rapid venting of the compressed air ensures that the riser section cannot rapidly ascend to the surface and damage the drilling rig positioned above. In a first embodiment, the buoyancy tank or housing includes a circumferentially shaped channel positioned on its upper end. An annularly shaped ring is placed over the circumferentially shaped channel and sealed in place by a frangible weld. A tether line attaches to the annularly shaped ring and extends to an anchor point on the BOP stack below. In the event of a catastrophic parting of the riser, as the riser sections and attached buoyancy tank or housings begin ascending, the tether line is drawn tight.

Abstract: An apparatus for rapid venting of the compressed air and deballasting of a buoyant air tank in a positively buoyant riser system in the event of a premature drive off or a riser section parting is shown. The rapid venting of the compressed air ensures that the riser section cannot rapidly ascend to the surface and damage the drilling rig positioned above. In a first embodiment, the buoyancy tank or housing includes a circumferentially shaped channel positioned on its upper end. An annularly shaped ring is placed over the circumferentially shaped channel and sealed in place by a frangible weld. A tether line attaches to the annularly shaped ring and extends to an anchor point on the BOP stack below. In the event of a catastrophic parting of the riser, as the riser sections and attached buoyancy tank or housings begin ascending, the tether line is drawn tight.

Abstract: An apparatus for rapid venting of the compressed air and deballasting of a buoyant air tank in a positively buoyant riser system in the event of a premature drive off or a riser section parting is shown. The rapid venting of the compressed air ensures that the riser section cannot rapidly ascend to the surface and damage the drilling rig positioned above. In a first embodiment, the buoyancy tank or housing includes a vertical channel positioned on its exterior. A cover plate is placed over the vertical channel and sealed in place by a frangible weld. A tether line attaches to the cover plate and extends to an anchor point on the BOP stack below. In the event of a catastrophic parting of the riser, as the riser sections and attached buoyancy tank or housings begin ascending, the tether line is drawn tight. Further ascension of the buoyancy tank or housings, causes the frangible weld joints to break and peel back the cover plate, exposing the vertical channels.

Abstract: An apparatus for rapid venting of the compressed air and deballasting of a buoyant air tank in a positively buoyant riser system in the event of a premature drive off or a riser section parting is shown. The rapid venting of the compressed air ensures that the riser section cannot rapidly ascend to the surface and damage the drilling rig positioned above. In a first embodiment, the buoyancy tank or housing includes a vertical channel positioned on its exterior. A cover plate is placed over the vertical channel and sealed in place by a frangible weld. A tether line attaches to the cover plate and extends to an anchor point on the BOP stack below. In the event of a catastrophic parting of the riser, as the riser sections and attached buoyancy tank or housings begin ascending, the tether line is drawn tight. Further ascension of the buoyancy tank or housings, causes the frangible weld joints to break and peel back the cover plate, exposing the vertical channels.

Abstract: The improved tubular joint of the present invention includes the tubular members each having a thickened portion near their adjoining ends which thickened portions have substantially the same stiffness as the thinner portions of the tubular members, an inner band positioned within the thickened ends of the tubular members and an outer band positioned around the thickened ends of the tubular members, said inner band having a plurality of capture plates with each having a threaded openings facing outwardly and registering with the openings of the bolt sleeves which extending through the outer band and the end of each of the tubular members, bolt shafts extending through said bolt sleeves in threaded engagement with said threaded openings in the capture plate and sealed within said bolt sleeves, locking nuts on the outer ends of said bolt shafts, means for sealing between the exterior of the inner band and the interior of each of the tubular members, means for testing the effectiveness of the seal between the in

Abstract: A flotation riser having a series of annular chambers with a riser string extending in free-standing relation through said chambers, means for supplying gas to the chambers to control buoyancy, means to supply gas to a plurality of the lowermost chambers to provide an emergency supply of deballasting gas, and means for remotely releasing said supply of gas into the chambers above to render the flotation riser free-standing to permit release from the floating platform during emergencies. A method of storing emergency deballasting gas and for emergency deballasting of the chambers to render the flotation riser freee-standing including the steps of supplying gas to the lowermost chambers, retaining the gas in said lowermost chambers, and remotely releasing the gas and conducting it to higher chamber to deballast such chambers sufficient so that said flotation riser is free-standing.

Abstract: A subsea wellhead production apparatus including a retrievable subsea choke having a body having an inlet, an outlet extending therein from its lower surface and a collet connecting flange surrounding the lower end of said body, a passage in said body defining communication between said inlet and said outlet, a valve seat in said body surrounding communication between said inlet and said outlet, a valve member movably mounted in said body to coact with said valve seat to control flow through said communication passage an actuator for moving said valve member toward and away from said valve seat, a flowline body having first and second passages opening on a surface of the body with a collet connecting flange surrounding said surface.

Abstract: An improved gate valve having a body with an inlet into the valve chamber and an outlet from the chamber, a gate in the chamber, a bonnet with an opening therethrough, secured to the body, a stem connected to operate the gate and extending through the bonnet opening, a seat in the bonnet, a shoulder on the stem, heat responsive means holding the stem out of back seating position during normal operation and releasing to back seat responsive to excess heat, body bushing surrounding said inlet and outlet and sealing against the gate, each of the bushings having resilient sealing means and a sealing lip for sealing against a sealing surface on said body.

Abstract: A tubing hanger landing and orienting tool for a subsea wellhead having a mandrel connected to the tubing hanger, a sleeve surrounding a portion of the mandrel and being axially movable thereon, a liquid filled chamber between the sleeve and the mandrel, a shoulder on the sleeve adapted to seat in the wellhead, relative movement of the sleeve and the mandrel after seating of the sleeve in the wellhead causing a change of volume in the chamber, means controlling the volume in the chamber to cushion the landing of the tubing hanger, pressure responsive extendible lug in the mandrel which when extended coacts with a cam and slot surface within an orienting spool to orient the tubing hanger in the wellhead, and means for applying pressure from said chamber to extend said lug after seating of the sleeve in the wellhead.

Abstract: A remote connection apparatus having a base plate with a test sealing ring attached thereto, a plurality of segments movably supported for both radial movement and vertical movement and cam means for moving the segments radially into sealing engagement with the test sealing ring or with a receptacle ring, the segments including passages to which flexible lines are connected and radial passages extending from the sealing surface of the segments whereby when the segments seal against the receptacle ring the passages in the segments are in communication with the passages in the receptacle ring.

Abstract: A subsea wellhead apparatus adapted to provide a connection from the wellhead to a subsea flowline, such apparatus including a christmas tree connected to the subsea wellhead near the sea floor, a pressure actuated connector having means for engaging a hub on the subsea flowline and by moving axially completing a connection from a flowline loop extending from the christmas tree to the connector to the subsea flowline, the loop being in a plane which is at a substantial angle to the axis of movement of the connector.

Abstract: A riser structure for connecting from a floating structure to a subsea wellhead for drilling or production which has an upper flexible steel section and a lower flexible section connecting from the wellhead to the upper steel section, the lower section, cantilevered from the wellhead, having an increasing flexibility in the upward direction and having a greater flexibility near its upper connection than the upper section. The lower section is preferably of a more flexible material, such as titanium, with a thinner wall at its upper end than at the lower end.

Abstract: A pipe connector having tubular members whose telescopically interfitting end portions are latched against separation, wherein one of the tubular members is stretchable to preload the latch means and move a shoulder thereon in an axial direction away from the latch means, and a nut is threadedly mounted on the other tubular member to permit a shoulder thereon to be moved against the shoulder on the one member to hold the preload on the latch means.