Abstract: A powered clamp assembly for use on managed pressure drilling rig comprising: a first jaw and a second jaw, each one of said jaws comprising a pivot extremity and a locking extremity, each one of said pivot extremity comprising a structural member jutting outwardly from its respective jaw and pivotally connected to a bridging means; each one of the locking extremities is connected to one another through a closure means; wherein the movement of said first jaw and said second jaw allows movement of said jaws between a proximal position in relation to each other and a distal position.

Abstract: A rotating control device includes a bowl housing with an inner aperture to receive a seal and bearing assembly. A plurality of hydraulically-actuated fail-last-position latching assemblies are disposed about an outer surface of the bowl housing to controllably extend a plurality of piston-driven dogs radially into a groove of the seal and bearing assembly. The seal and bearing assembly includes a housing, a mandrel disposed within an inner aperture of the housing, a first interference-fit sealing element attached to a bottom distal end of the mandrel, a plurality of tapered-thrust bearings indirectly mounted to the housing, a preload spacer disposed between top and bottom tapered-thrust bearings, a plurality of jam nuts to adjust a preload of the tapered-thrust bearings, and a lower seal carrier attached to the seal and bearing housing comprising a plurality of dynamic sealing elements that contact the mandrel.

Abstract: A seal and bearing includes a seal and bearing housing, a rotatable mandrel disposed within an inner aperture of the seal and bearing housing, an upper seal carrier attached to a top side of the seal and bearing housing having a dynamic sealing element that contacts the rotatable mandrel, a plurality of tapered-thrust bearings to facilitate rotation of the rotatable mandrel including top tapered-thrust bearings indirectly mounted at a positive offset angle from a perpendicular line to a longitudinal axis of the rotating control device and bottom tapered-thrust bearings indirectly mounted at a negative offset angle from the perpendicular line to the longitudinal axis of the rotating control device, a preload spacer disposed between the top and bottom tapered-thrust bearings, and a lower seal carrier attached to a bottom side of the seal and bearing housing having a plurality of removable seal carrier trays.

Abstract: A rotating control device includes a bowl housing with an inner aperture to receive a seal and bearing assembly. A plurality of hydraulically-actuated fail-last-position latching assemblies are disposed about an outer surface of the bowl housing to controllably extend a plurality of piston-driven dogs radially into a groove of the seal and bearing assembly. The seal and bearing assembly includes a housing, a mandrel disposed within an inner aperture of the housing, a first interference-fit sealing element attached to a bottom distal end of the mandrel, a plurality of tapered-thrust bearings indirectly mounted to the housing, a preload spacer disposed between top and bottom tapered-thrust bearings, a plurality of jam nuts to adjust a preload of the tapered-thrust bearings, and a lower seal carrier attached to the seal and bearing housing comprising a plurality of dynamic sealing elements that contact the mandrel.

Abstract: A method of seal condition monitoring may determine the state of the annular seal, the state of one or more sealing elements, take actions to maintain the annular seal as one or more sealing elements transition from new to worn, and provide advance notice of the impending failure of one or more sealing elements so as to avoid a catastrophic annular seal failure while the marine riser is pressurized. Advantageously, operations may be conducted proactively rather than reactively, and one or more sealing elements may be replaced well in advance of failure, but potentially later than a conventional maintenance schedule would dictate. The one or more failing sealing elements may be proactively replaced without depressurizing the marine riser, prior to seal failure or replacement may be planned well in advance and coordinated with other rig operations to improve efficiency and maintain the safety of the drilling rig and personnel.

Abstract: A method of seal condition monitoring may determine the state of the annular seal, the state of one or more sealing elements, take actions to maintain the annular seal as one or more sealing elements transition from new to worn, and provide advance notice of the impending failure of one or more sealing elements so as to avoid a catastrophic annular seal failure while the marine riser is pressurized. Advantageously, operations may be conducted proactively rather than reactively, and one or more sealing elements may be replaced well in advance of failure, but potentially later than a conventional maintenance schedule would dictate. The one or more failing sealing elements may be proactively replaced without depressurizing the marine riser, prior to seal failure or replacement may be planned well in advance and coordinated with other rig operations to improve efficiency and maintain the safety of the drilling rig and personnel.

Abstract: A rotating control device includes a bowl housing with an inner aperture to receive a seal and bearing assembly. A plurality of hydraulically-actuated fail-last-position latching assemblies are disposed about an outer surface of the bowl housing to controllably extend a plurality of piston-driven dogs radially into a groove of the seal and bearing assembly. The seal and bearing assembly includes a housing, a mandrel disposed within an inner aperture of the housing, a first interference-fit sealing element attached to a bottom distal end of the mandrel, a plurality of tapered-thrust bearings indirectly mounted to the housing, a preload spacer disposed between top and bottom tapered-thrust bearings, a plurality of jam nuts to adjust a preload of the tapered-thrust bearings, and a lower seal carrier attached to the seal and bearing housing comprising a plurality of dynamic sealing elements that contact the mandrel.

Abstract: A rotating control device includes a bowl housing with an inner aperture to receive a seal and bearing assembly. A plurality of hydraulically-actuated fail-last-position latching assemblies are disposed about an outer surface of the bowl housing to controllably extend a plurality of piston-driven dogs radially into a groove of the seal and bearing assembly. The seal and bearing assembly includes a housing, a mandrel disposed within an inner aperture of the housing, a first interference-fit sealing element attached to a bottom distal end of the mandrel, a plurality of tapered-thrust bearings indirectly mounted to the housing, a preload spacer disposed between top and bottom tapered-thrust bearings, a plurality of jam nuts to adjust a preload of the tapered-thrust bearings, and a lower seal carrier attached to the seal and bearing housing comprising a plurality of dynamic sealing elements that contact the mandrel.

Abstract: A seal and bearing includes a seal and bearing housing, a rotatable mandrel disposed within an inner aperture of the seal and bearing housing, an upper seal carrier attached to a top side of the seal and bearing housing having a dynamic sealing element that contacts the rotatable mandrel, a plurality of tapered-thrust bearings to facilitate rotation of the rotatable mandrel including top tapered-thrust bearings indirectly mounted at a positive offset angle from a perpendicular line to a longitudinal axis of the rotating control device and bottom tapered-thrust bearings indirectly mounted at a negative offset angle from the perpendicular line to the longitudinal axis of the rotating control device, a preload spacer disposed between the top and bottom tapered-thrust bearings, and a lower seal carrier attached to a bottom side of the seal and bearing housing having a plurality of removable seal carrier trays.

Abstract: A rotating control device includes a bowl housing with an inner aperture to receive a seal and bearing assembly. A plurality of hydraulically-actuated fail-last-position latching assemblies are disposed about an outer surface of the bowl housing to controllably extend a plurality of piston-driven dogs radially into a groove of the seal and bearing assembly. The seal and bearing assembly includes a housing, a mandrel disposed within an inner aperture of the housing, a first interference-fit sealing element attached to a bottom distal end of the mandrel, a plurality of tapered-thrust bearings indirectly mounted to the housing, a preload spacer disposed between top and bottom tapered-thrust bearings, a plurality of jam nuts to adjust a preload of the tapered-thrust bearings, and a lower seal carrier attached to the seal and bearing housing comprising a plurality of dynamic sealing elements that contact the mandrel.

Abstract: A rotating control device includes a bowl housing with an inner aperture to receive a seal and bearing assembly. A plurality of hydraulically-actuated fail-last-position latching assemblies are disposed about an outer surface of the bowl housing to controllably extend a plurality of piston-driven dogs radially into a groove of the seal and bearing assembly. The seal and bearing assembly includes a housing, a mandrel disposed within an inner aperture of the housing, a first interference-fit sealing element attached to a bottom distal end of the mandrel, a plurality of tapered-thrust bearings indirectly mounted to the housing, a preload spacer disposed between top and bottom tapered-thrust bearings, a plurality of jam nuts to adjust a preload of the tapered-thrust bearings and a lower seal carrier attached to the seal and bearing housing comprising a plurality of dynamic sealing elements that contact the mandrel.

Abstract: A rotating control device includes a bowl housing with an inner aperture to receive a seal and bearing assembly. A plurality of hydraulically-actuated fail-last-position latching assemblies are disposed about an outer surface of the bowl housing to controllably extend a plurality of piston-driven dogs radially into a groove of the seal and bearing assembly. The seal and bearing assembly includes a housing, a mandrel disposed within an inner aperture of the housing, a first interference-fit sealing element attached to a bottom distal end of the mandrel, a plurality of tapered-thrust bearings indirectly mounted to the housing, a preload spacer disposed between top and bottom tapered-thrust bearings, a plurality of jam nuts to adjust a preload of the tapered-thrust bearings, and a lower seal carrier attached to the seal and bearing housing comprising a plurality of dynamic sealing elements that contact the mandrel.

Abstract: A rotating control device includes a bowl housing with an inner aperture to receive a seal and bearing assembly. A plurality of hydraulically-actuated fail-last-position latching assemblies are disposed about an outer surface of the bowl housing to controllably extend a plurality of piston-driven dogs radially into a groove of the seal and bearing assembly. The seal and bearing assembly includes a housing, a mandrel disposed within an inner aperture of the housing, a first interference-fit sealing element attached to a bottom distal end of the mandrel, a plurality of tapered-thrust bearings indirectly mounted to the housing, a preload spacer disposed between top and bottom tapered-thrust bearings, a plurality of jam nuts to adjust a preload of the tapered-thrust bearings and a lower seal carrier attached to the seal and bearing housing comprising a plurality of dynamic sealing elements that contact the mandrel.

Abstract: A method of seal condition monitoring may determine the state of the annular seal, the state of one or more sealing elements, take actions to maintain the annular seal as one or more sealing elements transition from new to worn, and provide advance notice of the impending failure of one or more sealing elements so as to avoid a catastrophic annular seal failure while the marine riser is pressurized. Advantageously, operations may be conducted proactively rather than reactively, and one or more sealing elements may be replaced well in advance of failure, but potentially later than a conventional maintenance schedule would dictate. The one or more failing sealing elements may be proactively replaced without depressurizing the marine riser, prior to seal failure or replacement may be planned well in advance and coordinated with other rig operations to improve efficiency and maintain the safety of the drilling rig and personnel.

Abstract: A method of seal condition monitoring may determine the state of the annular seal, the state of one or more sealing elements, take actions to maintain the annular seal as one or more sealing elements transition from new to worn, and provide advance notice of the impending failure of one or more sealing elements so as to avoid a catastrophic annular seal failure while the marine riser is pressurized. Advantageously, operations may be conducted proactively rather than reactively, and one or more sealing elements may be replaced well in advance of failure, but potentially later than a conventional maintenance schedule would dictate. The one or more failing sealing elements may be proactively replaced without depressurizing the marine riser, prior to seal failure or replacement may be planned well in advance and coordinated with other rig operations to improve efficiency and maintain the safety of the drilling rig and personnel.

Abstract: A rotating flow head (RFH) has a housing having an internal bore with diameter substantially equal to that of a riser and at least one flow port proximate one longitudinal end thereof. First and second arrays of radially extensible and retractable locking elements are disposed circumferentially around the RFH housing. The RFH has a bearing assembly (BA) housing having an exterior diameter selected to fit within the internal bore of the RFH housing so as to provide an annular space therein. The BA housing engages one of the arrays of locking elements when extended. A mandrel is rotatably, sealingly supported within the BA housing. Another end of the BA housing and the other array of locking elements provide longitudinal force on the BA housing when the other array is extended. A seal element disposed in the annular space is energized by the longitudinal force applied to the BA housing.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for the controlled entry of a tubing string, and cable adjacent thereto, into a wellbore. A stationary housing is fit to a wellhead and has a bore in communication with the wellbore. The cable can be laterally displaced from the bore into a cable access formed into the side wall of the stationary housing for fitting a sealing assembly to the bore and engages a sealing surface therein. The sealing assembly seals tubulars passing therethrough. The cable access interrupts the sealing surface. A cable bypass sub is fit to the cable access and permits the cable to extend sealingly from above the sealing surface to the wellbore wherein the cable bypasses the sealing assembly and sealing surface. A seal reconstitutes the interrupted portion of the sealing surface at the cable access.

Abstract: A rotating flow head has a lubricated bearing pack for isolating bearing elements from wellbore fluids under pressure. The bearing pack, having a rotating cylindrical sleeve, bearing elements and two seal assemblies, is secured within an assembly bore of a stationary housing by a retainer plate accepting a plurality of lag bolts circumferentially spaced around a top portion of the stationary housing. Each of the seal assemblies have at least one sealing element having a body, an annular cavity, an inner sealing surface, and a flange that distends radially outwardly when axially compressed. A loading ring fit to the annular cavity urges the inner sealing surface radially inwardly to sealingly engage the rotating cylindrical sleeve. The inner sealing surface further comprises a first and second sealing surface and a debris channel therebetween.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for the controlled entry of a tubing string, and cable adjacent thereto, into a wellbore. A stationary housing is fit to a wellhead and has a bore in communication with the wellbore. The cable can be laterally displaced from the bore into a cable access formed into the side wall of the stationary housing for fitting a sealing assembly to the bore and engages a sealing surface therein. The sealing assembly seals tubulars passing therethrough. The cable access interrupts the sealing surface. A cable bypass sub is fit to the cable access and permits the cable to extend sealingly from above the sealing surface to the wellbore wherein the cable bypasses the sealing assembly and sealing surface. A seal reconstitutes the interrupted portion of the sealing surface at the cable access.

Abstract: A system and methodology for controlled entry of a tubing string, and cable adjacent thereto, into a wellbore. A stationary housing is fit to a wellhead and has a bore in communication with the wellbore. The cable can be laterally displaced from the bore into a cable access formed into the housing's side wall for fitting a sealing assembly to the bore and engages a sealing surface therein. The sealing assembly seals tubulars passing therethrough. The cable access interrupts the sealing surface. A cable bypass sub is fit to the cable access and permits the cable to extend sealingly from above the sealing surface to the wellbore wherein the cable bypasses the sealing assembly and sealing surface. A seal reconstitutes the interrupted portion of the sealing surface at the cable access.