Abstract: A casing hanger and running tool system and method for rotating a casing string in a borehole include a selectively engageable connection between the casing hanger and the running tool whereby upon rotation of the casing hanger and running tool in a first direction, a length of casing may be rotated without any substantial tightening of a threaded connection between the running tool and the casing hanger, and upon rotation of the running tool in a second direction, the threaded connection between the running tool and the casing hanger may be disengaged.

Abstract: A method of drilling and fracturing a well includes installing a drilling/frac adapter on a lower wellhead housing. The drilling/frac adapter has a higher internal pressure rating than the lower wellhead housing. The operator drills through the drilling/frac adapter to a desired depth, then runs and cements a casing string in the well. A lower packoff is installed in an annulus between the casing hanger and the lower wellhead housing and an upper packoff is set in an annulus between the drilling/frac adapter and the casing hanger. Frac fluid is pumped through the frac tree into the casing string at a higher pressure than the pressure rating of the lower housing but less than the pressure rating of the drilling/frac adapter. Then, the upper packoff and the drilling/frac adapter are removed from the lower housing and installing an upper wellhead housing on the lower wellhead housing.

Abstract: A method for rotating a casing string in a borehole and a mandrel casing hanger and running tool system, include a selectively engageable connection between a mandrel casing hanger and a running tool; and a rotational force may be applied to the mandrel casing hanger, running tool, and casing string, without substantially tightening a threaded connection between the running tool and the mandrel casing hanger, by transmitting the rotational force through the selectively engageable connection.

Abstract: A method of drilling and fracturing a well includes installing a drilling/frac adapter on a lower wellhead housing. The drilling/frac adapter has a higher internal pressure rating than the lower wellhead housing. The operator drills through the drilling/frac adapter to a desired depth, then runs and cements a casing string in the well. A lower packoff is installed in an annulus between the casing hanger and the lower wellhead housing and an upper packoff is set in an annulus between the drilling/frac adapter and the casing hanger. Frac fluid is pumped through the frac tree into the casing string at a higher pressure than the pressure rating of the lower housing but less than the pressure rating of the drilling/frac adapter. Then, the upper packoff and the drilling/frac adapter are removed from the lower housing and installing an upper wellhead housing on the lower wellhead housing.

Abstract: A blind rivet which includes a stem, a sleeve and a locking collar. The stem includes a head or plug portion, and the plug portion includes one or more grooves or depressions which provide that lower installation forces can be used to install the blind rivet, and if a sealant or paint is used, provide a type of escape mechanism for the sealant or paint to travel to during installation of the blind rivet. The grooves or depressions may vary in number and take on any number of shapes and sizes. For example, they may be longitudinal and may get wider and/or deeper toward the end of the stem.

Abstract: An apparatus for preventing water leak damage from a bath fixture, the apparatus comprising a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end wall, a second end wall, a top wall, a bottom wall sloping downwardly to an outlet wherein the first and second side walls, the first and second end walls, the top wall, and the bottom wall define a compartment therebetween and wherein the water source pipes of the bath fixture extend upwardly through the bottom wall. The apparatus further includes a waterproof covering that covers the entire inside surfaces of the compartment, and a drain element that connect the outlet of the bottom wall to a drain pipe of the bath fixture. The apparatus may also include at least one removable panel to provide access to water source pipes disposed within the compartment.

Abstract: A hanger assembly and a method for supporting a string of tubular members in a wellhead assembly are disclosed wherein the hanger assembly is supported within the wellhead assembly by a single landing shoulder in the wellhead assembly and a seal member is independently, sealingly engaged with a portion of the string of tubular members.

Abstract: A method of providing an internal circumferential shoulder in a cylindrical passageway including the steps of forming an enlarged internal diameter groove in the passageway, machining an integral unitary circumferential shoulder blank of external dimensions conforming to the groove, cutting the shoulder blank into at least segments, each segment having opposed end surfaces that match the end surfaces of adjacent segments, the opposed end surfaces of one segment being defined by parallel, spaced-apart planes forming a key segment, positioning the shoulder segments into the groove, the key segment being inserted last and securing the key segment within the groove.

Abstract: An assembly for sealing the annular space between the inner cylindrical surface of a tubular member and the outer surface of a cylindrical member having a separate upper and lower seal member each of which are sealably and translatably positioned on the cylindrical member outer cylindrical surface, each of the upper and lower seal members having a circumferentially outwardly displaceable sealing lip and including a tubular actuator positioned between the upper and lower seal members having end portions for radially outwardly displacing the upper and lower sealing lips and including a downwardly displaceable seal energizer for moving the upper seal member towards the lower seal member to cause the actuator to concomitantly, radially outwardly expand the circumferential sealing lips.

Abstract: The protection to the backside of the semiconductor wafer is accomplished by applying a layer of silicon oxide or silicon nitride or other deposited material to the back surface of a semiconductor wafer to protect against particles, scratches, and etching by mild caustic solutions. The layer remains in place during all three processes, edge pre-polish, mirror edge polish, and wafer polish.

Abstract: A metal-to-metal sealing method and apparatus for use on oil and/or gas wells, utilizes an upper seal member and a lower seal member, wherein the energizing of the seal members is staged to cause the lower seal member to become sealingly engaged. before the upper seal member becomes sealingly engaged. The seal members may have two seals of different construction; one seal is an interference type seal, and the other seal is a wedge type seal.

Abstract: A method for gettering metal atoms (28) from a subsequently contaminated silicon substrate (12) is disclosed. A smoothed or polished first surface (16) has a thin germanium silicon layer (20) deposited thereon. A silicon layer (24) is deposited onto the germanium silicon layer (20) to seal the layer (20) between the substrate (12) and the silicon layer (24). Electronic components (26) are fabricated on a second surface (14) of the silicon substrate (12) which causes the metal atoms (28) to contaminate the substrate as a result of contamination in normal processing (12). As the substrate (12) is heated during normal processing of the devices, metal atoms (28) in the substrate of a result of contamination, diffuse in the substrate (12) to the misfit dislocations at the germanium-silicon (20)/silicon interface.

Abstract: An improved wellhead annulus seal installation tool and preload retention apparatus is disclosed particularly adapted for metal-to-metal seals. The seal installation tool includes a telescoping mandrel with a torsion spring attached and a torque sleeve rotatably mounted thereon with a pair of antirotation pins for limiting the rotation of the torque sleeve, a resilient seal for sealing the lower portion of the tool inside the hanger and torque pins for transmitting the torque and axial movement of the tool to the preload retention apparatus. The preload retention apparatus includes an upper body with an annulus packoff seal which may be resilient or metal-to-metal and a driving ring threaded thereon. An expansible lock ring in carried on the driving ring with an expander ring thereabove which coacts with the seal installation tool to thereby lock the annulus packoff seal inside the wellhead.

Abstract: An improved wellhead structure having a housing with an internal landing seat to receive the landing shoulder on a hanger having a bore with a counterbore below the bore and a shoulder between, a hanger mandrel positioned within the counterbore and having an external flange having a diameter less than the diameter of the counterbore, a first bushing positioned above the mandrel flange and in engagement with said shoulder within the hanger counterbore, a second bushing positioned within the counterbore below said mandrel flange, and a support sleeve positioned within said hanger in supporting relationship to said second bushing, said bushings being of an electrical insulating material and sized to retain said mandrel in spaced relationship with respect to said hanger to prevent electrical connection therebetween. This structure also is used for supporting and sealing a tubing string or a section of a tubing string in a well while electrically insulating the section from the remainder of the string.

Abstract: The improved wellhead structure of the present invention includes a casing or tubing string which is sealed to the housing without the aid of elastomeric seals and an internal bushing to assist in providing the tight gripping and sealing engagement between the string and the housing. The structure provides a substantial inner diameter which is unrestricted unless landing shoulder is included in the structure. Also, the internal bushing used with the cold forging of the string into the housing recess improves the gripping and sealing engagement therebetween. In one form the bushing includes a series of external projections which alternate with the gripping and sealing projections within the housing recess and in another form includes a resilient annulus between the interior of the bushing and the string to ensure the uniform application of pressure against the interior of the string.

Abstract: An improved wellhead slip and seal assembly including a slip assembly with slips supported in a slip bowl and with the seal assembly positioned above and interconnected to the slip assembly. The seal assembly includes a segmented retainer ring which is at least partially radially compressible and having inner and outer recesses in which resilient sealing rings are positioned and the retainer ring has an outer diameter at such recesses which is larger than the inner diameter of the housing in which it is to be positioned and includes an external tapered surface from said outer diameter to a smaller outer diameter therebelow which is smaller than the inner diameter of the housing so that the retainer ring is moved radially inwardly as it is moved into position within said wellhead housing. Means interconnects the slip bowl and the segmented retainer ring to assist in retaining the seal ring in its desired position until the assembly has been landed within the wellhead housing.

Abstract: An improved wellhead valve includes a tubular body with a central passage therethrough and with a downwardly facing valve seat surrounding a portion of said passage, a cylindrical sealing surface above said valve seat, internal threads above said sealing surface and external threads, a valve member positioned within said passage below said valve seat and biased toward engagement with said valve seat, a plug having external threads for engagement with the internal threads of said body and having a sealing means for sealing against said cylindrical sealing surface and a projection extending downwardly from said sealing means, said plug when positioned within said central passage with its sealing means engaging said sealing surface closing flow through said body and said plug being movable downwardly so that its sealing means is below said sealing surface and its projection engages said valve member to move it out of engagement with the valve seat so that flow through said central passage is open and further rot

Abstract: An improved annular seal and hanger which are to be installed in a wellhead housing. The annular seal assembly includes seal ring having a central body with upper outer rim, upper inner rim, lower outer rim and lower inner rim extending from said central body, an upper wedge ring, a lower wedge ring and means connecting said rings to allow setting movement thereof, means releasably securing said assembled rings to the hanger for running into the wellhead housing, each of said rims including an outer sealing lip, the outer sealing lips having a free diameter less than the diameter of the lower wedge ring so that the sealing lips are protected during running of the hanger into the wellhead housing and means for moving said wedge rings into the space between the rims of said seal ring for urging the sealing lips into sealing engagement with the interior sealing surface of said housing.

Abstract: A system for providing battery power to a portable defibrillator that includes a first housing having a generally vertical first sidewall (32). The system comprises battery pack (12) that includes a second housing having a second sidewall (38), battery means (80, 82) mounted within the second housing, and first electrical connector means (66) mounted in and extending through the second housing and electrically connected to the battery means. The system further comprises means forming grooves (46, 50) along the upper and lower edges of the first sidewall, and tongue means (40, 42) extending from the second sidewall, the tongue means being shaped to be slidingly received between the groove means to mount the battery pack to the defibrillator. A latch (68) is provided for latching the tongue means against lengthwise motion when the tongue means is received between the groove means.

Abstract: A wellhead assembly with an increased through bore for passing slightly oversized drill bits therethrough with a substantially reduced landing shoulder, and an improved landing assembly which transfers a portion of the stresses through the energizing ring and support ring into the wellhead body along the straight bore above said landing shoulder.