Abstract: Bail extensions for drilling rig bails can be pivoted relative to the bails in a direction away from the well centerline, but remain collinear with the bails when the bails are deflected away from the well centerline by link tilts. The extensions are mounted to frames mounted to the bails' lower eyes, such that the bail extensions maintain a constant angular orientation relative to the frames. The frames include reaction plates that exert reaction forces on the bails when the bails are deflected from vertical by the link tilts, thus maintaining the bail extensions collinear with the bails. The bail extensions may be length-adjustable. An adjustable extension yoke may be mounted between the frames to adjust and maintain a selected spacing therebetween. An adjustable casing guide may be mounted between the bail extensions to facilitate stabbing of a casing joint carried by a pipe elevator suspended from the bail extensions.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for digitizing a framework for clinical development. In one example, a computing device comprising a memory configured to store a study and a processor may be configured to perform the techniques. The processor may receive, from a user, an input specifying a plurality of trial elements for the study, and receive, from the user, an input arranging the plurality of trial elements into a tree data structure. The processor may also determine, based on the tree data structure of the plurality of trial elements, one or more trial arms for the study, each trial arm of the one or more trial arms comprising a single path between at least one trial element of the plurality of trial elements to at least one other trial element of the plurality of trial elements. The processor may further output, for display, the one or more trial arms for the study.

Abstract: A fluid manifold connector apparatus includes a stinger having fluid channels for receiving fluid from flow lines and discharging the fluid through axially-spaced outlet ports on the stinger, plus a receiver having a bore with inlet ports spaced to match the stinger outlet ports. Annular seals are provided above and below each stinger fluid outlet port, or above and below each receiver fluid inlet port, to form a sealed annular fluid chamber between each axially-adjacent pair of seals when the stinger is disposed within the receiver bore. The flow lines pass through bores in a deformable plug disposed within the bore of a stinger extension sleeve for fluid communication with the upper ends of the stinger fluid channels. A piston assembly is mountable to the sleeve for compressing and deforming the plug to sealingly grip the flow lines and to seal the plug against the bottom of the sleeve bore.

Abstract: An axisymmetric clutch mechanism includes a drive clutch body having a drive bearing surface and a drive clutch surface; an intermediate clutch body having an intermediate clutch surface configured for sliding contacting engagement with the drive clutch surface; a driven clutch body having a driven bearing surface configured for transferring compressive axial force to the drive bearing surface; and rotational drag means for generating resistance to rotational slippage between the drive clutch surface and the intermediate clutch surface. The intermediate and driven clutch bodies are helically coupled in a first rotational direction, forming a first helical coupling having a first lead angle, and with the taper angle of the drive clutch surface and the intermediate clutch surfaces and the first lead angle being selected such that the clutch mechanism will lock when the drive clutch body is rotated relative to the driven clutch body in the first rotational direction.

Abstract: An axisymmetric clutch mechanism includes a drive clutch body having a drive bearing surface and a drive clutch surface; an intermediate clutch body having an intermediate clutch surface configured for sliding contacting engagement with the drive clutch surface; a driven clutch body having a driven bearing surface configured for transferring compressive axial force to the drive bearing surface; and rotational drag means for generating resistance to rotational slippage between the drive clutch surface and the intermediate clutch surface. The intermediate and driven clutch bodies are helically coupled in a first rotational direction, forming a first helical coupling having a first lead angle, and with the taper angle of the drive clutch surface and the intermediate clutch surfaces and the first lead angle being selected such that the clutch mechanism will lock when the drive clutch body is rotated relative to the driven clutch body in the first rotational direction.

Abstract: A rotary latch release mechanism includes axially-aligned upper and lower rotary latch components carried on and rotationally coupled to upper and lower latch assemblies, respectively. The latch release mechanism is movable from an axially-latched position to an axially-unlatched position in response to relative rotation between the upper and lower rotary latch components. The latch release mechanism has a movable land surface that acts in response to relative axial displacement to induce the relative rotation required to release the latch. The latch release mechanism may be configured such that the axial movement of the movable land surface will cause the relative axial movement required to release the latch in combination with the required rotation. Accordingly, the rotary latch mechanism operates in response to externally-controlled axial movement of a movable land surface carried by the latch release mechanism, without requiring externally-induced rotation.

Abstract: A rotary latch release mechanism includes axially-aligned upper and lower rotary latch components carried on and rotationally coupled to upper and lower latch assemblies, respectively. The latch release mechanism is movable from an axially-latched position to an axially-unlatched position in response to relative rotation between the upper and lower rotary latch components. The latch release mechanism has a movable land surface that acts in response to relative axial displacement to induce the relative rotation required to release the latch. The latch release mechanism may be configured such that the axial movement of the movable land surface will cause the relative axial movement required to release the latch in combination with the required rotation. Accordingly, the rotary latch mechanism operates in response to externally-controlled axial movement of a movable land surface carried by the latch release mechanism, without requiring externally-induced rotation.

Abstract: A clamp assembly, for mounting around a tool joint coaxially joining cylindrical upper and lower workpieces, comprises an upper collar assembly and a lower collar assembly, each having semi-cylindrical left and right collar segments. The left and right collar segments of each collar assembly are removably connectable to each other by threaded fasteners to form the collar assembly. The upper and lower collar assemblies are coaxially mountable around the upper and lower workpieces, respectively, such that tightening the fasteners will urge the upper and lower collar assemblies to grip the upper and lower workpieces, respectively, and thus to provide increased resistance to relative rotation between the two workpieces about the tool joint axis. The upper and lower left collar segments, and/or the upper and lower right collar segments, may be interlockingly and radially slidable relative to each other to accommodate differences between the outside diameters of the two workpieces.

Abstract: A clamp assembly, for mounting around a tool joint coaxially joining cylindrical upper and lower workpieces, comprises an upper collar assembly and a lower collar assembly, each having semi-cylindrical left and right collar segments. The left and right collar segments of each collar assembly are removably connectable to each other by threaded fasteners to form the collar assembly. The upper and lower collar assemblies are coaxially mountable around the upper and lower workpieces, respectively, such that tightening the fasteners will urge the upper and lower collar assemblies to grip the upper and lower workpieces, respectively, and thus to provide increased resistance to relative rotation between the two workpieces about the tool joint axis. The upper and lower left collar segments, and/or the upper and lower right collar segments, may be interlockingly and radially slidable relative to each other to accommodate differences between the outside diameters of the two workpieces.

Abstract: An axial linkage acting between the main body and the gripping assembly of a tool for gripping tubular workpieces includes a drive cam body that coaxially engages an intermediate cam body via a drive thread, with the intermediate cam body coaxially engaging a driven cam body via a driven thread, and with the drive thread and the driven thread having opposite orientations. The linkage includes a latch mechanism for preventing relative axial displacement of the drive cam body and the driven cam body. In operation while unlatched, the linkage converts bi-directional relative rotation into relative axial movement of the drive cam body and the driven cam body, thus increasing or decreasing the overall length of the linkage according to the rotational direction. The linkage can be re-latched using any of multiple operational sequences.

Abstract: A cementing head apparatus includes a plug-launching tool and a tubular plug receiver cage disposed within a bore of the launching tool, plus one or more paddles selectively movable within a bore of the receiver cage between a hold position in which the paddles at least partially occlude the receiver cage bore to hold a plug within a retained plug interval of the receiver cage bore, and a launch position in which the paddles are substantially retracted from the receiver cage bore to allow passage of the plug through the receiver cage bore and onward into a casing string to which the launching tool is mounted.

Abstract: An axial linkage acting between the main body and the gripping assembly of a tool for gripping tubular workpieces includes a drive cam body that coaxially engages an intermediate cam body via a drive thread, with the intermediate cam body coaxially engaging a driven cam body via a driven thread, and with the drive thread and the driven thread having opposite orientations. The linkage includes a latch mechanism for preventing relative axial displacement of the drive cam body and the driven cam body. In operation while unlatched, the linkage converts bi-directional relative rotation into relative axial movement of the drive cam body and the driven cam body, thus increasing or decreasing the overall length of the linkage according to the rotational direction. The linkage can be re-latched using any of multiple operational sequences.

Abstract: A rotary latch release mechanism includes axially-aligned upper and lower rotary latch components carried on and rotationally coupled to upper and lower latch assemblies, respectively. The latch release mechanism is movable from an axially-latched position to an axially-unlatched position in response to relative rotation between the upper and lower rotary latch components. The latch release mechanism has a movable land surface that acts in response to relative axial displacement to induce the relative rotation required to release the latch. The latch release mechanism may be configured such that the axial movement of the movable land surface will cause the relative axial movement required to release the latch in combination with the required rotation. Accordingly, the rotary latch mechanism operates in response to externally-controlled axial movement of a movable land surface carried by the latch release mechanism, without requiring externally-induced rotation.

Abstract: A rotary latch release mechanism includes axially-aligned upper and lower rotary latch components carried on and rotationally coupled to upper and lower latch assemblies, respectively. The latch release mechanism is movable from an axially-latched position to an axially-unlatched position in response to relative rotation between the upper and lower rotary latch components. The latch release mechanism has a movable land surface that acts in response to relative axial displacement to induce the relative rotation required to release the latch. The latch release mechanism may be configured such that the axial movement of the movable land surface will cause the relative axial movement required to release the latch in combination with the required rotation. Accordingly, the rotary latch mechanism operates in response to externally-controlled axial movement of a movable land surface carried by the latch release mechanism, without requiring externally-induced rotation.

Abstract: A rotary latch release mechanism includes axially-aligned upper and lower rotary latch components carried on and rotationally coupled to upper and lower latch assemblies, respectively. The latch release mechanism is movable from an axially-latched position to an axially-unlatched position in response to relative rotation between the upper and lower rotary latch components. The latch release mechanism has a movable land surface that acts in response to relative axial displacement, to induce the relative rotation required to release the latch. The latch release mechanism may be configured such that the axial movement of the movable land surface will cause the relative axial movement required to release the latch in combination with the required rotation. Accordingly, the rotary latch mechanism operates in response to externally-controlled axial movement of a movable land surface carried by the latch release mechanism, without requiring externally-induced rotation.

Abstract: A rotary latch release mechanism includes axially-aligned upper and lower rotary latch components carried on and rotationally coupled to upper and lower latch assemblies, respectively. The latch release mechanism is movable from an axially-latched position to an axially-unlatched position in response to relative rotation between the upper and lower rotary latch components. The latch release mechanism has a movable land surface that acts in response to relative axial displacement to induce the relative rotation required to release the latch. The latch release mechanism may be configured such that the axial movement of the movable land surface will cause the relative axial movement required to release the latch in combination with the required rotation. Accordingly, the rotary latch mechanism operates in response to externally-controlled axial movement of a movable land surface carried by the latch release mechanism, without requiring externally-induced rotation.

Abstract: A cementing head apparatus includes a plug-launching tool and a tubular plug receiver cage disposed within a bore of the launching tool, plus one or more paddles selectively movable within a bore of the receiver cage between a hold position in which the paddles at least partially occlude the receiver cage bore to hold a plug within a retained plug interval of the receiver cage bore, and a launch position in which the paddles are substantially retracted from the receiver cage bore to allow passage of the plug through the receiver cage bore and onward into a casing string to which the launching tool is mounted.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for digitizing a framework for clinical development. In one example, a computing device comprising a memory configured to store a study and a processor may be configured to perform the techniques. The processor may receive, from a user, an input specifying a plurality of trial elements for the study, and receive, from the user, an input arranging the plurality of trial elements into a tree data structure. The processor may also determine, based on the tree data structure of the plurality of trial elements, one or more trial arms for the study, each trial arm of the one or more trial arms comprising a single path between at least one trial element of the plurality of trial elements to at least one other trial element of the plurality of trial elements. The processor may further output, for display, the one or more trial arms for the study.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for digitizing a framework for clinical development. In one example, A computing device comprising a memory configured to store a regulatory database, and one or more processors may be configured to perform the techniques. The one or more processors may retrieve, from the regulatory database, a template based on a governance process, receive, via a user interface, input from a user, parameterize the template based on the governance process with the user input to create a parameterized template, and store the parameterized template in a database.