Patents by Inventor Nicholas Peter Gette
Nicholas Peter Gette 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).
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Patent number: 9856710Abstract: An well assembly having a housing with an inner surface, the assembly including a tubular member inserted in the housing and having an outer surface. The assembly further includes a plurality of protrusions extending from one of the inner or outer surfaces, the protrusions separated by gaps defined between adjacent protrusions. In addition, the well assembly includes a metal to metal seal pressed against and deformed by the protrusions. A plurality of hollow tubes are provided for insertion in the gaps between the protrusions, the tubes being collapsible upon engagement with the metal to metal seal.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2013Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.Inventors: Baozhi Zhu, Jeffrey Allen Raynal, Nicholas Peter Gette
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Patent number: 9376881Abstract: A high capacity single trip lockdown bushing and a method to operate the same is disclosed. The lockdown bushing includes a tubular body that carries a locking ring and an energizing ring about an upper portion of the tubular body. The energizing ring includes a cam portion interposed between the locking ring and the tubular body so that the cam portion and the locking ring overlap along mating cam surfaces in an unset position. A running tool carries the lockdown bushing to land on a casing hanger. The running tool is actuated to drive the energizing ring downward so that the mating cam surfaces interact to move the locking ring radially outward into engagement with wickers formed in a wellhead.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2012Date of Patent: June 28, 2016Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Peter Gette, Carl F. Boehm, Daniel Ralph Barnhart
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Patent number: 9175537Abstract: A wellhead seal assembly that forms a metal-to-metal seal between inner and outer wellhead members. A seal member has inner and outer seal legs separated by a slot. A locking ring is positioned in the outer seal leg and has wickered sections, where each of the wickered sections protrude through a window in the outer seal leg of the seal member. An energizing ring has an upper tapered surface that is oblique to an axis of the annular energizing ring and extending laterally from the axis over a portion of the locking ring and a lower tapered surface that is oblique to and extending laterally from the axis. As the energizing ring is moved into the slot, the upper tapered surface engages an inner surface of the locking ring, and the lower tapered surface engages an inner annular wall of the slot.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2012Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Peter Gette, David Lawrence Ford, Michael Benjamin Snyder
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Patent number: 9169711Abstract: A seal for sealing an annulus between an outer tubular wellhead member and an inner tubular wellhead member is described. The seal is an annular sealing ring that has a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart sealing ring grooves extending at least from a first end to a second end of the sealing surface of at least one of the wellhead members. When the seal is energized, fouling on the sealing surface is urged toward and then through the slot, axially away from the sealing surface.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2012Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey Allen Raynal, Nicholas Peter Gette, Philip John Potter, Daniel Caleb Benson, David Lawrence Ford
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Patent number: 9115561Abstract: In a wellhead near the top of an oil and gas well, a locking profile configured for locking engagement with an inner well member and including a locking ridge having a rib and a locking shoulder. The locking ridge extends radially inward from an inner surface of the wellhead into a well bore. The rib is located on an end of the ridge distal from the wellhead and protrudes into the inner well member. The locking shoulder is located on an end of the ridge distal from the wellhead and adjacent a lower end of the rib, so that as the inner well member exerts an upward force on the rib, the upward force creates a moment in the locking ridge that pushes the locking shoulder into tighter engagement with the inner well member.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2012Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Peter Gette, Daniel Ralph Barnhart, David Lawrence Ford
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Patent number: 9074448Abstract: In a wellhead near the top of an oil and gas well, a locking ring assembly for locking an inner tubular wellhead member axially relative to an outer tubular wellhead member. The inner tubular member has a circumferential recess that contains a locking ring. After insertion of the inner tubular member into the outer tubular member, actuating pins radially expand the locking ring so that it partially leaves the circumferential recess and engages a corresponding recess in the outer tubular member. The pins may be deployed by a seal inserted above the inner tubular member.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2012Date of Patent: July 7, 2015Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Peter Gette, David Lawrence Ford
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Publication number: 20150114666Abstract: An well assembly having a housing with an inner surface, the assembly including a tubular member inserted in the housing and having an outer surface. The assembly further includes a plurality of protrusions extending from one of the inner or outer surfaces, the protrusions separated by gaps defined between adjacent protrusions. In addition, the well assembly includes a metal to metal seal pressed against and deformed by the protrusions. A plurality of hollow tubes are provided for insertion in the gaps between the protrusions, the tubes being collapsible upon engagement with the metal to metal seal.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2013Publication date: April 30, 2015Applicant: Vetco Gray Inc.Inventors: Baozhi Zhu, Jeffrey Allen Raynal, Nicholas Peter Gette
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Patent number: 8997883Abstract: A wellhead seal assembly that forms a metal-to-metal seal between inner and outer wellhead members. A seal member has inner and outer walls separated by a slot, where the slot has an upper portion that is wider than a lower portion of the slot. An energizing ring having an upper end portion and a nose is moved into the slot, where the upper end portion has a greater cross-sectional thickness than the nose. As the energizing ring is moved into the slot, the nose of the energizing ring engages the lower portion of the slot to form a lock against the walls of the inner and outer wellhead members, and the upper end portion of the energizing ring engages the upper portion of the slot to form a seal against the walls of the inner and outer wellhead members.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2012Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Peter Gette, Benjamin Michael Snyder
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Patent number: 8955604Abstract: A receptacle sub that increases the venting flowrate during retrieval of a running tool. The sub includes a sleeve with a bypass port in a central bore defined by a tubular body. The sleeve is selectively moveable from an upper position to a lower position. A seal on the sleeve seals the sleeve to the bore while a retainer holds the sleeve in the upper position. A bypass passage in the body is in fluid communication with the bypass port. A drop member lands on the sleeve, blocking downward flow through the sleeve and actuating a hydraulic function. The drop member receives a fluid pressure greater than the hydraulic function fluid pressure, releasing the retainer to move the sleeve to the lower position. This allows fluid communication from above the central bore through the bypass passage and through the bypass ports of the sleeve below the drop member.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2011Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.Inventor: Nicholas Peter Gette
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Patent number: 8950785Abstract: A broach style anti-rotation device for connected tubular members is described. In embodiments, the broach tool is inserted into a slot in an outer diameter surface of the pin, and teeth of the broach, which have a successively greater height when moving from the front to the tail of the broach, cut a slot in a surface of the box. Sidewalls of the broach and its teeth engage shoulders of each slot to prevent the rotation of the tubular members relative to each other.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2012Date of Patent: February 10, 2015Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey Allen Raynal, Thomas Lowell Steen, Nicholas Peter Gette, David Lawrence Ford, Benjamin Michael Snyder, Stephen David Peters, Ebony LaShaun Towns, Roberto Jose Manzano
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Patent number: 8950752Abstract: A wellhead seal assembly that forms a metal-to-metal seal between inner and outer wellhead members and a face seal between inner wellhead members. The face seal is created by two opposing sealing surfaces on inner wellhead members that sealingly engage each other. The inner wellhead members that interact to form a face seal may be a casing hanger, bridging hanger, or lockdown hanger. A wicker profile formed on one of the opposing seal surfaces bites into the opposing seal surface in response to a load. The face seal is designed such that well pressure enhances the face seal.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2010Date of Patent: February 10, 2015Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Peter Gette, Armando Faz, Stephen Ellis
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Publication number: 20140238699Abstract: An annular seal for use in a wellhead assembly has inner and outer legs that each extend in a direction that is generally parallel with an axis of the seal to define an annular space therebetween. Wickers are provided on an outer surface of the seal, so that when the seal is energized and the legs are urged radially apart from one another, the wickers engage with a mating surface of a downhole tubular. Embedding the wickers into the tubular creates a flow barrier across the interface between the seal and the tubular. The wickers deform the surface of the tubular, which creates a lock down force that opposes relative axial movement of the tubular.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2013Publication date: August 28, 2014Applicant: Vetco Gray Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Peter Gette, Daniel Ralph Barnhart, David Lawrence Ford
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Publication number: 20140131054Abstract: A seal for sealing an annulus between an outer tubular wellhead member and an inner tubular wellhead member is described. In embodiments, the seal is an annular sealing ring that has a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart sealing ring grooves extending at least from a first end to a second end of the sealing surface of at least one of the wellhead members. When the seal is energized, fouling on the sealing surface is urged toward and then through the slot, axially away from the sealing surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2012Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicant: Vetco Gray Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey Allen Raynal, Nicholas Peter Gette, Philip John Potter, Daniel Caleb Benson, David Lawrence Ford
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Publication number: 20140096977Abstract: A wellhead seal assembly that forms a metal-to-metal seal between inner and outer wellhead members. A seal member has inner and outer seal legs separated by a slot. A locking ring is positioned in the outer seal leg and has wickered sections, where each of the wickered sections protrude through a window in the outer seal leg of the seal member. An energizing ring has an upper tapered surface that is oblique to an axis of the annular energizing ring and extending laterally from the axis over a portion of the locking ring and a lower tapered surface that is oblique to and extending laterally from the axis. As the energizing ring is moved into the slot, the upper tapered surface engages an inner surface of the locking ring, and the lower tapered surface engages an inner annular wall of the slot.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2012Publication date: April 10, 2014Applicant: Vetco Gray Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Peter Gette, David Lawrence Ford, Michael Benjamin Snyder
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Patent number: 8689891Abstract: A universal dart launcher launches a dart by moving a dart from a first position to a second position. The universal dart launcher has a launcher body defining a central bore having an axis and lower and upper ends configured to attach to a string of pipe. A cartridge housed within the launcher body may move perpendicular to the axis from a first position to a second position. A drop member is positioned within the cartridge so that it will not be in axial alignment with the central bore while in the first position, and will be in axial alignment with the central bore while in the second position. An actuator assembly couples to the launcher body to move the cartridge from the first position to the second position when actuated.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2011Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Peter Gette, Marc Minassian, James Christopher Clingman
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Publication number: 20140076573Abstract: A downhole tool cleans debris from a subsea well with nozzle assemblies that selectively deploy from the tool. The nozzle assemblies are in fluid communication with an annulus of a drill pipe on which the downhole tool is mounted, so that fluid pumped into the drill pipe discharges from nozzles provided with the nozzle assemblies. The nozzle assemblies are strategically situated so that when deployed, a stream discharged from nozzles on the assemblies clears debris from a surface between a casing hanger and wellhead housing. The nozzle assemblies are coupled to an annular piston coaxially set on the tool; and sliding the piston axially along the tool deploys the nozzle assemblies. Axially spaced apart ports extend radially through the tool to opposing faces on a head of the piston. Blocking one of the ports with a ball dropped down the drill pipe moves the piston and deploys the assemblies.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2012Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: VETCO GRAY INC.Inventors: Nicholas Peter Gette, Daniel Ralph Barnhart
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Publication number: 20140069661Abstract: A wellhead seal assembly that forms a metal-to-metal seal between inner and outer wellhead members. A seal member has inner and outer walls separated by a slot, where the slot has an upper portion that is wider than a lower portion of the slot. An energizing ring having an upper end portion and a nose is moved into the slot, where the upper end portion has a greater cross-sectional thickness than the nose. As the energizing ring is moved into the slot, the nose of the energizing ring engages the lower portion of the slot to form a lock against the walls of the inner and outer wellhead members, and the upper end portion of the energizing ring engages the upper portion of the slot to form a seal against the walls of the inner and outer wellhead members.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2012Publication date: March 13, 2014Applicant: VETCO GRAY INC.Inventors: Nicholas Peter Gette, Benjamin Michael Snyder
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Publication number: 20140069632Abstract: In a wellhead near the top of an oil and gas well, a locking profile configured for locking engagement with an inner well member and including a locking ridge having a rib and a locking shoulder. The locking ridge extends radially inward from an inner surface of the wellhead into a well bore. The rib is located on an end of the ridge distal from the wellhead and protrudes into the inner well member. The locking shoulder is located on an end of the ridge distal from the wellhead and adjacent a lower end of the rib, so that as the inner well member exerts an upward force on the rib, the upward force creates a moment in the locking ridge that pushes the locking shoulder into tighter engagement with the inner well member.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2012Publication date: March 13, 2014Applicant: VETCO GRAY INC.Inventors: Nicholas Peter Gette, Daniel Ralph Barnhart, David Lawrence Ford
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Publication number: 20140069631Abstract: In a wellhead near the top of an oil and gas well, a locking ring assembly for locking an inner tubular wellhead member axially relative to an outer tubular wellhead member. The inner tubular member has a circumferential recess that contains a locking ring. After insertion of the inner tubular member into the outer tubular member, actuating pins radially expand the locking ring so that it partially leaves the circumferential recess and engages a corresponding recess in the outer tubular member. The pins may be deployed by a seal inserted above the inner tubular member.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2012Publication date: March 13, 2014Applicant: VETCO GRAY INC.Inventors: Nicholas Peter Gette, David Lawrence Ford
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Patent number: 8662185Abstract: A subsea wellhead assembly includes a housing with a bore. A hanger is lowered into the housing, the hanger having at least one centralizing finger with a hook for engaging a corresponding hook an activation ring carried by the hanger via a shear pin. A load ring is carried on the hanger and supported initially within a recess formed on the exterior of the hanger. At the correct depth within the housing, coinciding with a shoulder on the inner diameter of the housing, the pin is sheared under the weight of the casing string and the hooks disengage to allow the load ring on the hanger to slide outward and create a path for the casing load to be transferred from the hanger to the hanger load ring, to a housing load ring, and ultimately the housing.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2010Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.Inventor: Nicholas Peter Gette