Seal Or Bushing Insertion Or Removal Patents (Class 166/85.3)
  • Patent number: 7314085
    Abstract: A wellhead has, instead of a conventional Christmas tree, a spool tree (34) in which a tubing hanger (54) is landed at a predetermined angular orientation. As the tubing string can be pulled without disturbing the tree, many advantages follow, including access to the production casing hanger (21) for monitoring production casing annulus pressure, and the introduction of larger tools into the well hole without breaching the integrity of the well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Hans Paul Hopper, Thomas G. Cassity
  • Patent number: 7284616
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an assembly for installing and selectively retrieving a wear bushing in the bore of a subsea or surface wellhead. The assembly includes a bit sub, which is adapted for attachment to a drill string, a drill string adapter removably coupled to the bit sub, and a wear bushing removably coupled to the drill string adapter and adapted to be recoupled to the drill string adapter for selective retrieval from the bore of the wellhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Dril-Quip, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory D. Williams, Christopher L. Ognoskie, John A. Beleski
  • Patent number: 7243958
    Abstract: A connection system is described for connecting parts of an apparatus. A first part having one or more pin receptacles cooperatively mates to a second part housing one or more spring-biased pin assemblies to provide a fluid-tight seal. The second part further provides one or more pin assembly housings. The first and second parts assemble such that at least one pin assembly housing aligns with at least one pin receptacle. At least one pin assembly disposed through the at least one pin assembly housing selectively engages the pin receptacle to secure the connection of the first part to the second part of the apparatus. Each pin assembly may include a pin assembly sleeve having a spring stop; a spring seated within the sleeve; a pin, also having a spring stop, axially disposed through the spring, and a pin handle connected to the pin distally from the pin spring stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Inventor: John R. Williams
  • Patent number: 7234530
    Abstract: A ram-type blowout preventer may include a body, a first ram block positioned within the body and having a first shearing element and a first sealing element, and a second ram block positioned within the body and opposing the first ram block, the second ram block having a second shearing element and a second sealing element. The blowout preventer may also include a load intensifying member coupled to the first ram block, wherein the first ram block and the second ram block are configured to close together upon activation of the blowout preventer, and wherein the load intensifying member is positioned to engage with the second ram block when the first and second ram block close and force the first shearing element and the second shearing element together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Hydril Company LP
    Inventor: Dustin Dean Gass
  • Patent number: 7174956
    Abstract: A connector is provided for selectively connecting or disconnecting a stripper rubber to or from drilling head equipment such as a bearing assembly. A generally cylindrical adapter connected to the equipment defines a primary bore to accommodate a down hole tubular. One or more cam pin bores, adapted to house one ore more cam pins, are positioned radially around the adapter substantially parallel to the primary bore. One or more cam lock bores adapted to house one or more at least partially rotatable cam locks, are offset from the pin cam bores such that each cam pin bore partially intersects a corresponding cam lock bore to form an aperture through which the cam lock engages the cam pin. One or more cam pins are connected to the stripper rubber; and one or more at least partially rotatable cam locks housed in the cam lock bores of the adapter optionally engage or disengage the pin cams to respectively connect or disconnect the stripper rubber to or from the equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Inventors: John R. Williams, Charles T. Bishop
  • Patent number: 7117945
    Abstract: A wellhead has, instead of a conventional Christmas tree, a spool tree (34) in which a tubing hanger (54) is landed at a predetermined angular orientation As the tubing string can be pulled without disturbing the tree, many advantages follow, including access to the production casing hanger (21) for monitoring production casing annulus pressure, and the introduction of larger tools into the well hole without breaching the integrity of the well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Hans Paul Hopper, Thomas G. Cassity
  • Patent number: 7069987
    Abstract: The invention provides a casing adapter tool which connects and seals to a casing pipe at its lower end and to production or service equipment at its upper end, and is used with well servicing equipment, such as is involved in fracturing. The casing adapter tool includes a generally tubular casing adapter body having an upper end and a lower end, and is formed with a central bore extending therethrough. The central bore provides a profile which forms a casing seal chamber at the lower end, and a barrier seal chamber located thereabove. The barrier seal chamber is formed with a profile to accommodate and seal to a first removable pressure barrier on removal of any well servicing equipment. Most preferably, the barrier seal chamber has a profile sized to provide full bore access to the casing pipe and to accommodate and seal to the first removable pressure barrier which is of a threaded, latched or snap ring type check valve or plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Stream-Flo Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nathan Kwasniewski, Keith David Farquharson, Bob McGuire, John Henry Whelan
  • Patent number: 6966381
    Abstract: A drill-through spool body sleeve assembly comprises a test sleeve removably installed within a drill-through spool body having a bore with the terminal ends of the outer diameter of the test sleeve sealingly engaging the bore wall. The sleeve assembly also comprises a wear bushing removably installed in the bore between the bore wall and the test sleeve. The test sleeve is of sufficient thickness to pressure test the spool body outlets, ports, and valves before drilling and production. The test sleeve seals the bore from the outside of the spool body during the pressure testing. After the pressure tests are completed, the test sleeve is removed from the spool body, leaving the wear bushing in place. The wear bushing protects the bore wall, outlets, ports, and valves while allowing equipment such as drilling and wellhead equipment to pass through the spool body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Cooper Cameron Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Stjernstrom, Michael Matusek, David H. Theiss
  • Patent number: 6945325
    Abstract: A wear bushing has a lower portion that is landed on a casing hanger in a wellhead housing. The wear bushing is mounted to the running tool, which is joined to a drill string. With running-in keys locked on the tool, the wear bushing is lowered down the well into the wellhead housing. The wear bushing is landed on the casing hanger and anti-rotation pins are pressed upward as they contact a seal assembly. The wear bushing is rotated until the anti-rotation pins align and fall into slots. With the anti-rotation pins in the slots, the running tool is released from the wear bushing by opposite rotation, and the running tool may then be run deeper into the well. The wear bushing is extracted using a retrieval tool. The retrieval tool is axially positioned relative to the wear bushing such that tool retrieval teeth engage a wear bushing retrieval ring so that the wear bushing can be extracted from the casing hanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Ford, William Mair
  • Patent number: 6918439
    Abstract: A tubing assembly including a tubing string and tubing hanger provides a fluid passage with backpressure threads for securing a backpressure plug in a fluid-tight seal below the tubing hanger, so that the tubing hanger can be removed from the tubing string. The back pressure threads are preferably incorporated in a backpressure adapter pin connected between the tubing string and the tubing hanger. The adapter pin may also incorporate external weight-bearing shoulders for snubbing and/or suspending the tubing assembly. The backpressure plug is inserted or removed using a backpressure plug tool that slides through a packing in a pressurized casement that maintains pressure in an axial passage through a control stack of the wellhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Inventor: L. Murray Dallas
  • Patent number: 6749018
    Abstract: A wear bushing has a lower portion that is landed on a casing hanger in a wellhead housing. An upper portion of the wear bushing has a shear ring in a locking profile that locks the wear bushing to the casing hanger. A locking ring resides in a bore of the wear bushing and has passages for fluid flow. The inner surface of the locking ring has teeth for engaging the teeth of a running tool when the tool is moved upward relative to the wear bushing. A plurality of locking keys extend radially inward through the bore of the wear bushing beneath the locking ring. A beveled ridge on the tool mates with the locking ring. The wear bushing is mounted to the tool which is joined to a drill string. With the locking keys locked on the tool, the wear bushing is lowered down the well into the wellhead housing. The wear bushing is landed on the casing hanger and the locking pins are pressed upward as they contact a seal assembly. The wear bushing is rotated until the locking pins align and fall into slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: ABB Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Ford, Bill Mair
  • Patent number: 6736207
    Abstract: A device for use in removing and installing an inline component from a drill string that is depending downward over a deck. The device has an elongate member with a flange adapted to abut the deck and support the elongate member in a substantially upright orientation, and an engagement member on the elongate member adapted to rotably engage the inline component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: ENSCO International Incorporated
    Inventors: Gilles Luca, Gary J. Faciane, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6719044
    Abstract: Devices and methods for selectively emplacing a wear bushing in a wellhead housing and removing it therefrom. A drill string-mounted running tool is used to selectively engage the wear bushing during emplacement and removal. The wear bushing need not be removed each time the drill string is tripped into or out of the well. In addition, the drill string may continue to be lowered after the wear bushing is landed since the running tools described can easily pass through the bushing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: ABB Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Ford, Kevin R. Koen, Fergus Coutts Hines
  • Patent number: 6719059
    Abstract: A plug retrieval and installation tool is used with a subsea well having a production tree, a tubing hanger, a passage that extends vertically through the tubing hanger and the tree, and a plug located within a plug profile in the passage within the tubing hanger. The plug retrieval device has a housing and connector that is lowered on a lift line onto the upper end of the tree. An axially extensible stem in the housing is driven by drive mechanism into the production passage of the tubing hanger. A retrieval member mounted to the stem engages the plug and pulls it upwardly in the passage while the stem is being moved upward. The connector, drive mechanism and retrieval member are powered by an ROV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: ABB Vetco Gray Inc.
    Inventors: Francisco Dezen, Lars-Petter Sollie, Stephen P. Fenton, Jon E. Hed
  • Publication number: 20040055742
    Abstract: A cup tool for use with a mandrel of a wellhead isolation tool has a substantially right-angled stepped shoulder over which an elastomeric sealing element is forced by elevated fluid pressures. A top end of the elastomeric sealing element is inhibited from extrusion past the stepped shoulder during the insertion of the mandrel, thereby reducing the risk of damaging the sealing element before the mandrel is fully inserted through the wellhead. Once the sealing element is exposed to elevated fluid pressures, the top end of the elastomeric sealing element is forced upwardly over the stepped shoulder, and extruded into an annulus between the mandrel and a well casing or production tubing to provide a high-pressure fluid seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventor: L. Murray Dallas
  • Publication number: 20030192704
    Abstract: A wear bushing has a lower portion that is landed on a casing hanger in a wellhead housing. The wear bushing is mounted to the running tool, which is joined to a drill string. With running-in keys locked on the tool, the wear bushing is lowered down the well into the wellhead housing. The wear bushing is landed on the casing hanger and anti-rotation pins are pressed upward as they contact a seal assembly. The wear bushing is rotated until the anti-rotation pins align and fall into slots. With the anti-rotation pins in the slots, the running tool is released from the wear bushing by opposite rotation, and the running tool may then be run deeper into the well. The wear bushing is extracted using a retrieval tool. The retrieval tool is axially positioned relative to the wear bushing such that tool retrieval teeth engage a wear bushing retrieval ring so that the wear bushing can be extracted from the casing hanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Inventors: David L. Ford, William Mair
  • Publication number: 20030121671
    Abstract: The present invention generally provides a reduced downtime maintenance apparatus and method for replacing and/or repairing a subassembly in sealing equipment for oil field use. The invention allows the removal of rotating portions of a rotary drilling head without having to remove non-rotating portions. The reduction in weight and size allows a more efficient repair and/or replacement of a principal wear component such as a packer. Specifically, the packer in a rotary drilling head can be removed independent of bearings and other portions of the rotary drilling head. Furthermore, because of the relatively small size and light weight, the packer can be removed typically without having to use a crane to lift a rotary BOP and without disassembling portions of the drilling platform. In some embodiments, the packer can be removed with the drill pipe without additional equipment. Furthermore, the packer can be removed remotely without necessitating manual disengagement typically needed below the platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Applicant: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas F. Bailey, Mike A. Luke
  • Patent number: 6470965
    Abstract: A device for introducing high-pressure fluid through a well having a vertical passage with at least one valve and into a well having a well tubing into said vertical passage, has a lower part removably attachable to the well tubing, a hollow mandrel adapted to extend through the inner passage of the lower part and having a passage through which a high pressure fluid can be introduced, an upper part firmly connected with the mandrel to hold the mandrel and movable relative to the lower part between a distal position in which the upper part is spaced from the lower part and the mandrel is not introduced into the well tubing and a proximal position in which the upper part is located close to the lower part and the mandrel is introduced into the well tubing and passes through an area of the well tubing provided with the valve, so that when the high pressure fluid is introduced through the mandrel it can not affect the valve, the upper part having a port communicating the inner passage of the upper part with an ou
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Inventor: Colin Winzer
  • Publication number: 20020134556
    Abstract: The use of extruded plastic continuous-multi-channel (CMC) tubing for conveying water samples from different depths up out of boreholes is enhanced by the compressed-grommet sealing system as described. The rubber grommet is placed inside one of the many conduits of the tubing, and squeezed lengthwise, whereby the grommet expands laterally and seals and plugs the conduit. When forming a port in the conduit, an aperture is cut in the wall of the conduit, and plug-assemblies having the grommets are placed above and below the port. Ledges on the plug-assemblies engage the ends of the aperture, and operate in ocnjunction with spacer bars in the aperture to prevent the plug-assemblies being moved along the conduit by pressure in the conduit. Some of the conduits in the CMC tubing are left unplugged, for admitting probes, sensors, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventors: John Howard C. Parent, Jamieson Edward Champ, Douglas James Belshaw
  • Patent number: 6439302
    Abstract: A stripper packer includes a main body having a first end and a second end. A passage extends through the main body from the first end to the second end, thereby facilitating the passage of coiled tubing through the main body when the coiled tubing is being stripped in and out of a well bore. A primary sealing element encircles the passage. A secondary sealing element encircles the passage. A piston is positioned within the main body. Movement of the piston in a first direction toward the first end of the main body applies a compressive force to the primary sealing element thereby causing the primary sealing element to expand inwardly to form a circumferential seal around the coiled tubing. Movement of the piston in a second direction toward the second end of the main body applies a compressive force to the secondary sealing element thereby causing the secondary sealing element to expand inwardly to form a circumferential seal around the coiled tubing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Vanoil Equipment Inc.
    Inventor: Jim Wiedemann
  • Publication number: 20020092656
    Abstract: Devices and methods for selectively emplacing a wear bushing in a wellhead housing and removing it therefrom. A drill string-mounted running tool is used to selectively engage the wear bushing during emplacement and removal. The wear bushing need not be removed each time the drill string is tripped into or out of the well. In addition, the drill string may continue to be lowered after the wear bushing is landed since the running tools described can easily pass through the bushing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2001
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Inventors: David L. Ford, Kevin R. Koen, Fergus Coutts Hines
  • Patent number: 6220363
    Abstract: A wellhead isolation tool permitting a high fluid flow rate during a well treatment to stimulate production is described. The wellhead isolation tool includes a mandrel to be inserted into a wellhead. The mandrel is sealed in a tubing hanger above back pressure valve threads to isolate the pressure sensitive components of the wellhead from fluid pressure used in the well treatment, and has a lower section extending past the back pressure valve threads and tubing threads into the tubing to protect the threads from washout. The mandrel is locked down with a mechanical lockdown mechanism having a broad range of adjustment. The advantages are that no special tubing hanger is required for use with the mandrel, and a fluid flow rate enabled by the tool during the well treatment is significantly higher than a fluid flow rate enabled with conventional wellhead isolation tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Inventor: L. Murray Dallas
  • Patent number: 6209652
    Abstract: A deployment system and apparatus for running bottomhole assemblies and/or downhole tools in wells, particularly applicable to coiled tubing operations, including pressurized deployment apparatus, a pressure operated connector tool and a multi-functional coiled tubing head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Inventors: Lance N. Portman, John E. Ravensbergen