Tubing hanger alignment device with plug-based alignment mechanism
AssigneeDril-Quip, Inc.
InventorsBlake T. DeBerry, Morris B. Wade, Flavio Santos, Gregory Norwood, Robert Buxton, Justin Rye, Todd L. Scaggs
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for landing a tubing hanger in a wellhead and then orienting a tree (or spool, or flowline connection body) relative to the tubing hanger while landing the tree on the wellhead are provided. This alignment is accomplished without the use of either a tubing spool or a BOP stack with an orientation pin. The tubing hanger alignment devices may be used to orientate the tree as the tree is landed so that the couplings and stabs between the tree and the tubing hanger line up with each other just at the moment of landing.
Claims19
A system, comprising:
- a tubing hanger positioned in a wellhead, wherein the tubing hanger comprises one or more hydraulic, electric, or fiber optic couplings;
- a tubular housing comprising one or more hydraulic, electric, or fiber optic lines disposed therein;
- a removable plug for placement within the tubing hanger, wherein the removable plug comprises an orientation profile extending therefrom when the plug is seated and locked into the tubing hanger;
- and
- an alignment sleeve disposed in a main bore of the tubular housing, wherein the alignment sleeve comprises a complementary orientation profile for interacting with the removable plug, wherein interaction of the orientation profiles on the alignment sleeve and the plug cause the one or more hydraulic, electric, or fiber optic lines of the tubular housing to be aligned with the one or more hydraulic, electric, or fiber optic couplings of the tubing hanger.
A plug assembly configured to be removably positioned in a tubing hanger of a wellhead system, the plug assembly comprising:
- a seal disposed proximate a first longitudinal end of the plug assembly and configured to seal a bore of the tubing hanger;
- a locking mechanism configured to removably lock the plug assembly against the bore of the tubing hanger;
- and
- an orientation sleeve comprising an orientation profile proximate a second longitudinal end of the plug assembly opposite the first longitudinal end, the orientation profile configured to receive a complementary profile of a tree being landed on the tubing hanger, wherein the orientation sleeve is rotationally adjustable with respect to a body of the plug assembly in a rotational direction around the longitudinal axis of the plug assembly.
A method, comprising:
- running a tubing hanger through a blowout preventer (BOP) into a wellhead;
- lowering a plug assembly through the wellhead and into a bore of the tubing hanger;
- removing the BOP from the wellhead after the plug assembly is installed in the tubing hanger;
- and
- landing a tubular housing on the wellhead such that one or more hydraulic, electric, or fiber optic lines of the tubular housing are aligned with one or more hydraulic, electric, or fiber optic couplings on the tubing hanger, wherein the plug assembly orients the tubular housing with respect to the tubing hanger during landing of the tubular housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.