# US 11,994,245 B2 · Flexible wellhead connection systems and methods

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- Number: US 11,994,245 B2
- Document ID: US11994245B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/098,778
- Filed: 2023-01-19
- Published: 2023-07-20
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2020-06-02
- Assignees: Forum US, Inc.
- Applicants: Forum US, Inc.
- Inventors: Steven Post
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994245B2

## CPC

- F16L 27/0849: {the fluid being turned through an angle when passing from one joint element to another}
- E21B 21/02: Swivel joints in hose-lines
- E21B 43/26: by forming crevices or fractures
- E21B 43/2607: {Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations}
- F16L 27/0824: {with ball or roller bearings}
- E21B 33/068: having provision for introducing objects or fluids into, or removing objects from, wells (cementing-heads E21B33/05)
- F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to flexible wellhead connection systems, apparatus, methods, and associated components thereof. The aspects include a rotatable joint. In one example, the rotatable joint includes a swivel. In one example, the flexible wellhead connection systems, apparatus, and methods are used to connect wellheads to one or more of fluid sources and/or instrumentation skids.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A flexible wellhead connection system, comprising:
a flexible wellhead hose comprising a first end and a second end;
a connection conduit coupled to the first end of the flexible wellhead hose;
an upper fluid conduit coupled to the second end of the flexible wellhead hose;
a rotatable joint coupled to the second end of the flexible wellhead hose through the upper fluid conduit;
a lower fluid conduit coupled to the rotatable joint;
a skid coupled to the second end of the flexible wellhead hose through the rotatable joint, wherein the skid comprises one or more valves, and wherein the lower fluid conduit is supported on a mount beam coupled to the skid; and
a first manifold coupled to the skid via a first fluid connection.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The flexible wellhead connection system of claim 1, wherein a body of the flexible wellhead hose does not include any hard metal sections.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The flexible wellhead connection system of claim 1, wherein the rotatable joint comprises a swivel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The flexible wellhead connection system of claim 3, wherein the swivel comprises:
an upper sub;
a lower sub; and
one or more bearings disposed between the upper and lower subs, wherein the upper sub is coupled to the upper fluid conduit, wherein the lower sub is coupled to one of the valves of the valve skid, and wherein the upper sub, the upper fluid conduit, and the flexible wellhead hose are rotatable relative to the lower sub.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The flexible wellhead connection system of claim 4, wherein the one or more bearings are disposed within a bearing housing coupled to the lower sub and disposed above the lower sub.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The flexible wellhead connection system of claim 3, wherein the connection conduit is coupled to a connection sub that comprises a latch.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The flexible wellhead connection system of claim 3, wherein the connection conduit is coupled to a wellhead via at least one of a connection sub and a locking ring assembly.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The flexible wellhead connection system of claim 7, wherein the first manifold is disposed on a pump skid and is coupled to a plurality of pumps.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The flexible wellhead connection system of claim 8, wherein the first manifold is coupled to a second manifold via a second fluid connection, and wherein the first and second fluid connections comprise at least one of rigid pipes and flexible hoses.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The flexible wellhead connection system of claim 9, wherein the second manifold is disposed on a trailer or skid and is coupled to a plurality of pumps.

### Claim 11 (depends on 3)

The flexible wellhead connection system of claim 3, wherein the upper fluid conduit comprises a fluid opening having an oblique section and a vertical section.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The flexible wellhead connection system of claim 11, wherein the flexible wellhead hose is coupled to a tapered outer surface of the upper fluid conduit.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A method of injecting fluid into a plurality of wellheads, comprising:
installing the flexible wellhead connection system of claim 1 at a wellsite comprising the plurality of wellheads;
coupling the connection conduit to a first wellhead;
pumping fluid from the first manifold into the first wellhead via the flexible wellhead connection system;
decoupling the connection conduit from the first wellhead;
moving the connection conduit toward a second wellhead by rotating the rotatable joint coupled to the flexible wellhead hose;
coupling the connection conduit to the second wellhead; and
pumping fluid from the first manifold into the second wellhead via the flexible wellhead connection system.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein a body of the flexible wellhead hose does not include any hard metal sections.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein rotating the rotatable joint comprises rotating a swivel of the rotatable joint, and the swivel comprises a lower sub, an upper sub, and one or more bearings disposed between the upper sub and the lower sub to allow the upper sub to rotate relative to the lower sub.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling the connection conduit to at least one of the first and second wellheads via at least one of a connection sub and a locking ring assembly.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling the connection conduit to at least one of the first and second wellheads by actuating a latch to engage the first and second wellheads.

### Claim 18

A flexible wellhead connection system, comprising:
a trailer;
a crane disposed on the trailer;
a flexible wellhead hose comprising a first end and a second end;
a first fluid conduit coupled to the first end of the flexible wellhead hose;
a second fluid conduit coupled to the second end of the flexible wellhead hose;
a rotatable joint coupled to the second end of the flexible wellhead hose through the second fluid conduit;
a valve assembly coupled to the second end of the flexible wellhead hose through the rotatable joint, wherein the valve assembly comprises one or more valves disposed on the trailer; and
a flexible second hose coupled to the rotatable joint, the flexible second hose comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the flexible second hose is coupled to a fluid source and the second end of the flexible second hose is fluidly connected to the rotatable joint.

### Claim 19

A flexible wellhead connection system, comprising:
a flexible wellhead hose comprising a first end and a second end;
a connection conduit coupled to the first end of the flexible wellhead hose;
an upper fluid conduit coupled to the second end of the flexible wellhead hose, wherein the upper fluid conduit comprises a fluid opening having an oblique section and a vertical section, and wherein the flexible wellhead hose is coupled to a tapered outer surface of the upper fluid conduit;
a rotatable joint coupled to the second end of the flexible wellhead hose through the upper fluid conduit;
a skid coupled to the second end of the flexible wellhead hose through the rotatable joint, wherein the skid comprises one or more valves; and
a first manifold coupled to the skid via a first fluid connection.