# US 12,006,780 B2 · Systems, devices and methods for orienting a production outlet of a subsea production tree > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,006,780 B2 - Document ID: US12006780B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/819,856 - Filed: 2022-08-15 - Published: 2022-12-08 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2022-08-15 - Assignees: FMC Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: FMC Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Richard Murphy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006780B2 ## CPC - E21B 33/0415: {rotating or floating support for tubing or casing hanger} - E21B 23/00: Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells (setting of casings, screens or liners E21B43/10) - E21B 33/035: specially adapted for underwater installations (E21B33/043, E21B33/064, E21B33/076 take precedence) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract One illustrative apparatus (1) disclosed herein includes a helix structure (20) that comprises at least at least one helical surface (15), a plurality of orientation slots (17) positioned around a perimeter of the helix structure, each of the orientation slots (17) being adapted to receive an orientation key (18), a component orientation slot (21) positioned adjacent a bottom end of the at least one helical surface (15) and a threaded bottom recess (43). The apparatus (1) also includes a threaded adjustable nut (30) that is adapted to be at least partially positioned in the bottom recess and threadingly coupled to the threaded bottom recess (43). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: a tubing hanger comprising a body and a bore extending through the body; a plurality of orientation slots positioned around an outside perimeter of the body; and an orientation key positioned in one of the orientation slots. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a wellhead, the wellhead comprising a helical groove formed on an inner surface of the wellhead and an orientation slot positioned at a bottom of the helical groove, wherein the orientation key is adapted to engage the helical groove and be positioned in the orientation slot. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a wellhead, the wellhead comprising a vertically oriented groove formed on an inner surface of the wellhead, and wherein the orientation key is adapted to engage the vertically oriented groove. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a casing hanger, the casing hanger comprising a helical groove formed on an inner surface of the casing hanger and an orientation slot positioned at a bottom of the helical groove, wherein the orientation key is adapted to engage the helical groove and be positioned in the orientation slot. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a casing hanger, the casing hanger comprising a vertically oriented groove formed on an inner surface of the casing hanger wherein the orientation key is adapted to engage the vertically oriented groove. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an adjustable nut that is threadingly coupled to the exterior of the body of the tubing hanger, the adjustable nut having a bottom surface that is adapted to land on a component previously positioned in the wellhead. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of orientation slots are equally spaced from one another around a perimeter of the body. ### Claim 8 A method, comprising: installing a wellhead in a conductor pipe without regard to an orientation of the wellhead with respect to a reference system of a subsea production field, the wellhead comprising an orientation groove formed on an inner surface of the wellhead; after installing the wellhead in the conductor pipe, determining an as-installed orientation of the wellhead relative to the reference system of the subsea production field; with a tubing hanger at a surface location, inserting a tubing hanger orientation key into one of a plurality of tubing hanger orientation slots formed around an outer perimeter of a body of the tubing hanger, wherein, when the tubing hanger is landed in the wellhead, the tubing hanger will be oriented such that, when a production tree is coupled to the tubing hanger, a production outlet of the production tree will be oriented at a desired target orientation for the production outlet relative to the reference system of the subsea production field; running the tubing hanger with the tubing hanger orientation key positioned therein into the wellhead until the tubing hanger orientation key registers with the orientation groove, thereby fixing the orientation of the tubing hanger relative to the as-installed orientation of the wellhead; and operatively coupling the production tree to the tubing hanger so as to position the production outlet of the production tree at the desired target orientation for the production outlet relative to the reference system of the subsea production field. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein determining an as-installed orientation of the wellhead comprises using an ROV to visually observe an orientation of an external marking located on an exterior of the wellhead. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein determining an as-installed orientation of the wellhead comprises determining an orientation of the orientation groove. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein determining an as-installed orientation of the wellhead comprises actuating an external sensor system to determine the as-installed orientation of the wellhead. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising rotating an adjustable nut that is threadingly coupled to the body of the tubing hanger so as to fix a vertical distance between a bottom surface of the adjustable nut and the orientation key. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of orientation slots are equally spaced from one another.