Annular seal assembly with axial load decoupling feature

A method for an annular seal system sealing between a casing hanger and a wellhead housing, the method comprising:

• providing an actuator ring comprising a rigid portion and a flexible portion to be used with a seal assembly;
• enabling the seal assembly to move between a de-energized position and an energized position based in part on a space between the seal assembly and the rigid portion of the actuator ring;
• pushing a lockdown ring into engagement with grooves associated with the wellhead housing using the flexible portion of the actuator ring;
• causing the flexible portion of the actuator ring to disrupt, wherein the disruption allows positional variation of the actuator ring between the lockdown ring and the wellhead housing with the seal assembly being in the energized position, and wherein the positional variation of the actuator ring provides for movement of the actuator ring to an intended position, and wherein the rigid portion of the actuator ring includes a pin;
• and
• receiving the pin in a notch, which is associated with the flexible portion of the actuator ring, to maintain one or more relative positions of the rigid portion and the flexible portion of the actuator ring.