Sub mudline abandonment connector

A subsea wellhead assembly, comprising:

• an outer tubular member embedded in the seafloor with an upper end below the mudline of the seafloor and having a bore containing a grooved profile;
• an inner tubular member that inserts into the outer tubular member, the inner tubular member adapted to be joined to portion of conductor casing extending from a low pressure housing;
• a locking member carried by the inner tubular member that moves between a locked and unlocked position relative to the grooved profile to lock the inner tubular member to the outer tubular member;
• an axially moveable, hydraulically actuated locking sleeve carried within the inner tubular member that slidingly engages the locking member for selectively camming the locking member between the locked and unlocked positions;
• a hydraulic passage extending from the locking sleeve through the inner tubular member to the conductor casing;
• and
• an ROV port extending through a side of the conductor casing at a position above the seafloor, the ROV port is in communication with the hydraulic passage for interfacing with an ROV to supply hydraulic fluid.

A method of disconnecting a conduit from a conductor case of a subsea well comprising:

• providing an inner tubular member connected to the lower end of a portion of conductor casing extending from a low pressure wellhead housing and located within an outer tubular member of a subsea well having a grooved profile on its interior surface, a locking member that selectively engages the grooved profile and is carried by the inner tubular member, and a locking sleeve that slidingly engages the locking member for actuating the locking member between locked and unlocked positions;
• injecting hydraulic fluid with an ROV through an ROV port to slide the locking sleeve relative to the locking member;
• actuating the locking member with the locking sleeve so that the locking member is out of engagement with the grooved profile;
• and
• lifting the inner tubular member from within the outer tubular member.