Shoulder ring set on casing hanger trip
AssigneeVetco Gray Inc.
InventorDavid Ford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wellhead housing has a bore with a support shoulder, a ramp surface extending upward and outward from the support shoulder, and a recess extending upward from the ramp. A split, resilient load ring is carried in an initial position in the recess. A retractable and axially movable latch ring is carried in the recess above the load ring. A casing hanger has a profile that engages the latch ring as the casing hanger moves downwardly in the bore, causing the latch ring to move downward and pushing the load ring to the set position.
Claims20
A wellhead assembly, comprising:
- a wellhead housing having a bore containing a support shoulder;
- a split, resilient load ring carried in an expanded initial position in the bore above the support shoulder, the load ring being movable downwardly to a contracted set position in engagement with the support shoulder;
- an actuator assembly carried in the bore above the load ring for pushing the load ring from the initial position to the set position, the actuator assembly having an axially resilient portion;
- and
- a casing hanger for securing to a string of casing and lowering into the wellhead housing, the casing hanger having an outer profile that engages the actuator assembly as the casing hanger moves downwardly in the bore, causing the resilient portion to compress and the load ring to move to the set position and causing the casing hanger to land on the load ring so that the load ring transfers weight from the casing hanger to the wellhead housing.
A wellhead assembly, comprising:
- a wellhead housing having a bore with an axis and containing a support shoulder, a ramp surface extending upward and outward from the support shoulder, and a recess extending upward from the ramp;
- a split, resilient load ring carried in an initial position in the recess, the load ring being movable downwardly on the ramp surface to a set position on the support shoulder, the load ring having an engagement shoulder on an upper side;
- an axially resilient ring carried on the load ring;
- a casing hanger for securing to a string of casing and lowering into the wellhead housing;
- and
- an outer profile on the casing hanger that compresses the resilient ring as the casing hanger moves downwardly in the bore, causing the resilient ring to move downward and push the load ring to the set position, whereupon the casing hanger lands on the engagement shoulder of the load ring.
The wellhead assembly according to claim 16, wherein an interior surface of the actuator ring is radially inward of the axially resilient ring.
A method for installing a casing hanger in a subsea wellhead housing having a bore, comprising:
- (a) providing a support shoulder in the bore of the wellhead housing;
- (b) mounting a split, resilient load ring in an expanded initial position in the bore above the support shoulder;
- (c) mounting an actuator assembly having an axially resilient portion in the bore above the load ring;
- then
- (d) lowering the wellhead housing into the sea and installing the wellhead housing at the upper end of a well;
- then
- (e) securing a string of casing to a casing hanger and lowering the casing hanger into the wellhead housing;
- and
- (f) compressing the axially resilient portion of the actuator assembly with the casing hanger and pushing the load ring downward, causing the load ring to contract and land on the support shoulder and the casing hanger to land on the load ring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.