8671 results about "Wellhead" patented technology

A process is disclosed for the in situ conversion and recovery of heavy crude oils and natural bitumens from subsurface formations using either a continuous operation with one or more vertical injection boreholes and one or more vertical production boreholes in which multiple, uncased, horizontal boreholes may extend from the vertical boreholes, or a cyclic operation whereby both injection and production occur in the same vertical boreholes in which multiple, uncased, horizontal boreholes may extend from the vertical boreholes. A mixture of reducing gases, oxidizing gases, and steam are fed to downhole combustion devices located in the injection boreholes. Combustion of the reducing gas-oxidizing gas mixture is carried out to produce superheated steam and hot reducing gases for injection into the formation to convert and upgrade the heavy crude or bitumen into lighter hydrocarbons. Communication between the injection and production boreholes in the continuous operation and fluid mobility within the formation in the cyclic operation is induced by fracturing, multiple horizontal boreholes extending from vertical boreholes, or other related methods. In the continuous mode, the injected steam and reducing gases drive upgraded hydrocarbons and virgin hydrocarbons to the production boreholes for recovery. In the cyclic operation, wellhead pressure is reduced after a period of injection causing injected fluids, upgraded hydrocarbons, and virgin hydrocarbons in the vicinity of the boreholes to be produced. Injection and production are then repeated for additional cycles. In both operations, the hydrocarbons produced are collected at the surface for further processing.

A drilling system for drilling subsea wellbores includes a tubing-conveyed drill bit that passes through a subsea wellhead. Surface supplied drilling fluid flows through the tubing, discharges at the drill bit, returns to the wellhead through a wellbore annulus, and flows to the surface via a riser extending from the wellhead. A flow restriction device positioned in the riser restricts the flow of the returning fluid while an active fluid device controllably discharges fluid from a location below to just above the flow restriction device in the riser, thereby controlling bottomhole pressure and equivalent circulating density (“ECD”). Alternatively, the fluid is discharged into a separate return line thereby providing dual gradient drilling while controlling bottomhole pressure and ECD. A controller controls the energy and thus the speed of the pump in response to downhole measurement(s) to maintain the ECD at a predetermined value or within a predetermined range.

A converterless motor-driven pump system includes an off-grid prime mover. The prime mover includes a rotational driveshaft that operates in response to a throttle or fuel input controller to control a rotation speed of the prime mover driveshaft. Operation of the throttle or fuel input controller is based on desired output characteristics of a pumping load. One or more electric power generators are driven by the off-grid prime mover to generate AC or DC power on an electrical bus shared by a plurality of variable speed electric motors. A plurality of pumps is connected to a common manifold shared by the plurality of pumps. The plurality of pumps is driven by the plurality of variable speed electric motors to generate a desired wellhead pressure or pumping load flow rate via the shared common manifold.

A method for sensing and launching pipeline pigs into a pipeline. The method includes pressurizing a pressure accumulator in a pig launching system that includes a pig chamber, a plurality of pigs, a launch tube, and the pressure accumulator. The method further includes sensing a pressure within the pipeline and applying pressure from the pressure accumulator to force a pig through the launch tube and into the pipeline.

A manifold trailer is provided and includes a chassis, a low pressure piping system disposed along a length of the chassis, and a single high pressure output manifold disposed along the length of the chassis, the high pressure output manifold terminating at a splitter that distributes fluids from the high pressure manifold to a wellhead.

In one embodiment, a method for drilling a wellbore includes an act of drilling the wellbore by injecting drilling fluid through a tubular string disposed in the wellbore, the tubular string comprising a drill bit disposed on a bottom thereof. The drilling fluid exits the drill bit and carries cuttings from the drill bit. The drilling fluid and cuttings (returns) flow to a surface of the wellbore via an annulus defined by an outer surface of the tubular string and an inner surface of the wellbore. The method further includes an act performed while drilling the wellbore of measuring a first annulus pressure (FAP) using a pressure sensor attached to a casing string hung from a wellhead of the wellbore. The method further includes an act performed while drilling the wellbore of controlling a second annulus pressure (SAP) exerted on a formation exposed to the annulus.

The present invention overcomes many of the disadvantages of prior art mobile oil field heat exchange systems by providing an oil-fired heat exchange system. The present invention is a self-contained unit which is easily transported to remote locations. The present invention includes a single-pass tubular coil heat exchanger contained within a closed-bottom firebox having a forced-air combustion and cooling system. The rig also includes integral fuel tanks, hydraulic and pneumatic systems for operating the rig at remote operations in ail weather environments. In a preferred embodiment, the oil-fired heat exchanger system is used to heat water on-the-fly (i.e., directly from the supply source to the well head) to complete hydraulic fracturing operations. The present invention also includes systems for regulating and adjusting the fuel / air mixture within the firebox to maximize the combustion efficiency. The system includes a novel hood opening mechanism attached to the exhaust stack of the firebox.

A port for implantation within a body, comprises a housing having a proximal surface, a distal surface and a side surface wherein, when the port is implanted within a body in a desired orientation, the proximal surface faces outward toward the skin, the distal surface faces inward away from the skin and the side surface extends between the proximal and distal surfaces and a first well formed within the housing, the first well including a first opening in the proximal surface. A second well is formed in the housing adjacent to the first well and has a second opening formed in the proximal surface. First and second outlet openings formed on the side surface of the port are in fluid communication with the first and second wells, respectively, and are separated from one another by a distance substantially equal to a distance separating lumens of a dual lumen catheter to which the port is to be connected. In addition, a method of infusing fluids to a patient, comprises attaching a dual lumen catheter to a blood vessel of the patient and implanting subcutaneously a port including first and second openings separated by a distance substantially equal to a distance between the dual lumens of the catheter, wherein the first opening is in fluid communication with a first well of the port and the second opening is in fluid communication with a second well of the port. The dual lumen catheter is then connected to the first and second openings of the port and a first fluid is provided to the first well while a second fluid is provided to the second well.

An automated sprayer for spraying the walls of a shower enclosure with a liquid cleanser dispenses the cleanser using a pump and rotatable spray head. A motor drives the pump and rotates the spray head. The sprayer has a showerhead mountable housing with a hanger. The housing supports a bottle of cleanser in an inverted fashion. Cleanser is delivered from the bottle through a cleanser conduit in the piercing post into a well of the housing. The bottle is vented from the well through an air vent path in the piercing post or from a well vent outlet through the air vent path in the piercing post. An outlet valve in the well permits outflow of cleanser from the well. Various bottle caps and bottle closures are also provided to improve venting and / or limit cleanser leakage from the bottle when the bottle is installed in the housing.

A drilling system for drilling subsea wellbores includes a tubing-conveyed drill bit that passes through a subsea wellhead. Surface supplied drilling fluid flows through the tubing, discharges at the drill bit, returns to the wellhead through a wellbore annulus, and flows to the surface via a riser extending from the wellhead. A flow restriction device positioned in the riser restricts the flow of the returning fluid while an active fluid device controllably discharges fluid from a location below to just above the flow restriction device in the riser, thereby controlling bottomhole pressure and equivalent circulating density (“ECD”). Alternatively, the fluid is discharged into a separate return line thereby providing dual gradient drilling while controlling bottomhole pressure and ECD. A controller controls the energy and thus the speed of the pump in response to downhole measurement(s) to maintain the ECD at a predetermined value or within a predetermined range.

Adapters for connecting to a double-locking casing mandrel of an independent screwed wellhead include a lockdown flange with an adapter pin, and a retainer flange that may be used with or without the adapter pin. The retainer flange has a top surface with circumferentially-spaced threaded bores that permit well stimulation equipment to be mounted thereto. The retainer flange threadedly connects to a pin thread at a top of the casing mandrel, and therefore provides a low profile mounting flange for well stimulation equipment.

A method and system of subsea intervention comprises lowering one or more assemblies of intervention equipment into the sea. Underwater marine units (such as remote operated vehicles or small submarines) may be employed to connect the assemblies to each other and to the subsea wellhead equipment. The subsea wellhead equipment includes a carrier line spool (e.g., coiled tubing spool, wireline spool, slickline spool) and equipment to inject a carrier line from the carrier line spool into the subsea well. The carrier line spool can be located underwater, such as on the sea floor or positioned above the subsea wellhead equipment.

A system and method for controlling drilling mud density at a location either at the seabed (or just above the seabed) or alternatively below the seabed of wells in deep water and ultra deep water applications. A base fluid of lesser density than the drilling mud required at the wellhead is used to produce a diluted mud in the riser. By combining the appropriate quantities of drilling mud with base fluid, a diluted riser mud density at or near the density of seawater may be achieved. The present invention also includes a wellhead injection device for injecting the base fluid into the rising drilling mud. The riser charging lines are used to carry the low density base fluid to the injection device for injection into the return mud. At the surface, the diluted return mud is passed through a treatment system to cleanse the mud of drill cuttings and to separate the heavier drilling mud from the lighter base fluid. The present invention further includes a control unit for manipulating drilling fluid systems and displaying drilling and drilling fluid data.

A turbine generator utilizing a passive high pressure fluid source such as a natural gas well head. The generator includes a core and lead wires encapsulated in a dielectric medium to isolate current-bearing components from the motivating fluid, thereby preventing carbon bridging and reducing the explosion hazard when the motivating fluid is a hydrocarbon. The turbine generator includes a rotor that utilizes the full length as an impingement surface for imparting momentum to the rotor, thereby maintaining a compact design that reduces the overall footprint of the turbine generator. Fluid exits the generator via horizontal passages that penetrate the lower extremities of the turbine generator, preventing the buildup of condensation in the unit.

A subsea well apparatus has features for controlling and monitoring production fluid flow from a well. A Christmas tree lands on a subsea wellhead, the tree having a tubular, open upper end. A first flow passage extends from a lower end of the tree to the upper end for communicating fluid with the well. A second flow passage extends downward from the upper end of the tree and has an outlet on a sidewall of the tree for communicating with a flowline. A production module lands on and is retrievable from the upper end of the tree, the module having a flow loop with one end in communication with the first flow passage and another end in communication with the second flow passage. At least one flow interface device is located in the loop of the production module. The flow interface device may be used to monitor or control the flow and may be a temperature or pressure sensor, a flow or multi-phase flow meter, or a choke.