Hybrid two piece packoff assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10480273-B2
Application number	US-201614992296-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2016
Priority date	Jan 11, 2016
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

A packoff assembly for sealing between an inner tubular member and an outer tubular member has a lower packoff which is configured to seal between the inner and outer tubular members, an upper packoff which is configured to seal between the inner and outer tubular members above the lower packoff, the upper packoff being releasably connected to the lower packoff and, when connected to the lower packoff, being axially movable relative to the lower packoff between a first position and a second position, a latch ring which is supported on the lower packoff, the latch ring being radially expandable into a corresponding locking groove in the outer tubular member, and a locking mandrel which is operably engaged by the upper packoff such that upon axial movement of the upper packoff from the first position to the second position, the locking mandrel expands the latch ring into the locking groove to thereby lock the upper and lower packoffs in position between the inner and outer tubular members. With the lower packoff locked in position between the inner and outer tubular members, the upper packoff can be selectively removed from the packoff assembly by disconnecting the locking mandrel from the upper packoff and disconnecting the upper packoff from the lower packoff.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A packoff assembly for sealing between an inner tubular member and an outer tubular member, the packoff assembly comprising:
a lower packoff which is configured to seal between the inner and outer tubular members;
an upper packoff which is configured to seal between the inner and outer tubular members above the lower packoff, the upper packoff being releasably connected to the lower packoff and, when connected to the lower packoff, being axially movable relative to the lower packoff between a first position and a second position;
a latch ring which is supported on the lower packoff, the latch ring being radially expandable into a corresponding locking groove in the outer tubular member; and
a locking mandrel which is operably engaged by the upper packoff such that upon axial movement of the upper packoff from the first position to the second position, the locking mandrel expands the latch ring into the locking groove to thereby lock the upper and lower packoffs in position between the inner and outer tubular members;
wherein with the lower packoff locked in position between the inner and outer tubular members, the upper packoff can be selectively removed from the packoff assembly by disconnecting the upper packoff from the lower packoff.

2. The packoff assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper packoff is releasably connected to the lower packoff via a threaded connection which converts rotation of the upper packoff relative to the lower packoff into axial movement of the upper packoff relative to the lower packoff.

3. The packoff assembly of claim 2 , wherein the locking mandrel is releasably and rotatably connected to the upper packoff.

4. The packoff assembly of claim 3 , wherein the locking mandrel is releasably connected to a connecting ring which in turn is rotatably connected to the upper packoff.

5. The packoff assembly of claim 4 , wherein the locking mandrel is releasably connected to the connecting ring by a number of screws, each of which extends axially through the connecting ring and into a corresponding bore in the locking mandrel.

6. The packoff assembly of claim 5 , wherein the connecting ring is rotatably connected to the upper packoff by a number of screws, each of which extends radially through the connecting ring and into an annular groove which is formed concentrically on an outer surface portion of the upper packoff.

7. The packoff assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lower packoff comprises a lower seal support ring and an upper guide sleeve which is connected to or formed integrally with the seal support ring, wherein the upper packoff comprises an upper seal support sleeve and a lower actuating sleeve which is connected to or formed integrally with the seal support sleeve, and wherein the actuating sleeve is releasably connected to the guide sleeve to thereby releasably connect the upper packoff to the lower packoff.

8. The packoff assembly of claim 7 , wherein the actuating sleeve is releasably connected to the guide sleeve via a threaded connection which converts rotation of the upper packoff relative to the lower packoff into axial movement of the upper packoff relative to the lower packoff.

9. The packoff assembly of claim 8 , wherein the locking mandrel is rotatably connected to the upper packoff.

10. The packoff assembly of claim 9 , wherein the locking mandrel is releasably connected to a connecting ring which in turn is rotatably connected to the upper packoff.

11. The packoff assembly of claim 10 , wherein the locking mandrel is releasably connected to the connecting ring by a number of screws, each of which extends axially through the connecting ring and into a corresponding bore in the locking mandrel.

12. The packoff assembly of claim 11 , wherein the connecting ring is rotatably connected to the upper packoff by a number of screws, each of which extends radially through the connecting ring and into an annular groove which is formed concentrically on an outer surface portion of the upper packoff.

13. The packoff assembly of claim 12 , further comprising means for preventing rotation of the lower packoff upon rotation of the upper packoff.

14. The packoff assembly of claim 13 , further comprising means for preventing rotation of the locking mandrel upon rotation of the upper packoff.

15. The packoff assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a middle packoff which is positioned axially between the upper packoff and the lower packoff, wherein the upper packoff is non-rotatably connected to the middle packoff and the middle packoff is releasably connected to the lower packoff.

16. The packoff assembly of claim 15 , wherein the middle packoff is releasably connected to the lower packoff via a threaded connection which converts rotation of the middle packoff relative to the lower packoff into axial movement of the middle packoff relative to the lower packoff.

17. The packoff assembly of claim 16 , wherein the middle packoff is releasably connected to the upper packoff.

18. A packoff assembly for use in a wellhead assembly, the wellhead assembly comprising a first outer tubular member, a second outer tubular member which is mounted on the first outer tubular member, and an inner tubular member which is landed in the first outer tubular member, the packoff assembly including:
a lower packoff which is configured to seal between the inner tubular member and the first outer tubular member;
an upper packoff which is configured to seal between the inner tubular member and the second outer tubular member, the upper packoff being releasably connected to the lower packoff and, when connected to the lower packoff, being axially movable relative to the lower packoff between a first position and a second position;
a latch ring which is supported on the lower packoff, the latch ring being radially expandable into a corresponding locking groove in the first outer tubular member; and
a locking mandrel which is operably engaged by the upper packoff such that upon axial movement of the upper packoff from the first position to the second position, the locking mandrel expands the latch ring into the locking groove to thereby lock the upper and lower packoffs to the first outer tubular member;
wherein with the lower packoff locked in position between the inner tubular member and the first outer tubular member and with the second outer tubular member removed from the first outer tubular member, the upper packoff can be removed from the packoff assembly by disconnecting the locking mandrel from the upper packoff and disconnecting the upper packoff from the lower packoff.

19. The packoff assembly of claim 18 , wherein the upper packoff is releasably connected to the lower packoff via a threaded connection which converts rotation of the upper packoff relative to the lower packoff into axial movement of the upper packoff relative to the lower packoff.

20. The packoff assembly of claim 19 , wherein the locking mandrel is releasably and rotatably connected to the upper packoff.

21. The packoff assembly of claim 20 , wherein the locking mandrel is releasably connected to a connecting ring which in turn is rotatably connected to the upper packoff.

22. The packoff assembly of claim 21 , wherein the locking mandrel is releasably connected to the connecting ring by a number of screws, each of which extends axially through the connecting ring and into a corresponding bore in the locking mandrel.

23. The packoff assembly of claim 22 , wherein the c

Assignees

• Fmc Tech Inc

Inventors

• Chirko Roman
• Vu Kien Tan

Classifications

• E21B33/04 Primary

  Casing heads; Suspending casings or tubings in well heads · CPC title

• E21B33/038

  Connectors used on well heads, e.g. for connecting blow-out preventer and riser · CPC title

• F16J15/08

  with exclusively metal packing · CPC title

• E21B33/03

  Well heads; Setting-up thereof · CPC title

• E21B33/12

  Packers; Plugs (used for cementing E21B33/134, E21B33/16) · CPC title