Split Wellhead Housing Connector for Stuck Casing Disassembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wellhead systems face challenges in efficiently installing and maintaining casings due to high pressure conditions and the need for efficient sealing and disassembly during operations like casing stuck in a wellbore without using internal cutters.
Innovation Solution
A split housing connector assembly for a wellhead that transitions between engaged and disengaged configurations, allowing for efficient casing installation and sealing, utilizing a multi-piece structure with angled fasteners and seal assemblies to fit within a BOP stack and enable access for slips without internal cutters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional single-piece wellhead housing is used, then structural integrity is maintained, but disassembly for stuck casing operations becomes difficult or impossible without internal cutters
Solution Approach 1:
The wellhead housing is divided into multiple separable sections (first housing section, second housing section, third housing section) that can be disconnected from each other. This segmentation allows the housing to be disassembled for stuck casing operations while maintaining structural integrity when assembled, as each section retains its strength but the overall structure becomes configurable.
2Ease of operation
If internal cutters are used for stuck casing operations, then disassembly is enabled, but the device complexity and potential for damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The problematic internal cutter mechanism is extracted and replaced by the separable housing design. Instead of using cutters to break apart the housing from the inside, the housing itself is designed to be separated into sections, eliminating the need for internal cutters and their associated complexity and damage risks.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a multi-section housing design is implemented, then disassembly for stuck casing is enabled, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple housing sections are merged through coupling mechanisms (couplers, seals, flanges) to form a complete wellhead housing assembly. This merging approach allows each section to be manufactured separately with standard processes, then assembled using well-established coupling techniques, balancing manufacturability with the needed configurability.
Data Source
AI summary
A split housing connector assembly for a wellhead housing includes a housing portion, a connector portion, and multiple fasteners configured to couple the housing portion and the connector portion to one another. The connector portion includes at least one tapered portion to enable the multiple fasteners to be within an outer diameter of the connector portion while the multiple fasteners couple the housing portion and the connector portion to one another.