Underwater completion expanding tubing hanger

Claim 2

A well pipe hanger assembly for suspending one or more strings of pipe in a fluid-producing well, comprising a. a generally cylindrical hanger body having at least one axial bore therethrough, said body having upper and lower ends with said upper end adapted for releasable connection to a well tool; b. a resilient, self-expandable hanger support ring circumscribing said hanger body and carried thereon for free radial movement between contracted and expanded positions; c. mandrel means for locking said hanger support ring in its expanded position; d. mandrel actuator means for moving said mandrel means into its hanger support ring locking position; e. means for aligning said hanger assembly; f. pipe coupling means seated in said hanger body and releasably secured against upward movement therefrom; g. fluid seal means between said hanger body and said pipe coupling means; h. means in said hanger body for testing the integrity of said seal means before said hanger assembly is installed in an outer pipe element; and i. means in said hanger body for testing the integrity of said seal means after said hanger assembly is installed in said outer pipe element.

Claim 3

A pipe hanger assembly according to claim 1 wherein said mandrel actuator sleeve includes means for releasably and non-rotatably connecting said sleeve to a well tool, and wherein said mandrel means is moved into its hanger support ring locking position by rotation of said well tool and said mandrel actuator sleeve.

Claim 4

A pipe hanger assembly according to claim 2 wherein rotation of said well tool also releases its connection to said hanger body.

Claim 5

A pipe hanger assembly according to claim 1 wherein said aligning means comprises an alignment sleeve circumscribing said hanger body and an alignment key biased outwardly from said alignment sleeve, said alignment key cooperating with an outer pipe element to permit rotation of said hanger assembly in that pipe element until said assembly is aligned therein, and then to preclude further rotation of said alignment sleeve and said hanger body.

Claim 6

A pipe hanger assembly according to claim 4 wherein said alignment sleeve is threadedly connected to said hanger body, and said mandrel comprises a ring-like body portion and a plurality of circumferentially-spaced fingers depending therefrom, said fingers extending between said alignment sleeve and said hanger body in grooves positioned longitudinally in said hanger body.

Claim 7

A pipe hanger assembly according to claim 1 including a releasable connection between said hanger body and said well took, said connection comprising a split-ring locking element, a ring-expanding mandrel, and an annular groove into which said locking element can be expanded.

Claim 8

A pipe hanger assembly according to claim 6 wherein said split-ring locking element and said ring-expanding mandrel are components of said well tool, said hanger body includes a centrally positioned bore in its upper portion, and said annular groove is located in said centrally positioned bore. *. A pipe hanger assembly accordIng to claim 1 wherein said mandrel actuator means comprises a rotatable sleeve circumscribing said hanger body and threadedly engaging said mandrel means, said sleeve including at least one slot in its upper end to accommodate a key fixed to said well tool.

Claim 9

A pipe hanger assembly according to claim 1 wherein said aligning means includes means for accepting and aligning an outer well completion element with said hanger assembly, and means for accepting and aligning an inner well completion and servicing tool.

Claim 10

A well tool assembly for running and retrieving a well pipe hanger assembly, comprising a. an annular body with an upper section adapted for connection to a pipe string, a lower section adapted for releasable connection to said hanger assembly, and an intermediate section with external threads for moving a circumscribing tool element axially thereon; b. an annular clutch and mandrel means circumscribing said body, said means including internal threads complementary to said external threads on said body, a mandrel section for preventing contraction of an annular element against said body, and means for releasably engaging a rotatable pipe hanger element to cause said element to rotate in concert with said well tool; c. an annular resiliently expandable and contractible locking element surrounding said body; and d. first and second stop means spaced axially on said body for restricting axial movement of said clutch and mandrel means on said body to a predetermined area, whereby when said clutch and mandrel means is threadedly engaged with said body and releasably engaged with said pipe hanger element, rotation of said body will cause said clutch and mandrel means to move axially on said body, to release said annular locking element for contraction, and to rotate said pipe hanger element.

Claim 11

A well tool assembly for running and retrieving a well pipe hanger assembly, comprising a. an annular body with an upper section adapted for connection to a pipe string, a lower section adapted for releasable connection to said hanger assembly, and an intermediate section with external threads for moving a circumscribing tool element axially thereon; b. an annular clutch and mandrel means circumscribing said body, said means including internal threads complementary to said external threads on said body, a mandrel section for preventing contraction of an annular element against said body, and means for releasably engaging a rotatable pipe hanger element to cause said element to rotate in concert with said well tool; c. an annular resiliently expandable and contractible locking element surrounding said body; and d. first and second stop means spaced axially on said body for restricting axial movement of said clutch and mandrel means on said body to a predetermined area, whereby when said clutch and mandrel means is threadedly engaged with said body and releasably engaged with said pipe hanger element, rotation of said body will cause said clutch and mandrel means to move axially on said body, to release said annular locking element for contraction, and to rotate said pipe hanger element.

Claim 12

A well tool assembly according to claim 10 wherein rotation of said body causes said clutch and mandrel means first to move axially into contact with said second stop means, and then to rotate with said body.

Claim 13

A well tool assembly according to claim 10 wherein said first stop means comprises an annular shoulder on said body, said second stop means comprises a snap ring residing in an external annular groove on said body, and wherein said clutch and mandrel means includes a pair of keys for engaging complementary slots in said rotatable pipe hanger element.

Claim 14

A well tool assembly, comprising a. a generally cylindrical body having at least one axial bore therethrough, said body having upper and lower ends with said lower end adapted for cooperatively engaging a well pipe hanger assembly; b. at least one mandrel sub rotatably extending through a bore in said body and threadedly engaged therewith; c. means for releasably connecting said mandrel sub to a pipe coupling in said pipe hanger assembly and d. means for selectively releasing said pipe coupling from said pipe hanger assembly to facilitate removal of said coupling from said assembly.

Claim 15

A well tool assembly, comprising a. a generally cylindrical body having at least one axial bore therethrough, said body having upper and lower ends with said lower end adapted for cooperatively engaging a well pipe hanger assembly; b. at least one mandrel sub rotatably extending through a bore in said body and threadedly engaged therewith; c. means for releasably connecting said mandrel sub to a pipe coupling in said pipe hanger assembly and d. means for selectively releasing said pipe coupling from said pipe hanger assembly to facilitate removal of said coupling from said assembly.

Claim 16

A well tool assembly according to claim 13 including means for aligning said well tool assembly with said pipe hanger assembly.

Claim 17

A well tool assembly according to claim 13 wherein said connecting means comprises a collet with flexible fingers, said collet circumscribing said mandrel sub and secured to said body.

Claim 18

A well tool assembly according to claim 15 wherein said collet has enlarged portions on its flexible fingers for engaging an internal annular groove in said pipe coupling, and said mandrel sub includes a locking surface for locking said enlarged finger portions into said pipe coupling''s annular groove.

Claim 19

A well tool assembly according to claim 13 wherein rotation of said mandrel sub in said body, when said tool assembly is properly positioned with said pipe hanger assembly, locks said mandrel sub to said pipe coupling.

Claim 20

A well tool assembly according to claim 13 wherein said selectively releasing means comprises a ring-like element circumscrIbing said mandrel sub and selectively positionable in a locking and an unlocking location with respect to the pipe coupling.

Claim 21

A tool assembly according to claim 13, including a plurality of bores through said body, a mandrel sub in at least one of said bores, a collet for locking said mandrel sub to a pipe coupling, and a multi-positionable release ring for selectively releasing said pipe coupling from said pipe hanger assembly.

Claim 22

A well tool assembly, comprising a. a generally cylindrical body having at least one axial bore therethrough, said body having upper and lower ends with said lower end adapted for cooperatively engaging a well pipe hanger assembly; b. at least one mandrel sub rotatably extending through a bore in said body and threadedly engaged therewith; and c. means circumscribing said mandrel sub and secured to said body for releasably and non-threadedly connecting said mandrel sub to a pipe coupling in said pipe hanger assembly as said mandrel sub is rotated.

Claim 23

A well tool assembly, comprising a. a generally cylindrical body having at least one axial bore therethrough, said body having upper and lower ends with said lower end adapted for cooperatively engaging a well pipe hanger assembly; b. at least one mandrel sub rotatably extending through a bore in said body and threadedly engaged therewith; and c. means circumscribing said mandrel sub and secured to said body for releasably and non-threadedly connecting said mandrel sub to a pipe coupling in said pipe hanger assembly as said mandrel sub is rotated.

Claim 24

A well tool assembly according to claim 20 including means for aligning said well tool assembly with said pipe hanger assembly.

Claim 25

A well tool assembly according to claim 20 wherein said connecting means comprises a collet with flexible fingers.

Claim 26

A well tool assembly according to claim 22 wherein said collet has enlarged portions on its flexible fingers for engaging an internal annular groove in said pipe coupling, and said mandrel sub includes a locking surface for locking said enlarged finger portions into said pipe coupling''s annular groove.

Claim 27

A well tool assembly according to claim 20 wherein rotation of said mandrel sub in said body, when said tool assembly is properly positioned with said pipe hanger assembly, locks said mandrel sub to said pipe coupling.

Claim 28

A well tool assembly according to claim 20 wherein said selectively releasing means comprises a ring-like element circumscribing said mandrel sub and selectively positionable in a locking and an unlocking location with respect to the pipe coupling.

Claim 29

A tool assembly according to claim 20, including a plurality of bores through said body, a mandrel sub in at least one of said bores, a collet for locking said mandrel sub to a pipe coupling, and a multi-positionable release ring for selectively releasing said pipe coupling from said pipe hanger assembly.

Claim 30

A well apparatus comprising, in combination a. a well pipe hanger assembly; b. means attachable to said well pipe hanger assembly for running said assembly into a wellhead element; c. means secured to said well pipe hanger assembly for aligning said assembly with said wellhead element; d. means secured to said well pipe hanger assembly for landing said assembly in said wellhead element; e. means secured to said well pipe hanger assembly for locking down said assembly in said wellhead element; and f. means in said well pipe hanger assembly for testing the integrity of fluid-tight seals that are established between said assembly and well pipe when said well pipe is hung in said assembly, said well apparatus facilitating running, aligning, landing, locking down and testing said well pipe hanger assembly in one trip into the well.

Claim 31

A well apparatus comprising, in combination a. a well pipe hanger assembly; b. means attachable to said well pipe hanger assembly for running said assembly into a wellhead element; c. means secured to said well pipe hanger assembly for aligning said assembly with said wellhead element; d. means secured to said well pipe hanger assembly for landing said assembly in said wellhead element; e. means secured to said well pipe hanger assembly for locking down said assembly in said wellhead element; and f. means in said well pipe hanger assembly for testing the integrity of fluid-tight seals that are established between said assembly and well pipe when said well pipe is hung in said assembly, said well apparatus facilitating running, aligning, landing, locking down and testing said well pipe hanger assembly in one trip into the well.