Displaceable guide funnel for submerged wellheads

Claim 2

Apparatus for guiding equipment lowered from the surface of a body of water to a submerged well head on the ocean floor, said apparatus comprising: a base member resting on the ocean floor and having a central opening; a casing member extending through the central opening in said base member and extending into said ocean floor; a guide member having a frusto-conical-shaped guide surface the lower end being slidably connected to said casing member; and at least three telescopic members extending up from said base member connecting said guide member and base member allowing said guide member to move relative to said base member.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said telescopic members comprise: a cylindrical housing rigidly connected to the base member; spring means contained within said cylindrical housing; and a plunger connected to the guide member at its upper end its lower end being inside said cylindrical housing resting on said spring means.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 further including symmetrically arranged reflectors pivotably mounted on the upper rim of said guide member whereby signals may be reflected to obtain information on the position of the lower end of equipment relative to said reflectors.

Claim 5

Apparatus for guiding equipment lowered from the surface of a body of water to a well head on the ocean floor said apparatus comprising: a base member resting on the ocean floor and having a central opening; a casing member extending through the central opening in said base member and into the ocean floor; a guide member having an upper part in the form of a truncated pyramid and a lower part having at least three sections each section being pivotably connected to the upper part; said lower sections being petal-shaped blades pivotably connected at their upper edges turned away from said base member, said petal-shaped blades when in a first position form a closed surface suitable for guiding a re-entry tool towards the well head and when in a second position open increasing the area of passage through said guide member for the passage of elements therethrough; and at least three supporting legs extending up from the base member and connected to the upper part of said guide member thereby supporting said guide member such that the central axis of said guide member coincides with the central axis of said casing member.

Claim 6

Apparatus for guiding equipment lowered from the surface of a body of water to a well head on the ocean floor said apparatus comprising: a base member resting on the ocean floor and having a central opening; a casing member extending through the central opening in said base member and into the ocean floor; a guide member having an upper part in the form of a truncated pyramid and a lower part having at least three sections each section being pivotably connected to the upper part; said lower sections being petal-shaped blades pivotably connected at their upper edges turned away from said base member, said petal-shaped blades when in a first position form a closed surface suitable for guiding a re-entry tool towards the well head and when in a second position open increasing the area of passage through said guide member for the passage of elements therethrough; and at least three supporting legs extending up from the base member and connected to the upper part of said guide member thereby supporting said guide member such that the central axis of said guide member coincides with the central axis of said casing member.