Le connecting apparatus for subsea wellhead

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said torque transmitting means comprises: a drive ring mounted about said first member for limited axial movement thereon and having a lower surface provided with means for drivingly engaging said tool; spline means provided between said ring and first member for holding them in non-rotational relation only for a first axial position of said ring relative to said first member and being disengaged in a second axial position for said ring relative to said first member caused by the landing of said tool.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein: means are provided for normally biasing said first and second members into a relatively extended relation by which said drive ring is biased into said first axial position.

Claim 7

An oil well tool coupling and running tool assembly for rotating an oil well tool in a subsea well while supporting the weight of the tubing and providing for automatic release of the coupling upon subsequent landing of the tool, said assembly comprising: a running tool having a landing surface and being rotatably connected to a tubing string to support the same when landed at a well; a coupling member connected to saiD tubing below said running tool and releasably coupling to an oil well tool to be rotated and landed in a well, said coupling having a landing surface thereon; a first landing shoulder means at the subsea well for receiving said running tool and supporting the same during rotation of said tubing to rotate said tool in the well, said first landing shoulder means being selectively movable to allow passage of said running tool thereby; a second landing shoulder means at said well below said first landing shoulder for receiving and supporting said running tool when it is lowered past said first landing shoulder; a third landing shoulder means at said well below said second landing shoulder a distance less than the spacing of the landing surface on said coupling member below the landing surface on said running tool; and means associated with said coupling member for allowing release of said oil well tool from said coupling upon relative rotation therebetween only when said coupling is landed on said third landing shoulder.

Claim 8

An oil well tool coupling and running tool assembly for rotating an oil well tool in a subsea well while supporting the weight of the tubing and providing for automatic release of the coupling upon subsequent landing of the tool, said assembly comprising: a running tool having a landing surface and being rotatably connected to a tubing string to support the same when landed at a well; a coupling member connected to saiD tubing below said running tool and releasably coupling to an oil well tool to be rotated and landed in a well, said coupling having a landing surface thereon; a first landing shoulder means at the subsea well for receiving said running tool and supporting the same during rotation of said tubing to rotate said tool in the well, said first landing shoulder means being selectively movable to allow passage of said running tool thereby; a second landing shoulder means at said well below said first landing shoulder for receiving and supporting said running tool when it is lowered past said first landing shoulder; a third landing shoulder means at said well below said second landing shoulder a distance less than the spacing of the landing surface on said coupling member below the landing surface on said running tool; and means associated with said coupling member for allowing release of said oil well tool from said coupling upon relative rotation therebetween only when said coupling is landed on said third landing shoulder.

Claim 9

An oil well tool coupling and running tool assembly as in claim 5 wherein: said coupling member comprises inner and outer telescoping members normally in protracted relation when said running tool is landed on said first landing shoulder and retracted relative to each other when said coupling member is landed on said third landing shoulder and said running tool is landed on said second landing shoulder.

Claim 10

An oil well tool coupling and running tool assembly as in claim 6 wherein said means associated with said coupling member comprises a latching means for latching said oil well tool to said tubing to be rotated thereby when said coupling members are in protracted position and releases said oil well tool from said tubing when said members are in said retracted position to allow release of said oil well tool from said coupling by relative rotation therebetween.

Claim 11

An oil tool coupling comprising: a body member with means for connecting to tubing for rotation thereby in a given direction; a tubular member mounted to said body member for limited axial and non-rotative movement relative thereto having means for connecting to an oil well tool which is disconnected by rotation of said tubular member in said given direction relative to said tool; unthreaded drive ring means for releasably engaging said body member and said tool to rotate together and for disengaging from said tool on landing of said tool in a well and consequent relative axial movement between said body member and tubular member to allow release of said tubular member from said tool upon further rotation of said tubing in said given direction.

Claim 12

An oil tool coupling comprising: a body member with means for connecting to tubing for rotation thereby in a given direction; a tubular member mounted to said body member for limited axial and non-rotative movement relative thereto having means for connecting to an oil well tool which is disconnected by rotation of said tubular member in said given direction relative to said tool; unthreaded drive ring means for releasably engaging said body member and said tool to rotate together and for disengaging from said tool on landing of said tool in a well and consequent relative axial movement between said body member and tubular member to allow release of said tubular member from said tool upon further rotation of said tubing in said given direction.

Claim 13

A casing hanger connecting tool adapted to be mounted on the end of a tubing string run from a floating vessel to a remote subsea well for rotating an associated casing in the subsea well prior to landing of the casing hanger at the well and which is automatically rendered releasable from said casing hanger upon such landing, said connecting tool comprising: a tubular body having means at an upper end thereof for mounting said body on a tubing string; an outer sleeve member and means for mounting the same on said body for non-rotative and limited axial movement relative thereto, said sleeve member having a lower end provided with means for connecting to or disconnecting from the casing hanger upon relative rotation therebetween; a torque transmitting ring for engaging between said body and casing hanger to rotate said casing hanger in response to rotation of said body by said tubing string without turning said sleeve member relative to said casing hanger; and means for mounting said torque transmitting ring on said body for limited axial movement between a first position in which said ring is locked against relative rotation with said body and a second position in which said ring is free to rotate relative to said body, said ring being moved relative to said body into said second position by said casing hanger as said tool is lowered on landing said casing hanger in the well, selective rotation of said tubing string thereafter causing release of said sleeve member and said tool from said casing hanger.

Claim 14

A casing hanger connecting tool adapted to be mounted on the end of a tubing string run from a floating vessel to a remote subsea well for rotating an associated casing in the subsea well prior to landing of the casing hanger at the well and which is automatically rendered releasable from said casing hanger upon such landing, said connecting tool comprising: a tubular body having means at an upper end thereof for mounting said body on a tubing string; an outer sleeve member and means for mounting the same on said body for non-rotative and limited axial movement relative thereto, said sleeve member having a lower end provided with means for connecting to or disconnecting from the casing hanger upon relative rotation therebetween; a torque transmitting ring for engaging between said body and casing hanger to rotate said casing hanger in response to rotation of said body by said tubing string without turning said sleeve member relative to said casing hanger; and means for mounting said torque transmitting ring on said body for limited axial movement between a first position in which said ring is locked against relative rotation with said body and a second position in which said ring is free to rotate relative to said body, said ring being moved relative to said body into said second position by said casing hanger as said tool is lowered on landing said casing hanger in the well, selective rotation of said tubing string thereafter causing release of said sleeve member and said tool from said casing hanger.