Patent ID: 9725971
Date: 2017-08-08
CPC Classifications: E21B

Claim:
1. A circulation system, comprising: a circulation management system; a coupling feature of the circulation management system; a housing of the coupling feature configured to extend over a box end of a pipe element; a seal disposed within the housing and configured to engage with a face of the box end; a force-application feature configured to force the seal against the face of the box end to establish a sealed engagement between the circulation management system and the pipe element; a flow path of the circulation management system, the flow path extending through the housing and the seal, wherein the flow path facilitates fluid flow into the pipe element from the circulation management system when the sealed engagement is established; a port to the flow path, wherein the port is configured to couple with a fluid flow supply feature; a piston assembly configured to coordinate with the force-application feature to establish the sealed engagement, wherein the piston assembly comprises a hollow piston with the seal disposed about the piston at an end of the piston opposite the port, and wherein the piston assembly is configured to move relative to the housing; and a piston housing and first and second ports into the piston housing, wherein a lip of the piston is disposed within the piston housing such that the seal and an additional seal are positioned on opposite sides of the lip, the first and second ports into the piston housing being on opposite sides of the lip to facilitate hydraulic actuation of the piston assembly.