Patent GB-1437562-A (GB)
Title: Orienting tubing hanger apparatus through which side pocket mandrels can pass
IPC: E21B33/047
Filed: 1974-02-01
Abstract: 1437562 Well tubing hanger apparatus VETCO OFFSHORE INDUSTRIES INC 1 Feb 1974 [8 May 1973] 04755/74 Heading E1F A sub sea well tubing hanger 10 is provided with a first passage 29 communicating with a first tubing string 210 and a second, ovalsection passage 30 adapted to receive a mandrel supporting a second tubing string having side pockets, the passage 30 being large enough to allow the second tubing string to pass therethrough , the mandrel having one passage communicating with the second tubing string and another passage providing for flow o,f lift gas into the well annulus. The hanger 10 is lowered into position using running tool 90 and when swivel seating ring 41 abuts leading shoulder 36 in casing hanger 11 the running tool 90 is rotated until an orienting key 146 carried by orienting sleeve 137 snaps into an orienting groove 28 in a connector 22 located intermediate the wellhead housing 13 and a BOP stack 19, the rotation of the running tool body 91 being transmitted 'to the orienting sleeve 137 via clutch sleeve 128 which engages an actuator sleeve 69 via teeth 135, 136, the actuator sleeve being threaded to cam sleeve 62 which is initially raised clear of anchor dogs 55 and which has a slot receiving an orienting key 65 secured to the tubing hanger body 39, the key projecting into a slot in the orienting sleeve 137 to transmit the conjoint rotation of the running tool and the hanger 10 to the orienting sleeve. The running tool body is then rotated left-hand and, since the orienting sleeve 137, cam sleeve 62 and hanger body are now held agains't rotation by key 146, the rotation of the actuator sleeve 69 drives the cam sleeve down to expand dogs 55 into a recess in the casing hanger 11, this expansion of the dogs causing simultaneous depression of the hanger body 39 to urge the seating ring 41 against shoulder 36. At this stage the running tool is released by replacing dairt 201 by a further dart which allows pressurization of port 120 to raise piston 105 and allow lock ring 100 to disengage a recess in the hanger body as the running tool is raised, the clutch sleeve 128 being free to move clear of actuator sleeve 69 and the orienting sleeve 'being freed to accompany the running tool body as key 146 is forced clear of groove 28. The same running tool minus the orienting sleeve 137 is then used to lower a locator unit 220 (Figs. 5a, 5b) for the second tubing string into position on the 'hanger 10, the locator unit being oriented by rotation thereof until key 224 snaps into recess 28. After retrieving tool 90 again the second tubing string 210a is run in while supported by oval mandrel 251 and running tool 261 and is guided into the oval-section passage 30 in the hanger body 39 by guide member 225, the running tool including an orienting lug 278 which is guided into an axial groove 231 in sleeve 222 and thereby orients the oval mandrel for reception in passage 30 where it lands on Shoulder 402. The running tool 261 is then rotated to disengage its threaded connection with mandrel 251 and to allow lock ring 265 to expand into recess 400 in the hanger body, the tool 261 then being free for retrieval. The mandrel 251 includes one passage 252 communicating with tubing string 210a, and a second, parallel passage (255) communicating with a nipple 256 through which lift gas passes to the well annulus, the second passage receiving an orienting pin (272) depending from the orienting lug carrier frame 270 of running tool 261. The original running tool 90 minus sleeve 137 is then run in and used to retrieve the locator unit 220, and then tubing strings 300, 301 (Fig. 6) are lowered until orienting member 306 abuts the hanger, the assembly 300, 301, 306 then being rotated until key 301 snaps into groove 28, at which stage the strings 300, 301 are individually rotated to disengage their threaded connections 304, 305 with member 306 and to threadedly engage them with the hanger body 39 and mandrel 251 respectively. Each of the passages 29, 252, (255) has a landing nipple portion including a groove 321 for receiving blanking plugs which are introduced while the BOP stack 19 is replaced by a Christmas tree, the strings 300, 301 being withdrawn, after introduction of the plugs, to allow this replacement