US3099317A

US3099317A - Underwater well completion assembly

Info

Publication number: US3099317A
Application number: US842127A
Authority: US
Inventors: William L Todd
Original assignee: FMC Corp
Current assignee: FMC Corp
Priority date: 1959-09-24
Filing date: 1959-09-24
Publication date: 1963-07-30
Anticipated expiration: 1980-07-30

Description

July 30, 1963 TODD 3,099,317

UNDERWATER WELL COMPLETION ASSEMBLY Filed Sept. 24, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR IIIIII M L.TODD

ATTORNEY July 30, 1963 w TODD 3,099,317

UNDERWATER WELL COMPLETION ASSEMBLY Filed Sept. 24, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F'IB ZA F'II3 2B WILLIAM L.TODD

BYW

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,09%,317 UNDERWATER WELL COMPLETIGN ASSEMBLY William L. Todd, Houston, Tex., assignor, by rnesne assignments, to FMC Corporation, San Jose, Caliii, a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 842,127 8 Claims. (Cl. 166-665) The present invention pertains to a well head assembly and more particularly relates to a well head assembly for use in an underwater well completion.

An object of the present invention is to provide a well head completion assembly adapted for installation and operation under water where it is not apt to be damaged by heavy weather, and where it does not present a hazard to shipping.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure whereby an underwater well can be drilled from a floating or other type of platform at or above the surface of the water and the well head completion assembly installed at any desired depth below the water surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide a well head assembly adapted to be located at the ocean floor, but which permits the christmas tree to be disengaged therefrom and raised to the water surface without losing communication with the production tubing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a well head assembly comprising a casing head adapted to be mounted adjacent the ocean floor, and wherein a plurality of tubing hangers and casing hangers can be inserted into said casing head through a tubular member extending to the water surface, which tubular member can subsequently be removed, and wherein said tubing hangers and casing hangers can be locked within the casing head without requiring any operations to be performed on the exterior of the casing head.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying, drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation of an underwater well installation employing the underwater completion assembly of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B, taken together in end-to-end relation with each other, form a longitudinal section through a well head assembly embodying the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section along line 3-3 of FIG. 2B.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section along line 44 of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 5 is a perspective, partially broken away, of one of the lug-actuating cam members forming a part of the well head assembly of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a partial longitudinal section illustrating the christmas tree disengaged from the casing head and partially raised therefrom.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B thereof, represents an elongated casing head fixed, in any suitable manner as by welding 12 (FIG. 2B), to the upper end of a support casing 14. During practical use of the apparatus of the invention the casing head 10 is advantageously located adjacent the ocean floor, and a suitable length of pipe, or casing, is employed temporarily as a caisson 8 (FIG. 1) permitting installation of the various components of the well com- {pletion by work-men operating on a barge 7 or other platform above the water. The inside diameter of the caisson 8 is advantageously the same as that of the easing head 10, and a blowout preventer 9 is connected between the caisson *8 and the casing head 10. Alternatively, the caisson 8 can be connected directly to the casing head 16?, and the blowout preventer can be installed at the upper end of the caisson 8 where it is conveniently accessible to the operators on the working platform 7. For the purposes of the present disclosure, the apparatus will be described in the arrangement thereof illustrated in FIG. 1.

After installation of the blowout preventer 9 and the caisson (i, drilling operations can proceed with the drilling tools extending through the caisson 8, blowout preventer 9, the casing head 10, andthe support casing 14'.

After the drilling has proceeded to the extent that it is desired to set the first string of casing 16 (FIG. 2B), the drilling tools are pulled and casing 16 is lowered through the caisson =8 and blowout preventer 9. A casing hanger assembly 18 is fixed to the upper end of the casing 16. The body portion 22 of the casing hanger 18 is tubular and is connected at its lower end to the casing 16 by a threaded [connection 20. An outwardly projecting flange 24 is provided at the upper end of the body portion 22. The outer diameter of the flange 24 is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the [casing head 10. A sleeve 26 is slideably mounted on the outer surface of the body 22 and is connected thereto [for limited movement longitudinally thereof by a plurality of bolts 28 which extend through suitable apertures 30 in the flange 24 of the body 22 and are threaded into tapped openings 32 in the upper end of the sleeve 26. An annular packing member 34 is interposed between the upper end of the sleeve 26 and the downwardly facing lower surface of the flange 24 on the body 22.

The lower portion 36 of the sleeve 26 is spaced outwardly from the outer surface of the body 22 to form a cylindrical space, or annulus 38. A plurality of radially extending openings 40 in the sleeve 26 communicate with the annulus 3-8 at points spaced equally around the periphery thereof. A plurality of locking lugs 42 are mounted, one within each of said openings, for radial movement with respect to the sleeve 26. The teasing head 10 is provided with an inwardly opening annular groove 44 into which the locking lugs 42 are adapted to be projected. A second sleeve 46 is slideably mounted in the annulus 33 between the body 22 and the lower portion 36 of the sleeve 26. The sleeve 46 is provided with an upwardly facing, downwardly and outwardly flaring cam surface 50 adapted to contact the lower edges of the looking lugs 42 and move the lugs outwardly when the sleeve 46 is moved upwardly with relation to the body 22 and the sleeve 26. A plurality of coil springs 52 are mounted in the annulus 38 beneath the sleeve 46 and abut the bottom surface thereof.

A spring actuating sleeve 60 is mounted in the annulus 3 8 beneath the coil springs 52. The upper surface of the sleeve 66 abuts the lower ends of the springs 52. A shear pin 62 normally retains the sleeve 60 in its lowermost position relative to the sleeve 26. The sleeve 60 is provided with a downwardly extending leg portion 64 which projects downwardly beneath the lower end of the sleeve 26. The inner surface of the sleeve 60 which slideably engages the outer surface of the body 22 is provided with a plurality of triangular recesses 66. A triangular or wedge-shaped slip member 68 is mounted in each of the recesses 66 and is urged by a spring 70 upwardly toward the smaller end thereof.

-In installing the casing hanger 18 a suitable installing tool is threaded into a large female thread 86 (FIG. 2B) at the upper end of the body 22, and the assembly is lowered through the caisson 8 (FIG. 1) and the blowout preventer 9 into the casing head 10*. When the lower end of the leg portion 64 (FIG. 2B) of the sleeve 60 abuts an upwardly facing abutment surface 82 within the casing head ltl adjacent the lower end thereof, the

3 sleeve Gil will stop its downward movement. The shear pin 62 will then shear as the body 22 and the sleeve 26 continue their downward movement relative to the sleeve 60. This continued downward movement of the sleeve 26 compresses the springs 52 between the sleeve 46 and the sleeve 60 so that when the locking lugs 42 reach positions opposite the annular groove 44 in the casing head 1% the sleeve 46 will be forced upwardly by the springs 52, projecting the locking lugs 42 radially outward into the groove 4-4 to lock the sleeve 26 in place with-in the casing head 10. The slips 68 prevent downward movementof the sleeve 61 relative to the body 22 to insure that the locking lugs remain in their projected positions.

The weight of the casing 16 hanging from the body 22 causes the body 22 to move downwardly relatively to the immobilized sleeve 26 far enough to energize the packing member 34 to prevent fiuid leakage between the body 22 and the casing head 10. The casing 16 is then cemented in place in the usual manner.

it may be desired to install a second string of easing The casing 160* can be installed through the caisson 3 and blowout preventer 9 in the same manner as was the casing 16. The body portion ltll of a casing hanger 102 (FIGS. 2A and 2B) is fixed to the upper end of the casing 100 by a threaded connection 1&4. The casing hanger 192 is constructed similarly to the casing hanger 18 and reference is made to the hereinabove description thereof for the details of its construction. However, one difference between the construction of the two casing hangers 102 and 1-8 is that the body 191 of the casing hanger 162 has a smaller inside diameter than does the casing hanger 18 in order to accommodate the casing itle which is of smaller diameter than the casing 16. The lower end of the locking lug actuating sleeve 1115 of the casing hanger 162 is actuated by the upper end of the body 22 of the casing hanger 18. Ports 1% in the casing head .19 provide communication with the annulus 11?], between the casings 16 and 1% through suitable openings (not shown) in the leg portion 163 of the sleeve 1% of the hanger 102, and similar ports 1% (FIG. 2A) provide communication with the interior of the casing 109 through the casing hanger 102.

After the drilling has been completed, and the casings 1-6 and ltlil have been cemented into place, the production tubing can be installed in the following manner.

Two tubing strings 11d and 111 are attached by threaded

connections

112 and 113, respectively, to the bottom of a tubing hanger assembly 114 (FIG. 2A) and are installed through the caisson *8 and the blowout preventer Q in the same manner as were the

casings

16 and 106. The tubing hanger 114 is similar to the casing hangers .1 8 and N2. However, it will be noted that the cylindrical body portion 116 of the tubing hanger 114 is provided with two vertical bores 11% and 126 each of which communicates with the interior of one of the tubing strings 110 and 111.

The tubing hanger 114 is locked within the casing head in the same manner as were the casing hangers 1'3 and 102 described hereinabove. However, in this instance the spring compressing sleeve 122 is not provided with slips to prevent its return movement since the tubing hanger 1 14- is releasable from the casing head 11) to permit the removal thereof after it has once been installed. A pin 115 is fixed to the lug-carrying sleeve 117 and projects inwardly therefrom into a vertical slot 119 formed in the outer surface of the spring compressing sleeve 122. The slot 119' is closed at least at its upper end to keep the sleeve v122 from falling out of the as sembly when the hanger 114 is raised.

The locking lugs 123 of the tubing hanger 114 extend inwardly farther than the previously described locking lugs 42 of the casing hanger 18, and each is provided with a vertical aperture 124 which is rectangular in cross section. The upper end 125 of the inner wall of the aperture 124 is chamfered upwardly and inwardly. Similarly the lower end 126 of the outer wall of the aperture 124 is chamfered downwardly and outwardly.

The lug actuator 12"! of the hanger assembly 114 (FIGS. 2A and 5) comprises a lower sleeve or ring 128 having a plurality of upwardly projecting cam fingers 129 fixed to, or formed integral with, its upper surface. Each of the cam fingers 129 projects upwardly through the aperture 124 in one of the lugs 123, and each is pro- 'vided with an upwardly facing, downwardly and outwardly beveled, cam surface 130 adapted to contact the chamferred surface 126 of the associated lug 123. -A second sleeve =01" ring 131, smaller in diameter than the sleeve 128, is located above the sleeve 128 and is provided with a plurality of downwardly projecting cam fingers 132. Each of the cam fingers 132 is provided with a downwardly facing, downwardly and outwardly beveled cam surface #133 adapted to engage the chamfered surface 125 of the associated lug 123. When the assembly is completed the upper ends of the cam fingers .129 are welded to the lower ends of the cam fingers 132.

A plurality of rods 134 (FIGS. 2A and 4) are fixed to the upper ends of the sleeve 131 and extend upward ly therefrom through suitable bores 136 (FlGS. 2A and 4) formed in the body 116 or" the tubing hanger 114. The upper ends of the rods 134 project upwardly adjacent the upper end of the body 115 into position to be contacted and forced downwardly by an installing and removing tool (not shown) adapted to be threaded into a thread 142 at the upper end of the body 116. It will be noted that metal sleeves (FIG. 2A) surround the rods 134- where they extend through bores in the seal member 137 of the tubing hanger 114 to prevent binding at this point.

A locking sleeve 139 is slidably received on a reduced diameter extension 116 (FIG. 2A) of the lower end of the body member 116. The sleeve 139 bears against the bottoms of the lugs 124 to retain the lug-carrying sleeve 117 and its associated elements mounted on the body member 116 without the use of bolts such as the ones illustrated et 28 in the previously described casing hanger 18. The locking sleeve 139 is welded to the body member 116 as indicated at 43. This construction permits installation of the two relatively

oilset members

128 and 131 of the lug actuator 127.

A counterbore 144 (FIGS. 2A and 4) is formed in the upper part of the body member 116 of the tubing hanger 114 and the upper ends of both of the above-mentioned bores 118 and 121) terminate at the bottom of the counterbore 144. A cylindrical seal carrier 14%? is received within the counterbore 144, being retained therein by a plurality of bolts 145 that extend longitudinally through the seal carrier in circumferentially spaced bores provided therein to receive them. The seal carrier is provided with additional bores 13%, one between each two bolts 146, through which the 'hereinabove mentioned push rods 134 extend, the holes 13% being so positioned in the seal carrier 140 that each hole 138 is in axial alignment with one of the holes 136 in the body member 116. Two vertical bores 148 and .150 extend through the seal carrier 14$ in alignment with the bores 11d and 120', respectively, in the lower portion of the body memher 114.

A seal 152 is mounted in the bore 143 and is adapted to slideably engage the outer surface of a tubular member 154 which extends through the bore 148. A similar seal 156 is mounted in the bore 151) and is adapted to slideably engage the outer surface of a tubular member 158 which extends through the bore 150.

Both of the two

tubular members

154 and 158 are relatively short tubing sections, and they are telescopically received within the

bores

118 and 120, respectively, of the body 116 of the tubing hanger assembly 114, and extend downward therefrom to telescope within the tubing strings 110 and 111, respectively, as best shown in FIG. 2B. The upper ends of the tubular members 154 and 158 (FIG. 2A) are threaded into the lower ends of two

tubular subs

160 and 162, respectively. The upper ends of the

subs

160 and 162 are threaded into the lower ends of two

bores

164 and 166 in the body 168 of a tubing hanger generally indicated 170. The sub 160* is provided with an upwardly facing shoulder formed by an outwardly projecting flange 172 and a packing element 174 surrounds the sub 160 above the flange 172 and is retained thereagainst by a spacing sleeve 176 retained between the upper end of the packing element 174 and the lower end of the body 168 of the tubing hanger 170. The packing element 174 is adapted to effect sealing engagement with the inner surface of the bore 148 in the seal carrier 1419. The sub 162 is provided with a similar outwardly projecting flange 1 80, a packing element 182, and a spacing sleeve 184 to effect sealing engagement with the inner surface of the bore 150 in the seal carrier 140.

The tubing hanger 170 is adapted to be releasably locked within the casing head in the same manner as is the tubing hanger 114. In this instance the lug actuator 190 is fluid actuated (rather than mechanically actuated as in the case of the hanger assembly 114) for effecting retraction of the lugs 191 from the groove 192 in the casing head 10 to permit removal of the tubing hanger 170. The upper sleeve 193 of the lug actuator 19%) is an annular piston slideably received within an annular cylinder 194 formed in the upper end of the sleeve member 196 of the tubing hanger 1'70. Suitable O-ring sealing elements 198 and 2 61) are provided on the interior and exterior, respectively, of the piston 193. A fluid passageway 202 connects the upper end of the annular cylinder 194 with a counterbore 204 at the upper end of the bore 164. A similar passageway 225 connects the annular cylinder 194 with a countenbored portion 205 at the upper end of the bore 166. A sleeve valve 206 is mounted within said countenbore 204 and is adapted to seal the upper end of the fluid passageway 262, and a similar sleeve valve 224 is mounted in the counterbored portion 205 of the bore 166.

Annular locking grooves

208 and 220 are formed in the

bores

164 and 166 respectively of the tubing hanger 170. Similar

annular locking grooves

210 and 222 are formed in the

bores

212 and 213 of the

sleeve valves

206 and 224, respectively.

After the various assemblies have been installed and locked within the casing head 10, in the manner described hereinabove and as illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, suitable back pressure valves may be installed and locked within the

annular grooves

208 and 220 in a wellknown manner to seal the production tubing strings 110 and 111. The caisson 8 and the blowout preventer 9 described hereinabove then can be safely removed and a suitable christmas tree assembly 2311 (FIG. 2A) connected to the upper end of the tubing hanger 17 0 by bolts 232. [The back pressure valves can then be removed from the

annular locking grooves

208 and 220 to put the well into production.

While the description herein relates to an installation of a dual string completion comprising one production tubing string and one kill-string, the same principles are equally applicable to other multiple string installations, or to a completion with a single tubing string.

If at any time after the well is in production it is desired to perform any operation on the christmas tree assembly 238 which require that the assembly be raised above the surface of the water, suitable

back pressure Valves

234 and 236 can be installed and locked in the

annular locking grooves

208 and 210, respectively, or alternatively, in the

grooves

220 and 222, respectively. FIG. 6 illustrates the back pressure valves installed in

grooves

208 and 210. The back pressure valve 236 is then picked up to raise the sleeve 206 far enough to uncover the passageway 202, and fluid is pumped through the back pressure valve 236 and the passageway 202 into the cylinder 194 to force the sleeve 193 of the lug actuator 190 downwardly to retract the locking lugs 191. The christmass tree with the hanger 170 attached thereto can then be raised, as indicated in FIG. 6, above the surface of the water while complete communication with the production tubing strings and 111 is maintained by means of the telescopic connection provided by the

tubular members

154 and 158 which project downwardly within the production tubing strings 110 and 111, respectively. It will be appreciated that the

tubular members

154 and 158 can be made in several sections and should be at least slightly greater in length than the depth of the water, so that the lower ends thereof will remain projected through the seals 15 2 and 156 in the seal carrier when the christmas tree assembly 236 and the tubing hanger are raised to the surface.

While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it should be noted that various changes and modification may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is believed to be new is desired to be protected by Letters Patent 1. In an underwater well installation, a hanger assembly comprising a substantially cylindrical body member having a longitudinal bore therethrough, said bore having a lower end portion, and said body member having means adjacent to said lower end portion of the bore for providing connection to a well string; a sleeve mounted on said body member in circumscribing relation thereto; a plurality of locking lugs mounted in said sleeve for radial movement with respect thereto between a locking position projected radially outward from said sleeve and an unlocked position withdrawn into said sleeve; cam means mounted for movement in opposite first and second directions axially with respect to said body member, said cam means having a first cam surface that projects said lugs into their locking positions when said cam means is moved in said first direction, said cam means having a second cam surface that retracts said lugs into their unlocked positions when said cam means is moved in said second direction, said first and second cam surfaces being unitarily movable; spring means for moving said cam means said first direction; and fluid pressure operated means for moving said cam means in said second direction.

2. In an underwater well installation, an assembly for hanging a well string comprising a substantially cylindrical body member having a longitudinal bore therethrough, a lower portion, and means adjacent to said lower portion for providing connection to a well string so that the string is in communication with said bore, a sleeve fitted around said body member and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial openings therein; locking lugs individually received in said openings in the sleeve for radial movement with respect thereto between locking positions projected radially outwardly [from said sleeve and unlocking positions withdrawn into said sleeve; cam means mounted for movement axially of and along said sleeve in opposite first and second directions, said cam means engageable with said lugs upon movement in said first direction to project said lugs into their locking positions and being engageable with said lugs upon movement in said second direction to retract said lugs into their unlocking positions; spring means for urging said cam means in said first direction to project said lugs into their locking positions; reciprocable means mounted for movement axially of and along said sleeve and associated with said cam means for moving said cam means in said second direction upon movement of said reciproca-ble means in said second direction; and means adapted to be operated remotely of said lugs for reciprocating said reciprocable means in said first and second directions.

3. In an underwater well installation, a hanger assembly comprising a cylindrical body member having a longitudinal bore therethrough and a reduced external diameter lower portion, said body member having means adjacent the lower end of said bore for providing connection to a well string, a sleeve mounted on said reduced diameter lower portion of said body member, a plurality of locking lugs mounted in said sleeve for radial movement with respect thereto between a locking position projected outward of said sleeve and an unlocked position disposed within said sleeve, a first cam body movable upwardly and downwardly with respect to said body member and being engageable with said lugs upon upward movement to project said lugs outwardly into their locking position, a second cam body movable axially upwardly and downwardly with respect to said body member and being engageable with said lugs when moved downwardly to retract said lugs into their unlocked positions, said cam bodies being interconnected for conjoint movement, spring means for urging said cam bodies upwardly to project said lugs into their locking positions, and a plurality of rods fixed to said second cam body and extending upwardly therefrom, said body member and said sleeve each having a plurality of longitudinal bores therein through which said rods project, the upper ends of said rods being adapted to be contacted by a hanger removal tool and moved downwardly thereby to actuate said second cam means to retract said lugs into their unlocking positions.

4. In an underwater well installation, a hanger assembly comprising a cylindrical body member having a longitudinal bore therethrough and a reduced external diameter lower portion, said body member having means adjacent the lower end of said bore for providing connection to a well string, a sleeve mounted on said reduced diameter lower portion of said body member, a plurality of locking lu-gs each having an aperture therein mounted in said sleeve for radial movement with respect thereto between locking positions projected outward from said sleeve and unlocked positions disposed within said sleeve, a first annular cam means slideably mounted between said sleeve and the lower portion of said body member and having cam fingers projecting upwardly into said lug apertures and engaging said lugs when moved upwardly to project said lugs into locking positions, a second cam means slideably mounted between said sleeve and the lower portion of said body member above said first cam means and having cam fingers projecting downwardly into said lug apertures and engaging said lugs when moved downwardly to retract said lugs into unlocking postions, the ends of the cam fingers on said first cam sleeve being fixed to the ends of the cam fingers on said second cam sleeve whereby said cam sleeves are interconnected tor conjoint movement, spring means for urging said cam means upwardly to project said lugs, and a plurality of rods fixed to said second cam means and extending upwardly therefrom, said body member and said sleeve each having a plurality of longitudinal bores therein through which said rods project, the upper ends of said rods being adapted to be contacted by a hanger removal tool and moved downwardly thereby to actuate said second cam means to retract said lugs.

5. In an underwater Well installation, a hanger assembly comprising a cylindrical body member having a longitudinal bore therethrough and means adjacent the lower end of said bore for providing connection to a well string, a lug-carrying sleeve mounted on said body member for limited movement longitudinally thereof, said body member having an abutment means and said sleeve having an upper end facing said abutment means and spaced axially therefrom, sealing means interposed between the upper end of said lug-carrying sleeve and abutment means on said body member, said sleeve having a plurality of radial apertures, a plurality of locking lugs each having an aperture therein mounted in said apertures for radial movement with respect to said lug-carrying sleeve between locking positions projected outward from said sleeve and unlocking positions disposed within said sleeve, a first annular cam sleeve axially slideably mounted between said lug-carrying sleeve and said body member and having cam fingers projecting upwardly through said lug apertures into engagement with said lugs and engaging said lugs when moved upwardly to project said lugs outwardly into said locking positions, a second cam sleeve axially slideably mounted between said lug-carrying sleeve and said body member above said first cam sleeve and having cam fingers projecting downwardly through said lug apertures into engagement with said lugs and engaging said lugs when moved downwardly to retract said lugs into said unlocking positions, the cam fingers on said first cam sleeve being fixed to the cam fingers on said second cam sleeve whereby said cam sleeves are interconnected for conjoint movement, spring means for urging said cam sleeves upwardly to project said lugs, and a plurality of rods fixed to said second cam sleeve and extending upwardly therefrom, said body member and said sleeve each havin a plurality of longitudinal bores therein through which said rods project, the upper ends of said rods being adapted to be contacted by a hanger removal tool and moved downwardly thereby to actuate said second cam means to retract said lugs.

6. In an underwater well installation, a hanger assembly comprising a cylindrical body member having a longitudinal bore therethrough and a reduced external diameter lower portion, means adjacent the lower end of said bore for providing connection to a well string, a dug-carrying sleeve mounted on said reduced diameter lower portion of said body member, a plurality of locking lugs each having apertures therein mounted in said sleeve for radial movement with respect thereto, a first annular cam sleeve slideably mounted between said lug-carrying sleeve and the lower portion of said body member and having cam fingers projecting upwardly into said lug apertures and adapted when moved upwardly to project said lugs outwardly, a second cam sleeve slideably mounted between said lug-carrying sleeve and the lower portion of said body member above said first cam sleeve and having cam fingers projecting downwardly into said lug apertures and adapted when moved downwardly to retract said lugs, the cam fingers on said first cam sleeve being fiexd to the cam fingers on said second cam sleeve whereby said cam sleeves are interconnected for con joint movement, spring means for urging said cam sleeves upwardly to project said llugs, an annular cylinder formed in said sleeve above said lugs, said second cam sleeve including an annular piston slideably received in said cylinder, and a passageway connecting said cylinder with said longitudinal bore in said body member, whereby fiuid pressure may be applied to said piston to move said cam sleeves downwardly to retract said lugs.

'7. In an underwater well installation, a hanger assembly comprising a cylindrical body member having :a longitudinal bore therethrough and a reduced external diameter lower portion, means adjacent the lower end of said bore for providing connection to a well string, a mounting sleeve on said reduced diameter lower portion of said body member, sealing means interposed between an upwardly facing surface on said sleeve and a downwardly facing surface on the body member, a plurality of radial apertures in said sleeve, a plurality of locking lugs each having an aperture therein mounted in said sleeves apertures for radial movement with respect to said sleeve, a first annular cam sleeve slideably mounted between said mounting sleeve and the lower portion of said body member and having cam fingers projecting upwardly into said lug apertures and adapted when moved upwardly to project said lugs outwardly, a second cam sleeve slideably mounted between said mounting sleeve and the lower portion of said body member above said first cam sleeve and having cam fingers projecting downwardly into said lug apertures and adapted when moved downwardly to retract said lugs, the ends of the cam fingers on said first cam sleeve being fixed to the ends of the cam fingers on said second cam sleeve whereby said sleeves are interconnected for conjoint movement, spring means for urging said cam sleeves upwardly to project said lugs, and a cylinder formed in said sleeve above said lugs, said second cam sleeve including a piston slideably received in said cylinder, said body member having a passageway therein connecting said cylinder with said longitudinal bore in said body member whereby fluid pressure may be applied to said piston to move said cam sleeves downwardly to retract said lugs.

8. In an underwater well installation, a hanger assembly comprising a cylindrical body member having a longitudinal bore therethrough and a reduced external diam eter lower portion and means adjacent the lower end of said bore for providing connection to a well string, a mounting sleeve mounted on said reduced diameter lower portion of said body member for limited movement longitudinally thereof, said body member having an upper portion diametrically larger than and connected to said lower portion, said sleeve having an upper end in axially spaced relation to said upper portion, sealing means interposed between the upper end of said sleeve and the upper portion of said body member, said sleeve having a plurality of radial apertures, a plurality of locking lugs each having an aperture therein mounted in said apertures for radial movement with respect to said sleeve between a locking position projected radially outward from said sleeve and an unlocking position retracted within said sleeve, a first annular cam sleeve slideably mounted between said mounting sleeve and the lower portion of said body member and having cam fingers projecting rupwardly into said lug apertures and engaging said lugs when moved upwardly to project said lugs into said locking positions, a second cam sleeve slideably mounted between said mounting sleeve and the lower portion of said body member above said first cam sleeve and having cam fingers projecting downwardly into said lug apertures and engaging said lugs when moved downwardly to retract said lugs into said unlocking positions, the ends of the cam fingers on said first cam sleeve being fixed to the ends of the cam fingers on said second cam sleeve whereby said sleeves are interconnected for conjoint movement, spring means for urging said cam sleeves upwardly to project said lugs, an annular cylinder formed in said sleeve above said lugs, said second cam sleeve including an annular piston slideably received in said cylinder, said body member having therein a passageway connecting said cylinder with said longitudinal bore in said body member whereby fluid pressure may be applied to said piston to move said oam sleeves downwardly to retract said lugs to permit removal of said hanger, and a sleeve valve slideably mounted in said longitudinal bore and adapted to optionally seal or open said passageway.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,796,303 Rasmussen Mar. 17, 1931 2,035,834 Penick et al. Mar. 31, 1936 2,144,227 Penick et al I an. 17, 1939 2,335,355 Penick et a1 Nov. 30, 1943 2,610,689 Eckel Sept. 16, 1952 2,842,209 Gibson July 8, 1958 2,897,895 Ortlofif .d Aug. 4, 1959 2,906,500 Knapp et al Sept. 29, 1959

Claims

1. IN AN UNDERWATER WELL INSTALLATION, A HANGER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL BODY MEMBER HAVING A LONGITUDINAL BORE THERETHROUGH, SAID BORE HAVING A LOWER END PORTION, AND SAID BODY MEMBER HAVING MEANS ADJACENT TO SAID LOWER END PORTION OF THE BORE FOR PROVIDING CONNECTION TO A WELL STRING; A SLEEVE MOUNTED ON SAID BODY MEMBER IN CIRCUMSCRIBING RELATION THERETO; A PLURALITY OF LOCKING LUGS MOUNTED IN SAID SLEEVE FOR RADIAL MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT THERETO BETWEEN A LOCKING POSITION PROJECTED RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM SAID SLEEVE AND AN UNLOCKED POSITION WITHDRAWN INTO SAID SLEEVE; CAM MEANS MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT IN OPPOSITE FIRST AND SECOND DIRECTIONS AXIALLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID BODY MEMBER, SAID CAM MEANS HAVING A FIRST CAM SURFACE THAT PROJECTS SAID LUGS INTO THEIR LOCKING POSITIONS WHEN SAID CAM MEANS IS MOVED IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION, SAID CAM MEANS HAVING A SECOND CAM SURFACE THAT RETRACTS SAID LUGS INTO THEIR UNLOCKED POSITIONS WHEN SAID CAM MEANS IS MOVED IN SAID SECOND DIRECTION, SAID FIRST AND SECOND CAM SURFACES BEING UNITARILY MOVABLE; SPRING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CAM MEANS IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION; AND FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CAM MEANS IN SAID SECOND DIRECTION.