US3322193A

US3322193A - Underwater well installations

Info

Publication number: US3322193A
Application number: US438263A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr William W Word
Original assignee: Armco Inc
Current assignee: Armco Inc
Priority date: 1965-03-09
Filing date: 1965-03-09
Publication date: 1967-05-30
Anticipated expiration: 1984-05-30

Description

May 30, 1967 w. w. WORD, JR 3,322,193

UNDERWATER WELL INSTALLATIONS Filed March 9, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR William w. Word Jr: Fl 6 I.

ATTORNEYS May 30, 1967 w. w. WORD, JR

UNDERWATER WELL INSTALLA 'IIONS 5 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed March 9, 1965 INVENTOR William W. Word,

BY a 7 ATTORNEYS FIG.3.

y 1967 w. w. WORD. JR 3,322,193

UNDERWATER WELL INSTALLATIONS Filed March 9, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 52 INVENTOR William w. Word,Jr.

FIGJ. BY y ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofifice 3,322,l93 Patented May 30, 11967 3 322 193 UNDERWATER nan, INSTALLATIONS Wiiliarn W. Word, Jr., Houston, Tex assignor to Armco Steel Corporation, Riiddictown, ()hio, a corporation of @hio Filled Mar. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 438,263 13 Claims. (Cl. 166*.6)

This invention relates to underwater well installations and, more particularly, to underwater well equipment which enables workmen, operating from a floating vessel or the like which is remote from the location of the well head, to simply and easily install and replace production fiow lines and hydraulic or like control lines.

Though various forms of underwater wellhead apparatus have recently been proposed for offshore and like well installations, no truly satisfactory way has heretofore been found for remotely installing and replacing the flow lines necessary for production and the hydraulic or other fluid pressure lines required for controlling wellhead devices. The fact that the wellhead may be installed at depths ranging up to hundreds or even thousands of feet gencrates problems which are unique and unusually difficult to solve. Thus, for example, it is impractical to employ connector devices which require movement laterally of the wellhead, since such lateral or horizontal movements cannot be accurately accomplished from a remote location above the wellhead. On the other hand, the flow lines should extend laterally or horizontally from the Wellhead, both to avoid abrupt bends in the lines and to allow the Christmas tree to be removed without disturbing the flow lines, and this requirement has heretofore dictated use of flow line connector devices requiring horizontal movement during remote installation.

A general object of this invention is to provide underwater wellhead assemblies wherein the flow lines extend laterally from the wellhead, yet can be installed, removed and replaced by vertical manipulations which can be accomplished with relative case when employing conventional vertical guide systems.

Another object is to devise underwater wellheads wherein the Christmas tree can be removed without disturbing the flow lines, and the flow lines can be installed, retrieved and replaced while the Christmas tree remains in place.

A further object is to provide, in an underwater wellhead assembly, a vertically installed connector unit whereby multiple lines, such as the combination of a production flow line and a fluid pressure control line, can be installed in a single highly simplified operation.

Stated broadly, the invention employs an upwardly opening flow line receptacle mounted beside a body member of the wellhead and having at least one lateral port connected to the well tubing by a flow line extension which is secured to and installed with the wellhead body member. The flow line proper terminates at a flow line connector body constructed for downward insertion into the receptacle, the connector body being equipped, for example, with guide arms cooperating with the usual vertical guide cables or the like so that the operator need only lower the connector body, the guide means automatically directing the connector body into the receptacle. The connector body is provided with a transverse passage, and means carried by the receptacle and connector body are provided to automatically orient the connector body in the receptacle in such manner that the transverse passage of the connector body communicates with the lateral port of the receptacle when the connector body has been properly lowered into the receptacle, releasable latch means being provided to secure the connector body in its finally seated position within the receptacle. The flow line proper communicates with the transverse passage in the connector body and is thus brought automatically into communication with the flow line extension, and via the extension with the well tubing, when the connector body has been successfully landed in the receptacle. In particularly advantageous forms of the invention, the receptacle is provided with at least a second lateral port to which a control line extension is connected, and the connector body is provided with a second transverse passage disposed to communicate with such port when the connector body has been landed in the receptacle, the control line proper terminating at the connector body and in communication with the second transverse passage.

In order that the manner in which the foregoing and other objects are achieved in accordance with the inven tion can be understood in detail, one particularly advan tageous embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical elevational view of an underwater wellhead installation in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view, partially in top plan and partially in transverse cross section, taken on line 2--2, FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views taken respectively on lines 33 and 4 i, FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a flow line receptacle forming part of the wellhead installation shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a flow line connector body forming part of the wellhead assembly shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the flow line connector body of FIG. 6 and a handling and retrieving tool by means of which the connector body, with flow line and a hydraulic line connected thereto, is installed and retrieved.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the embodiment of the invention chosen for illustration comprises a wellhead body member indicated generally at 1 and supporting a dual Christmas tree indicated generally at 2. Body 1 can, for example, be a production body constructed and arranged in accordance with my copending application Ser. No. 302,993, filed Aug. .19, 1963. Body 1 is secured to and supported on a sub-adjacent body member (not shown) such as that from which the casing strings are suspended.

Body 1 has an upright through bore 3 in which is rigidly secured a locator sleeve 4 which provides an upwardly opening locator notch 5 and downwardly curving guide edges, indicated at 6, which lead toward notch 5. At its upper end, body 1 has an outwardly projecting transverse annular flange 7 provided with an outwardly opening transverse annular locking groove 8 and a fiat, annular, upwardly directed end face 9.

Production body 1 accommodates and supports a closure body indicated generally at 10 which is locked to body 1 by a hydraulically actuated coupling 11 construct ed as disclosed and claimed in copending application Ser. No. 264,195, filed Mar. 11, 1963, now Patent No. 3,228,- 715, by Claude R. Neilon, Michael A. Walker and William W. Word, Jr., now Patent No. 3,228,715, issued Jan. 11, 1966. Closure body 10 includes a dependent cylindrical portion l2 and a transverse annular outwardly projecting upper flange l3. Flange 13 has a downwardly directed transverse annular flat face 14 adapted to seat directly on end face 9 of body 1. Portion 12 has a diameter adequate to substantially fill the space defined in bore 3 by sleeve 4 and is provided with a pair of vertical parallel bores 15 and 16 which extend entirely through the closure body and are disposed for coaxial alignment with the respective tubing hangers (not shown). Dependent portion 12 of the closure body has an outwardly projecting rigidly fixed locator lug 17 dimensioned to 9 a be received in locator slot 5. Hence, as the closure body is landed on body 1, lug 17 rides down guide edges 6 and enters slot 5, rotationally orienting the closure body in a predetermined position, relative to body 1, such that the bores and 16 are properly aligned with the tubing hangers already disposed in the production body.

Flange 13 of the closure body is provided with two vertical bores which accommodate rigid

cylindrical connector tubes

18 and 19, respectively, the connector tubes being rigidly afiixed to flange 13, as by welding. At its lower end, each

connector tube

18, 19 has an enlarged internal diameter and is provided with sealing rings to receive in sealed relation the projecting upper portion of the corresponding one of two

rigid conduit members

20 and 21 which extend vertically upwardly through suitable bores in flange 7 of body 1. Flange 13 is also provided with a plurality of bores each accommodating a check valve-equipped control line coupling 22, the couplings 22 communicating with hydraulic control line extensions 23 which extend upward through flange 7. Conplings 22 can be constructed as disclosed in detail in the aforementioned copending application Ser. No. 302,993.

Closure body It) supports a multiple port hydraulically operated fail-safe closed master valve assembly indicated generally at 24 and operative to independently control the two tubing strings suspended in the well. Above the master valve assembly, a multiple port flow line fitting 25 is provided, fitting 25 being connected to the master valve assembly via

conduits

26 and 27 and to the Christmas tree top adapter fitting 28, via

conduits

29 and 30. Fitting 28 is closed in conventional fashion, as by a hydraulically actuated re-entry coupling 31.

Fitting 25 is provided with two side ports, one providing communication, via the master valve assembly, between bore 15 and conduit 32, the other similarly providing communication between bore 16 and conduit 33. Conduit 32 is connected via wing valve 34 to the upper end of connector tube 18. Similarly, conduit 33 is connected via wing valve 35 to the upper end of connector tube 19.

The combination of closure body 10, master valve assembly 24,

fittings

25 and 28, wing valves 34 and 35, and coupling 11, along with the corresponding conduiting, is assembled at a point remote from the wellhead and installed as a unitary assembly.

A first flow line receptacle, indicated generally at 36, is rigidly mounted on production body 1 by lateral arms 37 and 38', receptacle 36 being spaced laterally from body 1 and centered at least generally on the vertical plane containing the axes of

connector tubes

18 and 19. A

second flow line receptacle 39 is disposed on the opposite side of body 1, being mounted on the body by arms 40 and 41. Receptacle 39 is also vertically aligned in the plane containing the axes of

connector tubes

18 and 19, so that

receptacles

36 and 39 and diametrically opposed across body 1 and spaced equally therefrom.

Receptacle 36 is generally tubular, with the longitudinal axis of its bore extending vertically. Near its lower end, the receptacle is provided with a downwardly and inwardly tapering frusto-conical shoulder 42. As will be clear from FIG. 3, the bore or passage in receptacle 36 immediately above shoulder 42 has a wall portion 43 which is in the form of a plain right cylindrical surface, and also includes a flat vertically extending wall portion 44. Wall portion .44 is located at the side of the receptacle 36 which is adjacent body 1. In the area of wall portion 44, receptacle 36 is provided with a larger lateral port 45 and a smaller lateral port 46 located thereabove, ports 45 and 46 opening horizontally toward body 1 and being aligned vertically one above the other. A tubular flow line extension 47 has one of its ends welded to receptacle 36, the other end of extension 47 being Welded to the lower end of conduit member Ztl. Port 45 and flow line extension 47 have the same internal diameter and the flow line extension is welded to receptacle 36 in such fashion as to be precisely aligned with and in direct communication with port 45.

Similarly, one of the control line extensions 23 has one of its ends welded to receptacle 36 in communication with port 46, the other end portion of the control line extension 23 extending upwardly through flange 7 into communication with the appropriate one of the control line couplings 22.

Above port 46, the bore of receptacle 36 extends as a plain right cylindrical surface, indicated at 48, FIG. 5. A vertically disposed, upwardly opening locator notch 49 is provided in the wall of receptacle 36 in a location diametrically opposite ports 45 and 46. The upper edge portions 50 of receptacle 36 slant downwardly and outwardly, acting as guide surfaces leading to the open mouth of locator notch 49. At a point immediately below the top of notch 49, the cylindrical portion 48 of the bore of receptacle 36 is provided with a transverse annular inwardly opening groove 51.

Receptacle 36 accommodates a flow line connector body indicated generally at 52. The lower end portion of body 52 is of downwardly tapering conical configuration and is so dimensioned as to come into face-to-face engagement with shoulder 42 when body 52 is landed in receptacle 36. Body 52 includes an intermediate portion of such size and configuration as to substantially completely fill the interior of receptacle 36 immediately above shoulder 42. This portion of body 52 includes a flat side surface 53 and a cylindrical surface portion 54 conforming to wall

portions

44 and 43, respectively, of the receptacle 36. A larger transverse bore 55 and a smaller transverse bore 56, located above bore 55, are provided, the diameters of

bores

55 and 56 being equal to the diameters of ports 45 and 46, respectively, and the locations of

bores

55 and 56 being such that, when body 52 engages shoulder 42, and is rotationally oriented in proper fashion within the receptacle, bore 55 is aligned with port 45 and bore 56 is aligned with port 46. Two circular grooves are provided in surface 53 of body 52, one encircling the corresponding end of bore 55 and the other encircling the corresponding end of bore 56. Each such groove accommodates a suitable sealing element which engages surface 44 of receptacle 36, when body 52 is properly landed, to provide fluid-tight seals so that fluid can flow through the

bores

55 and 56 into ports 45 and 46, respectively, and hence into the fiow line extension 47 and the control line extension 23.

Flow line 57 has its end rigidly attached to body 52, as by welding, and is directly aligned with and in communication with bore 55. Hydraulic control line 58 has its end rigidly attached to body 52, immediately above flow line 57 and in direct alignment and communication with bore 56. Locator notch 49 has a width only slightly greater than the outer diameter of flow line 57. As body 52 is landed, entering receptacle 36 from above, flow line 57 is directed into notch 49, thus assuring precise rotational orientation of body 52 in the receptacle, with resultant precise alignment between

bores

55 and 56, on the one hand, and ports 45 and 46, respectively, on the other hand.

At an appropriate point above bore 56, body 52 is provided with a transverse annular outwardly opening groove which accommodates a plurality of latching segments 59. Segments 59 are biased outwardly by suitable springs and are of such size and configuration as to be capable of snapping into latching engagement in groove 51 when the tapered lower end portion of body 52 comes into seated engagement with shoulder 4-2. Above the groove which accommodates segments 59, the outer surface of body 52 is plain cylindrical and is embraced by a latch segment-retracting sleeve 60. As fully describe-d in copending application Ser. No. 392,836, filed Aug. 19, 1963, now Patent No. 3,273,915, by Robert Bishop, Edward E. Castor, Michael A. Walker and William W. Word, Jr., now Patent No. 3,273,915, issued Sept. 20, 1966, the latch segments 59 are provided with upwardly directed cam faces which are engaged by the lower end of sleeve 60, when the sleeve is actuated downwardly relative to body 52, so that downward movement of the sleeve will cause all of the segments 59 to be retracted simultaneously preparatory to upward withdrawal ceptacle 36.

At its upper end, body 52 is provided with an axial, upwardly opening bore 61 which terminates immediately above transverse bore 56. The upper end portion 62 of bore 61 is provided with left-hand internal threads for attachment of a handling joint to body 52 at the time the body, with flow line 57 and control line 58 attached, is to be initially installed in the wellhead assembly. Below the threads 62, there is provided atransverse annular inwardly opening groove 63, for a purpose hereinafter described.

Flow line receptacle 39 is identical to receptacle 36, being provided with a larger port 64 and a smaller port 65. A fiow line extension 66 is rigidly attached to receptacle 39 in alignment and communication with port 64 and has its other end attached to the lower end of conduit member 21. A second hydraulic line extension 23, cooperating with one of the couplings 22, has its end attached, as by welding, to receptacle 39 in alignment and communication with the smaller port 65. Receptacle 39 includes an internal shoulder 67, the upwardly opening locator notch 63, and downwardly and outwardly slanting guide surfaces 69 leading to the upper, open mouth of notch 68. Receptacle 39 is also provided with a suitable latching groove 7%.

Flow line connector body 71, to which flow line 72 and control line 73 are attached, is identical with body 52 and cooperates with receptacle 39 in precisely the same fashion as body 52 cooperates with receptacle 36. Accordlingly, when body 71 is inserted downwardly into receptacle 39, flow line 72 comes to rest in notch 68 as the lower end of body 71 seats on shoulder 67. This orientation causes the transverse bores 74 and 75 in body 71 to be registered respectively with

ports

64 and 65 in receptacle 39, thus placing flow line 72 in communication with the flow line extension 66, and placing control line 73 in communication with the corresponding control line extension 23.

As will be understood sembly includes a guide zontal, rectangular frame of body 52 from refrom FIG. 2, the wellhead asmeans base comprising a hori- 76 rigidly attached to a lower wellhead body, as by diagonal members '77. At each corner of frame 76, an upwardly extending guide tube 78 is provided, each tube 78 having an axially extending, upwardly opening slot 79 lying in a plane extending radially from the vertical central axis of the wellhead. Slots 79 accommodate the guide arms attached to the various wellhead and other elements to be guided into final position, as now well known in the art.

As shown in FIG. 2, the common vertical plane occupied by the axes of the wellhead proper and

receptacles

36 and 39 extends at right angles to two sides of frame 76 of the guide base and is equally spaced from the various guide tubes 78.

The handling joint or retrieving tool employed in connection with each flow

line connector body

52, 71 is provided with a suitable guide arm structure to cooperate with the guide tubes 78 and assure that the flow line receptacle. Thus, as seen in FIG. 2, a pair of diametrically opposed arms 80 and 81 are rigidly aflixed to the handling joint 82. At its free end, arm 81 is secured to to enter into any of the guide tubes 78 and, of course, encircles the usual guide cable 85 which extends from base frame 76 to the floating vessel or other work support. An angularly disposed arm 86 is fixed to the free end of arm 81 and carries a guide sleeve 87. The arrangement of

arms

80, 81, 83 and 86 is such that, when

sleeves

84 and 87 embrace the appropriate guide cables 85, arms and 81 will extend parallel to one side of the base frame 76 While

arms

83 and 86 extend radially with respect to the vertical central axis of the wellhead. Thus, the handling joint 82 can be lowered, by means of a handling string, and the guide means comprising the guide cables, the guide arms attached to the handling joint, and the guide tubes will assure that the

body

52 or 71, as the case may be, will properly enter the

appropriate receptacle

36, 39. In this connection, it is to be noted that the lower ends of

bodies

52 and 71 are conical, so that the connector body tends to precisely center itself with respect to the receptacle as it enters the receptacle.

When the flow line connector body 52 is fully seated within receptacle 36, the connector body is held against rotation relative to the receptacle by means of the cooperating flat

vertical surfaces

44 and 53. Accordingly, the handling joint can readily be detached and removed, leaving the connector body 52 securely latched in place, with latch segments 59 engaged in groove 51. The same action occurs, of course, upon full installation of connector body 71 in receptacle 39.

When it is necessary to retrieve connector body 52, as will be the case if flow line 57 or control line 58 is to be replaced, the handling and retrieving tool illustrated in FIG. 7 is employed. Indicated generally at 38, the handling and retrieving tool is constructed generally in accordance with copending application Ser. No. 302,792, filed Aug. 19, 1963, now Patent No. 3,240,511, by Robert Bishop, Edward E. Castor, Michael A. Walker and William W. Word, Jr., now patent No. 3,240,511, issued Mar. 15, 1966. Tool 88 includes a generally tubular body 89 connected by the usual threaded joint to a handling strong 90. The guide arm structure, including

arms

30, 81, 83 and 86, FIG. 2, is attached to the upper portion of body 89 as hereinbefore described. At its lower end, body 89 includes a cylindrical portion 91 of reduced diameter designed for insertion into bore 61 of the flow line connector body. Body portion 91 is provided with a transverse annular cal shoulder 93 dimensioned to seat on the upper end of body 52. Immediately above shoulder 93, body 89 presents a lower cylindrical surface 94 and an upper cylindrical surface 95, surface 95 being of somewhat larger diameter than surface 94. An actuating ring 96 embraces surface 95 and includes an inwardly projecting annular flange 97 which slidably embraces surface 94. A radial port 98 is provided to place the bore 99 of the lower end thereof, carrying a segment retracting ring 161 which is normally biased to a lower, inactive position by spring 102. Spring 102 also acts to urge a downwardly directed shoulder 103 bore 99 will drive ring 96 downwardly, thereby actuating be free for removal from provides a means wherewith the flow line and can be retrieved ments 59 so that body 52 will receptacle 35. Thus, the tool 88 by the flow line connector body, hydraulic control line connected thereto, from the receptacle.

Assuming that it is necessary the flow line connector body when the flow line connector body is seated in its receptacle, plug 100 can be pulled upwardly, as by a wire line, causing sleeve 101 to be moved upwardly to cam segments 2 into their retracted position, free of groove 63, so that the handling tool is now free for removal from bore 61.

Though one particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention has been chosen for illustrative purposes, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an underwater well installation, tion of a rigid submerged wellhead structure including at least one upright wellhead body member;

a Christmas tree assembly supported by said body member and including production flow conduit means communicating with tubing suspended in the well;

a flow line receptacle including an axial passage and a lateral port, said receptacle being rigidly mounted on said wellhead structure and spaced laterally from said body member, with said axial passage opening upwardly and said lateral port directed horizontally;

flow confining means interconnecting said lateral port and said flow conduit means of said Christmas tree assembly;

a flow line connector body dimensioned for downward insertion into said axial passage of said flow line receptacle and having a transverse passage, said receptacle and said connector body having cooperating means supporting said connector body in said receptacle with one end of said transverse passage in communication with said lateral port of said receptacle;

a flow line attached to said connector body in communication with the other end of said transverse passage; and

means carried by said connector body for releasable attachment to a handling device for landing said connector body in said receptacle after the latter has been installed at the submerged site of said wellhead structure.

2. A well installation in accordance with claim 1 and wherein said flow line receptacle is rigidly mounted on a body member of said rigid wellhead structure.

3. A well installation in accordance with claim 1 and wherein said flow line receptacle is located below the top of said body member which supports said Christmas tree assembly, and

- said flow confining means comprises a conduit extending from said receptacle generally horizontally to ward said body member and thence curving upwardly toward said Christmas tree assembly.

4. A well installation in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising at least one additional flow line receptacle rigidly mounted on said wellhead structure and spaced laterally from said body member, said additional flow line receptacle having an axial passage and a lateral port;

additional flow confining means interconnecting said lateral port of said additional receptacle and said flow conduit means of said Christmas tree assembly;

an addiitonal flow line connector body dimensioned for downward insertion into the axial passage of said additional receptacle, and'having a transverse pasto detach tool 38 from the combinasage communicating with said lateral port of said additional receptacle when said additional connector body is so inserted; and a flow line attached to said additional connector body in communication with said transverse passage, said flow line receptacles being equally spaced in an annular series concentric with the vertical axis of said wellhead body member. 5. In apparatus for use in underwater tions, the combination of a wellhead body member adapted for upright installation below a Christmas tree assembly; a flow line receptacle having an axial passage and a lateral port; means rigidly interconnecting said body member and said receptacle, said receptacle being spaced laterally from said body member with said axial passage Opening upwardly when said body member is in upright position; conduit means having one end secured to said receptacle in communication with said lateral port, the other end portion of said conduit means being supported by said body member and extending upwardly for connection to the Christmas tree assembly when the latter is installed above said body member; and a flow line connector body dimensioned for downward insertion into said axial passage of said receptacle and having a transverse passage, said receptacle and connector body having cooperating means for supporting said connector body in said receptacle with one end of said transverse passage in communication with said lateral port, the other end of said transverse passage being connectable to a production flow line, said connector body being provided at its upper end with means whereby a handling device can be releasably attached thereto. 6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 and wherein said axial passage in said receptacle is defined by wall means including a flat surface portion parallel to the axis of said receptacle, said lateral port opening through said fiat wall portion; said flow line connector body has an outer surface including an axially extending fiat surface portion, said transverse passage opening through said flat surface portion; and said receptacle and flow line connector body are provided with cooperating guide means operative to bring said flat surface portions into juxtaposition as said connector body is inserted downwardly into said receptacle. 7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 and wherein said receptacle is provided with a second lateral port disposed above said first-mentioned port; said connector body is provided with a second transverse passage disposed above said first mentioned passage and adapted to register with said second lateral port; and the apparatus further comprises control conduit means having one end secured to said receptacle in communication with said second lateral port. 8. In apparatus for use in underwater well completions, the combination of a wellhead body member adapted for upright installation below a Christ-mas tree assembly and having a central longitudinal axis; a plurality of flow line receptacles each having an axial passage and a lateral port; means rigidly interconnecting said receptacles and said body member, said receptacles being equally spaced from each other in an annular series which is concentric with said axis, all of said receptacles being disposed with said passages opening upwardly when said body member is in upright position;

well complea plurality of conduits each secured to a different one of said receptacles and extending toward said body member and thence upwardly for connection to the Christmas tree assembly when the latter is installed above said body member, each of said conduits communicating with the lateral port of the one of said receptacles to which the conduit is secured; and

a plurality of flow line connector bodies each to be inserted downwardly into the axial passage of a different one of said receptacles and each having a transverse passage, each of said connector bodies and the respective one of said receptacles into which the body is to be downwardly inserted having cooperating means for supporting the connector body in the receptacle with one end of the transverse passage of the body in communication with the lateral port of the receptacle, the other end of the transverse passage of each of said connector bodies being connectable to a production flow line, each of said connector bodies being provided with means whereby a handling device can be releasably attached thereto.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 8 and wherein said means rigidly interconnecting said receptacles and said body member comprise mounting elements secured to said body member and projecting laterally threfrom.

10. In wellhead apparatus for underwater installation,

the combination of a receptacle having wall means defining a cavity having an open end;

means rigidly supporting said receptacle in upright position with said open end directed upwardly, said wall means having a lateral port and an upwardly opening locator notch, upper edge portions of said wall means constituting downwardly slanting guide means leading to said locator notch;

conduit means secured to said receptacle in communication with said lateral port;

a connector body of such size and shape as to be insertable downwardly into the cavity defined by said wall means, said connector body having a transverse passage, said connector body and said receptacle having cooperating means for supporting said body in said receptacle with one end of said passage in communication with said port, said connector body being provided with means whereby the same can be releasably attached to a handling device for 10wering said body into said cavity; and

a flow conduit secured to said connector body in communication with the other end of said passage, said flow conduit extending laterally from said connector body and having an outer dimension, adjacent said connector body, slightly smaller than the width of said locator notch,

said locator notch receiving said flow conduit, as said connector body is lowered into said cavity, to locate said connector body rotationally with respect to said receptacle.

11. Well head apparatus in accordance with claim 10 and wherein said wall means of said receptacle is provided with a second lateral port located above said first-mentioned port,

said connector body is provided with a second transverse passage located above said first-mentioned passage,

the apparatus further comprising a conduit secured to said connector body in communication with one end of said second transverse passage and extending laterally from said body above said flow conduit, the other end of said second passage being disposed to communicate with said second port when said cooperating means supports said connector body in said receptacle with said flow conduit extending throu tioned passage gh said notch and said first-mencommunicating with said first mentioned lateral port.

12. Wellhead a and wherein said wall means includes a pparatus in accordance with claim 10 flat wall portion extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said receptacle,

said lateral port opening tion, and said connector bod portion extendin of said body,

said

opening through Wall portion allel and in close extends through s 13. In a wellhead said flat surface portion through said flat wall pory is provided with a flat surface g parallel to the longitudinal axis one end of said transverse passage said flat surface port-ion, said fiat and said flat surface portion being parproximity when said flow conduit aid locator notch.

apparatus for underwater installation,

and a notch opening toward the open end of said receptacle and located in said at least generally cylindrical portion of said internal surface;

means rigidly mounting said receptacle on said body member with said receptacle spaced laterally from said body member and with wardly;

said notch opening upconduit means having one end secured to said recep tacle in communication with said portion of said conduit port, the other end means being supported by said body member;

a connector bod into said rece y dimensioned for downward insertion pt'acle, said body having a fiat, axially extending side surface portion, the balance of side surface of said body being at least generally cylindrical, there being a transverse passage through said body member, one end of said passage opening through said fiat surface portion, said body being provided with means whereby a handling device can be releasably attached thereto; and

a flow conduit secured to said body member in communication with the other end of said transverse passage, said flow conduit extending laterally from said connector body and being of such size as to be accommodated by said notch,

said receptacle and body being provided with cooperating means for supporting said body in said receptacle with said flat surface portions parallel and in close proximity to each other and with said one end of said passage in registry with said lateral port.

References Cited UNITED CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner. R. E. FAVREAU, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN AN UNDERWATER WELL INSTALLATION, THE COMBINATION OF A RIGID SUBMERGED WELLHEAD STRUCTURE INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE UPRIGHT WELLHEAD BODY MEMBER; A CHRISTMAS TREE ASSEMBLY SUPPORTED BY SAID BODY MEMBER AND INCLUDING PRODUCTION FLOW CONDUIT MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH TUBING SUSPENDED IN THE WELL; A FLOW LINE RECEPTABLE INCLUDING AN AXIAL PASSAGE AND A LATERAL PORT, SAID RECEPTABLE BEING RIGIDLY MOUNTED ON SAID WELLHEAD STRUCTURE AND SPACED LATERALLY FROM SAID BODY MEMBER, WITH SAID AXIAL PASSAGE OPENING UPWARDLY AND SAID LATERAL PORT DIRECTED HORIZONTALLY; FLOW CONFINING MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID LATERAL PORT AND SAID FLOW CONDUIT MEANS OF SAID CHRISTMAS TREE ASSEMBLY; A FLOW LINE CONNECTOR BODY DIMENSIONED FOR DOWNWARD INSERTION INTO SAID AXIAL PASSAGE OF SAID FLOW LINE RECEPTABLE AND HAVING A TRANSVERSE PASSAGE, SAID RECEPTACLE AND SAID CONNECTOR BODY HAVING COOPERATING MEANS SUPPORTING SAID CONNECTOR BODY IN SAID RECEPACLE WITH ONE END OF SAID TRANSVERSE PASSAGE IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID LATERAL PORT OF SAID RECEPTACLE; A FLOW LINE ATTACHED TO SAID CONNECTOR BODY IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE OTHER END OF SAID TRANSVERSE PASSAGE; AND