Subsea wellhead shielding and shock mitigating system
An apparatus is described for shielding subsea well-heads from shock loads due to accidental impact due to the landing of retrieval gear. The apparatus shields the well-head from vertical impact loads by means of a generally conical outer structure and utilizes a shock-absorbing material between a portion of the outer structure and the wellhead to minimize lateral impact loads. The total structure completely surrounds the wellhead extension and provides a flexible, energy-absorbing structure to protect the wellhead from the impact loads. A supporting guide structure is rigidly mounted on the wellhead. The supporting guide structure provides means for transmitting the impact loads to the wellheads. Resilient material that exhibits high damping characteristics and which is compatible with a subsea environment is used for absorbing shocks so as to reduce the lateral impact forces sufficiently to prevent failure of the wellhead. (6 claims)
- Assignee:
- Subsea Equip Assocs Ltd
- Patent Number(s):
- US 3945213
- OSTI ID:
- 6734810
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: Filed date 8 May 1974; Other Information: PAT-APPL-467,878
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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