Device to orient electrical connectors in a subsea well

Patent · Tue Sep 13 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:6668438

Houlgrave, R C; Ames, T J; Culper, G H; Masciopinto, A J; Shaw, G A

This patent describes a subsea well having a tree connector mounted to a wellhead, the wellhead containing a tubing hanger having an axial bore for receiving a tubular stinger extending from the tree connector, a downhole electrical wire extending downwardly from the tubing hanger, and an uphole electrical wire extending upwardly from the tree connector. The improvement consists of: at least one upwardly facing electrical socket located on the rim of the tubing hanger and having an axis offset from the axis of the tubing hanger, the socket being connected to the downhole wire; an upwardly facing guide hole located on the rim of the tubing hanger and tapering downwardly, the guide hole being spaced away from the socket and having an axis parallel to the axis of the socket; a carrier mounted to the tree connector adjacent to the stinger; a guide pin and an electrical connector mounted to the carrier and spaced apart from each other for reception in the guide hole and the socket, respectively, the electrical connector being connected to the uphole wire; and orienting means for positioning at the surface the guide pin and carrier relative to the tree connector to a substantially aligned position with the guide hole, and for allowing the carrier to rotate relative to the tree connector about the axis of the tree connector, but only to a selected amount, once the carrier is in the aligned position, to enable the guide pin to rotate the electrical connector into precise alignment with the socket as the guide pin slides into the tapered guide hole.

• Assignee: Hughes Tool Co., Houston, TX
• Patent Number(s): US 4770248
• OSTI ID: 6668438
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
03 NATURAL GAS
030300 -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
42 ENGINEERING
420206 -- Engineering-- Mining & Drilling Equipment & Facilities-- (1980-1989)
423000 -- Engineering-- Marine Engineering-- (1980-)
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FASTENERS
INSTALLATION
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OFFSHORE PLATFORMS
OIL WELLS
POSITIONING
SUPPORTS
WELLHEADS
WELLS
WIRES