US-20260125962-A1 - TENSIONED WELLHEAD SYSTEMS AND RELATED METHODS

US20260125962A1US 20260125962 A1US20260125962 A1US 20260125962A1US-20260125962-A1

Abstract

An embodiment of a wellhead system includes a receptacle having a central axis. In addition, the wellhead system includes a wellhead housing that is axially inserted into the receptacle relative to the central axis. Further, the wellhead system includes a pair of shouldered engagements coupled between the receptacle and the wellhead housing that are configured to maintain tension in the wellhead housing axially between the pair of shouldered engagements relative to the central axis.

Inventors

Johan Andre Riis Wesmann
BRYNJULF SPALDER

Assignees

ONESUBSEA AS

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251031

Claims (20)

1 . A wellhead system comprising: a receptacle having a central axis; a wellhead housing that is axially inserted into the receptacle relative to the central axis; and a pair of shouldered engagements coupled between the receptacle and the wellhead housing that are configured to maintain tension in the wellhead housing axially between the pair of shouldered engagements relative to the central axis.
2 . The wellhead system of claim 1 , wherein the pair of shouldered engagements are configured to place a portion of the receptacle in compression along the central axis, and wherein the receptacle is coupled to a foundation that is configured to be landed on the sea floor.
3 . The wellhead system of claim 1 , wherein a first shouldered engagement of the pair of shouldered engagements is defined by an engagement between an outer landing shoulder on the wellhead housing and an inner landing shoulder on the receptacle; wherein a second shouldered engagement of the pair of shouldered engagements is defined by a locking assembly engaged between the wellhead housing and the receptacle, axially between the first shouldered engagement and a lower end of the receptacle.
4 . The wellhead system of claim 3 , wherein the locking assembly comprises a snap ring that is expanded into a pair of recesses defined on an outer surface of the wellhead housing and an inner surface of the receptacle.
5 . The wellhead system of claim 3 , wherein the locking assembly comprises a locking dog that is coupled to the receptacle and inserted into a recess defined on an outer surface of the wellhead housing.
6 . The wellhead system of claim 3 , wherein the locking assembly comprises a plurality of first ratchet teeth defined on an outer surface of the wellhead housing that are engaged with a plurality of second ratchet teeth on an inner surface of the receptacle.
7 . The wellhead system of claim 3 , wherein the locking assembly comprises a locking ring that is threadably engaged with an outer surface of the wellhead housing and engaged with the receptacle.
8 . A wellhead system comprising: a receptacle including: a central axis; an upper end; a lower end axially spaced from the upper end along the central axis; and an inner landing shoulder defined in the receptacle, between the upper end and the lower end; a wellhead housing including: an outer landing shoulder, where the wellhead housing is axially inserted into the receptacle so that the outer landing shoulder is engaged with the inner landing shoulder of the receptacle; and a locking assembly engaged between an outer surface of the wellhead housing and the receptacle such that a portion of the wellhead housing extending axially between the outer landing shoulder and the lower end of the receptacle is axially tensioned relative to the central axis.
9 . The wellhead system of claim 8 , wherein the locking assembly is engaged between the outer surface of the wellhead housing and the receptacle so that a portion of the receptacle is axially compressed along central axis; wherein the locking assembly defines at least one shouldered engagement that is positioned axially between the outer landing shoulder and the lower end of the receptacle relative to the central axis; wherein the receptacle is coupled to a foundation that is configured to be landed on the sea floor.
10 . The wellhead system of claim 8 , wherein the locking assembly comprises a snap ring that is expanded into a pair of recesses defined on the outer surface of the wellhead housing and an inner surface of the receptacle.
11 . The wellhead system of claim 8 , wherein the locking assembly comprises a locking dog that is coupled to the receptacle and inserted into a recess defined on the outer surface of the wellhead housing.
12 . The wellhead system of claim 8 , wherein the locking assembly comprises a plurality of first ratchet teeth defined on an outer surface of the wellhead housing that are engaged with a plurality of second ratchet teeth on an inner surface of the receptacle.
13 . The wellhead system of claim 8 , wherein the locking assembly comprises a locking ring that is threadably engaged with an outer surface of the wellhead housing and engaged with the receptacle.
14 . A method comprising: (a) inserting a wellhead housing into a receptacle of a wellhead system; (b) engaging an outer landing shoulder on the wellhead housing with an inner landing shoulder of the receptacle; (c) tensioning the wellhead housing below the outer landing shoulder after (b); and (d) maintaining a tension of the wellhead with a locking assembly.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein (c) comprises actuating one or more linear actuators that are engaged with a lower end of the receptacle; and engaging the one or more linear actuators with a reaction plate that is coupled to an outer surface of the wellhead housing, below the receptacle.
16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising: (e) lowering the wellhead system to the sea floor after (a)-(c).
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein (d) further comprises engaging a locking assembly with the wellhead housing axially below the outer landing shoulder; wherein the locking assembly comprises a snap ring, and (d) further comprises expanding the snap ring into a pair of recesses defined on an outer surface of the wellhead housing and an inner surface of the receptacle.
18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein (d) further comprises engaging a locking assembly with the wellhead housing axially below the outer landing shoulder; wherein the locking assembly comprises a locking dog that is coupled to the receptacle, and wherein (d) further comprises radially extending the locking dog into a recess defined on an outer surface of the wellhead housing.
19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein (d) further comprises engaging a locking assembly with the wellhead housing axially below the outer landing shoulder; wherein the locking assembly comprises a plurality of first ratchet teeth defined on an outer surface of the wellhead housing and a plurality of second ratchet teeth defined on an inner surface of the receptacle; wherein (c) further comprises sliding the plurality of first ratchet teeth past the plurality of second ratchet teeth; wherein (d) further comprises engaging one or more of the plurality of first ratchet teeth with one or more of the plurality of second ratchet teeth.
20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein (d) further comprises engaging a locking assembly with the wellhead housing axially below the outer landing shoulder; wherein the locking assembly comprises a locking ring, and wherein (d) further comprises threadably advancing the locking ring along an outer surface of the wellhead housing to engage with the receptacle.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Ser. No. 63/715,342, filed Nov. 1, 2024, and entitled “Method of Rigidizing Wellhead Housing to Receptacle,” which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND Embodiments disclosed herein are generally directed to wellhead systems for a subterranean wellbore, such as subsea wellhead systems for an offshore subterranean wellbore. A wellbore may be formed in a subterranean formation to access resources, such as hydrocarbons, water, or other minerals. Some wellbores may be located in an offshore location, so that drilling, production, and maintenance operations for such a wellbore involves traversing through a subsea environment. Such offshore wellbores may include a wellhead system (or “subsea wellhead system”) that is located on the sea floor and that serves as an interface between surface equipment and the wellbore. SUMMARY Some embodiments disclosed herein are directed to a wellhead system that includes a receptacle having a central axis. In addition, the wellhead system includes a wellhead housing that is axially inserted into the receptacle relative to the central axis. Further, the wellhead system includes a pair of shouldered engagements coupled between the receptacle and the wellhead housing that are configured to maintain tension in the wellhead housing axially between the pair of shouldered engagements relative to the central axis. Some embodiments disclosed herein are directed to a wellhead system that includes a receptacle. The receptacle includes a central axis, an upper end, a lower end axially spaced from the upper end along the central axis, and an inner landing shoulder defined in the receptacle, between the upper end and the lower end. In addition, the wellhead system includes a wellhead housing. The wellhead housing includes an outer landing shoulder. The wellhead housing is axially inserted into the receptacle so that the outer landing shoulder is engaged with the inner landing shoulder of the receptacle. Further, the wellhead system includes a locking assembly engaged between an outer surface of the wellhead housing and the receptacle such that a portion of the wellhead housing extending axially between the outer landing shoulder and the lower end of the receptacle is axially tensioned relative to the central axis. Some embodiments disclosed herein are directed to a method including (a) inserting a wellhead housing into a receptacle of a wellhead system. In addition, the method includes (b) engaging an outer landing shoulder on the wellhead housing with an inner landing shoulder of the receptacle. Further, the method includes (c) tensioning the wellhead housing below the outer landing shoulder after (b). Still further, the method includes (d) maintaining a tension of the wellhead with a locking assembly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS For a detailed description of various exemplary embodiments, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a subsea wellhead system according to some embodiments disclosed herein; FIGS. 2A-2C are sequential, enlarged cross-sectional views of an engagement between a wellhead assembly and receptacle of the subsea wellhead system of FIG. 1 according to some embodiments disclosed herein; FIGS. 3A-3D are sequential, enlarged cross-sectional views of an engagement between a wellhead assembly and receptacle of the subsea wellhead system of FIG. 1 according to some embodiments disclosed herein; FIGS. 4A-4C are sequential, enlarged cross-sectional views of an engagement between a wellhead assembly and receptacle of the subsea wellhead system of FIG. 1 according to some embodiments disclosed herein; FIGS. 5A-5C are sequential, enlarged cross-sectional views of an engagement between a wellhead assembly and receptacle of the subsea wellhead system of FIG. 1 according to some embodiments disclosed herein; FIGS. 6A and 6B are enlarged views of a locking assembly including the engagement illustrated in FIGS. 5A-5C according to some embodiments disclosed herein; and FIGS. 7-10 are schematic sequential views of a method of constructing and installing a wellhead system according to some embodiments disclosed herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION A subsea wellhead system may provide an interface between surface equipment located on or above the sea floor and a subterranean wellbore. Specifically, the wellhead system may support various surface equipment such as a blowout preventer (BOP) stack, valve tree, riser pipe connection, or combinations thereof. In addition, the wellhead system may also be coupled to (or may include) one or more casing pipes or other conductors that are inserted into the seabed and/or wellbore. During drilling or production operations, the wellhead system may be subjected to cyclic loads. Specifically, a riser pipe may extend between a surface vessel (such as an offshore platform,