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A wellhead connection including first and second housings with the first housing partly within the second housing to form an annulus. The housings form a seal to a cylindrical inner bore when connected together. The first housing has a circumferential groove formed in its outer periphery. A radially

A wellhead connection including first and second housings with the first housing partly within the second housing to form an annulus. The housings form a seal to a cylindrical inner bore when connected together. The first housing has a circumferential groove formed in its outer periphery. A radially expandable and contractable latch ring formed from latch ring segments is located in the annulus adjacent the circumferential groove. Radial actuators extend through the second housing to the latch ring segments to move the latch ring segments between a contracted position with the latch ring in contact with the circumferential groove, and an expanded position, with the latch ring out of contact with the circumferential groove. The upper and lower housings are adapted to lock the latch ring in the contracted position by applying a downward force on the latch rings, or by tightening the bottom connector to a wellhead member.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of forming a wellhead connection comprising: providing a first housing member and a second housing member, each being adapted to be connected together in seated relationship with the first housing member partly within the second housing member, and forming an annulus between the housing

1. A method of forming a wellhead connection comprising: providing a first housing member and a second housing member, each being adapted to be connected together in seated relationship with the first housing member partly within the second housing member, and forming an annulus between the housing members in an area of overlap, and being adapted to form a seal to a cylindrical inner bore when connected together and so as to provide a top connector and a bottom connector for wellhead equipment located above or below, the first housing member being formed with a circumferential groove in its outer periphery in the area of overlap;providing a radially expandable and contractable latch ring formed from a plurality of latch ring segments and positioned within the annulus so as to be adjacent the circumferential groove;maintaining the latch ring in an expanded position out of contact with the circumferential groove with radial actuators extending through the second housing member into contact with latch ring segments;landing the first housing member in the second housing member;moving the latch ring with the radial actuators into a radially contracted position in contact with the circumferential groove; andlocking the latch ring in the contracted position with an annular retainer ring adapted to be positioned in the annulus. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the latch ring is locked in place with a downward force applied on the latch ring by the annular retainer ring. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first housing member is an upper housing member, the second housing member is a lower housing member, and the downward force is applied by the annular retaining ring positioned in contact with the latch ring in the annulus formed by the lower housing member. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the annular retaining ring is threaded into the annulus to apply the downward force. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein: the lower housing member and the upper housing member together form a continuous inner bore extending there through;the upper housing member has a lower portion which forms a sealing surface to mate with a sealing surface of the lower housing member to form an inner bore seal between the upper and lower housing members. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the sealing surface of the upper housing member and the sealing surface of the lower housing member are mating tapered sealing surfaces, and wherein the downward force applied by the retaining ring energizes the inner bore seal. 7. The method of claim 3, wherein: the bottom connector is provided on the lower housing member and is adapted to connect to a casing head located below the lower housing member such that the upper housing member forms a continuous inner bore with the casing head;an inner bore seal is formed between the upper housing member and the casing head; andthe latch ring is locked in place with the downward force applied on the latch ring. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the annular retaining ring is threaded into the annulus to apply the downward force. 9. The method of claim 3, wherein; the bottom connector is provided on the lower housing member and is adapted to connect to a casing head located below the lower housing member such that the upper housing member forms a continuous inner bore with the casing head;an inner bore seal is formed between the upper housing member and the casing head; andafter the upper and lower housing members are connected, the latch ring is locked in the contracted position by tightening the bottom connector between the lower housing member and the casing head. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the bottom connector is a threaded connection to a threaded connector on the casing head. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the inner bore seal is formed with a metal seal ring at the surface of the inner bore bridging the upper housing member and the casing head, and wherein tightening the bottom connector energizes the inner bore seal. 12. A wellhead connection comprising: a first housing member and a second housing member, each being adapted to be connected together in seated relationship with the first housing member partly within the second housing member and forming an annulus between the housing members in an area of overlap, and being adapted to form a seal to a cylindrical inner bore when connected together and so as to provide a top connector and a bottom connector for connecting to wellhead equipment to be located above and below, the first housing member being formed with a circumferential groove in its outer periphery in the area of overlap;a radially expandable and contractable latch ring formed from a plurality of latch ring segments, the latch ring being held within the annulus so as to be adjacent the circumferential groove;radial actuators extending through the second housing member into contact with the latch ring segments to move the latch ring segments between a contracted position with the latch ring in contact with the circumferential groove, and an expanded position, with the latch ring out of contact with the circumferential groove; andan annular retaining ring adapted to be positioned in the annulus in contact with the latch ring to lock the latch ring in the contracted position. 13. A wellhead connection comprising: a generally cylindrical upper housing member having an upper portion and a lower portion and forming a cylindrical inner bore between the upper and lower portions, the upper portion forming a top connector being adapted to make a pressure-containing connection to wellhead equipment to be located thereabove, the lower portion forming a sealing surface to form an inner bore seal, and a circumferential ring groove being formed in an outer periphery of the upper housing member outside the sealing surface;a generally cylindrical lower housing member having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, the lower end portion forming a bottom connector to connect to a wellhead member to be located therebelow, the lower end portion being adapted to seat the lower portion of the upper housing member in an area of overlap so as to form a continuous inner bore with the cylindrical inner bore of the upper housing or with an inner bore of the wellhead member, the lower housing member being adapted to form an annular counterbore between its upper and lower end portions above the sealing surface, the counterbore forming an annulus to the outer periphery of the upper housing and being threaded at an upper end, and the lower housing being formed with a plurality of threaded radial ports extending to the annulus for alignment with the circumferential ring groove;a radially expandable and contractable latch ring formed in a plurality of latch ring segments adapted to be positioned in the annulus for radial movement between a contracted position locked in the circumferential ring groove, and an expanded position within the annulus, each latch ring segment being formed with an outwardly opening locking slot;a plurality of threaded radial bolts, each of the radial bolts being adapted to be threaded into one of the radial ports and each of the radial bolts having a locking end adapted to be received in locking relationship within the locking slot of a latch ring segment, whereby threaded movement of the radial bolts expands and contracts the latch ring segments; andan annular retaining ring adapted to be retained in the counterbore to lock the latch ring in the contracted position. 14. The wellhead connection of claim 13, which further comprises one or more of the following: the retaining ring being adapted to seal to each of the upper and lower housing members;the locking slots in the latch ring segments and the locking ends of the radial bolts being T-shaped;the top connector forming a top flange connection to the wellhead equipment to be located thereabove;the bottom connector forming a bottom flange connection or a bottom threaded connection to the wellhead member located therebelow;the upper housing member forming one or more outlets between its upper and lower portions above the lower housing member;the retaining ring being formed with opposed horizontal apertures at an upper end to accept turning members to assist with threading; andthe radial bolts being formed with outer connecting ends adapted for socket or crescent wrench attachment. 15. The wellhead connection of claim 14, wherein: the lower housing member and the upper housing member are adapted to form a continuous inner bore when seated together; andthe sealing surface of the upper housing is tapered to mate with a tapered sealing surface of the lower housing member to form an inner bore seal between the upper and lower housing members. 16. The wellhead connection of claim 15, wherein the inner bore seal is an elastomeric seal. 17. The wellhead connection of claim 15, wherein the inner bore seal is a metal seal. 18. The wellhead connection of claim 13, wherein: the bottom connector of the lower housing member is adapted to connect to a casing head located therebelow in a manner such that the upper housing member forms a continuous inner bore with the casing head; andthe inner bore seal is formed between the upper housing member and the casing head. 19. The wellhead connection of claim 18, wherein the bottom connector of the lower housing member forms a threaded connection to the casing head. 20. The wellhead connection of claim 19, wherein: the inner bore seal is formed with a metal seal ring configured to form the inner bore seal at a surface of the inner bore between the upper housing member and the casing head, andthe annular retaining ring is adapted to be threaded into the counterbore to energize the inner bore seal. 21. A wellhead connection comprising: a generally cylindrical upper housing member having an upper portion and a lower portion and forming a cylindrical inner bore between the upper and lower portions, the upper portion forming a top connector adapted to make a pressure-containing connection to wellhead equipment to be located thereabove, the lower portion forming a sealing surface to form an inner bore seal, and a circumferential ring groove being formed in an outer periphery of the upper housing member outside the sealing surface;a generally cylindrical lower housing member having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, the lower end portion forming a bottom connector adapted to connect to a wellhead member to be located therebelow, the lower housing member being adapted to seat the lower portion of the upper housing member in an area of overlap so as to form an annulus between the upper and lower housing members in the area of overlap above the sealing surface and so as to form a continuous inner bore with an inner bore of the wellhead member, and the lower housing being formed with a plurality of threaded radial ports extending to the annulus for alignment with the circumferential ring groove;a radially expandable and contractable latch ring formed in a plurality of latch ring segments adapted to be positioned in the annulus for radial movement between a contracted position locked in the circumferential ring groove, and an expanded position within the annulus, each latch ring segment being formed with an outwardly opening locking slot; anda plurality of threaded radial bolts, each of the radial bolts being adapted to be threaded into one of the radial ports and each of the radial bolts having a locking end adapted to be received in locking relationship within the locking slot of a segment, whereby threaded movement of the radial bolts expands and contracts the latch ring segments,such that, after the upper and lower housing members are connected, the latch ring is locked in the contracted position by tightening the bottom connector between the lower housing member and the wellhead member located therebelow. 22. The wellhead connection of claim 21, wherein the wellhead member is a casing head, and wherein the bottom connector is a threaded connection to a threaded connector on the casing head. 23. The wellhead connection of claim 22, wherein the inner bore seal is formed with a metal seal ring at the surface of the inner bore between the upper housing member and the casing head, and wherein tightening the bottom connector between the lower housing and the casing head energizes the inner bore seal.