Herman Louis Henderson, 82Thorsby, AL

4453566, Jun 12, 1984

Apr 29, 1982

6/373184

Herman O. Henderson - Houston TX
Joseph L. LeMoine - Houston TX
Jerry B. Tomlin - Sugar Land TX

Koomey, Inc. - Brookshire TX

F16L 3728
F16L 3500

13761402

In a hydraulic subsea control system having two separate redundant subsea control pods in which each pod is supplied with a hydraulic power supply line and a plurality of fluid control lines by surface controls. The improvement in means for alternately connecting and disconnecting the fluid control lines to each pod. Coacting quick disconnect couplings having first and second portions are positioned between the surface controls and each of the sets of fluid control lines to each pod. Each coupling portion includes a valve whereby when the first and second portions are engaged the valves permit fluid flow and when they are disengaged shut off fluid flow. First and second junction plates are connected between the surface controls and the connected fluid control lines and a hydraulic cylinder and piston assembly is connected between the first and second plates for alternately connecting and disconnecting the couplings to each pod whereby the two pods are controlled separately, but redundantly. The control of the cylinder and piston assemblies is preferably provided by the hydraulic valve which alternately provides fluid power to the power supply line whereby when power is supplied to the power line of one pod the coacting couplings to that pod are connected while fluid power is disconnected from the other pod, and the coacting couplings to the other pod are disconnected.

5199495, Apr 6, 1993

Dec 30, 1991

7/815712

Norman Brammer - Fyvie Turiff, GB6
Herman O. Henderson - Houston TX
Richard W. Slyker - Houston TX

ABB Vetco Gray Inc. - Houston TX

E21B 712
E21B 1710

166339

A split wear bushing for a subsea well assembly provides a standoff for the drill pipe to avoid damage to the casing near where it secures to the casing hanger. The split wear bushing has an outer wear bushing that locks into the casing hanger. An inner wear bushing lands in the bore of the outer wear bushing. The inner wear bushing has an inner diameter that is smaller than the inner diameter of the casing to provide a standoff. The inner wear bushing is carried on a wear bushing sub. An engaging shoulder on the wear bushing sub contacts the inner wear bushing during each trip of the drill string to pull the inner wear bushing from the outer wear bushing. The inner wear bushing relocks to the outer wear bushing on the return trip. A retrieval lock enables the outer wear bushing to be retrieved along with the inner wear bushing for the final trip.

5029647, Jul 9, 1991

Apr 27, 1990

7/515858

Lionel J. Milberger - Houston TX
Herman O. Henderson - Houston TX
Stanley Hosie - Houston TX

Vetco Gray Inc. - Houston TX

E21B 33035

166367

A subsea well having inner and outer tubular housings has features to reduce bending movement of the inner housing within the outer housing. The inner and outer housings have mating wedging surface axially spaced apart from each other. These tapered surfaces are spaced so as to cause the inner housing to wedge within the outer housing as it is lowered into place. A latch latches the inner housing to the outer housing once lowered into place. A sleeve of elastomeric material locates on the exterior of the lower extension of the inner housing. This sleeve extends downward a selected distance to prevent bonding of cement to the inner housing in this area. Part of the latch is mounted to a ring clamp that releasably mounts to the outer housing.

4919460, Apr 24, 1990

Feb 6, 1989

7/307412

Lionel J. Milberger - Houston TX
Herman O. Henderson - Houston TX

Vetco Gray Inc. - Houston TX

E21B 3304

285141

A supporting mechanism for a casing hanger improves the load withstanding ability. The casing hanger is located in a wellhead housing. A recess is formed in the bore of the wellhead housing with an upward facing shoulder extending into the bore. An insert ring is stationarily and rigidly mounted in this recess. The insert ring has a load shoulder on its upper side. The load shoulder of the insert ring is considerably less in width than the recess shoulder. However, the insert ring has a greater hardness to increase the capacity of the insert ring. The casing hanger has an exterior load ring that lands on the insert ring. The load ring has threads which are cut to have clearances initially between the load flanks. A clearance also exists between the upper end of the load ring and a downward facing shoulder on the casing hanger. A protuberance on the upper end of the load ring maintains this upper clearance until the load flank clearances close up, then allows the upper clearance to close up to assure loading through the flanks.

5360063, Nov 1, 1994

Oct 15, 1992

7/962374

Herman O. Henderson - Houston TX

ABB Vetco Gray Inc. - Houston TX

E21B 3300

166208

A wear bushing assembly for a subsea well to protect a casing hanger during drilling latches by use of a collet. The wear bushing includes a tubular member which lands on the upper end of the casing hanger. A metal collet secures to the wear bushing. The collet has slots in it so as to allow it to radially deflect. The collet has an external shoulder which snaps into and latches in a profile formed in the casing hanger. The collet may serve as a protective portion of the wear bushing.

4978147, Dec 18, 1990

Apr 27, 1990

7/515244

Herman O. Henderson - Houston TX
Mark Q. Henneke - Houston TX

Vetco Gray Inc. - Houston TX

F16L 3508
E21B 3304

285 2

A device for retaining tubular inner and outer members together in a well allows the members to be pulled apart with a sufficient shear out force. The members have mating retaining and reaction groooves. The retaining groove has a deeper portion joining a shallower portion which is bounded by a shearing side wall. The reaction groove has a shearing side wall which opposes the shearing side wall of the retaining groove when the inner and outer members are fully inserted together. A solid elastomeric ring is carried within the retaining groove. The ring locates in the deeper portion when the inner and outer members are being pushed together. When a pulling apart force is applied, the shallower portion slides relative to the ring until the ring locates in the shallower portion and is contacted by the opposed shearing side walls. The protrusion of the ring from the shallower portion into the reaction groove is sufficient to prevent the inner and outer members from being pulled apart from each other unless sufficient pulling force is applied to cause the ring to shear.

5350017, Sep 27, 1994

Apr 9, 1993

8/045405

Herman O. Henderson - Houston TX

ABB Vetco Gray Inc. - Houston TX

E21B 2302

166208

A seal for an oil well apparatus has reinforcing rings embedded within the seal. The seal is elastomeric. The apparatus has an energizing device that deforms the seal to cause it to move radially outward to a set condition. The reinforcing ring does not expand during this radial movement. The reinforcing ring is preferably a cable and is located near the inner diameter of the seal. The seal may also have anti-extrusion rings at the outside corners, which are flexible coil springs. Each anti-extrusion ring is a coil spring with a core of material that has a hardness greater than the hardness of the body of the seal.

4488740, Dec 18, 1984

Feb 19, 1982

6/350374

Benton F. Baugh - Houston TX
Herman O. Henderson - Houston TX
John H. Fowler - Spring TX
Arthur Ahlstone - Ventura CA

Smith International, Inc. - Newport Beach CA

F16L 1500

285 84

A breech block hanger support member for a subsea wellhead assembly for wells having a working pressure up to approximately 15,000 psi. The assembly includes a wellhead, the support member, a packoff for sealing the support member, and one or more other casing hangers supported by the support member. The support member is connected to the wellhead for itself suspending casing, for supporting at least one other casing hanger and casing, and for containing the working pressure. Breech block teeth are provided on the wellhead and support member to permit the support member to be stabbed into the wellhead and rotated less than 360. degree. for completing the connection therebetween. The teeth include groupings of spaced-apart no-lead teeth having slots therebetween. The slots provide a flow way for passing well fluids. The support member further includes an upper annular flange for arresting its downward movement within the wellhead.