Robert T. Voss
Engineering at Bexhill Dr, Houston, TX

5366017, Nov 22, 1994

Sep 17, 1993

8/122994

Robert K. Voss - Houston TX

ABB Vetco Gray Inc. - Houston TX

E21B 4300

166368

A subsea well has communication passages to enable annulus pressure between the inner and intermediate strings of casing to be monitored at the surface. The communication passages include a passage through the upper casing hanger. This passage registers with a passage through the tubing hanger assembly. The passage in the tubing hanger assembly registers with a passage in the tree assembly. The passage in the tree assembly has an outlet at the exterior of the tree assembly, where it connects to a communication line that extends to production equipment at the surface.

6902005, Jun 7, 2005

Feb 13, 2003

10/366241

Amin Radi - Nassau Bay TX, US
Michael E. Capesius - Santa Paula CA, US
Fife B. Ellis - Houston TX, US
Robert K. Voss - Houston TX, US

Vetco Gray Inc. - Houston TX

E21B034/04

166345, 166348, 166368

A subsea wellhead assembly allows communication between a production tubing annulus and a conduit in fluid communication with a platform above. The wellhead assembly has a tubing hanger that is held relative to a tubular wellhead member of a subsea well by a tubing hanger support. A string of tubing extends from the tubing hanger into the well, defining an annulus around the tubing. The conduit communicates with the tubing annulus through a tubing annulus passage. The tubing annulus passage has a portion extending through the tubing hanger support. The wellhead member supports a valve block located between the tubing hanger support and the riser. The tubing annulus passage has another portion that registers with the portion of the passage in the tubing hanger support. The conduit stabs into valve block portion of the tubing annulus passage when the riser connects to the upper end of the valve block.

6186237, Feb 13, 2001

Oct 2, 1998

9/165838

Robert K. Voss - Houston TX
Charles D. Bridges - Cypress TX

ABB Vetco Gray Inc. - Houston TX

E12B 3404

166337

A subsea well has a tubing hanger which has an annulus bore and a production bore. A check valve is located in the annulus bore. A running tool runs the tubing hanger on a monobore riser such as a drill string while holding the check valve in the open position. After setting and testing, the running tool is lifted and a blowout preventer is closed around the landing string. The operator monitors the choke and kill line of the drilling riser, which will be in communication with the check valve. If the check valve is leaking, an annulus plug may be installed in the annulus bore. The installation of the annulus plug may be handled by using a retrieval tool configured to align the annulus bore with the landing string passage. A wireline tool may be lowered through the landing string and retrieval tool to retrieve the check valve and install the plug. Alternately, the check valve may remain in the tubing hanger and the plug is set in the annulus bore above it.

7647973, Jan 19, 2010

Jul 18, 2006

11/488747

Marc Minassian - LaPorte TX, US
Robert K. Voss - Houston TX, US
Kevin G. Buckle - Tipperty By Ellon, GB
Steven P. Fenton - Balmedie, GB

Vetco Gray Inc. - Houston TX

E21B 41/04

166338, 166336, 166339, 166368, 16625017, 16625008

A tool is employed with a subsea wellhead assembly for preventing the collapse of a wear bushing located in a drill-through tubular member due to external test forces being applied to it. The tool has a connector that connects to the drill-through tubular member. A stem extends downward from the connector and has a reacting member at its lower end. The reacting member engages an inner diameter of the wear bushing to resist inwardly directed forces due to fluid pressure on the exterior of the wear bushing. The tool can be incorporated with a running tool or with a blowout preventer isolation test tool.

2014006, Mar 6, 2014

Sep 6, 2012

13/605556

Robert Karl Voss - Houston TX, US
William Munro - Aberdeen, GB

E21B 33/035

166363

A control system for a subsea well is provided. The control system comprises a tree comprising a hydraulic control supply line for use in opening a downhole safety valve as a result of hydraulic pressure in the line. A part of the line is carried by a structure which is subject to the pressure of a production fluid from the well used in the control system so that the line is separable in response to a failure of the integrity of the structure.

2009001, Jan 15, 2009

Jul 11, 2007

11/776171

Robert K. Voss - Houston TX, US
Perry J. Stokes - Houston TX, US
David W. Hughes - Hilltop Lakes TX, US
Robert N. Rogers - Tomball TX, US

E21B 7/12, E21B 43/36, F16L 37/06

166345, 285306

A wellhead connector for connecting a riser or production tree to a wellhead of a subsea well utilizes a singular annular piston to lock the connector onto the wellhead. The wellhead connector includes a housing that contains dogs for engagement with the exterior of the wellhead housing. A cam ring is also included, which has an inner side for engaging the dogs and moving them inward into a locked position with the wellhead housing. Connecting rods connect the piston to the cam rings. As the piston moves downward, the cam ring also moves downward, forcing the dogs inward into a locked position. As the piston moves upward, the cam ring also moves upward, thereby unlocking the connector. A secondary annular piston is also provided to guarantee unlocking.

2003001, Jan 30, 2003

Jul 23, 2002

10/201704

Bernard Humphrey - Potterton, GB
Jeffrey Goetz - Inverurie, GB
Kevin Ingram - Aberdeen, GB
Norman Brammer - Aberdeen, GB
Robert Voss - Houston TX, US

E21B033/035

166/368000, 166/382000

The wellhead assembly has a production tree with multiple safety barriers. A tubing hanger lands and seals in the bore of the tree. The tubing hanger has a lateral production flow passage that registers with a lateral passage in the tree. A tubing annulus passage extends upward from the tubing annulus to an exterior port. A second portion of the tubing annulus passage extends upward from the exterior port into the bore above the tubing hanger seal. The external port may be used for gas injection. If so, two closure members are located in the upper portion of the tubing annulus above the seal. The upper closure member may be either a check valve or a removable plug.