Sealing assembly for subsea wellheads

• Main Authors: ROBERT R SCHOEN, DAVID EARL CAIN, GERALD BRIAN SWAGERTY
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 08.10.1997
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; MINING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

The assembly 40 is for fitting between an upper wellhead connector 12 and a lower wellhead housing or hub 14. Upper wellhead connector 12 has a downwardly facing internal frusto-conical sealing surface 32 and wellhead housing 14 has an upwardly facing internal frusto-conical sealing surface 34. Sealing assembly 40 includes a metal ring 42 having annular grooves 58 to house elastomeric sealing elements 60. Elastomeric sealing elements 60 have extending lips 62 for contacting and sealing against adjacent sealing surfaces 32 and 34 spaced from opposed frusto-conical surfaces 54 and 56 on the metal ring 42 to provide elastomeric seals for the sealing surfaces 32 and 34 of wellhead connector 12 and wellhead housing 14. Annular coiled spring members are embedded in the body of the sealing element 60 to provided resistance against removal, deformation and extrusion of the sealing element.