Wellhead isolation tool and wellhead assembly incorporating the same
View Patent ↗A wellhead assembly is provided including a casing and a tubular member mounted over the casing. A flange extends from the tubular member. A generally elongated annular member is provided in the tubular member. The generally elongated annular member has a first end portion above the tubular member and second end portion below the first end portion. A hanger may be suspended within the tubular member. In such case, a seal may be formed between the elongate annular member and the hanger.
1. A wellhead assembly for isolating a wellhead during a fracing operation, comprising:
a casing head;
a tubing head coupled to the casing head and having a tubing head flange, the tubing head rated at a wellhead pressure;
a frac mandrel supported by and fitted in the tubing head, an outer surface of the frac mandrel constructed to mate with an inner surface of the tubing head; an upper portion of the frac mandrel extending above the tubing head; and a lower portion of the frac mandrel that ends and seals in the tubing head;
a secondary flange operatively coupled to the frac mandrel and fastened to the tubing head flange;
the frac mandrel arranged to align with a casing pipe and to receive a load responsive to a fracturing pressure, the fracturing pressure exceeding the wellhead pressure; and
the secondary flange arranged to redistribute at least a portion of the load, which was generated responsive to the fracturing pressure, from the frac mandrel to the casing head.
2. The wellhead assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the tubing head flange is arranged to redistribute another portion of the load from the frac mandrel to the casing head.
3. The wellhead assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the tubing head flange is arranged to redistribute the portion of the load from the secondary flange to the casing head.
4. The wellhead assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising an annular lip integrally formed on the inner surface of the tubing head and positioned below the frac mandrel.
5. The wellhead assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the inner diameter of the frac mandrel, the inner diameter of the annular lip, and the inner diameter of the casing pipe are substantially equal.
6. The wellhead assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a seal between the frac mandrel and the tubing head.
7. The wellhead assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the inner diameter of the tubing head is greater immediately above the seal as compared to the inner diameter immediately below the seal.
8. The wellhead assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a frac mandrel flange connected to the upper portion of the frac mandrel and constructed to connect to fracturing equipment.
9. The wellhead assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a groove in the frac mandrel positioned to engage lockscrews that radially thread through the tubing head flange.
10. The wellhead assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the inner diameter of the frac mandrel and the inner diameter of the casing pipe are substantially equal.
11. The wellhead assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the casing pipe extends into the tubing head and seals against an inner surface of the tubing head.
12. The wellhead assembly according to claim 11 , further comprising an axially aligned bore between the top of the casing pipe and the bottom of the frac mandrel.
13. The wellhead assembly according to claim 12 , further comprising an annular lip formed on the inner surface of the tubing head and positioned below the frac mandrel, wherein the inner diameter of the frac mandrel, the inner diameter of the annular lip, the inner diameter of the bore and the inner diameter of the casing pipe are substantially equal.
14. The wellhead assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a groove in the frac mandrel constructed to receive a load transmitting member, the load transmitting member acting to properly vertically position the secondary flange in relation to the tubing head flange.
15. The wellhead assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the inner surface of the tubing head cooperates with the outer surface of the frac mandrel to properly vertically position the frac mandrel.
16. The wellhead assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the frac mandrel is sealed in an upper portion of the tubing head and the casing pipe is sealed in a lower portion of the tubing head.
17. The wellhead assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary flange is bolted to the tubing head flange and the secondary flange acts to fit and seal the frac mandrel into the tubing head.