Rotational Lock for Mating Wellhead Components

Abstract

A wellhead (10) with a casing head (20) has tubing (15) in its therethrough. A mating component, such as a pack-off (40), installs in the wellhead on the end of the tubing above a casing hanger (30). The bore (42) of the pack-off defines circumferential grooves—each having a canted spring (100A, 100B) disposed therein. The canted springs engaged between the groove and the tubing and restricting relative rotation between the pack-off and the tubing.

1 . A component for a wellhead having a throughbore with a tubing component disposed therein, the component comprising:
 a body positioning in the throughbore of the wellhead, the body defining a bore therethrough, the bore defining at least one groove thereabout, the bore disposed at least partially on the tubing component; and   at least one canted spring disposed in the at least one groove and engaged between the at least one groove and the tubing component, the at least one canted spring restricting rotation of the body relative to the tubing in at least one direction.   
     
     
         2 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein the body further comprises:
 an internal seal disposed in the bore and sealing against the tubing component; and   an external seal disposed about the body and sealing against the throughbore of the wellhead.   
     
     
         3 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein the bore defines a shoulder engaging a distal end of the tubing component. 
     
     
         4 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a pack-off. 
     
     
         5 . The component of  claim 4 , further comprising a slip hanger disposed in the throughbore of the wellhead on the tubing component below the pack-off. 
     
     
         6 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one groove defines a backwall divided at an angle and engaging coils of the at least one canted spring at two points. 
     
     
         7 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one groove defines a groove width; and wherein the at least one canted spring defines a coil width, the groove width and the coil width being configured to at least partially define the engagement of the at least one canted spring between the at least one groove and the tubing component. 
     
     
         8 . The component of  claim 1 , the at least one groove defines a groove depth; and wherein the at least one canted spring defines a difference between an inner dimension and an outer dimension, the groove depth and the difference being configured to at least partially define the engagement of the at least one canted spring between the at least one groove and the tubing component. 
     
     
         9 . The component of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one groove comprises first and second grooves; and   wherein the at one canted spring comprises:
 a first canted spring disposed in the first groove and engaged between the first groove and the tubing component, the first canted spring preventing rotation of the body relative to the tubing component in a first direction; and 
 a second canted spring disposed in the second groove and engaged between the second groove and the tubing component, the second canted spring preventing rotation of the body relative to the tubing component in a second direction opposite to the first direction. 
   
     
     
         10 . The component of  claim 9 , wherein coils of the first canted spring define a first pitch; and wherein coils of the second canted spring define a second pitch orientated opposite to the first pitch. 
     
     
         11 . The component of  claim 10 , wherein the first pitch is the same as the second pitch. 
     
     
         12 . A wellhead for tubing, comprising:
 a first wellhead component defining a throughbore with the tubing passing at partially therethrough; and   a second wellhead component according to  claim 1  comprising the body and the at least one canted spring.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a first component having an outer surface;   a second component defining a bore therethrough and positioning at least partially on the outer surface of the first component, wherein at least one of the outer surface of the first component and the bore of the second component defines at least one groove thereabout; and   at least one canted spring disposed in the at least one groove and engaged between the at least one groove and the other of outer surface and the bore, the at least one canted spring restricting rotation of the first and second components relative to one another in at least one direction.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the outer surface of the first component defines a first of the at least one groove thereabout; and wherein a first of the at least one canted spring is disposed in the first groove and is engaged between the first groove and the bore of the second component, the first canted spring restricting rotation of the first and second components relative to one another in a first of the at least one direction. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the outer surface of the first component defines a second of the at least one groove thereabout; and wherein a second of the at least one canted spring is disposed in the second groove and is engaged between the second groove and the bore of the second component, the second canted spring restricting rotation of the first and second components relative to one another in a second of the at least one direction opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the bore of the second component defines a first of the at least one groove thereabout; and wherein a first of the at least one canted spring is disposed in the first groove and is engaged between the first groove and the outer surface of the first component, the first canted spring restricting rotation of the first and second components relative to one another in a first of the at least one direction. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the outer surface of the first component defines a second of the at least one groove thereabout; and wherein a second of the at least one canted spring is disposed in the second groove and is engaged between the second groove and the bore of the first component, the second canted spring restricting rotation of the first and second components relative to one another in a second of the at least one direction opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second grooves have one or more groove dimensions that are the same or different, and wherein the first and second canted springs have one or more spring dimensions that are the same or different. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the bore of the second component defines a second of the at least one groove thereabout; and wherein a second of the at least one canted spring is disposed in the second groove and is engaged between the second groove and the outer surface of the first component, the second canted spring restricting rotation of the first and second components relative to one another in a second of the at least one direction opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         20 . A method of assembling a wellhead having tubing inside a throughbore, the method comprising:
 positioning at least one canted spring in at least one groove defined in a bore of a wellhead component;   positioning the bore of the wellhead component at least partially on the tubing inside the throughbore of the wellhead;   engaging the at least one canted spring between the at least one groove and the tubing; and   restricting rotation of the wellhead component and the tubing relative to one another in at least one direction with the engagement of the at least one canted spring.   
     
     
         21 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein positioning the at least one canted spring in the at least one groove defined in the bore of the body comprises:
 positioning a first of the at least one canted springs in a first of the at least one groove; and   positioning a second of the at least one canted springs disposed in a second of the at least one groove.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein engaging the at least one canted spring and preventing the rotation comprises:
 engaging the first canted spring between the first groove and the tubing and preventing the rotation of the body relative to the tubing in a first of the at least one direction; and   engaging the second canted spring between the first groove and the tubing and preventing the rotation of the body relative to the tubing in a second of the at least one direction opposite to the first direction.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein coils of the first canted spring define a first pitch; and wherein coils of the second canted spring define a second pitch orientated opposite to the first pitch. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the first pitch is the same as the second pitch. 
     
     
         29 - 31 . (canceled)