SUBSEA WELLHEAD CONNECTORSDXe™

• Testedwithnoboltsinstalled-loadpathisthroughtheconnectorupperbody,latchsegmentsandwellheadandnotthebolts

• Maximizesthedrillingvesselwatchcircle• Nogasketleaksduringworstcasesurvivalloadtesting(allload

cases)at20,000psiborepressure• Increasedhubfacecontactareaprovideshighbendingcapacity• Self-aligningprimaryandsecondaryDXeringgasketsstandard• Designiscompatiblewithexistingblowoutpreventerhydraulic

controlsystems• CanbeconfiguredforH4andSHDH4lockingprofile

Illustrationshown:DXe-30ConnectorwithDXelatchingsegment

Latch Segmentwith DXe locking

profile

Primary Unlock

Port

LowerBolts

Latch Segment Spreader

Ring Gasket

Retainer

Annular Piston/Cam

Ring

Secondary Unlatch Piston

DXe Ring Gasket

Upper Split Ring Retractor

UpperBolts

Lower Split Ring Retractor

Primary Lock Port

Upper Body

The DXe Wellhead Connector delivers a long service life with reliable field performance.

DXe™ WELLHEAD CONNECTOR

F E A T U R E S B E N E F I T S• 20KsiDXe-30isAPI17TR8approvedby13PandBSEE

• FullscaleloadtestedtoAPI16A4thEditionPR2andAPI17TR7qualificationrequirements

• DXegasketsqualifiedtoAPI6APR220,000psi(withgas),35°to400°F and 11,000 ft water depth

• Uniqueproprietaryhighlyengineeredmandrellockingprofileprovideslongestandunmatchedfatiguelifeandhighestloadcapacityproventhroughfullscaletesting

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DXe-27 SpecificationsRatedWorkingPressure(Ksi)Swallow(inches)MinimumAddedStackHeight(inches)MaximumOutsideDiameter(inches)Weight(lbs)FluidVolumetoLatch(gal)FluidVolumetoUnlatch(gal)FluidVolumeforSecondaryUnlatch(gal)MaxLatchingPressure(psi)

15

23.32 22.13 54.88

17,800 7.39

11.2613.663,000

DXe-30 SpecificationsRatedWorkingPressure(Ksi)Swallow(inches)MinimumAddedStackHeight(inches)MaximumOutsideDiameter(inches)Weight(lbs)FluidVolumetoLatch(gal)FluidVolumetoUnlatch(gal)FluidVolumeforSecondaryUnlatch(gal)MaxLatchingPressure(psi)

15 or 20

27.49 27.50 64.53

38,500 14.5320.5025.643,000

Ideallysuitedforstandardanddeepwaterdrillingapplications,Dril-Quip’sDXe-27WellheadConnectorisdesignedfor27"O.D.wellheadandisavailableina15,000psiworkingpressure.

Ideallysuitedforstandardandhighbendingdeepwaterapplications,Dril-Quip’sDXe-30WellheadConnectorisdesignedfora30"O.D.wellheadandisavailableina20,000psiworkingpressurerating.AnadapterkitisavailabletoconfigureaDXe-30tomatewitha15,000psi27"O.D.wellhead.

DXe-27 Connector

DXe-30 Connector

Capacities based on 3-D FEA, and validation testing with the following assumptions:• Internal pressure acting on 18-3/4" nominal bore with pressure end load included• Preload at 3,000 psi locking pressure

Contact Dril-Quip Engineering for capacities with various levels of tension/compression

Capacities based on 3-D FEA, and validation testing with the following assumptions:• Internal pressure acting on 18-3/4" nominal bore with pressure end load included• Preload at 3,000 psi locking pressure

Contact Dril-Quip Engineering for capacities with various levels of tension/compression

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Rated Capacity (67% of yield) Extreme (80% of yield) Survival (100% of yield)

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SurvivalCapacity

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Ring Gaskets are Self-AligningTheDXeConnectorringgaskethasbeendesignedwithaselfaligningfeature,whileprotectingtheprimaryandsecondarysealingsurfaces.Thisisaccomplishedwithauniquemetalsealingsurfacethatfeaturesupperandloweralignmentguidance.TheringgasketRetainerMechanismisspringloadedforautomaticringgasketretention.Theretentionmechanismreleasestheringgasketwithhydraulicpressure.IdealforinstallinggasketsontowellheadsusingROV.

Primary and Secondary Metal-to-Metal Sealing

Dril-QuipDXe™seriesConnectorsisauniqueprofilethatmateswithaproprietaryDXeringgasket.ThisDXesealingprofilefeaturesapairofindependentmetal-to-metalsealingsurfaces,aprimaryandsecondindependentsealingsurface.

TheprimaryDXegasketisusedduringnormaloperationsandprotectsthesecondarymetal-to-metalsealingsurface.Intheeventofdamageorleak,asecondaryDXeringgasketcanbeinstalled.Thesecondaryringgasketutilizesthesecondarysealingsurfaceforareliablemetal-to-metalseal.

Internal Pressure Rating - 20,000 psiExternal Pressure Rating - 5,000 psiWater Depth Rating - over 11,000 ftTemperature Range - 35° F to 400° F

TheDXe ringgaskethasalignmentguidesthatengagetheringgasketsurfaceintheupperbodyoftheconnector.Thesealignmentguidesassistalignmentwhileprotectingthemetalsealingsurfaces.

Downwardmovementoftheconnectorandthealignmentguidesautomaticallyadjuststheringgasketintothepropersealingposition.Bothalignmentguidesassurethesealingsurfacesarenottouchedasthismovementoccurs.

Astheconnectorlandsout,theringgasketsettlesintothesealingpositionandispreloadedwhentheconnectorislockedandthelatchsegmentsareenergized.

H i g H l y E n g i n E E r E d U n i q U E r i n g g a s k E t d E s i g n

DXe ConnectorUpper Body

DXe ConnectorUpper Body

DXe ConnectorUpper Body

UpperAlignmentGuide

UpperAlignmentGuide

LowerAlignmentGuide

LowerAlignmentGuide

PrimarySealing

PrimarySealingHigh Pressure

Subsea WellheadHigh PressureSubsea Wellhead

High PressureSubsea Wellhead

Primary Ring Gasket Secondary Ring Gasket

H i g H l y E n g i n E E r E d U n i q U E r i n g g a s k E t d E s i g n

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DXe™ Connector and Assembly Bolt Standards

Somewellheadconnectorsusedinthesubseadrillingindustryhavealoadpaththatdrivesappliedpreloadthroughaseriesofboltsrequiredforassembly.Theseboltsareexposedtoseawaterandexperiencecyclicloadsfromthedrillingriserandtensionloadsgeneratedbyinternalpressure.Fatiguecyclescoupledwithmaterialimperfections,materialstrength,toughnessandcoatingvariationscometogethertoformcracksthatcanpropagatethroughthethreadsonthebolt,causingittobreak.Beingexposedtoseawateracceleratesthecorrosionprocess.

Inrecentyears,boltsintegraltosubseaequipmenthavefailedduetothisphenomenon.In2013,theU.S.DepartmentoftheInterior(DOI)startedaninvestigationafternumerousboltsoninserviceconnectorswerefoundtobebroken.Additionalindustrygroupsinvestigatedmetallurgicaldatatodetermineifalloysusedintheheavysteelboltsareductileenoughtosurviveharshsubseaenvironments.AsaresultAPIhasreleasedAPI20Etomandatebolttraceabilityandestablishstandardsforquality.

TheDXeConnectordesignaddressesthisproblem.Itfeaturesradiallatchsegmentsthataredrivenintomatingloadprofileswithanannularpiston/camring.Thisactionprovidesthenecessarypreloadrequiredbetweenwellheadhubfaceandtheupperbodyoftheconnector.Whentheconnectorislockedandinoperation,theloadpathtravelsthroughtheconnector,thewellheadmain

bodyandthelatchsegmentsviathelockingprofile.Asthesegmentlatchestothewellhead,itclampstotheconnectorupperbodysimultaneouslyandcreatesaclosedloopwithanearstraightloadpath.Anyloadsappliedtotheconnectortravelonlythroughthesegmentsthataremadefromductilealloysteelanddonotpassthroughbolts.BoltsintheDXeConnectordonotseecyclicstressesattheoperatingloadsandarenotsubjectedtothefailedboltproblemsassociatedwithotherindustryconnectors.

TodemonstratetheDXeConnectorhasnoboltsintheloadpath,acombinedloadtestfollowingAPI16Aspecificationswasperformed.Thistestconsistedoflockingaconnectortoateststumpwithstandardlockingpressure.Theteststumphada30"O.D.DXewellheadlockingprofile.Lockingpressurewasbledoffandthelockingcircuitwasvented.Allexternalattachmentboltswereremoved,includingboltsintheupperandlowerbodies.Astructuralloadtestwasperformed,whichincludedtension/compressionto1.0MMLbscombinedwithbending,andpurebendingtoasmuchas8.2MMft-lbs.Theloadtestswereperformedbothwithoutborepressureandwithborepressureappliedinincrementsof5,000psiupto20,000psi.The"no-bolts"connectorsuccessfullypassedeachtestanddemonstratedidenticalperformancewiththestandardconnectortestedwithalloftheboltsinstalled.

Bolts not in the load path

Bolts not in the load path

Connector Bolts Removed

Piston Up (Bending Moment Applied)

nO BOlts tEst

DXe Connector Load Path

DXe Connector Load Test with No Bolts

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Verification AnalysisHighlysophisticateddesigntools,anextensive3-Dadvancedfiniteelementanalysis(FEA)wereusedtooptimizeeverydetailoftheconnectorlockingprofile.Theanalysissimulatesconnectorinstallationandoperatingconditionswhichincludespreloadingandapplicationofinternalandexternalloads(pressure,bending,tension/compression,andloadcombinations)whileobservingthestressbehaviorthroughouttheconnectorcomponents.Particularattentionhasbeenpaidtoachieveuniformloaddistributionandminimizingpeaksurfacestressesthataredirectlyrelatedtothefatigueperformanceoftheconnector.ThismethodologyhasallowedthecompanytodeveloptheDXe™lockingprofile.Theanalysisandtheresultshaveenabledthecompanytocreateawellheadconnectordesignwithhighloadcapacityandhighfatigueresistance,allwithinthesmallestpossibledimensionalenvelope.

Validation Testing - StructuralDril-QuiputilizesitsownHorizontalandVerticalTestMachinestoperformphysicalvalidationtestingofitswellheadconnectors.Atestspecimenthatconsistedofawellheadconnector,18-3/4"wellhead,lockedintoa36"conductorhousingwasassembledandinstalledintothecompany'sHorizontalTestMachine.Testswereconductedusingnormal,extremeandsurvivalloadconditions,perAPI17TR7requirements.

StraingaugeswereinstalledatallcriticallocationsofthetestspecimenanddatacollectedforcomparisontostrainsfromtheFEAat thesamelocations.Bendingmomentswereappliedtothespecimenwithavarietyofcombinedloads.Testresultswerecollectedandacomparisonof3-DFEAandvalidationtestresultsindicate aclosecorrelationbetweenanalysisandtestdata.Variationsbetweenanalysisandtestingresultswereattributedtoseveralidealizedassumptionsmadeintheoriginal3-DFEA.Factorssuch asstraingaugeerror,gaugeorientation/alignment,componenttolerances,out-of-roundnesseffects,

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C O n n E C t O r v E r i f i C a t i O n a n d v a l i d a t i O n t E s t i n g

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2-D and 3-D FEA Analysis Used In Design

Dril-Quip’sHorizontalTestMachinewithaWellheadandaConnectorSpecimen

3-DFEAAnalysisShowingNormal,ExtremeandSurvivalCapacitiesOn20KsiDXeConnectorwith30”WellheadProfile

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positioningofcomponentsrelatedtotheplaneofbending,non-uniformityinmaterialpropertiesandfrictioncontributedtothevariationsrecorded.

The3-DFEAwasperformedtogeneratecapacitychartswhenNormal(66.7%ofyield),Extreme(80%ofyield)andSurvival(100%ofyield)loadconditionsareappliedtothewellheadsystem.Thesethreeloadconditionsareappliedinboththeverificationanalysisandphysicalvalidationtestingofthewellheadsystemandisbelievedtobethemostaccuraterepresentationofconnectorperformancetodate.

StructuraltestingisonlyonecomponentoftheCompany'soverallvalidationprogram.Thesecondvalidationcomponentisarigorousfatiguetestingprogram.

Physical Validation Testing - Fatigue ResistanceTheaimoffatigueresistantdesignistoensurethestructureconsidered,inthiscaseawellheadconnectorlockedtoawellheadsystem,hasanadequatefatiguelifetomeetthecustomersperformancestandardsthroughoutthelifeoftheproject.Toproperlyevaluatefatiguecharacteristicsofthewellheadsystemandwellheadconnector,met-oceandata(waveandcurrentprofiles),drillingvesselmotionsandsoilconditionswerecollectedonspecificwellsitesfromseveralseveredrillingcasesaroundtheworld.Aglobalriseranalysiswasperformedtoidentifyarepresentativefatiguespectrumandapredictedfailurepoint.Thedatawasusedtodevelopandconductafullscalefatiguetestprogram.

Afatiguetestmachine,designedandbuiltbyDril-Quipwasusedtoacceleratethefatiguephenomena.Thesametestspecimenusedinthestructuralvalidationtest(acompletewellheadsystemincludingthewellheadconnector)wasusedforthistest.Thespecimenwasinstalledinthemachine,straingaugeswereappliedandpressurewasintroducedinthebore.

Themachinewasoperatedwithaneccentricloadthatintroducedanalternatingstressleveltothespecimen.Achangeinthevibrationspectrumwasmonitoredforanyvariationthatwouldindicatetheonsetofafatiguecrackthatwouldultimatelyresultinapressureleak.Continuouscyclicstresswasappliedtothespecimenuntilthepredictedfailurepointwasreachedinthe5thweekoftesting.Therewasnochangeinvibrationspectrumorleakageoccurrence,sothetestwascontinueduntil60millioncycleswereapplied,anumberthatfarexceededanymaximumfatigueconditionsevaluated.Thetestspecimenwasdisassembled,andinspectionofallcomponentsindicatednofatiguedamagewasfound.

ItisbelievedthatDril-Quipisthefirstcompanytoapplyrigourousfatiguetestprogramtoacompletewellheadsystemandconnector.ThisvalidationmethodologyisanotherexampleofDril-Quip'scommitmenttodelivertechnologicalinnovationwithreliableperformance.

WellheadConnector,HighPressureWellheadandConductorSpecimenInDril-Quip’sFatigueTestFixture

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W O R L D W I D E S A L E S & S E R V I C E

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