System for supporting components within a tubular housing of a wellbore

Abstract

A well system comprising a tubular housing, a hanger assembly, and a load member disposed in a recess within the central bore of the housing to support the hanger assembly from the housing. The recess and the load member are configured so that a greater portion of the area of the load member extends into the central bore of the housing as the load member is moved axially in a first direction within the recess.

1 . A well system, comprising:
 a well housing having a hollow interior comprising a central bore and an annular recess from the central bore, the recess having a tapered surface;   a deformable ring adapted to be disposed in the recess of the well housing and extend from within the recess into the central bore, wherein the ring and the tapered surface of the recess are adapted to compress the ring as the ring travels axially from a first portion of the recess to a second portion of the recess to increase ring area within the central bore.   
   
   
       2 . The well system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the tapered surface of the recess is a conical section that decreases in radius in an axial direction from the first portion of the recess to the second portion of the recess. 
   
   
       3 . The well system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the ring has a tapered surface that faces the tapered surface of the recess. 
   
   
       4 . The well system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the ring comprises a surface adapted to support an object from the ring within the central bore. 
   
   
       5 . The well system as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the surface adapted to support an object from the ring within the central bore comprises a seating surface adapted to receive a corresponding surface of the object. 
   
   
       6 . The well system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the seating surface comprises a conical section that decreases in radius in an axial direction. 
   
   
       7 . The well system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the well housing is a high-pressure wellhead. 
   
   
       8 . The well system as recited in  claim 7 , comprising a hanger assembly, wherein the hanger assembly is supported by the ring within the high-pressure wellhead. 
   
   
       9 . The well system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the ring is biased to expand outward when disposed in the recess in the housing. 
   
   
       10 . A well system, comprising:
 a well housing having a hollow interior comprising a central bore and an annular recess from the central bore; and   a collapsible ring disposed within the recess of the housing and extending from the recess into the central bore to form a shoulder to support an object disposed within the central bore, wherein the ring is axially movable within the recess between a first axial position and a second axial position, the surface area of the ring within the central bore being greater in the second axial position than in the first axial position.   
   
   
       11 . The well system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the recess comprises an axially-tapered surface. 
   
   
       12 . The well system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the ring has a corresponding axially-tapered surface that faces the axially-tapered surface of the recess. 
   
   
       13 . The well system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the ring comprises a seating surface adapted to receive a corresponding surface of the object. 
   
   
       14 . The well system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the seating surface comprises a conical section that decreases in radius in an axial direction. 
   
   
       15 . The well system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the well housing is a high-pressure wellhead. 
   
   
       16 . The well system as recited in  claim 15 , comprising a hanger assembly, wherein the hanger assembly is supported by the ring within the high-pressure wellhead. 
   
   
       17 . The well system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the ring is biased to expand outward when disposed in the recess in the housing. 
   
   
       18 . A wellhead system, comprising:
 a well housing having a hollow interior comprising a central bore and an annular recess from the central bore, the recess having a tapered surface;   a hanger assembly; and   a split ring adapted to be disposed in the recess of the well housing and extend from within the recess into the central bore to support the hanger assembly, wherein the tapered surface of the well housing is configured to collapse the split ring when the hanger assembly is disposed on the split ring to be supported by the split ring.   
   
   
       19 . The wellhead system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the split ring is disposed in a first axial position in the recess and driven to a second axial position by the hanger assembly. 
   
   
       20 . The wellhead system as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the area of the split ring within the central bore is greater when the split ring is disposed in the second axial position than when the split ring is disposed in the first axial position. 
   
   
       21 . The wellhead system as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the radius of the recess is greater in the region corresponding to the first axial position of the split ring than in the region corresponding to the second axial position. 
   
   
       22 . The wellhead system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the split ring has a tapered surface that faces the tapered surface of the recess. 
   
   
       23 . The wellhead system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the split ring comprises a surface adapted to support the hanger assembly facing the hanger assembly. 
   
   
       24 . The wellhead system as recited in  claim 23 , wherein the surface adapted to support the hanger assembly comprises a conical section.