High pressure lock assembly

Abstract

A lock assembly including a mandrel having at least one window therein. At least one dog corresponds to the at least one window and is radially extendable therethrough. The at least one dog is operatively arranged for engaging at least one feature of a tubular radially disposed with the mandrel. At least one seal element is arranged for sealing the mandrel with respect to the tubular and operatively positioned with respect to the at least one dog for maintaining the mandrel solely in compression against the at least one dog during fluid pressure loading on the mandrel in either longitudinal direction with respect to the lock assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lock assembly comprising:
 a mandrel having at least one window therein;   at least one dog corresponding to the at least one window and radially extendable therethrough, wherein the at least one dog is operatively arranged for engaging at least one feature of a tubular radially disposed with the mandrel; and   at least one seal element arranged for sealing the mandrel with respect to the tubular, the at least one seal element operatively positioned with respect to the at least one dog for maintaining the mandrel solely in compression against the at least one dog during fluid pressure loading on the mandrel in either longitudinal direction with respect to the lock assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the loading results from a hydraulic pressure event. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one dog is a single dog and the at least one seal comprises a pair of seals disposed on opposite longitudinal sides of the single dog. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the single dog is operatively arranged to engage a first profile of the feature of the tubular when loaded in a first direction and a second profile of the feature of the tubular when loaded in a second direction opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one seal comprises a single seal and the at least one dog comprises a pair of dogs disposed on opposite longitudinal sides of the single seal. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one feature of the tubular includes a first recess having a first profile corresponding to a first dog of the pair of dogs and a second recess having a second profile corresponding to a second dog of the pair of dogs. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the first dog engages the first profile during loading in a first direction and the second dog engages the second profile during loading in a second direction opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the first recess has a third profile, the second recess has a fourth profile, the first dog and the second dog operatively arranged to respectively engage the third profile and the fourth profile if the mandrel buckles during loading in the second direction and the first direction, respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one seal is provided upstream, with respect to a direction of the loading, from the at least one dog that is engaged against a profile of the feature of the tubular. 
     
     
         10 . A method of locking an assembly comprising;
 engaging at least one dog of an assembly with a profile of a tubular radially disposed with the assembly;   loading the assembly in either longitudinal direction by pressurizing a fluid, the assembly including at least one seal element for sealing the assembly with respect to the tubular; and   maintaining the assembly solely in compression against the at least one dog regardless of the longitudinal direction of the loading.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the assembly is maintained in compression due to the at least one seal element being positioned upstream of the at least one dog with respect to the longitudinal direction of loading. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one seal comprises a single seal and the at least one dog comprises a pair of dogs disposed on opposite longitudinal sides of the single seal. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the tubular includes a first profile corresponding to a first dog of the pair of dogs and a second profile corresponding to a second dog of the pair of dogs. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the first dog engages the first profile during loading in a first direction of loading and the second dog engages the second profile during loading in a second direction of loading opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the tubular has a third profile and a fourth profile, the first dog and the second dog are operatively arranged to respectively engage the third profile and the fourth profile if the mandrel buckles during loading in the second direction and the first direction, respectively.