Connector assemblies for connecting tubulars and related methods

Abstract

Some connector assemblies include a female connector having a sidewall extending between first and second ends to define an interior channel, the sidewall having a cylindrical inner surface, and a plurality of lugs extending from and disposed circumferentially along the inner surface, and a male connector having a sidewall extending between first and second ends to define an interior channel, the sidewall having a cylindrical outer surface, and a plurality of lugs extending from and disposed circumferentially along the outer surface, wherein the male connector is configured to be coupled to the female connector such that the sidewall of the male connector is received through the first end of and into the interior channel of the female connector, and at least one of the lugs of the male connector is disposed between at least one of the lugs of the female connector and the second end of the female connector.

1 . A connector assembly for connecting a first tubular to a second tubular, the connector assembly comprising:
 a female connector having:
 a sidewall extending between a first end and a second end to define an interior channel, the sidewall having a cylindrical inner surface, the second end configured to be coupled to the first tubular; and 
 a plurality of lugs extending from and disposed circumferentially along the inner surface; and 
   a male connector having:
 a sidewall extending between a first end and a second end to define an interior channel, the sidewall having a cylindrical outer surface, the second end configured to be coupled to the second tubular; and 
 a plurality of lugs extending from and disposed circumferentially along the outer surface; 
   wherein the male connector is configured to be coupled to the female connector such that:
 the sidewall of the male connector is at least partially received within the interior channel of the female connector; and 
 at least one of the lugs of the male connector is:
 disposed between at least one of the lugs of the female connector and the second end of the female connector; and 
 in contact with the at least one lug of the female connector. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the male connector is configured to be coupled to the female connector such that each of the lugs of the male connector is:
 disposed between at least one of the lugs of the female connector and the second end of the female connector; and   in contact with the at least one lug of the female connector.   
     
     
         3 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the male connector is configured to be coupled to the female connector such that each of the lugs of the female connector is:
 disposed between at least one of the lugs of the male connector and the second end of the male connector; and   in contact with the at least one lug of the male connector.   
     
     
         4 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein circumferentially adjacent ones of the lugs of at least one of the female connector and the male connector are longitudinally offset relative to one another. 
     
     
         5 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein, for at least one of the female connector and the male connector, a thickness of at least one of the lugs decreases along the lug in a direction from the second end and toward the first end. 
     
     
         6 . The connector assembly  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least one of the lugs of the female connector includes a mating surface configured to contact at least one of the lugs of the male connector when the male connector is coupled to the female connector; and   the mating surface is angularly disposed at a non-perpendicular angle relative to a plane that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the female connector.   
     
     
         7 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least one of the lugs of the male connector includes a mating surface configured to contact at least one of the lugs of the female connector when the male connector is coupled to the female connector; and   the mating surface is angularly disposed at a non-perpendicular angle relative to a plane that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the male connector.   
     
     
         8 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the lugs of the female connector has a width, measured along a circumference of the inner surface, and a length, measured in a direction aligned with a longitudinal axis of the female connector, that is smaller than the width. 
     
     
         9 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the lugs of the male connector has a width, measured along a circumference of the outer surface, and a length, measured in a direction aligned with a longitudinal axis of the male connector, that is smaller than the width. 
     
     
         10 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein, for the female connector, the lugs extend along the inner surface of the sidewall a collective circumferential distance that is approximately 75% of a circumference of the inner surface. 
     
     
         11 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein, for the male connector, the lugs extend along the outer surface of the sidewall a collective circumferential distance that is approximately 75% of a circumference of the outer surface. 
     
     
         12 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the female connector includes a ramp extending from the inner surface of the sidewall, the ramp configured to contact the first end of the male connector when the male connector is coupled to the female connector. 
     
     
         13 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall of the female connector tapers in thickness at the first end and/or the sidewall of the male connector tapers in thickness at the first end. 
     
     
         14 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a locking member having one or more tabs;   wherein the locking member is configured to be coupled to the female connector or the male connector such that, when the male connector is coupled to the female connector, each of the one or more tabs contacts at least one of the lugs of the female connector and/or at least one of the lugs of the male connector.   
     
     
         15 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the female connector is coupled to the first tubular; and/or   the male connector is coupled to the second tubular.   
     
     
         16 . The connector assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the first tubular includes a riser and the second tubular includes a drill pipe. 
     
     
         17 . The connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the male connector is configured to be coupled to the female connector at least by:
 inserting the first end of the male connector through the first end of the female connector and into the interior channel of the female connector such that at least one of the lugs of the male connector extends longitudinally beyond at least one of the lugs of the female connector; and   rotating the male connector relative to the female connector such that the at least one lug of the male connector is:
 disposed between the at least one lug of the female connector and the second end of the female connector; and 
 in contact with the at least one lug of the female connector. 
   
     
     
         18 . A method for connecting a first tubular to a second tubular, the method comprising:
 coupling a male connector to a female connector;   wherein the female connector comprises:
 a sidewall extending between a first end and a second end to define an interior channel, the sidewall having a cylindrical inner surface, the second end coupled to a first tubular; and 
 a plurality of first lugs extending from and disposed circumferentially along the inner surface; 
   wherein the male connector comprises:
 a sidewall extending between a first end and a second end to define an interior channel, the sidewall having a cylindrical outer surface, the second end coupled to a second tubular; and 
 a plurality of first lugs extending from and disposed circumferentially along the outer surface; and 
   wherein the coupling the male connector to the female connector comprises:
 inserting the first end of the male connector through the first end of the female connector; and 
 rotating the male connector relative to the female connector. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the male connector comprises a plurality of second lugs extending from and disposed circumferentially along the outer surface, the second lugs being circumferentially and longitudinally offset relative to the first lugs of the male connector; and   the coupling the male connector to the female connector comprises:
 further inserting the male connector into the female connector such that at least one of the second lugs of the male connector extends longitudinally beyond at least one of the first lugs of the female connector; and 
 further rotating the male connector relative to the female connector such that the at least one second lug of the male connector is:
 disposed between the at least one first lug of the female connector and the second end of the female connector; and 
 in contact with the at least one first lug of the female connector. 
 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the female connector comprises a plurality of second lugs extending from and disposed circumferentially along the inner surface, the second lugs being circumferentially and longitudinally offset relative to the first lugs of the female connector;   the further inserting is performed such that at least one of the first lugs of the male connector extends longitudinally beyond at least one of the second lugs of the female connector; and   the further rotating is performed such that the at least one first lug of the male connector is:
 disposed between the at least one second lug of the female connector and the second end of the female connector; and 
 in contact with the at least one second lug of the female connector.