Appeal No. 98-2150
Application No. 08/539,926
blowout preventer 11 (which has a sealing surface 48) is
attached to the wellhead utilizing a seal ring 52 that has a
sealing surface 58 (which is in sealing contact with the
sealing surface 48 on the blowout preventer) and a sealing
surface 60 (which is in sealing contact the primary sealing
surface 36 on the well head). The secondary sealing surface
38 on the wellhead is apparently not used during the first
operating mode.
As illustrated in Fig. 2, in Szymczak's second operating
mode a production tree 66 (which has a sealing surface 80) is
attached to the wellhead 11 utilizing a seal ring 86 that has
a sealing surface 110 (which is in sealing contact with the
sealing surface 80 on the production tree) and a sealing
surface 112 (which is in sealing contact with the lower
portion of the secondary sealing surface 38 on the wellhead).
The primary sealing surface 36 on the wellhead is apparently
not used in the second operating mode. The examiner considers
that portion of the surface 38 which is not in sealing contact
with the sealing surface 112 on seal ring 86 (i.e., the
surface between the area of sealing contact of the sealing
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Last modified: November 3, 2007