US 11,788,921 B2
Reusable pipe integrity test head systems and methods
Shawn Thomas Berry, Mont Belivieu, TX (US); Kirk Spencer Francis, Richmond, TX (US); David Michael Gregory, Houston, TX (US); Jonathan Guerrero, Houston, TX (US); John Paul Leger, Baytown, TX (US); Mikel Lee Lewis, Baytown, TX (US); Dale Brian Marietta, Katy, TX (US); Ashesh Srivastava, Houston, TX (US); Jagtar Singh Thethy, Cypress, TX (US); and Alexander Lee Winn, Spring, TX (US)
Assigned to Trinity Bay Equipment Holdings, LLC, Houston, TX (US)
Filed by Trinity Bay Equipment Holdings, LLC, Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Dec. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/83,639.
Application 18/083,639 is a continuation of application No. 17/588,454, filed on Jan. 31, 2022, granted, now 11,566,961, issued on Jan. 31, 2023.
Application 17/588,454 is a continuation of application No. 17/329,497, filed on May 25, 2021, granted, now 11,237,075, issued on Feb. 1, 2022.
Application 17/329,497 is a continuation of application No. 16/930,999, filed on Jul. 16, 2020, granted, now 11,067,469, issued on Jul. 20, 2021.
Application 16/930,999 is a continuation of application No. 16/748,538, filed on Jan. 21, 2020, granted, now 10,739,225, issued on Aug. 11, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0122475 A1, Apr. 20, 2023
Int. Cl. G01M 3/28 (2006.01); F16L 55/134 (2006.01)
CPC G01M 3/2807 (2013.01) [F16L 55/134 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A test head comprising:
an end cap assembly, wherein the test head is configured to be secured to an open end of a pipe segment such that the open end of the pipe segment is sealed therein and the end cap assembly comprises:
a cap end plate configured to cover the open end of the pipe segment;
a cap sleeve configured to be disposed circumferentially around the pipe segment; and
a reusable cap fastener mechanism configured to:
run circumferentially along an inner surface of the cap sleeve; and
expand radially inward such that the reusable cap fastener mechanism circumferentially engages a tubing outer surface of the pipe segment to facilitate securing and sealing the open end of the pipe segment within the test head;
a bore plug assembly comprising a reusable plug fastener mechanism that comprises a plug fluid bladder, wherein the plug fluid bladder is configured to be disposed within a pipe bore of the pipe segment and to expand radially outward such that the plug fluid bladder circumferentially engages a tubing inner surface of the pipe segment to facilitate securing and sealing the open end of the pipe segment within the test head;
an inflation fluid port that opens through the end cap assembly;
an internal inflation fluid conduit that fluidly connects the inflation fluid port to the plug fluid bladder to enable inflation fluid to be supplied to the plug fluid bladder, extracted from the plug fluid bladder, or both; and
an annulus fluid port that opens through the end cap assembly, wherein the annulus fluid port is configured to facilitate testing integrity of the pipe segment at least in part by enabling annulus test fluid to be supplied to a tubing annulus of the pipe segment, enabling annulus fluid to flow out from the tubing annulus of the pipe segment, or both.