Abstract: An offshore well drilling system for drilling a subsea well is presented that includes a floating platform, a surface BOP stack, a riser, and a driveable environmental safe guard system. The safe guard system includes an upper wellhead connector, a lower wellhead connector, a blowout preventer with shearing blind rams, and a subsea pressure control system. The subsea pressure control system can be electric, hydraulic, acoustic, or ROV actuated. More importantly, the environmental safeguard system is moveable, and can be driven around using as ROV. The present invention provides swift disconnect and recovery for emergency situations. The subsea environmental safe guard system is also much lighter in weight than traditional subsea stacks.

Abstract: An apparatus that includes a chemical-injection management system of a sub-sea oil and gas extraction system. The chemical-injection management system may include a flow path having an inlet and an outlet. The chemical-injection management system may also include a pump disposed in the flow path between the inlet and the outlet; wherein the pump is configured to increase the pressure of a fluid flow through the flow path.

Abstract: Method for stopping or at least reducing the uncontrolled release of hydrocarbons, blowout, from a well for the extraction of hydrocarbons, which comprises introducing high-density solids at the bottom of the well, through a suitable line, having a polyhedral, spheroidal, ellipsoidal or paraboloidal form, regular or irregular, possibly coated with swelling polymeric material in contact with the fluids leaving the well, the smallest dimension of said solids being greater than 1 mm and the largest dimension less than 100 mm, so that said solids introduced accumulate by random packing at the bottom of the well, forming a column which totally, or at least partially, blocks the uncontrolled release of said hydrocarbons.

Abstract: An offshore well drilling system for drilling a subsea well, including a floating platform, an external riser extending from the subsea well, and an internal riser extending from the subsea well to the platform. The internal riser is nested within the external riser. The system also includes an external riser tension device to apply tension to the external riser. The system also includes an internal riser tension device, separate from the external riser tension device, to apply tension to the internal riser.

Abstract: The riser tensioning system (10) includes a tensioning ring (18) for secured engagement with the riser and plurality of hydraulic cylinders (12) extending between the tensioning ring and a floating platform. A gimbal mechanism (42) acts between the platform and the riser to allow the riser axis to tilt relative to the floating platform. One or more elongate torque transfer members (38) extend between the tensioning ring and the gimbal mechanism and allow axial movement of the tensioning ring and the riser with respect to the floating platform.

Abstract: A subsea well safing method and apparatus to secure a subsea well in the event of a perceived blowout in a manner to mitigate the environmental damage and the physical damage to the subsea wellhead equipment to promote the ability to reconnect and recover control of the well. The safing assembly is connectable to a subsea well and a marine riser. Pursuant to a safing sequence, the well tubular is secured in the upper and lower safing assemblies and the tubular is then sheared between the locations at which it has been secured. Subsequently, an ejection device may be actuated to physically separate the upper safing assembly and the connected marine riser from the lower safing assembly the subsea well.

Abstract: The isolation tool works at depth in the bore of a pipe whose upper end is to be severed and replaced. The tool isolates the lower pipe bore from the upper bore so that flammable downhole fluid is prevented from reaching a welding site along the pipe wall. The tool incorporates: means for establishing a pair of axially spaced apart annular seals engaging the pipe inner surface; means for venting downhole fluid to ground surface; and means for monitoring for seal leakage. The tool is primarily mechanical in nature. It finds use in connection with off-shore platform riser renewal operations.

Abstract: A method and system for lifting drilling mud from subsea to a drilling vessel includes a pump having a body with a chamber, and a bladder in the chamber. The bladder spans the chamber to define water and mud sides in the chamber. A mud inlet valve allows mud into the mud side of the chamber; which moves the bladder into the water side and urges water from the water side of the chamber through a water exit valve. Pressurized water enters the chamber through a water inlet valve, which in turn pushes the bladder and mud from the chamber through a mud exit valve. The bladder separates the mud and water as it reciprocates in the chamber. A pressure control circuit equalizes pressure across the water valves, and a control valve provides a back pressure in a discharge of the pressure control circuit.

Abstract: A control system for a subsea well is provided. The control system comprises a tree comprising a hydraulic control supply line for use in opening a downhole safety valve as a result of hydraulic pressure in the line. A part of the line is carried by a structure which is subject to the pressure of a production fluid from the well used in the control system so that the line is separable in response to a failure of the integrity of the structure.

Abstract: Catastrophic events involving oceanic petroleum oil-wells are threats to ventures in this intriguing avenue.

Abstract: Method and recharging mechanism for resetting a pressure in a low pressure recipient. The recharging mechanism includes a low pressure recipient configured to have first and second chambers, the first chamber being configured to receive a hydraulic liquid at a high pressure and the second chamber being configured to include a gas at a low pressure. The recharging mechanism further includes a valve fluidly connected to a first port of the first chamber; a pumping device fluidly connected to a second port of the first chamber; and a blowout preventer (BOP) section fluidly connected to the valve and configured to close or open a ram block. The pumping device is configured to evacuate the hydraulic fluid from the first chamber of the low pressure recipient when the valve closes a fluid communication between the first port of the first chamber and the BOP section.

Abstract: According to one aspect, an apparatus is adapted to be operably coupled to a subsea blowout preventer and includes a first tubular member defining an internal passage, and a second tubular member extending within the internal passage. A sealing assembly is disposed radially between the first and second tubular members, and includes a sealing element. The second tubular member covers the sealing element and thus facilitates protecting the sealing element from any fluid flow through the internal passage. According to another aspect, a sealing element of a connector is protected before engaging the connector with a subsea casing. The connector is engaged with the casing while the sealing element is protected so that the sealing element is fluidically isolated from any fluid flow through the connector. The sealing element sealingly engages the casing.

Abstract: A spool module for a subsea well production tree and system is presented. The spool module is similar to traditional process modules, except that the spool module includes all its components and their conduits inside one body (or block). This module includes retrievable components used for production and annulus flow lines into one package. The spool module includes the production choke, annulus choke, and conduit bores integral in the block. The spool module includes all of these elements machined into one body having no additional conduits or piping outside of the body. The spool module may also be used in connection with a subsea tree during production of a well, or with several wells on a template or as part of a manifold.

Abstract: An apparatus for circulating well fluids in an intervention system is described. The apparatus comprises at least one subsea storage vessel adapted to be located adjacent a subsea intervention system, a first conduit adapted to provide fluid communication between the at least one storage vessel and the intervention system, a second conduit adapted to provide fluid communication between the at least one storage vessel and the intervention system and at least one pump adapted to pump fluid from the at least one storage vessel to the intervention system or from the intervention system to the at least one storage vessel through said first and/or second conduits.

Abstract: A wellsite connector (110) includes a connector body (232) having an end adapted for coupling to a first of the components and a cavity (265) to receive a second of the components, a piston (234) axially movable in the connector body and having a piston profile along an inner surface thereof, and a plurality of collets (236). The collets are positionable about the connector body adjacent the piston and radially movable thereabout. The collets have a collet profile along an outer surface thereof corresponding to the piston profile of the piston. The collets also have a grip profile along an inner surface thereof selectively engageable with the second of the components whereby the collets are selectively latchable about the second of the components.

Abstract: A technique facilitates a variety of well services. A tubing string is provided with a latch assembly having a lower latch assembly portion, an upper latch assembly portion, and a latch mandrel. The latch mandrel comprises a weakened region disposed in a housing of the latch assembly. Additionally, a release mechanism may be employed to facilitate release of the upper latch assembly portion from the lower latch assembly portion upon separating the latch mandrel at the weakened region.

Abstract: A fluid diverter system for a drilling facility comprises a diverter housing (15; 15?) fluidly connected to a tubular (3, 42, 43) extending to a subsea well. The diverter housing (15; 15?) comprising a movable diverter element (2) for closing off the diverter housing, a first fluid conduit (44) connected to a mud system and comprising a first valve (5), at least one second fluid conduit (20; 20?) leading from an outlet (46; 46?) in the diverter housing to an overboard location and comprising a second valve (1; 48), and a third fluid conduit (16) connected to a mud/gas separator (MGS) (13) and comprising a third valve (4). The MGS (13) is arranged below the outlet (50) of the diverter line, whereby riser fluids may be fed from the diverter housing (15) to the MGS (13) by means of gravity flow. The diverter valve (1; 48) on a leeward side of the drilling facility is configured to be open before the diverter element (2) closes around the tubular (3).

Abstract: Method and apparatus for extending the horizontal distance through which wells can be drilled. A horizontal tubular is used to convey a drillstring from a drilling rig toward a target location and a mud return line and pump on the surface is used to pump drilling mud returning from the bit back to the drilling rig.

Abstract: A vertical connection apparatus for connecting a pipeline to a subsea structure comprises a guide funnel for controlling the position of the pipeline relative to the subsea structure; a moveable barrier and a attachment region for a drive mechanism; the moveable barrier is operable between an open position in which the pipeline can pass through the guide funnel and a closed position in which the barrier prevent the end of the pipeline passing through the end of the guide funnel. A tool with a drive mechanism can be attached between the pipeline and guide funnel to manipulate the pipeline into a connectable position. A clamp connector secures the connection between the pipeline and subsea structure conduit.

Abstract: There is provided a subsea system for increasing pressure and/or flow rate in a flow line, the subsea system being arranged in fluid communication with said flow line which receives fluid from at least one fluid source. The subsea system comprises at least one compressor or pump and at least one subsea cooler which is arranged in the flow line in series with the at least one compressor. The subsea system further comprises a recirculation line which is configured such that at least a portion of the fluid flowing in the flow line downstream the at least one compressor and the at least one subsea cooler may be recirculated back to the flow line upstream the at least one compressor and the at least one subsea cooler such that the recirculating line can be used for capacity regulation of the at least one compressor and cleaning of the at least one subsea cooler.