Abstract: A subsea system includes an electrically powered control system for controlling the subsea system and a replaceable reserve battery electrically coupled to the control system to provide backup and/or supplemental power to the control system when the reserve battery is activated. The reserve battery is provided in a housing having a first coupling, the subsea system includes a second coupling, and the first and second couplings are detachably connectable to each other and include electrical connections so that the reserve battery is replaceable while the subsea system remains below the sea-surface.

Abstract: A SALT ring handling system having a platform, a track system operatively connected to a lower side of the platform, and a pickle fork operatively connected to the track system. The platform may include an upper deck, a lower deck, a spacer for positioning the deck near a riser, and an engaging mechanism for operatively connecting the platform to a carrier system. The track system may include a vertical track assembly and a horizontal track assembly for transferring the vertical track assembly in a substantially horizontal direction. The vertical track assembly may include a lift mechanism that is operatively connected to the pickle fork, and the lift mechanism may transfer the pickle fork in a substantially vertical direction. The pickle fork may include one or more extensions for engaging a portion of a SALT ring.

Abstract: A method for making a riser component includes: positioning a coupler adjacent and end of a tube such that a region of the coupler forms an interface with the tube's end, wherein the region includes a material (in some embodiments an aluminum alloy), and the tube's end includes a groove and another material (in some embodiments a steel alloy) that is different than the region's material; heating the region of the coupler to increase the region's malleability; and exerting pressure on the region of the coupler to plastically deform the region to insert some of the region's material into the groove in the tube's end. By fixing the coupler to the tube in this manner, the coupler may be strongly secured to the tube, and thus able to withstand high, dynamic loads frequently experienced in service. Also, the material of the coupler may be different than the material of the tube, and thus the material of the coupler may be lighter than the material of the tube.

Abstract: A subsea wellhead assembly is provided. The subsea wellhead assembly comprises a tubing head structure with a tree above the tubing head structure, and a recoverable module attached to the tubing head structure below said tree, the recoverable module comprising at least one valve and at least one sensor.

Abstract: A seal seals an annulus in a subsea assembly between a wellhead and a casing hanger landed on a shoulder within a bore of the wellhead. The seal includes a casing hanger seal ring disposed within the annulus. The seal ring engaged with an inner diameter surface of the wellhead, and engaged with an outer diameter surface of the casing hanger so that the seal ring prevents flow through the annulus. A nose ring is secured to a lower end of the seal ring so that, when the seal ring is energized, a conical surface of the nose ring engages a mating conical profile formed in the inner diameter surface portion of the wellhead and the nose ring engages a surface opposite the conical surface with a substantially smooth outer diameter surface portion of the casing hanger to limit upwards axial movement of the casing hanger.

Abstract: Systems and methods for riser coupling are disclosed. A riser coupling system comprises a riser joint connector comprising a first tubular assembly coupled to a second tubular assembly. The riser coupling system further comprises a spider assembly which receives the riser joint connector and has a connector actuation tool. The connector actuation tool comprises a dog assembly, a clamping tool and a splined member. The dog assembly selectively extends a dog to engage the riser joint connector. The clamping tool couples the first tubular assembly and the second tubular assembly. Finally, the splined member actuates a locking member of the riser joint connector.

Abstract: An offshore hydrocarbon cooling system is provided. The system includes one or more hydrocarbon process fluid heat exchangers arranged in heat exchange communication between a hydrocarbon process fluid and a cooling medium fluid, a cooling medium fluid distribution pipe system connected to the hydrocarbon process fluid heat exchangers, and a subsea cooling unit for cooling the cooling medium fluid. The subsea cooling unit includes an inlet and an outlet arranged in fluid communication with the cooling medium fluid distribution pipe system, one or more subsea cooling modules, a first conduit arranged to provide fluid communication between the inlet and the subsea cooling module(s) and a second conduit arranged to provide fluid communication between the subsea cooling module(s) and the outlet. Each cooling module comprises a plurality of cooling pipes configured in heat exchange relationship with surrounding seawater.

Abstract: A temperature compensated accumulator and method for use thereof downhole in a well. The accumulator may include a housing with separate bulkhead and piston assemblies. Thus, one assembly may include a hydraulic fluid chamber separated from a gas precharge pressure chamber by a piston and the other assembly may include an ambient pressure chamber separated from an atmospheric chamber by another piston. Additionally a pressure relief and check valve assembly may be located at a pressure relief chamber between the other assembly sections. Thus, venting to or from the gas precharge pressure chamber may take place upon exposure to a predetermined decreased or elevated temperature so as to maintain a substantially constant precharge level for the accumulator, for example, in spite of dramatic changes in downhole temperatures.

Abstract: A downhole bypass valve utilizes a stationary sleeve defining an interior ball-seat. When a dropped ball is seated, fluid differential pressure is diverted to an annular area adjacent a first sliding sleeve. The sleeve slides in response to the pressure differential upon shearing of a shear pin, or similar, and opens ports to the wellbore annulus. Treatment or maintenance operations can then occur through the ports, which can be fitted with nozzles. A second sliding sleeve, independent from the first, is operated in response to dropping a second ball into the device. The second ball diverts fluid differential pressure to an annular area adjacent the second sleeve and movement occurs when a shear pin shears. The second sleeve covers the ports to the wellbore annulus and closes the valve. After a sliding sleeve shifts, pressure across the sleeve is equalized, allowing reverse flow without risk of accidental sleeve actuation.

Abstract: Systems and methods include using a subsea machine for separating a mixture received from a seabed well. The subsea machine includes: a chamber configured to receive and separate by gravity the mixture received from the seabed well. The chamber includes: a housing configured to contain the mixture received from the undersea well during separation, and a piston provided inside the housing and separating the housing into a top section and a bottom section. The piston is configured to move in a first direction along an axis to create more space in the top section for receiving the mixture from the seabed well and to move in a second opposite direction along the axis for removing the mixture from the chamber after separation has occurred.

Abstract: A subsea well service system and method are presented for use with an subsea pump capable of flushing the well intervention lubricator of an underwater hydrocarbons production facility. The system essentially includes at least one pump placed at a subsea location in proximity to the well intervention lubricator, and at least one fluid reservoir connected to the pump.

Abstract: A technique for subsea intervention operations incorporates use of a compliant guide that extends between a surface location and a subsea installation. The technique facilitates deployment of tool strings into a subsea well. For example, a portion of the compliant guide can be used as a subsea lubricator during pressure deployment of tool strings. In some applications, a tool entry guide can be connected into the subsea installation to facilitate deployment of tool strings into the subsea well.

Abstract: A drilling system (10) including a drill string (13) which extends from a floating drilling rig to a well bore, and a tubular riser (12) which surrounds at least part of the portion of the drill string (13) between the well bore and drilling rig, the riser (12) having a telescopic joint (20) between a first tubular portion and a second tubular portion of the riser, the first tubular portion extending down to a well head at the top of the well bore and the second tubular portion extending up towards the drilling rig, the telescopic joint (20) comprising an inner tube part (20b) which is mounted within an outer tube part (20a), the drilling system (10) further including a riser closure device (26) which is mounted in the second tubular portion of the riser (12) and which is operable to provide a substantially fluid tight seal between the riser (12) and the drill string (13) whilst permitting the drill string (13) to rotate relative to the riser (12).

Abstract: A wellhead assembly for use subsea includes a high pressure housing landed within a low pressure housing. The low pressure housing is an annular member that mounts into the sea floor and having an inner surface engaging the high pressure housing along a loading interface. Upper and lower sockets are formed along axially spaced apart portions of the outer surface of the high pressure housing. As the high pressure housing inserts into the low pressure housing, the high pressure housing sockets engage corresponding sockets formed along axially spaced apart sockets on portions of the inner surface of the low pressure housing. The sockets each have cylindrically shaped outer surfaces, and when engaged with one another define the loading interface. The sockets are strategically located on the upper and lower portions of the housings to maximize their distance apart.

Abstract: A modified casing coupling houses a pressure relief valve body having a through bore with opposing end openings. The through bore communicates with the interior of the modified casing coupling at one end opening thereof and with an area surrounding the modified casing coupling at an opposite end opening. The through bore includes a ball seat adjacent one end opening thereof which receives a sealing ball. The ball is urged in the direction of the ball seat by a tensioning element. The ball is exposed to annular pressure trapped between successive lengths of well casing located in the well borehole. The amount of tension exerted on the ball by the tensioning element is selected to allow the ball to move off the ball seat to release trapped annular pressure between the selected casing strings once a certain annulus pressure is reached.

Abstract: A system for the detection, containment and removal of hydrocarbon leaks in a subsea environment.

Abstract: A method and device for establishing a borehole (26) in the seabed (4), comprising setting of a conductor (1), wherein the method is characterized in that it comprises:—providing the conductor (1) with a suction module (6);—then lowering the conductor (1) down to the seabed (4); and—displacing the conductor (1) down into the seabed (4).

Abstract: An annular blowout preventer assembly has an annular element housing and a central cavity with an elastomeric annular element in the central cavity. An annular element piston is located within the central cavity in engagement with the annular element. A connector housing has an upper end that abuts a lower end of the annular element housing. Bolts extend upward from the connector housing into threaded blind holes in the annular element housing for securing the connector housing to the annular element housing. A locking element is carried within the connector housing for radial inward movement into engagement with a profile on a mandrel of a blowout preventer stack.

Abstract: A device including a fluid transport pipe (24), a superstructure (16), and a floating barge (18) rotatably mounted on the superstructure (16) about an axis of rotation (A-A?). The pipe (24) includes a hose section (150) wound around the axis of rotation (A-A?) supported by an intermediate structure (20) mounted between the superstructure (16) and the barge (18), between a configuration rotatably driven with the barge (18) about the axis of rotation and a configuration rotatably retained about the axis of rotation (A-A?) by the superstructure (16). During a step of connecting the pipe (24), the intermediate structure (20) is placed in either the driven configuration or the retained configuration, a step of disconnecting the pipe (24) including switching the intermediate structure (20) to the other one of the driven configuration and the retained configuration.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a subsea pipeline system connecting one or more wells to a floating production system, wherein the pipeline system is at least partially flexible, the method comprises installing a continuous optical fiber distributed sensor as part of the pipeline system, the sensor capable of providing a distributed measurement of temperature, vibration, pressure or strain, or any combination thereof; using the sensor to obtain a distributed measurement of temperature, vibration, pressure and/or strain along at least part of the pipeline system indexed to a length thereof; and using the distributed measurement to predict the actual condition of the fluid, the pipeline system and/or the adjacent sea water using a model.