Abstract: A protective sleeve protects a riser that extends between a subsea wellhead and a floating vessel. The protective sleeve has less resistance to bending than the riser so as to allow the riser to bend normally due to normal movement of the vessel. The stiffness of the protective sleeve augments the stiffness of the riser only if the acceptable level of bending is exceeded. The protective sleeve is made up of at least three segments that are articulated together to facilitate bending.

Abstract: A tieback connector for a subsea well assembly has provisions to enable testing of a tieback seal without having to set any isolation seals in casing below the upper tieback member. The tieback connector has a lower tieback member with an upward facing receptacle. The lower tieback member has a set of running grooves spaced from a set of tieback grooves. An upper tieback member is lowered into the receptacle. The upper tieback member has tieback grooves that engage the tieback grooves of the lower tieback member. A lower seal on the upper tieback member engages a lower sealing area located below at least one of the sets of running grooves and tieback grooves. An upper seal located on the upper tieback member engages an upper sealing area located above at least one of the sets of the running grooves and tieback grooves. A test passage extends between the upper and lower seals. An isolation test tool is positioned in the upper tieback member, with isolation seals above and below the test passage.