ADJUSTMENT AND RESTRAINT SYSTEM FOR SUBSEA FLEX JOINT
An adjustment and restraint system for a subsea flex joint may include a pusher saddle to be installed on a flex joint top plate and a hydraulic cylinder to be disposed in the pusher saddle. The hydraulic cylinder may be used to adjust a tilt angle of the adapter spool. A holder saddle may also be installed on the flex joint top plate. The hydraulic cylinders, the holder saddles, holder members, or a combination thereof may be used to restrain the adapter spool in the upright position.
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This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/482,132 filed May 3, 2011.
BACKGROUNDIn offshore drilling operations, a blowout preventer (BOP) is installed on a wellhead at the sea floor and a lower marine riser package (LMRP) is mounted to the BOP. In addition, a drilling riser extends from a flex joint at the upper end of LMRP to a drilling vessel or rig at the sea surface. The flex joint absorbs loads and motions caused by water currents and movement of the drilling vessel or rig, so that the connection between the LMRP and the riser is not disturbed. A drill string is then suspended from the rig through the drilling riser, LMRP, and the BOP into the well bore. A choke line and a kill line are also suspended from the rig and coupled to the BOP, usually as part of the drilling riser assembly.
During drilling operations, drilling fluid, or mud, is delivered through the drill string, and returned up an annulus between the drill string and casing that lines the well bore. In the event of a rapid influx of formation fluid into the annulus, commonly known as a “kick,” the BOP and/or LMRP may be actuated to seal the annulus and control the well. In particular, BOPs and LMRPs comprise closure members capable of sealing and closing the well in order to prevent the release of gas or liquids from the well. Thus, the BOP and LMRP are used as devices that close, isolate, and seal the wellbore. Heavier drilling mud may be delivered through the drill string, forcing fluid from the annulus through the choke line or kill line to protect the well equipment disposed above the BOP and LMRP from the high pressures associated with the formation fluid.
The flex joint may become tilted or angled relative to the sea floor or other wellhead equipment during operations. Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for systems and methods to move the tilted flex joint to a more upright position relative to the sea floor before additional devices can be attached to the top of an adapter of the flex joint. Further, it may also be desirable to secure the flex joint in the upright position.
SUMMARYAn adjustment and restraint system for a subsea flex joint may include a pusher saddle to be installed on a flex joint top plate and a hydraulic cylinder to be disposed in the pusher saddle. The hydraulic cylinder may be used to adjust a tilt angle of the adapter spool. A holder saddle may also be installed on the flex joint top plate. The hydraulic cylinders, the holder saddles, holder members, or a combination thereof may be used to restrain the adapter spool in the upright position.
Thus, embodiments described herein comprise a combination of features and advantages intended to address various shortcomings associated with certain prior devices, systems, and methods. The various characteristics described above, as well as other features, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description, and by referring to the accompanying drawings.
For a detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:
In the drawings and description that follow, like parts are typically marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals, respectively. Certain terms are used throughout the description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not function. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain features and components may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness. The present invention is susceptible to embodiments of different forms. Specific embodiments are described in detail and are shown in the drawings, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to that illustrated and described herein. It is to be fully recognized that the different teachings of the embodiments discussed below may be employed separately or in any suitable combination to produce desired results.
The terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . ” Unless otherwise specified, any use of any form of the terms “couple”, “attach”, “connect” or any other term describing an interaction between elements is not meant to limit the interaction to direct interaction between the elements and may also include indirect interaction between the elements described. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct connection, or through an indirect connection via other devices, components, and connections. In addition, as used herein, the terms “axial” and “axially” generally mean along or parallel to a central axis (e.g., central axis of a body or a port), while the terms “radial” and “radially” generally mean perpendicular to the central axis. For instance, an axial distance refers to a distance measured along or parallel to the central axis, and a radial distance means a distance measured perpendicular to the central axis.
Referring initially to
BOP 120 has a central or longitudinal axis 125 and includes a body 123 with an upper end 123a releasably secured to LMRP 140, a lower end 123b releasably secured to wellhead 130, and a main bore 124 extending axially between upper and lower ends 123a, b. Main bore 124 is coaxially aligned with wellbore 101, thereby allowing fluid communication between wellbore 101 and main bore 124. BOP 120 includes a plurality of axially stacked sets of opposed rams 127, 128, 129 to prohibit flow through the annulus around string 116 and/or main bore 124 when rams 127, 128, 129 are closed. LMRP 140 has a body 141 with an upper end 141a connected to the lower end of riser 115, a lower end 141b releasably secured to upper end 123a with connector 150, and a throughbore 142 extending between upper and lower ends 141a, b. Throughbore 142 is coaxially aligned with main bore 124 of BOP 110, thereby allowing fluid communication between throughbore 142 and main bore 124. LMRP 140 also includes an annular blowout preventer 142a.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring next to
For example, embodiments of capping stacks can be deployed on top of the flex joint 143. But first, the LMRP 140 is preferably readied to receive the capping stack or other device. In part, the inclination or tilt angle 168 of flex joint 143 must be addressed. Tilt angle 168 decreases the likelihood of proper make up between the top of the adapter 145 and the capping stack or other device. The likelihood of proper make up is increased if angle 168 is decreased, or if the adapter 145 is moved to a more upright position relative to the axis 125 or relative to vertical to the sea floor 103. Moving the tilted or angled adapter 145 toward a more upright position may be defined as decreasing the tilt angle 168, moving the adapter 145 toward the axis 125, or, in some cases, moving the adapter beyond the axis 125 and toward a substantially vertical or perpendicular position relative to the sea floor 103.
Embodiments of a flex joint angle adjustment mechanism will now be described. In some embodiments, as will be described in more detail below, an adjustment and restraint system also includes restraint or holder mechanisms in addition to the angle adjustment mechanism. Referring now to
Referring now to
The hydraulic cylinder assembly 270 may be any one of several robustly rated cylinders, including, for example, Enerpac® RC-502 hydraulic cylinders and/or Enerpac® RC-504 hydraulic cylinders which have an approximately 50-ton cylinder capacity. Hydraulic cylinders with various other capacities and characteristics are also contemplated and known to one having ordinary skill.
The pusher saddles 200 are disposable on the flex joint top plate 156, manipulated by remotely operated vehicles (ROV's) using the handles 260. With reference to
Referring now to
Referring next to
Referring to
In operation, a hydraulic distribution and control panel 600 is located and secured onto subsea equipment, for example the LMRP, via ROV, as is typical and known by an operator of a subsea wellhead. Referring briefly to
An inclinometer with a magnetic base is mounted onto the tilted adapter spool 154, also not shown. The inclinometer's battery pack and digital display are mounted to the hydraulic distribution panel 600. Further instruments and tools may also be coupled to the system or otherwise used to measure and monitor tilt angles, pressures, forces, and other characteristics of the system and process, as is understood by one having skill in the art.
Periodic reference will now be made to the process flowchart in
To operably couple the hydraulic cylinder assemblies 270, 370 into the hydraulic distribution panel 600, a first ROV plugs a hot stab jumper into one of the connections 604 to provide a hydraulic flow path via the supply lines 273, 373. The specific ROV operations are not shown, as operation of ROV's is understood by those having skill in the art, and reference to assembly 250 only is made for ease and clarity of description. A second ROV positions the first connected hydraulic cylinder 270 in a pusher saddle 200, to complete installation of the first cylinder 270 as shown at box 708 of the process 700. A third ROV may then view or detect the hydraulic cylinder 270 to verify alignment such that the contact surface 278 is directed toward the angled shoulder 155.
The first ROV then actuates a valve 608 corresponding to the first connected hydraulic cylinder 270 to apply hydraulic pressure to the first cylinder 270 until it engages the angled load shoulder 155 of the adapter spool 154, as shown in
The first ROV then blocks pressure into the first engaged cylinder 270 to keep it in position. The second ROV can install a second cylinder 270, and it can be actuated and engaged with the shoulder 155 in a similar manner. The process is repeated until all of the predetermined number of hydraulic cylinders are in an engaged position with the angled load shoulder 155. Thus, the process of installing the hydraulic cylinder assemblies 270 in the pre-positioned pusher saddles 200 is sequential. In some embodiments, the determination of the number of cylinders to use, as represented at 712 of
Next, the first ROV applies further hydraulic pressure to cause the captured hydraulic cylinders 270 to react between the angled load shoulder 155 and the angled pusher saddle pockets 204, which causes the pusher saddles 200 to react against the flex joint top plate's studs and nuts 158. Extension of the hydraulic cylinder pistons 274 moves the adapter spool 154 toward an upright position, represented as box 714 in
The amount of hydraulic pressure applied during tilt adjustment can be monitored, and also varied depending on factors such as the size of the adapter spool 154, the static coefficient of friction of the adapter spool 154, the inclination angle 168, among other factors. Further, the total number of adjustment mechanism assemblies 250, 350 used for tilt adjustment can be varied based on similar factors, and also on the response of the adapter spool 154 to adjustment. The lengths of the pusher saddles 200, 300 are predetermined based on the angle 168 or other inclination angle of the adapter spool 154. As previously described, the opposing geometries of the angled pockets 204, 304 and the angled load shoulder 155 of the adapter spool 154 shoulder capture the hydraulic cylinders 270, 370 as they are being pressured up against the angled load shoulder 155. The cylinders 270, 370 will remain captured due to these geometries, even during a range of motion of the flex joint adapter spool 154 during the tilt adjustment operation.
In some embodiments, a determination is made, represented by box 718 in
Referring now to
Mounted onto or extending from the forward surface 410 is a nose portion 440. The nose portion 440 includes a top surface 442, a contact or engagement surface 444, and side surfaces 446. In some embodiments, the nose portion 440 is mounted to the forward surface 410, so the contact surface 444 includes bolt holes 445. In some embodiments, the contact surface 444 is curved. As shown in
Referring now to
The nose portion 440 may be coupled to the forward surface 410 of the extension 420 by threading a bolt 447 through the recessed bolt hole 445 and into the extension member 420. Other ways of coupling the nose portion 440 to the extension 420 may also be employed, and the nose portion 440 may be integral with the extension 420. With the mountable embodiments of the nose portion 440, the nose portion 440 is replaceable.
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The holder members 500, 510, 520 and the holder saddle assemblies 450 may have a higher load rating than the hydraulic cylinder assemblies 250, 350 because the ultimate load path does not include a hydraulic cylinder, but rather the solid holder members 500, 510 which do not depend on maintenance of the hydraulic pressure by pumps or another hydraulic power source. Further, the load path for the holder saddle assemblies 450 ultimately leads to the flex joint base 144 through the holder extension 420 and nose portion 440 instead of to the top plate studs and nuts 158 as with the adjustment mechanism assemblies 250, 350. In some embodiments, the holder members 500, 510 are solid cylinders or rods that replace the hydraulic cylinders and will take the load of the adapter spool and geometrically restrain the holder saddle. In some embodiments, the holder members 500, 510 are made from steel or other hard metal, or a composite material with high compressive strength and resistance to subsea conditions.
In operation, the holder saddles 400 or the holder saddle assemblies 450 may replace the adjustment mechanism assemblies 250, 350 that react against the studs and nuts 158 of the top plate 156 with the holder saddle assemblies 450 that react instead against the inside of the top plate 156. In some embodiments, the holder saddles 400 or the holder saddle assemblies 450 prevent the adapter spool 154 from reaching 2-degrees with respect to vertical relative to the sea floor 103. In some embodiments, the holder saddle assemblies 450 support solid holder members 500, 510, 520 of different lengths that will react between the same angled shoulder 155 on the adapter spool 154 and the angled pockets 404 of several holder saddles 400, which in turn react against the inner lip and surface 159 of the top plate 156. As previously described, the substantially upright position of the adapter spool 154 may be a position closer to the axis 125 of the BOP/LMRP, close to vertical relative to the seal floor 103, or another angle, but which decreases the tilt or inclination angle, such as angle 168, of the adapter spool 154.
First, and again with reference to process flowchart 700 of
In other embodiments, next the adapter spool 154 orientation is verified to within the allowed tolerance to install the appropriate holder member 500, 510, 520 in a holder saddle 400. Then, the ROV is used to install the holder members 500, 510, 520 about the adapter spool 154 as shown in
While specific embodiments have been shown and described, modifications can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or teachings herein. The embodiments as described are exemplary only and are not limiting. Many variations and modifications of the systems, apparatus, and processes described herein are possible and are within the scope of the invention. For example, the relative dimensions of various parts, the materials from which the various parts are made, and other parameters can be varied. Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited to the embodiments described, but is only limited by the claims that follow, the scope of which shall include all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims.
Claims
1. An adjustment and restraint system for a subsea flex joint, comprising:
- a pusher saddle connected to a flex joint top plate, the pusher saddle including a pocket; and
- a hydraulic cylinder configured to seat in the pocket of the pusher saddle, the pusher saddle configured to orient a contact surface of the cylinder toward a flex joint adapter spool.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the flex joint adapter spool is in a tilted position prior to contact by the hydraulic cylinder contact surface.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the pusher saddle comprises a lower cavity to receive a stud and a nut of the flex joint top plate.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the pocket is angled relative to a top surface of the flex joint top plate.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the pocket includes an angled lower support surface and an angled rear support surface that direct the hydraulic cylinder contact surface toward an angled shoulder of the flex joint adapter spool.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the hydraulic cylinder is extendable to engage the contact surface with the angled shoulder, and the hydraulic cylinder is captured between the angled rear support surface and the angled shoulder.
7. The system of claim 4, wherein the hydraulic cylinder is operable to engage the contact surface with an angled shoulder of the adapter spool and capture the hydraulic cylinder between the opposed angled pocket and shoulder.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the hydraulic cylinder is further operable to move the adapter spool from a tilted position to an upright position.
9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of pusher saddle and hydraulic cylinder combinations between the flex joint top plate and the flex joint adapter spool.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the hydraulic cylinders are independently operable to react each contact surface against the flex joint adapter spool.
11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a hydraulic distribution panel including separate hydraulic connections for each hydraulic cylinder.
12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a holder saddle disposed on the flex joint top plate and a holder member configured to engage with the adapter spool, and the pusher saddle and hydraulic cylinder combination removable to be replaced by the holder saddle and holder member combination.
13. An adjustment and restraint system for a subsea flex joint, comprising:
- a plurality of pusher saddles with lower pockets configured to receive studs and nuts of a flex joint top plate; and
- a hydraulic cylinder configured to seat in an angled pocket of each of the pusher saddles, each hydraulic cylinder including a contact surface configured to engage with an angled shoulder of a tilted flex joint adapter spool;
- wherein the hydraulic cylinders are independently operable to react the contact surfaces against the angled shoulder of the tilted flex joint adapter spool and move the tilted flex joint adapter spool to an upright position.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the angled pockets oppose the angled shoulder to capture the hydraulic cylinders while engaged therebetween.
15. The system of claim 13, wherein a hydraulic distribution panel couples to each of the hydraulic cylinders to independently operate each hydraulic cylinder.
16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of holder saddles disposed over the studs and nuts of the flex joint top plate between the pusher saddles, and a holder member supported in each of the holder saddles to engage the angled shoulder.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the holder saddles include lower extension members and nose portions, and the hydraulic cylinders and the pusher saddles are removable, and, upon removal of the hydraulic cylinders and the pusher saddles, a load path is transferred from the studs and nuts to the lower extension member, the nose portion, and the flex joint base.
18. A method of adjusting and restraining a subsea flex joint, comprising:
- installing a plurality of pusher saddles on the studs and nuts of a flex joint top plate;
- placing a hydraulic cylinder in an angled pocket of each of the pusher saddles; and
- actuating the hydraulic cylinders to react a contact surface of each of the cylinders against an angled shoulder of a tilted flex joint adapter spool.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising capturing the hydraulic cylinders between the opposed angled pockets and angled shoulder.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising further pressuring the engaged hydraulic cylinders to move the tilted flex joint adapter spool to an upright position.
21. The method of claim 20, further comprising reacting the pusher saddles against the studs and nuts.
22. The method of claim 20, further comprising installing a plurality of holder saddles between the pusher saddles.
23. The method of claim 22, further comprising installing a holder member in each of the holder saddles.
24. The method of claim 23, further comprising venting hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic cylinders and removing the cylinders and pusher saddles.
25. The method of claim 24, further comprising transferring the load path from the studs and nuts to the flex joint base.
26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:
- restraining the adapter spool with the holder members; and
- landing the capping stack on the flex joint adapter extension.
27. The method of claim 22, further comprising restraining the adapter spool with the holder saddles, a holder member in the holder saddle, a hydraulic cylinder in the holder saddle, or a combination thereof.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 20, 2012
Publication Date: Nov 22, 2012
Applicant: BP CORPORATION NORTH AMERICA INC. (Houston, TX)
Inventors: Luis Javier Gutierrez (Houston, TX), Kevin Taylor Lanan (Weybridge), Fred Lamar Smith (Carson City, NV)
Application Number: 13/452,096
International Classification: E21B 43/01 (20060101);