Search

BR-112022010009-B1 - SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FITTING STAMPED TUBES, AS WELL AS SAID FITTING STAMPED TUBES

BR112022010009B1BR 112022010009 B1BR112022010009 B1BR 112022010009B1BR-112022010009-B1

Abstract

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR STAMPED PIPE FITTINGS. The present invention relates to techniques for implementing and/or installing a system including pipe segment tubing and a stamped pipe fitting attached to the pipe segment tubing. The pipe segment tubing includes a carcass layer, an inner pressure sheath layer disposed around the carcass layer, a reinforcement layer disposed around the inner pressure sheath layer, and an outer sheath layer disposed around the reinforcement layer. The stamped pipe fitting includes a fitting body that defines a bore, an inner pressure sheath seal that seals the inner pressure sheath layer of the pipe segment tubing within the stamped pipe fitting, and a fitting sleeve attached to the fitting body, wherein the fitting sleeve is conformally deformed around the pipe segment tubing to anchor the reinforcement layer of the pipe segment tubing to the stamped pipe fitting.

Inventors

  • Alok Dhagat
  • MATTHEW ALLEN HEGLER
  • MARK DOUGLAS KALMAN
  • RICHARD CHARLES LAWRENCE
  • MIKEL LEE LEWIS
  • Nader Matari

Assignees

  • Trinity Bay Equipment Holdings, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260310
Application Date
20201120
Priority Date
20191122

Claims (17)

  1. 1. System comprising: pipe segment piping (22), wherein the pipe segment piping (22) comprises: a carcass layer (37); an inner pressure sheath layer (26) disposed around the carcass layer (37); a reinforcement layer (34) disposed around the inner pressure sheath layer (26); and an outer sheath layer (28) disposed around the reinforcement layer (34); a stamped pipe fitting (44) attached to the pipe segment tubing (22), wherein the stamped pipe fitting (44) comprises: a fitting body (48) defining a hole; a fitting connector (46) attached to the fitting body (48) to allow the stamped pipe fitting (44) to be connected to another piping component (12, 14, or 18); an internal pressure sheath seal (95) configured to seal the internal pressure sheath layer (26) of the pipe segment tubing (22) within the stamped pipe fitting (44); a fitting sleeve (50) fixed to the fitting body (48), wherein the fitting sleeve (50) is conformally deformed around the pipe segment tubing (22) to anchor the reinforcement layer (34) of the pipe segment tubing (22) to the stamped pipe fitting (44); CHARACTERIZED in that the inner pressure sheath seal (95) of the stamped pipe fitting (44) is compressed against the inner pressure sheath layer (26) of the pipe segment tubing (22) due to compression between the fitting connector (46) and the fitting body (48) of the stamped pipe fitting (44).
  2. 2. System according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the carcass layer (37) of the pipe segment tubing (22) comprises an interconnected metal layer.
  3. 3. System according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the fitting sleeve (50) of the stamped tube fitting (44) is conformally deformed around the tube segment tubing (22) to seal the outer sheath layer (28) of the tube segment tubing (22) within the stamped tube fitting (44).
  4. 4. System according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that it comprises a stamping machine (56), wherein the stamping machine (56) comprises: a gripper plate (62) configured to attach the stamping machine (56) to the fitting body (48) of the stamped tube fitting (44); and a die plate (64) comprising a set of die segments (68), wherein the stamping machine (56) is configured to move the gripper plate (62) and the die plate (64) towards each other, so that the set of die segments (68) radially compresses the fitting sleeve (50) of the stamped tube fitting (44) inwards.
  5. 5. System according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that: the reinforcement layer (34) defines a fluid conduit (24) within a pipe annulus (25) of the pipe segment (22); and the stamped pipe fitting (44) comprises: a fluid path (98) defined in the fitting body (48) of the stamped pipe fitting (44) such that the fluid path (98) is fluidly connected to the fluid conduit (24) in the pipe annulus (25) of the pipe segment (22); and a vent valve (96) fluidly connected to the fluid path (98) defined in the fitting body (48).
  6. 6. System according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the stamped tube fitting (44) comprises: a housing anchor ring (100) fixed to an outer surface (101) of the housing layer (37) of the tube segment tubing (22); wherein the fitting connector (46) is disposed over the housing anchor ring (100) to anchor the housing layer (37) of the tube segment tubing (22) in the stamped tube fitting (44).
  7. 7. System according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the stamped tube fitting (44) comprises a support cylinder (74) disposed under the tubing casing layer (37) of the tube segment tubing (22).
  8. 8. System according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED in that a thread (111) on an external surface (113) of the support cylinder (74) engages in a threaded manner on an internal surface (115) of the casing layer (37) of the pipe segment tubing (22) to anchor the casing layer (37) in the stamped pipe fitting (44).
  9. 9. System according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED in that the support cylinder (74) of the stamped tube fitting (44) comprises a flange (100) extending radially outward; and the internal pressure sheath seal (95) has a U-shaped axial cross-sectional profile and is compressed against the internal pressure sheath layer (26) of the tube segment piping (22) due to compression between the flange (100) in the support cylinder (74) and the fitting body (48) of the stamped tube fitting (44).
  10. 10. System according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED in that the support cylinder (74) is integrated into the fitting body (48) or the fitting connector (46) of the stamped tube fitting (44).
  11. 11. System according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the stamped tube fitting (44) comprises a support cylinder (74) disposed between the carcass layer (37) and the inner pressure sheath layer (26) of the tube segment tubing (22); the inner pressure sheath layer (26) comprises a first enlarged section (119) that overlaps the support cylinder (74); the reinforcement layer (34) comprises a second enlarged section (120) that overlaps the support cylinder (74); and the outer sheath layer (28) comprises a third enlarged section (121) that overlaps the support cylinder (74).
  12. 12. System according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the stamped tube fitting (44) comprises a claw sleeve (82) inserted between the inner pressure sheath layer (26) and the reinforcement layer (34) of the tube segment tubing (22) before the fitting sleeve (50) is conformally deformed around the tube segment tubing (22).
  13. 13. Method for installing a stamped pipe fitting (44) in a pipe segment (20), comprising disposing a fitting sleeve (50) of the stamped pipe fitting (44) circumferentially around the tubing (22) of the pipe segment (20), wherein the fitting sleeve (50) is fixed to a fitting body (48) of the stamped pipe fitting (44) which defines a hole in the body; disposing a support cylinder (74 or 122) directly adjacent to a casing layer (37) of the pipe segment (20), wherein the casing layer (37) of the pipe segment (20) comprises an interlocking metal layer; conformably deforming the fitting sleeve (50) of the stamped pipe fitting (44) around the tubing (22) of the pipe segment (20) to fix the stamped pipe fitting (44) to the pipe segment (20) and to seal the tubing (22) of the pipe segment (20) within of the stamped tube fitting (44); and attach a fitting connector (46) to the fitting body (48) to allow the stamped tube fitting (44) to be connected to another tube component (12, 14 or 18); CHARACTERIZED in that attaching the fitting connector (46) to the fitting body (48) comprises compressing a fitting seal (95) against an inner pressure sheath layer (26) of the tube segment (20) due to the fitting seal (95) being compressed between the fitting connector (46) and the fitting body (48).
  14. 14. Method according to claim 13, CHARACTERIZED in that the conformal deformation of the fitting sleeve (50) of the stamped tube fitting (44) comprises compressing a reinforcing layer (34) of the tube segment (20) between the fitting sleeve (50) and the support cylinder (74 or 122) to anchor the reinforcing layer (34) in the stamped tube fitting (44).
  15. 15. Method according to claim 13, CHARACTERIZED in that arranging the support cylinder (74 or 122) directly adjacent to the casing layer (37) of the tube segment (20) comprises: inserting a support cylinder tool (122) into the tube segment (20) while a plurality of support cylinder sections (126) of the support cylinder tool (122) is in a contracted state; transitioning the support cylinder tool (122) from the contracted state to an expanded state in which the plurality of support cylinder sections (126) of the support cylinder tool (122) expands against the casing layer (37) of the tube segment (20); transitioning the support cylinder tool (122) from the expanded state back to the contracted state after the fitting sleeve (50) is conformally deformed around the tubing (22) of the tube segment (20); remove the support cylinder tool (122) from the pipe segment (20) while the support cylinder tool (122) is in the contracted state.
  16. 16. Stamped pipe fitting, CHARACTERIZED in that it comprises a fitting body (48) defining a body bore; a fitting connector (46) configured to be fixed to the fitting body (48) to allow the stamped pipe fitting (44) to be connected to another piping component (12, 14, or 18); a face seal (94) configured to be compressed between the fitting body (48) and the fitting connector (46); an internal pressure sheath seal (95) configured to be compressed against an internal pressure sheath layer (26) of a pipe segment (20) to seal the internal pressure sheath layer (26) within the stamped pipe fitting (44); a housing insulation ring (100) configured to electrically isolate a housing layer (37) from the pipe segment (20) in the stamped pipe fitting (44); a fitting sleeve (50) fixed to the fitting body (48), wherein the fitting sleeve (50) is configured to be conformally deformed around an outer sheath layer (28) of the tube segment (20) to fix the stamped tube fitting (44) to the tube segment (20) and to seal the outer sheath layer (28) of the tube segment (20) within the stamped tube fitting (44).
  17. 17. Stamped tube fitting according to claim 16, CHARACTERIZED in that it comprises a spacer ring (182) configured to directly abut an intermediate layer (38) of the tube segment (20) to provide electrical continuity to the intermediate layer (38); and a vent valve (96) configured to be fluidly connected to an annular gap (24) defined in the tube segment (20) by means of a first fluid path (98) formed through the fitting body (48) and a second fluid path (188) formed through the spacer ring (182).

Description

REFERENCE [0001] The present disclosure claims priority and benefit to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/93,9375, entitled “SWAGED END FITTINGS FOR FLEXIBLE PIPE AND METHODS OF INSTALLING SAME” and filed on November 22, 2019, the description of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference for all purposes. FUNDAMENTALS [0002] Flexible pipes can be used to transport production fluids, such as oil and/or gas and/or water, from one location to another. In general, flexible pipes are formed as an assembly of a flexible pipe body portion and one or more end fittings. End fittings can be used to connect flexible pipe segments to each other or to connect them to terminal equipment, such as subsea structures or floating installations. End fittings are important components for enclosing and anchoring pipe layers, sealing, and removing gas in these environments. [0003] Existing end fittings have certain shortcomings and disadvantages. For example, current end fittings used with offshore flexible pipes as described in API RP 17B (“17B Recommended Practice for Unbonded Flexible Pipe”) with casing are expensive and have a long installation time. Therefore, improvements in this field of technology are desired. SUMMARY [0004] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that will be further described later in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter. [0005] In one embodiment, a system includes a pipe segment and a stamped pipe fitting attached to the pipe segment. The pipe segment includes a carcass layer, an inner pressure sheath layer disposed around the carcass layer, a reinforcement layer disposed around the inner pressure sheath layer, and an outer sheath layer disposed around the reinforcement layer. The stamped pipe fitting includes a fitting body that defines a bore, an inner pressure sheath seal that seals the inner pressure sheath layer of the pipe segment within the stamped pipe fitting, and a fitting sleeve attached to the fitting body, where the fitting sleeve is conformally deformed around the pipe segment to anchor the reinforcement layer of the pipe segment to the stamped pipe fitting. [0006] In another embodiment, a method for installing a stamped pipe fitting in a pipe segment includes disposing a stamped pipe fitting sleeve circumferentially around the pipe of the pipe segment, wherein the fitting sleeve is attached to a stamped pipe fitting body that defines a body hole, disposing of a support cylinder directly adjacent to a pipe segment carcass layer, wherein the pipe segment carcass layer comprises an interlocking metal layer, and conformally deforming the stamped pipe fitting sleeve around the pipe of the pipe segment to secure the stamped pipe fitting to the pipe segment and seal the pipe of the pipe segment within the stamped pipe fitting. [0007] In another embodiment, a stamped pipe fitting includes a fitting body that defines a body bore, a fitting connector attached to the fitting body to allow the stamped pipe fitting to be connected to another piping component, a compressed face seal between the fitting body and the fitting connector, an internal pressure sheath seal compressed against an internal pressure sheath layer of a pipe segment to seal the internal pressure sheath layer within the stamped pipe fitting, a housing insulating ring that electrically insulates a housing layer of the pipe segment in the stamped pipe fitting, and a fitting sleeve attached to the fitting body, wherein the fitting sleeve is conformally deformed around an external sheath layer of the pipe segment to secure the stamped pipe fitting to the pipe segment and seal the external sheath layer of the pipe segment within the stamped pipe fitting. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0008] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an example of a piping system that includes pipe segments and pipe fittings, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [0009] Figure 2 is a side view of an example of a pipe segment from Figure 1 that includes a pipe bore defined by its tubing as well as fluid conduits within an annulus of its tubing, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [0010] Figure 3 is an example of a portion of the pipe segment of Figure 2 with one or more reinforcing layers that may also define one or more helically shaped fluid conduits within the annulus of its piping, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [0011] Figure 4 is an axial cross-sectional profile of an example of a pipe segment that includes a carcass layer, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [0012] Figure 5 is an axial cross-sectional profile of a portion of a piping system that includes an example of a stamped pipe fitting and a pipe segment, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [