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EP-4004334-B1 - HORIZONTAL CONNECTOR SYSTEM AND METHOD

EP4004334B1EP 4004334 B1EP4004334 B1EP 4004334B1EP-4004334-B1

Inventors

  • SHIRANI, ALIREZA
  • GONZALEZ, GUSTAVO
  • ROBERTS, JOHN A.
  • POLASEK, Tommy D.
  • KALIA, Akshay
  • MERCER, TED
  • THERIOT, PHILLIP M.
  • WERTZ, THOMAS
  • DA ENCARNACAO, Luis Henrique
  • YOUNG, ALEXANDER

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20200722

Claims (15)

  1. An apparatus comprising: a flowline connector (40) including an inboard pipe (50) and an outboard assembly (44), the outboard assembly including an outboard pipe (76) supported within a frame (96) such that the outboard pipe (76) is moveable within the frame to allow the outboard pipe (76) to be moved toward the inboard pipe (50), wherein the outboard assembly (44) also includes a profile pipe (110) in which the outboard pipe (76) is received, the profile pipe (110) and the outboard pipe (76) are connected to move synchronously, and the profile pipe (110) includes at least one guide (112) to change pitch or yaw of the outboard pipe (76) to direct the outboard pipe (76) toward alignment with the inboard pipe (50) as the outboard pipe (76) is moved within the frame (96) toward the inboard pipe (50); wherein the flowline connector includes an inboard assembly (42) having the inboard pipe (50), wherein the outboard assembly (44) includes a landing porch (78) with rounded keys (80) configured to be received in mating slots (68) of the inboard assembly (42); and wherein the inboard assembly (42) includes a bumper (70) positioned to engage the landing porch (78) and limit positive pitch of the outboard pipe (76) when the rounded keys (80) are received in the mating slots (68) of the inboard assembly (42).
  2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one guide (112) is fastened to the profile pipe (110).
  3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one guide (112) includes a first guide (162) that is fastened to the profile pipe (110) and positioned to change the yaw of the outboard pipe (76) to direct the outboard pipe (76) toward alignment with the inboard pipe (50) as the outboard pipe (76) is moved within the frame (96) toward the inboard pipe (50) and a second guide (164) that is fastened to the profile pipe (110) and positioned to change the pitch of the outboard pipe (76) to direct the outboard pipe (76) toward alignment with the inboard pipe (50) as the outboard pipe (76) is moved within the frame (96) toward the inboard pipe (50).
  4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inboard assembly (42) includes a cradle (66) that receives the inboard pipe (50) and has the mating slots (68).
  5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inboard assembly (42) includes a guide post (72) and the outboard assembly (44) includes a guide funnel (120) with an aperture (124) to receive the guide post (72).
  6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the guide post (72) and the guide funnel (120) share a keyed interface.
  7. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a stroking tool (140) coupled to drive movement of the outboard pipe (76) toward the inboard pipe (50).
  8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the stroking tool (140) is an accumulator-assisted stroking tool.
  9. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a lifting tool (172) coupled to the outboard assembly (44), wherein the lifting tool (172) includes rigid arms (174) rotatably coupled to opposing sides of the outboard assembly (44).
  10. The apparatus of claim 8, comprising a first lock pin (192) that inhibits rotation of the rigid arms (174) with respect to the outboard assembly (44) and a second lock pin (202) that secures the lifting tool (172) to the outboard assembly (44).
  11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outboard pipe (76) is connected to a jumper (22) and the inboard pipe (50) is connected to a manifold (14).
  12. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a clamp (84) positioned to close about an end hub (82) of the outboard pipe (76) and an end hub (52) of the inboard pipe (50), wherein the clamp (84) is mounted on a plate (90) of the outboard assembly (42).
  13. A method of coupling a first pipe (76) and a second pipe (50) in fluid communication, the method comprising: landing an outboard assembly (44 having the first pipe (76) next to an inboard assembly (42) having the second pipe (50), such that the first pipe (76) is spaced apart from the second pipe (50) and is not axially aligned with the second pipe (50), wherein landing the outboard assembly (44) next to the inboard assembly (42) includes lowering keys (80) of the outboard assembly into tapered slots (68) of the inboard assembly (42) and engaging a bumper (70) of the inboard assembly (42) with the landing porch (78) to limit positive pitch of the outboard pipe (76); moving the first pipe (76) toward the second pipe (50) by drawing at least one radially protruding guide (112) moving with the first pipe (76) along a frame (96) so as to rotate the first pipe (76) toward axial alignment with the second pipe (50), wherein drawing the at least one radially protruding guide (112) along the frame (96) so as to rotate the first pipe (76) toward axial alignment with the second pipe (50) includes drawing the at least one radially protruding guide (112) along the frame (96) so as to change pitch and yaw of the first pipe; and securing the first and second pipes (76, 50) in fluid communication.
  14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one radially protruding guide (112) includes at least two radially protruding guides (162, 164) on an additional pipe (110) that surrounds and moves with the first pipe (76).
  15. The method of claim 13, wherein moving the first pipe (76) toward the second pipe (50) includes actuating a stroking tool (140) mounted on the frame (96) to push the first pipe (76) toward the second pipe (50).

Description

BACKGROUND This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the presently described embodiments. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present embodiments. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art. In order to meet consumer and industrial demand for natural resources, companies often invest significant amounts of time and money in searching for and extracting oil, natural gas, and other subterranean resources from the earth. Particularly, once a desired subterranean resource such as oil or natural gas is discovered, drilling and production systems are often employed to access and extract the resource. These systems may be located onshore or offshore depending on the location of a desired resource. Offshore systems can include topside components positioned above the surface of the water, such as on a vessel or platform, and subsea components positioned underwater, such as on a seabed. Whether located subsea, topside, or onshore, components of drilling and production systems can be connected in fluid communication through various flowlines. A subsea system, for instance, may include a network of trees, manifolds, pumps, and other components positioned on a seabed and connected via subsea jumpers or other flowlines. Flowline connectors may be used to facilitate coupling of jumpers or other flowlines to trees, manifolds, and other components of drilling and production systems. In subsea contexts, a working vessel can be positioned above a subsea installation and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) can be launched to travel to the subsea installation to facilitate coupling of jumpers to system components via flowline connectors. US2011/005764 describes a tool for connecting an end of a first pipeline to an end of a second pipeline supported by a subsea structure and being provided by at least two guide elements. The tool comprises a receiving portion to accommodate the end of the first pipeline in a slideable manner, and at least two guiding sections extending from receiving portion. Each guiding section has an end arranged with an attachment portion interfacing with the guide elements. EP2722480 describes a connection appliance for connecting the end sections of first and second conduits, the second conduit being fixed to a holding unit of a subsea support structure. The connection appliance comprises a base structure connectable to a base frame of the subsea support structure and a sliding unit to which the end section of the first conduit is to be fixed and which is slidably mounted to the base structure. An actuating unit is configured to act between the base structure and the sliding unit in order to push the sliding unit and the end section of the first conduit axially forwards in relation to the base structure so as to bring the end sections of the conduits into contact with each other. GB2343493 describes a pipeline device having at least one end for connection to a connection site on another pipeline on the seabed. At the end of the pipeline an element that is movable in the longitudinal direction of the pipeline is provided on which a pull-in device is arranged to act in order to pull the end of the pipeline towards the connection site. WO98/36200 describes a tool for preferably remotely controlled hauling and coupling of a submarine conduit such as a pipeline to a complementary conduit mounted on a sea bottom based installation. EP2486305 describes a horizontal connecting device for mating and connection on the sea bed of a first pipeline having respective first and second pipe ends at the connection point and a second submersible connecting part retaining, or supporting, the second end of a second pipeline. WO2018/217099 describes a subsea horizontal tie-in system comprising a porch part with a porch hub and a termination part with a termination hub, the termination part being configured to land on the porch part. An alignment system is configured to align the porch hub and the termination hub during movement of the termination hub towards the porch hub in a landed state. SUMMARY Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to connecting flowlines to manifolds, trees, or other components. In a first aspect, the present invention resides in an apparatus as defined in claim 1 and in a second aspect, the invention resides in a method of coupling a first pipe and a second pipe in fluid communication as defined in claim 13.: FIG. 1 generally depicts a production system with components coupled via flowlines and connectors in accordance with one embodiment;FIG. 2 generally depicts a subsea manifold coupled to a flowline by a flowline connector in accordance with one embodiment;FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a horizontal flowline c