US008066076B2
`
`(12) United States Patent
`Donald et al.
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 8,066,076 B2
`Nov. 29, 2011
`
`(54) CONNECTION SYSTEM FOR SUBSEA FLOW
`INTERFACE EQUIPMENT
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
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`(
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`)
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`(75)
`
`Inventors:
`
`Ian Donald, Aberdeenshire (GB); John
`Reid, Dundee (GB); Alan Crawford,
`Aberdeen (GB); Paul W. White,
`Banchory (GB)
`
`(73) Assigncc: Cameron Systems (Ireland) Limited
`(IE)
`.
`.
`.
`.
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent 1S extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 677 days.
`
`.
`( * ) Notice:
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
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`
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`
`PC1, Filed:
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`§ 371 (C)(1):
`(2), (4) Date:
`
`Feb. 25, 2005
`(Under 37 CFR 147)
`
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`
`Dec. 13, 2007
`
`(87) PCT Pub.No.: WO2005/083228
`
`PCT Pub. Date: Sep. 9, 2005
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`Us 2009/0025936 A1
`JaI1- 29: 2009
`
`AU
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`498216
`4/1999
`(Continued)
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`Official Communication dated Mar. 5, 2003 for Appl. No.
`009295906 (2 p.).
`
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner — Thomas Beach
`A .
`.
`sszstam‘ Exammer — James Sayre
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Conley Rose, P.C.
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(57)
`
`A1131};AC1‘
`
`Provisional application NO.
`25, 2004-
`
`011
`
`(51)
`
`I11t- CL
`(2005-01)
`E213 33/035
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`...................................... .. 166/344; 166/3 68
`(58) Field of Classification Search ................ .. 166/347,
`166/344, 338, 360, 368
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`A cojlnection system for connecting flovv interface equjpnlent
`to a subsea manifold is disclosed. The connection system
`relates particularly to a connection apparatus adapted to land
`a conduit means on a subsea manifold in a first stage of the
`connection and to connect a conduit means of the connection
`apparatus to a choke body Qfthe
`in a second stage of
`the connection.
`
`10 Claims, 12 Drawing Sheets
`
`i
`
`(/42
`
`1
`
`FMC 1001
`
`

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`>Il>D>{l>>D>II>>>D>i>>I1>i1>>D>>>>D>D>i>2I>D>>D>>D>>Il>I1>{I>ZI>D>>>>il>iI>i>I1>{I>>D>>>>>il>I>iI>II>>>>>>i>D>I>>>>>>3>il>i>D>I>>>D>i>>>D>iI>
`
`*
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`*
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`"‘
`
`’
`"‘
`
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`
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`
`*
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`
`"‘
`
`""
`
`US 8,066,076 B2
`Page 2
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`3>>>D>D>>>>>>>>>>>
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`US 8,066,076 B2
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`3
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`US 8,066,076 B2
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`
`* cited by examiner
`
`5
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`
`US 8,066,076 B2
`
`1
`CONNECTION SYSTEM FOR SUBSEA FLOW
`INTERFACE EQUIPMENT
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This application is the U.S. National Phase Application of
`International Application No. PCT/GB2005/000725 filed
`Feb. 25, 2005, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
`Application No. 60/548,727 filed on Feb. 26, 2004.
`Other related applications include U.S. application Ser.
`No. 10/009,991 filed on Jul. 16, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No.
`6,637,514; U.S. application Ser. No. 10/415,156 filed onApr.
`25, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,823,941; U.S. application Ser.
`. 10/558,593 filed on Nov. 29, 2005; U.S. application Ser.
`. 12/441,119 filed on Mar. 12, 2009; U.S. application Ser.
`. 12/515,534 filed on May 19, 2009, U.S. application Ser.
`. 12/515,729 filed on May 20, 2009; U.S. application Ser.
`. 12/541,934 filed on Aug. 15, 2009; U.S. application Ser.
`. 12/541,936 filed on Aug. 15, 2009; U.S. application Ser.
`. 12/541,937 filed on Aug. 15, 2009; U.S. application Ser.
`. 12/541,938 filed onAug. 15, 2009; U.S. application Ser.
`. 12/768,324 filed on Apr. 27, 2010; U.S. application Ser.
`No. 12/768,332 filed on Apr. 27, 2010; and U.S. application
`Ser. No. 12/768,337 filed on Apr. 27, 2010.
`This invention relates in general to subsea well production,
`and in particular to a connection system for connecting flow
`interface equipment, such as a pump to a subsea Christmas
`tree assembly.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
`
`A subsea production facility typically comprises a subsea
`Christmas tree with associated equipment. The sub sea Christ-
`mas tree typically comprises a choke located in a choke body
`in a production wing branch. There may also be a further
`choke located in an annulus wing branch. Typically, well
`fluids leave the tree via the production choke and the produc-
`tion wing branch into an outlet flowline ofthe well. However,
`in such typical trees, the fluids leave the well unboosted and
`unprocessed.
`
`BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`According to a first aspect of the present invention there is
`provided an apparatus for connecting to a subsea wellbore,
`the wellbore having a manifold and a choke body, the appa-
`ratus comprising:
`a frame adapted to land on the manifold;
`a conduit system having a first end for connection to the
`interior of the choke body and a second end for connec-
`tion to a processing apparatus;
`wherein the conduit system comprises a conduit means
`supported by the frame;
`wherein the frame comprises at least one frame member
`that is adapted to land on the manifold in a first stage of
`tlie coimection and wherein the conduit means is
`
`10
`
`15
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`adapted to be brought into fluid communication with the
`interior of the choke body in a second stage of the con-
`nection.
`
`60
`
`The two-stage connection provides the advantage that
`damage to the mating surfaces between the conduit means
`and the flow line of the tree assembly can be avoided whilst
`the frame is being landed, since at least a part of the frame is
`landed before the connection between the conduit means and
`
`the interior of the choke body is made up. Hence, the two-
`stage connection acts to buffer and protect the mating sur-
`
`2
`
`faces. The two-stage connection also protects the choke itself
`from damage whilst the fi'ame is being landed; in particular,
`the mating surface of the choke is protected.
`In some embodiments, processing apparatus e.g. multi-
`phase flow meters and pumps can be mounted 011 the frame
`and canbe landed on the tree with the frame. Alternatively, the
`processing apparatus may be located remote from the tree,
`e.g. on a fiirther subsea installation such as a manifold or a
`pile, and the frame may comprise connections for jumper
`conduits which can lead fluids to and from the remote pro-
`ces sing apparatus.
`The processing apparatus allows well lluids to be pro-
`cessed (e.g. pressure boosted/injected with chemicals) at the
`wellhead before being delivered to the outlet flowline of the
`well. The invention may alternatively be used to inject fluids
`into the well using the outlet flowline as an inlet.
`Often the processing apparatus, e.g. subsea pump, is flow
`meter, etc. is quite heavy and bulky. In embodiments where
`heavy/bulky apparatus is carried by the frame, the risk of