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US 10,294,729 B2Granted
Riser and subsea equipment guidance
AssigneeEnsco International Incorporated
InventorJuan Carlos Serna
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Techniques and systems to reduce deflection of a riser suspended from offshore platform. A guidance thrust delivery system (GTDS) includes a plurality of thrusters configured to be coupled to a riser of an offshore vessel. Each thruster of the plurality of thrusters is configured to generate a force on the riser of the offshore vessel to control a position of the riser in a subsea environment while the riser is suspended from the offshore vessel and decoupled from a seafloor.
Claims19
A system, comprising:
- a guidance thrust delivery system (GTDS) comprising a plurality of thrusters, wherein each thruster of the plurality of thrusters is configured to generate a force on a riser of an offshore vessel to control a position of the riser in a subsea environment while the riser is suspended from the offshore vessel and decoupled from a seafloor, wherein the GTDS comprises a first detachable thrust unit configured to be detached from a first location of the riser and to be removably attached to a second location of the riser while the riser is in the subsea environment, wherein the first detachable thrust unit comprises one or more thrusters of the plurality of thrusters.
A guidance thrust delivery system (GTDS), comprising:
- a plurality of thrust units configured to be coupled to a riser of an offshore vessel, to subsea equipment coupled to the riser, or any combination thereof, wherein the plurality of thrust units is configured to generate one or more forces on the riser of the offshore vessel to control a position of the riser in a subsea environment while the riser is suspended from the offshore vessel through an opening of the offshore vessel and decoupled from a seafloor, wherein the plurality of thrust units comprises a first detachable thrust unit configured to be detached from a first location on the riser or subsea equipment and to be removably attached to a second location on the riser or subsea equipment while in the subsea environment;
- and
- a controller coupled to the plurality of thrust units, wherein the controller is configured to control the plurality of thrust units to generate the one or more forces on the riser based at least in part on an orientation of the riser relative to the opening of the offshore vessel.
A method comprising:
- controlling a guidance thrust delivery system (GTDS) to control a position of a riser in a subsea environment while the riser is suspended from an offshore vessel through an opening of the offshore vessel and decoupled from a seafloor, wherein the GTDS is coupled to the riser of the offshore vessel, to subsea equipment coupled to the riser, or any combination thereof, wherein the GTDS comprises a plurality of thrusters, and the plurality of thrusters is configured to generate one or more forces on the riser of the offshore vessel to control the position of the riser based at least in part on an orientation of the riser relative to the opening of the offshore vessel;
- and
- adjusting an angle of a respective force of the one or more forces on the riser, wherein adjusting the angle of the respective force comprises:
- detaching a first detachable thrust unit of the GTDS from a first location of the riser;
- and
- removably coupling the first detachable thrust unit to a second location of the riser.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.