Pipeline apparatus

A pipeline apparatus (1, 200) comprising

• a housing (2, 201) including:
• a pipeline connector (2b, 201 b),
• a riser (2a, 21, 201a), said riser (2a, 21, 201a) having a longitudinal axis and an outer wall extending from the pipeline connector in a direction of said longitudinal axis, said outer wall terminating in an open end, and having an inner surface, at least part of which lies parallel with said longitudinal axis of said riser (2a, 21, 201a), and
• a valve assembly (210), said valve assembly (210) comprising:
• a valve (3, 4, 7, 212a, 212b, 213) situated in said pipeline connector (2b) and configured to control fluid flow through the pipeline connector (2b), a valve stem (12, 220) for raising and lowering the valve, the valve stem (12, 220) including a thrust collar (12a, 221), and a valve stem seal (56, 223a),
• a mounting means (25, 211) comprising an outer wall which lies parallel with and extends in the direction of said longitudinal axis, said mounting means (25, 211) having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end towards the open end of the riser (2a, 21, 201a) and said lower end towards the pipeline connector (2b),
• said mounting means (25, 211) further having a thrust collar housing (25″, 223), and wherein the valve stem (12, 220) is mounted rotatably in said thrust collar housing (25″, 223) and extends therethrough beyond said upper end and said lower end of said mounting means (25, 211), said thrust collar (12a, 221) and said valve stem seal (56, 223a) located in said thrust collar housing (25″, 223), said mounting means (25, 211) situated within said riser (2a, 21, 201a) between the open end and the pipeline connector (2b, 201 b), the mounting means (25, 211) releasably mounting said valve assembly (210) in said riser (2a, 21, 201a), and
• a seal means (223b), having a seal cross-section, said seal means (223b) situated within said riser (2a, 21, 201a) between and in sealing engagement with said inner surface of said riser (2A, 21, 201a) and an outer surface of said outer wall of said mounting means (25, 211) to seal against egress of fluid from said riser (2a, 21, 201a),
• wherein the outer surface of said outer wall of the mounting means (25, 211) is parallel with the inner surface of said riser (2a, 21, 201a) and spaced apart therefrom by a separation distance forming a longitudinally extending space (24) within the riser (2a, 21, 201a) between said outer surface of said outer wall of the mounting means and said inner surface of said riser, and wherein the separation distance is smaller than the seal cross-section, said longitudinally extending space sealed by said seal means (26),
• said valve assembly (210) and said riser (2a, 21, 201a) each comprising a part of a locking means for releasably locking said valve assembly (210) in said riser, the locking means including at least one co-operating pair of locking elements (27, 28, 230, 201d), which pair of locking elements engage with one another across said longitudinally extending space, one of the pair of locking elements associated with said outer wall of said mounting means (25, 211) and another of the pair of locking elements (27, 28, 230, 201d) associated with said inner surface of said riser wall, wherein when said at least one pair of locking elements (27, 28, 230, 201d) are engaged with each other the mounting means (25, 211) is locked in said riser (2a, 21, 201a) and when said at least one pair of locking elements (27, 28, 230, 201d) are disengaged from each other the mounting means (25, 211) is released from said riser (2a, 21, 201a),
• wherein said mounting means further comprises:
• a mandrel (211),
• wherein said one of the pair of locking elements (230, 201d) of the locking means is comprised in said mandrel, and said seal means further comprises a mandrel seal means (223b) for sealing between said mandrel (211) and said riser (201a) and wherein said valve includes a valve seat (212), a valve closure member (213), said valve seat (212) receiving said valve closure member (213), said valve seat (212) comprising a fluid passageway therethrough, said valve controlling opening and closing of said fluid passageway, said housing configured to receive said valve seat, and wherein the valve seat (212) is connected to the mandrel by connector members (218).