Breech lock connection for drilling riser auxiliary line

A drilling riser joint for a drilling system, the drilling riser joint comprising:

• a housing comprising a first section and a second section that are configured to couple to one another via one or more threaded fasteners;
• a first auxiliary line portion configured to couple to the first section of the housing;
• a second auxiliary line portion configured to couple to the second section of the housing;
• and
• a breech lock connection, comprising:
• a receptacle portion configured to couple to the first auxiliary line portion and comprising radially-extending receptacle protrusions;
• and
• a rod portion configured to couple to the second auxiliary line portion and comprising radially-extending rod protrusions that are configured to engage the radially-extending receptacle protrusions in a locked configuration in which the rod portion is blocked from moving vertically relative to the receptacle portion,
• wherein in an unlocked configuration of the breech lock connection, the radially-extending rod protrusions and the radially-extending receptacle protrusions are disengaged from one another, the first auxiliary line portion and the receptacle portion of the breech lock connection remain coupled to the first section of the housing, and the second auxiliary line portion and the rod portion of the breech lock connection remain coupled to the second section of the housing.

A method of performing a maintenance operation for a drilling riser joint, the method comprising:

• supporting the drilling riser joint on a platform;
• adjusting a breech lock connection of an auxiliary line system from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration to thereby separate a first auxiliary line portion coupled to a first section of a housing of the drilling riser joint from a second auxiliary line portion coupled to a second section of the housing of the drilling riser joint from one another;
• adjusting one or more threaded fasteners to thereby separate the first section of the housing and the second section of the housing from one another to access components within the housing;
• separating of the first section of the housing and the second section of the housing from one another without decoupling the first auxiliary line portion from the first section of the housing and without decoupling the second auxiliary line portion from the second section of the housing, when the breech lock connection is in the unlocked configuration.