Connector for subsea pipelines and risers, and repair of a pipeline or riser utilizing the connector

A connector for pipelines and risers comprising:

• a body;
• a packing and sealing flange connected to said body;
• a plurality of elastomeric packing seals provided between said body and a pipe or riser, said plurality of elastomeric packing seals having a plurality of passageways formed therethrough;
• an outer fastener bolt circle formed through said packing and sealing flange, said outer fastener bolt circle having a plurality of fasteners extending through said packing and sealing flange into said body;
• an inner fastener bolt circle formed through said packing and sealing flange, said inner fastener bolt circle having a plurality of fasteners which respectively extend through said plurality of passageways of said plurality of elastomeric packing seals;
• a packing and sealing reaction ring positioned at an end said body opposite said packing and sealing flange and against one of said plurality of elastomeric packing seals, said packing and sealing reaction ring having threaded holes for receipt of said plurality of fasteners of said inner fastener bolt circle.

A method of applying a connector to a pipeline or riser comprising:

• positioning a plurality of elastomeric packing seals over the pipeline or riser, each of the plurality of elastomeric packing seals having a plurality of passageways formed therethrough;
• positioning a packing and sealing reaction ring over the pipeline or riser, the packing and sealing reaction ring having a plurality of threaded holes formed therein, the plurality of threaded holes in alignment with the plurality of passageways of the plurality of elastomeric packing seals;
• positioning a body over the plurality of elastomeric packing seals and the packing and sealing reaction ring, the body having a plurality of threaded holes formed therein;
• affixing a packing and sealing flange to the body;
• inserting a plurality of fasteners respectively through the packing and sealing flange and the passageways of the plurality of elastomeric packing seals, such that the plurality of fasteners are received by the plurality of threaded holes of the packing and sealing reaction ring;
• and
• tightening the plurality of fasteners such that the packing and sealing reaction ring is pulled toward the packing and sealing flange so as to increase a pressure against the pipeline or riser.