Annulus connection
AssigneeBaker Hughes Energy Technology UK Limited
InventorJonathan James Harris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for terminating an end of flexible pipe body, the apparatus comprising an elongate end fitting body, associated with a central longitudinal axis, comprising a connector flange region securable in a back-to-back relationship to a further end fitting body and disposed at a first end of the elongate end fitting body, an open mouth at a remaining end of the end fitting body, a central flange region disposed between the first end and the remaining end and a neck region between the central flange and the connector flange, wherein the neck region comprises a radially inner end fitting neck region portion and a radially outer end fitting neck region portion that is spaced apart from and is radially outside the radially inner end fitting neck region portion to provide an enclosed chamber region therebetween.
Claims20
An apparatus for terminating an end of a flexible pipe body, comprising:
- an elongate end fitting body, associated with a central longitudinal axis, comprising a connector flange region securable in a back-to-back relationship to a further end fitting body and disposed at a first end of the elongate end fitting body, an open mouth at a remaining end of the end fitting body, a central flange region disposed between the first end and the remaining end and a neck region between the central flange and the connector flange;
- wherein
- the neck region comprises a radially inner end fitting neck region portion and a radially outer end fitting neck region portion that is spaced apart from and is radially outside the radially inner end fitting neck region portion such that the region between the radially outer end fitting neck region and the radially inner end fitting neck region is substantially enclosed;
- the elongate end fitting body further defining a through hole disposed through the central flange of the elongate end fitting body and in fluid communication with a chamber between the radially outer end fitting neck region and the radially inner end fitting neck region, the diameter of the through hole being smaller than the width of the chamber.
A method of terminating an end of flexible pipe body, comprising the steps of:
- providing flexible pipe body that comprises a fluid retaining layer, at least one armour layer and an outer sheath;
- providing an elongate end fitting body, comprising a connector flange region, a central flange region and a neck region between the connector flange region and the central flange region, at a free end of the flexible pipe body, said end fitting body supporting a terminated end of at least one layer of the flexible pipe body, thereby providing a vent passage that comprises a first fluid communication passageway portion provided by an enclosed chamber region between a radially inner end fitting neck portion and a radially outer end fitting neck region portion in fluid communication with a flexible pipe annulus associated with the flexible pipe body;
- securing an outer casing to the central flange region;
- and
- securing an activation flange to the outer casing.
A method of venting fluid from a flexible pipe annulus, comprising the steps of:
- selectively opening at least one valve member thereby fluidly connecting a vent passage between a flexible pipe annulus, located between an inner fluid retaining layer and an outer sheath of flexible pipe body, and an exhaust port;
- and
- subsequently venting fluid from the flexible pipe annulus via the vent passage through an enclosed chamber region, that is disposed in a neck region of an elongate end fitting body between a radially inner end fitting neck region portion and a radially outer end fitting neck region portion that is spaced apart from and is radially outside the radially inner end fitting neck region portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.