US 2006/0151175 A1Published application

Lightweight and compact subsea intervention package and method

AssigneeWorldwide Oilfield Machine, Inc.

InventorsAlagarsamy Sundararajan, Tom McCreadie

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Abstract

The present invention discloses apparatus and methods for a lightweight subsea intervention package that may be installed using vessels with a smaller lifting capacity than semi-submersible platforms so that the subsea intervention package can be transported, installed, and removed from a subsea well in less time and with less cost. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a lower riser package for controlling the subsea well which utilizes two hydraulically activated gate valves. An emergency disconnect package is secured to the lower riser package utilizing a disconnect mechanism. The emergency disconnect package is operable to seal the bottom of a riser if the disconnect mechanism is activated to thereby minimize environmental leakage of fluid from the riser.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A lightweight subsea intervention package for use in servicing a subsea well, said subsea well comprising at least one of a vertical Christmas tree or a horizontal Christmas tree, said subsea intervention package being operable for containing said subsea well while using at least one of tubing, coiled tubing, or wireline during said servicing of said subsea wells, said subsea intervention package comprising:

a lower package attachable to said subsea well regardless of whether said subsea well comprises said vertical Christmas tree or said horizontal Christmas tree, said lower package comprising at least two hydraulically actuated valves neither of which are B.O.P.'s, at least one of said at least two hydraulically actuated valves being operable for cutting said tubing, coiled tubing, or wireline and then closing to form a seal for sealing said subsea well, said lower package defining a bore through said at least two hydraulically actuated valves which is greater than six and one-eighth inches;
a disconnect mechanism comprising a first portion and a second portion, said first portion of said disconnect mechanism being secured to said lower package, said first portion and said second portion of said disconnect mechanism being selectively separable;
an emergency disconnect package mountable to said second portion of said disconnect mechanism, said disconnect mechanism comprising at least one hydraulically actuated valve, said emergency disconnect package defining a bore through said at least one hydraulically actuated valve which is greater than six and one-eighth inches, said lightweight subsea intervention package being light enough and defining a footprint small enough such that said lightweight subsea intervention package can be installed on said subsea well utilizing a vessel with a handling capacity less than that of a semi-submersible platform.

a lower package attachable to said subsea well regardless of whether said subsea well comprises said vertical Christmas tree or said horizontal Christmas tree, said lower package comprising at least two hydraulically actuated valves neither of which are B.O.P.'s, at least one of said at least two hydraulically actuated valves being operable for cutting said tubing, coiled tubing, or wireline and then closing to form a seal for sealing said subsea well, said lower package defining a bore through said at least two hydraulically actuated valves which is greater than seven inches, said lightweight subsea intervention package being light enough and defining a footprint small enough such that said lightweight subsea intervention package can be installed on said subsea well utilizing a vessel with a handling capacity less than that of a semi-submersible platform.

A method for making a lightweight subsea intervention package for use in servicing a subsea well, said subsea well comprising at least one of a vertical Christmas tree or a horizontal Christmas tree, said subsea intervention package being operable for containing said subsea well while using at least one of tubing, coiled tubing, or wireline during said servicing of said subsea wells, said subsea intervention package comprising:

providing a lower package attachable to said subsea well;
providing that said lower package comprises at least one hydraulically actuated valve operable for both cutting said tubing, coiled tubing, or wireline and then closing to form a seal for sealing said subsea well;
providing that said lower package defines a bore through said at least two hydraulically actuated valves which is greater than six and five-eighths inches;
and
providing that said lightweight subsea intervention package is light enough and defines a footprint small enough such that said lightweight subsea intervention package can be installed on said subsea well utilizing a vessel with a handling capacity less than that of a semi-submersible platform.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/532,358Filed 16 Jun 2004
Priority: 9 Aug 2001
Published: 13 Jul 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

E21B 33/076
Having provision for introducing objects or fluids into, or removing objects from, wells: specially adapted for underwater installations
E21B 33/063
With sliding rams: for shearing drill pipes
E21B 33/064
Blow-out preventers , i.e. apparatus closing around a drill pipe, e.g. annular blow-out preventers: specially adapted for underwater well heads
E21B
Earth or rock drilling

Family

Application09/925,676Continuation in part · filed 9 Aug 2001
Application60/318,371Us provisional application · filed 10 Sep 2001
Application09/992,220Continuation in part · filed 6 Nov 2001
Application60/478,988Us provisional application · filed 17 Jun 2003
Application10/532,358Continuation in part · filed 20 Apr 2005
US 2003/0029619 A1Published application
US 2003/0030017 A1Published application
US 6,575,426 B2Related patent
US 6,601,650 B2Related patent
US 7,578,349 B2Related patent
US 2006/0151175 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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