Guide funnel
AssigneeVetco Gray Inc.
InventorAndrew David HUGHES
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A guide funnel for guiding a subsea infrastructure for connection with a subsea wellhead or mandrel profile is provided. The guide funnel comprises a plurality of sections, wherein the sections are collapsible such that the guide funnel can be in an extended state or a collapsed state.
Claims17
A guide funnel for guiding a subsea infrastructure for connection with a subsea wellhead or mandrel profile, the guide funnel comprising:
- a plurality of sections, wherein the sections are collapsible such that the guide funnel can be in an extended state or a collapsed state.
A method of connecting a subsea infrastructure to a subsea wellhead or mandrel profile using a guide funnel for guiding the subsea infrastructure downwardly into an aligned position with the subsea wellhead or mandrel profile, the guide funnel comprising a plurality of sections which are collapsible such that the guide funnel can be in an extended state or a collapsed state, the method comprising:
- mounting the guide funnel to the subsea infrastructure so that it extends downwardly from a lower portion of the subsea infrastructure;
- actuating a retainer to deploy the guide funnel into the extended state;
- and
- lowering the subsea infrastructure and guide funnel downwardly onto the wellhead or mandrel profile such that the guide funnel meets an upper end of the wellhead or mandrel profile to guide the subsea infrastructure into position for connection to the wellhead or mandrel profile.
A method of disconnecting a subsea infrastructure from a subsea wellhead or mandrel profile, the subsea infrastructure having a guide funnel for guiding the subsea infrastructure into an aligned position with the subsea wellhead or mandrel profile, the guide funnel comprising a plurality of sections which are collapsible such that the guide funnel can be in an extended state or a collapsed state, and a plurality of biased locking mechanisms configured to lock the plurality of sections into the extended state until a minimum load is applied, the method comprising:
- raising the subsea infrastructure and guide funnel upwardly to disconnect it from the wellhead or mandrel profile, the guide funnel being in the extended state;
- and
- landing the subsea infrastructure and guide funnel out of water, such that the weight of the subsea infrastructure acts on the guide funnel and overcomes a minimum load of the biased locking mechanisms to force the guide funnel into the collapsed state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.