# US 2014/0193205 A1 · Methods, apparatus and systems for conveying fluids > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0193205 A1 - Document ID: US20140193205A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/738,787 - Filed: 2013-01-10 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-10 - Assignees: Chevron U.S.A. Inc. - Inventors: Farzan Parsinejad; Antonio Carlos Falcao Critsinelis; Sid A. Mebarkia; Christopher Allen Kassner; Brooks Gerard Johnson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140193205A1 ## CPC - F17D 1/08: for liquids or viscous products (water-main or service pipe systems E03B7/04; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D17/00) - E21B 43/01: specially adapted for obtaining from underwater installations - E21B 43/0107: {Connecting of flow lines to offshore structures (E21B43/013 takes precedence)} - F16L 1/16: on the bottom - F16L 55/46: Launching or retrieval of pigs or moles - Y10T 137/402: Distribution systems involving geographic features - F17D: PIPE-LINE SYSTEMS; PIPE-LINES (pumps or compressors F04; fluid dynamics F15D; valves or the like F16K; pipes, laying pipes, supports, joints, branches, repairing, work on the entire line, accessories F16L; steam traps or the like F16T; fluid-pressure electric cables H01B9/06) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Disclosed are pipeline systems, methods and apparatus for handling fluids in offshore oil and gas production. The systems disclosed allow subsea functional lines having diameters which differ by more than 2 standard API 5L pipeline diameters to be placed in fluid communication in such a way that the systems are piggable. Pipeline connection terminations are installed to facilitate connection of such functional lines. Such systems offer solutions to problems related to installing subsea pipeline in rough terrain, over subsea canyons and subsea scarps, installing marine risers, and long tiebacks. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for conveying fluids, comprising: a. at least one riser having a riser diameter attached to an offshore production platform for conveying fluid to the production platform; b. at least one functional line having a functional line diameter in fluid communication with the at least one riser on the seabed for conveying fluid to the at least one riser; and c. a pipeline crossing termination between the at least one riser and the at least one functional line on the seabed; wherein the functional line diameter and the riser diameter differ by more than 2 standard API 5L pipeline diameters. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a subsea pig launcher capable of housing a pig and introducing the pig into the at least one functional line or the at least one riser, wherein the pig can travel in any direction and stop at any point through the at least one functional line and the at least one riser. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the functional line diameter is from 10.2 cm to 102 cm; and the riser diameter is from 5.1 cm to 91.4 cm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the functional line is a subsea pipeline conveying oil and gas production fluids. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the functional line is selected from the group consisting of oil recovery gas lines, gas lift lines, water lines, well service lines, well kill lines, scale squeeze lines, methanol lines, MEG lines, lines for enhanced oil recovery polymers and lines for tertiary recovery fluid. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the types of pipe used for the riser and the functional line differ from one another, and wherein the types of pipe used for the riser and the functional line are selected from the group consisting of rigid pipe and engineered pipe. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the engineered pipe is selected from the group consisting of bonded flexible pipe, unbonded flexible pipe, multilayered pipe and single layer composite pipe. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the riser has a length of 10 m to 5000 m. ### Claim 9 A system for conveying fluids, comprising: a. a first subsea functional line; b. a second subsea functional line in fluid communication with the first subsea functional line; and c. a pipeline crossing termination between the first subsea functional line and the second subsea functional line; wherein the diameters of the first and second subsea functional lines differ by more than 2 standard API 5L pipeline diameters. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the first subsea functional line diameter is from 10.2 cm to 102 cm; and the second subsea functional line diameter is from 5.1 cm to 91.4 cm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, further comprising a third subsea functional line in fluid communication with the second subsea functional line such that the second subsea functional line is located between the first and third subsea functional lines. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the second subsea functional line crosses a geographical formation selected from the group consisting of subsea shallow water-to-deep water transitions, subsea scarps and subsea canyons. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, further comprising a subsea pig launcher capable of housing a pig and introducing the pig into the first subsea functional line or the second subsea functional line, wherein the pig can travel in any direction through the first subsea functional line and the second subsea functional line and stop at any point through the first subsea functional line and the second subsea functional line. ### Claim 14 A method for maintaining a system for conveying oil and gas production fluids, comprising: pigging a subsea pipeline comprising at least a first subsea functional line and a second subsea functional line in fluid communication with one another; wherein the diameters of the first and second subsea functional lines differ by more than 2 standard API 5L pipeline diameters. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first subsea functional line and second subsea functional line comprises two pipeline sections generally running in parallel. ### Claim 16 A method for maintaining a system for conveying oil and gas production fluids, comprising: pigging a line including a riser having a riser diameter attached to an offshore production platform for conveying fluid to the production platform and a functional line located on the seabed having a functional line diameter connected to the riser; wherein the functional line diameter and the riser diameter differ by more than 2 standard API 5L pipeline diameters. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the line further comprises a second riser connected to the functional line and attached to the offshore production platform; wherein the functional line diameter and the diameter of the second riser differ by more than 2 standard API 5L pipeline diameters. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the line further comprises a second functional line located on the seabed connected to the riser; wherein the diameter of the second functional line and the riser diameter differ by more than 2 standard API 5L pipeline diameters. ### Claim 19 A piggable pipeline wye apparatus comprising a junction of at least three sections of pipeline; wherein the diameters of two of the at least three sections of pipeline differ by more than 2 standard API 5L pipeline diameters. ### Claim 20 A pipeline crossing termination comprising: a. a subsea structure capable of connecting to a first subsea functional line and a second subsea functional line such that the first subsea functional line and the second subsea functional line are placed in fluid communication with one another; and b. a pig launcher attached to the subsea structure such that takes can be launched into the first subsea functional line and the second subsea functional line; wherein the diameters of the first and second subsea functional lines differ by more than 2 standard API 5L pipeline diameters. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19, 20) The pipeline crossing termination of claim 20, further comprising the piggable pipeline wye apparatus of claim 19 mounted on the subsea structure.