US 2021/0230976 A1 · SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR THERMAL MANAGEMENT OF SUBSEA CONDUITS USING AN INTERCONNECTING CONDUIT HAVING A CONTROLLABLE ANNULAR SECTION

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for thermal management of subsea jumpers that provide the ability to cool and/or retain heat in production fluids within the jumpers. The jumpers are provided with an annular pipe section surrounding the jumper circumferentially. The flow of a liquid cooling medium into an inlet and out an outlet of the annular pipe section can be controlled to provide cooling or heat retention as needed. A control system can be used to generate an alarm based on fluid temperature and/or fluid flow rate within the jumper indicating the need to adjust the flow of the cooling medium to manage the temperature of fluids within the jumper. Changes may be needed particularly depending on the phase of production, e.g., early life, normal operation, shut down and late life operation.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A system for thermal management of a subsea conduit that carries oil and/or gas produced from a subsea well in a subsea production facility located on a seabed, comprising:

a. a jumper for carrying production fluids having a jumper length, a jumper outer diameter and two ends for connecting to subsea components;
and
b. an annular pipe section surrounding at least a portion of the jumper wherein the annular pipe section has two ends, an annular pipe section length, and an annular pipe section outer diameter greater than the jumper outer diameter;
c. a fluid inlet at one of the two ends of the annular pipe section that can receive liquid cooling medium into the annular pipe section when the fluid inlet is opened;
d. a fluid outlet at the other of the two ends of the annular pipe section that can discharge liquid from the annular pipe section when the fluid outlet is opened;
and
e. a control system capable of being set to open or close the fluid inlet and open or close the fluid outlet based on a predetermined fluid temperature and/or flow rate.

4 more elements

A method for thermal management of a subsea conduit that carries oil and/or gas produced from a subsea well in a subsea production facility located on a seabed, comprising:

a. transmitting fluids comprising oil and/or gas produced from the subsea well through a jumper having a jumper length, a jumper outer diameter, two ends for connecting to subsea components, and an annular pipe section surrounding at least a portion of the jumper;
wherein the annular pipe section comprises:
i. two ends;
ii. an annular pipe section length;
iii. an annular pipe section diameter greater than the jumper outer diameter;
iv. a fluid inlet at one of the two ends of the annular pipe section that can receive liquid cooling medium into the annular pipe section when the fluid inlet is opened;
and
v. a fluid outlet at the other of the two ends of the annular pipe section that can discharge liquid from the annular pipe section when the fluid outlet is opened;
b. detecting a fluid temperature and/or flow rate of the transmitted fluids;
and
c. opening and closing the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet when the detected fluid temperature and/or flow rate reach a predetermined fluid temperature and/or flow rate thereby adjusting an amount of heat transfer between the jumper and the annular pipe section.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for thermal management of subsea conduits using an interconnecting conduit having a controllable annular section

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for thermal management of subsea conduits using an interconnecting conduit having a controllable annular section

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28