US 4,544,036 AGranted

Vertical flowline connector

AssigneeMobil Oil Corporation

InventorKenneth C. Saliger

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Abstract

Several embodiments are disclosed of a vertical type of flowline connector for providing a fluid connection between a horizontal flowline and an additional subsea facility. The upper and lower portions of the connector can be properly positioned relative to each other by simply lowering an upper female portion of the connector onto a lower male portion thereof. The lower portion of the connector at the subsea facility is provided with at least two vertically positioned, upwardly facing male mandrel connectors. The upper portion of the connector assembly includes at least two vertically positioned, downwardly facing corresponding female connectors designed to be lowered onto the corresponding male mandrel connectors. At least one of the female connectors is mounted on the connector assembly by a free floating mounting. The free floating mounting allows for slight misalignments of the female connectors relative to the corresponding male connectors as the upper connector assembly is lowered onto, and passively positioned relative to, the lower connector assembly.

Claims16

Dependent claims

Apparatus for establishing a flowline connection from a subsea facility to a flowline extending therefrom, comprising:

a. a subsea facility including at least two vertically positioned, upwardly facing male mandrel connectors;
b. a flowline extending from said subsea facility onto the adjacent subsea bottom, said flowline terminating at said subsea facility in one of said upwardly facing male mandrel connectors;
c. a connector assembly designed to be lowered onto the subsea facility, including at least two vertically positioned, downwardly facing male connectors designed to be lowered onto the at least two upwardly facing male mandrel connectors, with at least one downwardly facing female connector being mounted to the connector assemble by a free floating mounting, said free floating mounting including a bushing loosely mounted to said female connector to allow for slight misalignments of the female connectors on the connector assembly relative to the male connectors on the subsea facility as the connector assembly is lowered onto the subsea facility, said connector assembly including a flowline, also providing flexibility for said free floating mounting, joining said at least two male and corresponding female connectors to establish a flowline communication from said flowline, through said connector assembly, to the further subsea facility.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.