Riser pull-in method and apparatus
AssigneeFMC Technologies, Inc.
InventorsWilliam L. Fontenot, Charles L. Garnero, Brent A. Salyer, Stephen P. Lindblade, L. Terry Boatman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An arrangement and pull-in method for fluidly coupling a steel riser to a flowline of a turret on a FSO/FPSO. The riser is pulled into a connector by a pull-in line inside the flowline. A pull-in head is releasable secured inside the upper end of the riser. The pull-in head is released from the riser after the riser is locked into the connector. A flex joint is placed above the connector to provide alignment of the connector to the riser during installation.
Claims10
A method for connecting a riser (10) and a flowline (40) of a turret (200) of a vessel floating on a sea surface, said vessel including a flowline connector (20) fluidly coupled to a lower end of said flowline (40), comprising the steps of:
- positioning said riser (10) in the sea with a lower end of the riser (10) laid on said seabed and with an upper end of the riser (10) in proximity to said turret of said vessel,
- extending a tension member (45) from a hoisting mechanism (50) on said vessel from an upper end of said flowline (40) and through said flowline (40) and said flowline connector (20), said tension member (45) having a pull-in head (15) secured to a lower end thereof and sized with respect to a minimum inner diameter of said flowline (40) and said flowline connector (20) to permit said pull-in head (15) to translate through said flowline (40) and said flowline connector (20),
- removably securing said pull-in head (15) to said upper end of said riser (10),
- pulling said tension member (45) up through said flowline (40) and said flowline connector (20) with said hoisting mechanism (50) until said upper end of said riser (10) is fluidly connected to said flowline connector (20),
- removing said pull-in head (15) from securement with said upper end of said riser (10), and
- pulling said tension member (45) and said pull-in head (15) up through said flowline connector (20) and said flowline (40) with said hoisting mechanism (50) until said tension member (45) is removed from said flowline (40), whereby, fluid connection is established between said riser (10) and said flowline (40) through said flowline connector (20).
An arrangement for connecting a riser (10) between a seabed and a flowline (40) of a turret (200) of a vessel floating on a sea surface, comprising;
- a flowline connector (20) fluidly coupled to a lower end of said flowline (40),
- a hoisting mechanism (50) mounted on said vessel,
- a tension member (45) extending from said hoisting mechanism (50) through said flowline (40) and said flowline connector (20), said tension member (45) having a pull-in head (15) secured to a lower end thereof and sized with respect to a minimum inner diameter of said flowline (40) and said flowline connector (20) to permit said pull-in head (15) to pass through said flowline (40) and said flowline connector (20),
- means for removably securing the pull-in head (15) to an upper end of said riser (10), and
- means for establishing a fluid coupling between said upper end of said riser and said flowline connector (20) after said hoisting mechanism (50) pulls in said tension member (45) and said pull-in head (15) into said flowline connector (20).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.