Retrievable suction embedment chamber assembly
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsKent Saugier, Bill G. Tompkins
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for installing conductor casing for offshore oil wells. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a retrievable suction embedment chamber assembly drives a string of casing into the seafloor using hydrostatic pressure by releasably forming a seal around the casing to be driven and using a pump to lower the pressure inside the chamber. The assembly may then be flooded with seawater, released from the casing, then repositioned at a higher point on the casing, and the embedment process repeated. The assembly may also be used to embed several subsequent strings of casing in series.
Claims15
An assembly for embedding a casing, comprising:
- a body defining a chamber, said chamber having a substantially open base and a substantially closed top, said top including an opening therethrough;
- a releasable attachment mechanism positioned at said opening;
- said attachment mechanism receiving the casing such that the casing extends through said chamber top and into said chamber;
- a pumping system in fluid communication with said chamber.
An assembly for embedding a casing, comprising:
- a body defining a chamber, said chamber having a substantially open base and a substantially closed top, said top including an opening therethrough;
- a releasable attachment mechanism positioned at said opening;
- said attachment mechanism sized and configured to receive the casing such that the casing extends through said chamber top;
- a pumping system in fluid communication with said chamber;
- said attachment mechanism forming a seal around the casing.
An assembly for embedding a casing, comprising:
- a body defining a chamber, said chamber having a substantially open base and a substantially closed top, said top including an opening therethrough;
- a releasable attachment mechanism positioned at said opening;
- said attachment mechanism receiving the casing such that the casing extends through said chamber top;
- a pumping system in fluid communication with said chamber;
- said releasable attachment mechanism comprising a suction seal, a gripping mechanism, a pressure seal, and a grip positioner.
An assembly for embedding a casing, comprising:
- a body defining a chamber, said chamber having a substantially open base and a substantially closed top, said top including an opening therethrough;
- a releasable attachment mechanism positioned at said opening;
- said attachment mechanism receiving the casing such that the casing extends through said chamber top;
- a pumping system in fluid communication with said chamber;
- said pumping system comprising at least one conduit attached to said chamber, at least one pump, and at least one conduit to the sea.
An assembly for embedding a casing, comprising:
- a body defining a chamber, said chamber having a substantially open base and a substantially closed top, said top including an opening therethrough;
- a releasable attachment mechanism positioned at said opening;
- said attachment mechanism receiving the casing such that the casing extends through said chamber top;
- a pumping system in fluid communication with said chamber;
- said assembly further comprising at least one platform mounted on the exterior of said chamber.
A method for installing a casing in the seafloor, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a body defining a chamber having an open bottom and a substantially closed top, the top including a releasable sealing mechanism for engaging the casing;
- (b) engaging the casing with the releasable sealing mechanism;
- (c) lowering the body and the casing to the seafloor and removing air from the chamber so as to allow the chamber to sink into the seafloor;
- (d) lowering the pressure in the chamber such that hydrostatic pressure causes the body to advance into the seafloor;
- and
- (e) releasing the releasable sealing mechanism and increasing the pressure in the chamber so as to raise the body relative to the seafloor.
A method for installing a plurality of lengths of cylindrical casing in the seafloor comprising the steps of:
- (a) installing a first length of casing into a chamber through an attachment mechanism;
- (b) lowering the chamber to the seafloor and removing the air from the chamber allowing said chamber to sink into the seafloor;
- (c) evacuating the interior of the chamber by way of a pumping mechanism so that hydrostatic pressure will push the chamber and therefore the casing into the seafloor until the chamber reaches the maximum desired penetration depth;
- (d) releasing the attachment mechanism and reversing the pumping mechanism, filling interior of the chamber, so as to raise the chamber;
- (e) engaging said attachment mechanism and reversing said pumping mechanism to drive said chamber and said casing into the seafloor;
- (f) repeating steps (c) through (e) until said first casing length reaches the desired depth;
- (g) releasing the attachment mechanism and reversing the pumping mechanism in order to raise said chamber;
- (h) lowering a subsequent length of casing from the surface and attaching it to the chamber and the first length of casing;
- and
- (i) repeating steps (c) through (h) until the casing reaches the desired depth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.