Method of insulating a subsea structure
AssigneeAubin Limited
InventorPatrick Joseph Collins
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Abstract
A method of insulating pipeline bundles used in recovering hydrocarbons from wells is disclosed. A polymeric substance, such as an orthophosphate ester, is injected into the annulus between a carrier pipe and the hydrocarbon conveying tubulars. A ferric salt, such as ferric sulphate, may be added as a gelling agent. The mixture results in a gel having a dynamic viscosity of greater than (1000) PaS. The gel insulates the inner hydrocarbon-conveying tubulars from the surrounding seawater thus helping to maintain the relatively high temperature therewithin. This in turn reduces the likelihood for chemicals, such as hydrates, to be precipitated out of the oil phase.
Claims17
A method of insulating a subsea structure, the method comprising:
- injecting a substance comprising a hydrocarbon into the subsea structure;
- allowing said substance to form a gel, the formed gel having a dynamic viscosity of more than 1000 Pa·S;
- wherein spheres enclosing hydrocarbon gas are added to the substance.
A method of insulating a subsea structure, the method comprising:
- injecting a substance comprising a hydrocarbon into the subsea structure;
- allowing said substance to form a gel, the formed gel having a dynamic viscosity of more than 2000 Pa·S;
- wherein the subsea structure comprises a conduit, said conduit enclosing a second conduit and the method comprises recovering hydrocarbons within the second conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.