US 8,210,264 B2Granted

Subsea overload release system and method

AssigneesTechip France, Nautilus Minerals Pacific Pty Ltd

InventorHarvey O. Mohr

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Abstract

The disclosure provides a subsea overload release system and method. The disclosure provides a releasable connection system than can be overridden during an overload condition, and is resettable in a subsea location in situ. During normal operation, a collet sleeve is slidably engageable with a collet having one or more fingers that can releasably couple a first member with a second member. During an overload condition, an overload piston acting on fluid in an overload reservoir causes an overload pressure and a rupture or other release of fluid through an overload pressure member, causing the overload reservoir to at least partially collapse. The collapse allows the system to extend and force open the fingers to disengage the second member from the first member. When the overload symptom is rectified, the overload reservoir can be reset and the overload pressure member reset or replaced without requiring repairs above sea surface.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A subsea system for releasing a first member from a second member, comprising:

an overload outer sleeve adapted to be coupled to the first member, comprising:
an overload sleeve wall;
an overload pressure wall disposed at an angle to the overload sleeve wall;
and
a collet sleeve overload actuator disposed toward the second member;
an overload pressure member coupled to the overload outer sleeve;
an overload piston slidably coupled to the overload outer sleeve;
a piston extension coupled to the piston, wherein a volume between the overload sleeve wall, the overload pressure wall, the overload piston, and the piston extension forms a collapsible overload reservoir adapted to contain fluid therein;
a connector coupled to the piston extension and having a receiving surface;
a collet coupled to the connector and having at least one finger;
an engagement member adapted to be coupled with the second member and having a mating surface releasably engageble with the receiving surface of the connector;
and
a collet sleeve having a wall and slidably engageable with the connector and the overload outer sleeve, the collet sleeve comprising:
a collet sleeve overload receiver disposed toward the collet sleeve overload actuator and adapted to be selectively engaged with the collet sleeve overload actuator;
a first port disposed through the collet sleeve wall;
a second port disposed through the collet sleeve wall;
a collet sleeve piston disposed between the first port and the second port;
wherein a volume between the collet sleeve wall, the connector, and the collet forms a connector reservoir in which the collet sleeve piston is slidable;
the overload piston being adapted to sealingly engage the overload sleeve wall and cause pressure to increase on a fluid in the overload reservoir when a tensile stress occurs between the first member and the second member, the overload pressure member being adapted to allow fluid to exit the overload reservoir when the pressure of the fluid exceeds a pre-established value to allow the overload piston to move relative to the overload outer sleeve and at least partially collapse the overload reservoir, the collet sleeve overload actuator being adapted to engage the collet sleeve overload receiver when the overload piston is moved relative to the overload outer sleeve and move the collet sleeve in a longitudinal direction away from the second member, the collet sleeve being adapted to engage the finger when the collet sleeve is moved longitudinally away from the second member to pull the finger radially outward from the engagement member and disengage the finger from the engagement member to release the second member.

16 more elements

A subsea system for releasing a first member from a second member, comprising:

a first portion adapted to be connected to the first member;
a second portion adapted to be connected to the second member;
a connection portion slidably coupled to the first portion and adapted to releasably engage the second portion, the connection portion comprising:
a collet sleeve slidably disposed relative to the second portion;
and
a collet slidably coupled to the first portion, the collet having a plurality of flexible fingers adapted to selectively engage the second portion by slidable movement of the collet sleeve relative to the second portion;
and
an overload portion coupled to the first portion and adapted to override the engagement of the connection portion when a tensile stress between the first member and the second member exceeds a pre-determined stress, the overload portion comprising:
a collapsible overload reservoir adapted to contain fluid therein;
an overload outer sleeve adapted to be coupled to the first member, comprising:
an overload sleeve wall;
an overload pressure wall disposed at an angle to the overload sleeve wall;
and
a collet sleeve overload actuator disposed toward the second member;
an overload pressure member coupled to the overload outer sleeve and adapted to restrict fluid from exiting the reservoir at a pressure below a pre-determined amount;
an overload piston slidably coupled to the overload outer sleeve;
and
a piston extension coupled to the piston, wherein a volume between the overload sleeve wall, the overload pressure wall, the overload piston, and the piston extension forms the collapsible overload reservoir.

15 more elements

A subsea system for releasing a first member from a second member, comprising:

a first portion adapted to be connected to the first member;
a second portion adapted to be connected to the second member;
a connection portion slidably coupled to the first portion and adapted to releasably engage the second portion, the connection portion comprising:
a collet sleeve slidably disposed relative to the second portion;
a collet slidably coupled to the first portion, the collet having a plurality of flexible fingers adapted to selectively engage the second portion by slidable movement of the collet sleeve relative to the second portion;
and
a connector coupled to an overload portion and having a receiving surface, the collet being coupled to the connector, the second portion comprising an engagement member having a mating surface releasably engageble with the receiving surface of the connector;
the collet sleeve having a wall and slidably engageable with the connector and the overload portion, the collet sleeve comprising:
a collet sleeve overload receiver disposed toward the overload portion;
a first port disposed through the collet sleeve wall;
a second port disposed through the collet sleeve wall;
a collet sleeve piston disposed between the first port and the second port;
wherein a volume between the collet sleeve wall, the connector, and the collet forms a connector reservoir in which the collet sleeve piston is slidable;
and
the overload portion being coupled to the first portion and adapted to override the engagement of the connection portion when a tensile stress between the first member and the second member exceeds a pre-determined stress, the overload portion comprising:
an overload reservoir;
an overload pressure member adapted to restrict fluid from exiting the reservoir at a pressure below a pre-determined amount;
and
a collet sleeve overload actuator disposed toward the second member, the collet sleeve overload actuator being adapted to engage the collet sleeve overload receiver when the overload piston is moved relative to the overload outer sleeve and move the collet sleeve in a longitudinal direction away from the second member, the collet sleeve being adapted to engage the fingers when the collet sleeve is moved longitudinally away from the second member to pull the fingers radially outward from the engagement member and disengage the fingers from the engagement member to release the second member.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.