Riser joint coupling
AssigneeVetco Gray Inc.
InventorsThomas A. Fraser, John E. Nelson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An offshore riser system has riser joints, each having a pin and a box. The pin has an external grooved profile that is engaged by a locking element carried by the box of another riser joint. An actuating ring engages with the locking element to move it into the locked position. A retractable spider supports the string of riser while the new joint is being made up. A makeup tool on the riser deploying floor moves the ring relative to the locking element, causing the locking element to move to the locked position.
Claims17
A marine riser string, comprising:
- a plurality of riser joints connected together, each of the riser joints comprising:
- a pipe having a longitudinal axis, a box on one end and a pin on an opposite end;
- the pin having an external grooved profile formed thereon;
- the box having a cylindrical wall containing a plurality of windows spaced circumferentially around the wall;
- a plurality of locking segments, each carried by the box within one of the windows for movement from an unlocked position radially inward to a locked position in engagement with the profile of the pin of an adjacent one of the riser joints;
- a ring carried by and encircling the box, the ring being in cooperative engagement with the segments for causing the segments to move to the locked position in response to axial movement of the ring in a first direction relative to the segments;
- and
- wherein the box is free of any hydraulic cylinders permanently mounted thereto for moving the ring axially.
A riser for connection between a riser-deploying floor and a subsea facility and made up of a plurality of riser pipes, and a connector assembly for connecting adjacent ones of the riser pipes to each other, each of the connector assemblies comprising:
- a pin on one end of each of the pipes, the pin having an external grooved profile;
- a box on an opposite end of each of the pipes concentric with a longitudinal axis of the pipe, the box having a plurality of windows spaced circumferentially around the box, the box on one of the pipes having an interior that receives the pin on an adjacent one of the pipes;
- a plurality of locking segments, each of the segments carried by the box within one of the windows for radial movement from an outer unlocked position into an inner locked position in engagement with the profile of the pin;
- a ring carried by and encircling the box, the ring having a cam surface in cooperative engagement with an outer side of each of the segments for causing each of the segments to move to the locked position in response to axial movement of the ring in a first direction relative to the segments;
- and
- wherein the box is free of any hydraulic cylinders permanently attached thereto for moving the ring axially.
A method of connecting first and second riser joints, each of the riser joints having a longitudinal axis, the method comprising:
- providing each of the riser joints with a box on one end and a pin on an opposite end, the pin having an external grooved profile, each of the boxes having a plurality of windows, a locking segment carried within each window and a ring having an inward-facing cam surface;
- positioning the pin of the first riser joint within the box of the second riser joint;
- positioning a power tool in cooperative engagement with the ring of the second riser joint;
- actuating the tool to move the ring of the second riser joint axially to cause the locking segments of the second riser joint to move radially inward to a locked position in engagement with the profile on the pin of the first riser joint;
- then
- disengaging the tool from the ring of the second riser joint and removing the tool from the box of the second riser joint.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.