Tubing hanger alignment device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10947805-B2
Application number	US-202017067590-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2020
Priority date	Oct 19, 2017
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods for landing a tubing hanger in a wellhead and then orienting a tree (or spool, or flowline connection body) relative to the tubing hanger while landing the tree on the wellhead are provided. This alignment is accomplished without the use of either a tubing spool or a BOP stack with an orientation pin. The tubing hanger alignment devices may be used to orientate the tree as the tree is landed so that the couplings and stabs between the tree and the tubing hanger line up with each other just at the moment of landing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a stab body with a longitudinal axis;
at least one inlet/outlet;
a coupler body positioned around the stab body, the coupler body being adapted to rotate relative to the stab body while at least the stab body is being moved in a direction of the longitudinal axis;
at least one coupling element positioned on the coupler body; and
at least one coiled tube positioned around the stab body, the at least one coiled tube being in communication with the at least one coupling element and the at least one inlet/outlet.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the coupler body has at least one line extending therethrough.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one line is a fluid, electric, or fiber optic line.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one coupling element is adapted to communicatively connect the at least one line extending through the coupler body to a corresponding at least one line of a first subsea component.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the inlet/outlet communicatively connects the at least one coiled tube to a corresponding at least one line of a second subsea component.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the stab body is retained or mounted to the second subsea component.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one coiled tube is adapted to flex in response to rotation of the coupler body relative to the stab body.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the coupler body has an alignment feature on a radially outer surface thereof.

9. The system of claim 1 , the coupler body being retained in a longitudinal direction with respect to the stab body during rotation of the coupler body with respect to the stab body.

10. A system, comprising:
a stab body with a longitudinal axis;
a coupler body positioned around the stab body and having at least one line extending therethrough, the coupler body being adapted to rotate relative to the stab body while at least the stab body is being moved in a direction of the longitudinal axis;
at least one coupling element positioned on the coupler body and adapted to communicatively connect the at least one line extending through the coupler body to a corresponding at least one line of a first subsea component; and
at least one coiled tube positioned around the stab body, the at least one coiled tube being in communication with the at least one coupling element, wherein the at least one coiled tube is adapted to flex in response to rotation of the coupler body with respect to the stab body.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising at least one inlet/outlet, wherein the at least one coiled tube is in communication with the at least one inlet/outlet.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the inlet/outlet communicatively connects the at least one coiled tube to a corresponding at least one line of a second subsea component.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the stab body is retained or mounted to the second subsea component.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the coupler body has an alignment feature on a radially outer surface thereof.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the coupler body is adapted to rotate relative to the stab body in response to engagement of an alignment profile on the coupler body with an alignment feature in the first subsea component, and wherein the rotation of the coupler body is urged by the engagement of the alignment profile with the alignment feature.

16. The system of claim 10 , the coupler body being retained in a longitudinal direction with respect to the stab body during rotation of the coupler body with respect to the stab body.

17. A method, comprising:
lowering at least a stab body relative to a first subsea component, wherein a coupler body is positioned around the stab body;
allowing the coupler body to rotate relative to the stab body while the stab body is lowered relative to the first subsea component;
flexing at least one coiled tube positioned around the stab body in response to rotation of the coupler body; and
communicatively connecting at least one line extending through the coupler body to a corresponding at least one line of the first subsea component via at least one coupling element positioned on the coupler body, wherein the at least one coiled tube is in communication with the at least one coupling element.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising engaging an alignment feature on the coupler body with a complementary alignment feature in the first subsea component to urge rotation of the coupler body relative to the stab body.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising lowering the stab body and the coupler body together relative to the first subsea component.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising communicatively connecting the at least one coiled tube to a corresponding at least one line of a second subsea component via at least one inlet/outlet.

21. A system, comprising:
a production stab sub with a longitudinal axis;
at least one inlet/outlet;
a rotatable sub positioned around the production stab sub, the rotatable sub being adapted to rotate relative to the production stab sub while at least the production stab sub is being moved in a direction of the longitudinal axis;
at least one coupling positioned on the rotatable sub; and
at least one coiled tubing positioned around the production stab sub, the at least one coiled tubing being in communication with the at least one coupling and the at least one inlet/outlet.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the rotatable sub has at least one hydraulic, electric, or fiber optic line extending therethrough.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the at least one coupling is adapted to communicatively connect the at least one hydraulic, electric, or fiber optic line extending through the rotatable sub to a corresponding at least one hydraulic, electric, or fiber optic line of a tubing hanger.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the inlet/outlet communicatively connects the at least one coiled tubing to a corresponding at least one hydraulic, electric, or fiber optic line of a tubular housing.

25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the production stab sub is retained or mounted to the tubular housing.

26. The system of claim 21 , wherein the at least one coiled tubing is adapted to flex in response to rotation of the rotatable sub relative to the production stab sub.

27. The system of claim 21 , wherein the rotatable sub has an alignment profile on a radially outer surface thereof.

28. The system of claim 21 , further comprising a timing ring disposed around and coupled to the rotatable sub.

29. The system of claim 21 , the rotatable sub being retained in a longitudinal direction with respect to the production stab sub during rotation of the rotatable sub with respect to the production stab sub.

30. The system of claim 21 , wherein the production stab sub is a separate annular production stab sub captured within the rotatable sub.

Assignees

• Dril Quip Inc

Inventors

• Deberry Blake T
• Wade Morris B
• Santos Flavio
• Norwood Gregory
• Buxton Robert
• Rye Justin
• Scaggs Todd L

Classifications

• E21B33/0407

  with a suspended electrical cable · CPC title

• E21B33/04 Primary

  Casing heads; Suspending casings or tubings in well heads · CPC title

• E21B33/03 Primary

  Well heads; Setting-up thereof · CPC title

• E21B33/043

  specially adapted for underwater well heads ({E21B33/0407,} E21B33/047 take precedence) · CPC title