Horizontal connector system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11230907-B2
Application number	US-201916520054-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2019
Priority date	Jul 23, 2019
Publication date	Jan 25, 2022
Grant date	Jan 25, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus includes a flowline connector having an inboard pipe and an outboard assembly. The outboard assembly includes a frame and an outboard pipe moveable within the frame to allow the outboard pipe to be moved toward the inboard pipe. The outboard assembly also includes a profile pipe in which the outboard pipe is received, and the profile pipe and the outboard pipe are connected to move together. The profile pipe includes at least one guide to change pitch or yaw of the outboard pipe to direct the outboard pipe toward alignment with the inboard pipe as the outboard pipe is moved within the frame toward the inboard pipe. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a flowline connector including an inboard pipe and an outboard assembly, the outboard assembly including an outboard pipe supported within a frame such that the outboard pipe is moveable within the frame to allow the outboard pipe to be moved toward the inboard pipe, wherein the outboard assembly also includes a profile pipe in which the outboard pipe is received, the profile pipe and the outboard pipe are connected to move synchronously, and the profile pipe includes at least one guide to change pitch or yaw of the outboard pipe to direct the outboard pipe toward alignment with the inboard pipe as the outboard pipe is moved within the frame toward the inboard pipe;
wherein the flowline connector includes an inboard assembly having the inboard pipe, wherein the outboard assembly includes a landing porch with rounded keys configured to be received in mating slots of the inboard assembly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one guide is fastened to the profile pipe.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least one guide includes a first guide that is fastened to the profile pipe and positioned to change the yaw of the outboard pipe to direct the outboard pipe toward alignment with the inboard pipe as the outboard pipe is moved within the frame toward the inboard pipe and a second guide that is fastened to the profile pipe and positioned to change the pitch of the outboard pipe to direct the outboard pipe toward alignment with the inboard pipe as the outboard pipe is moved within the frame toward the inboard pipe.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inboard assembly includes a guide post and the outboard assembly includes a guide funnel with an aperture to receive the guide post.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the guide post and the guide funnel share a keyed interface.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a stroking tool coupled to drive movement of the outboard pipe toward the inboard pipe.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the stroking tool is an accumulator-assisted stroking tool.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inboard assembly includes a cradle that receives the inboard pipe and has the mating slots.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the inboard assembly includes a bumper positioned to engage the landing porch and limit positive pitch of the outboard pipe when the rounded keys are received in the mating slots of the inboard assembly.

10. A method of coupling a first pipe and a second pipe in fluid communication, the method comprising:
positioning the first pipe with respect to the second pipe such that the first pipe is spaced apart from the second pipe and is not axially aligned with the second pipe;
moving the first pipe toward the second pipe, wherein moving the first pipe toward the second pipe includes drawing at least one radially protruding guide moving with the first pipe along a frame so as to rotate the first pipe toward axial alignment with the second pipe; and
securing the first and second pipes in fluid communication wherein drawing the at least one radially protruding guide along the frame so as to rotate the first pipe toward axial alignment with the second pipe includes drawing the at least one radially protruding guide along the frame so as to change pitch and yaw of the first pipe.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one radially protruding guide includes at least two radially protruding guides on an additional pipe that surrounds and moves with the first pipe.

12. The method of claim 10 , comprising landing an outboard assembly having the first pipe next to an inboard assembly having the second pipe, wherein landing the outboard assembly next to the inboard assembly includes lowering keys of the outboard assembly into tapered slots of the inboard assembly.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein moving the first pipe toward the second pipe includes actuating a stroking tool mounted on the frame to push the first pipe toward the second pipe.

Assignees

• Onesubsea Ip Uk Ltd

Inventors

• Shirani Alireza
• Roberts John A
• Polasek Tommy D
• Kalia Akshay
• Mercer Ted
• Theriot Phillip M

Classifications

• F16L23/02

  the flanges being connected by members tensioned axially (F16L23/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16L1/26

  Repairing or joining pipes on or under water · CPC title

• F16L1/10

  for aligning · CPC title

• F16L1/09

  for bringing two tubular members closer to each other · CPC title

• E21B43/013 Primary

  Connecting a production flow line to an underwater well head · CPC title