Subsea system and method of installing a subsea system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11236589-B2
Application number	US-201816757351-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2018
Priority date	Oct 17, 2017
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

Subsea system (100) and method of installing the subsea system (100), the method comprising the steps of: —preparing a first foundation (1′) comprising at least a first dedicated position for receiving a first subsea station (3′, 13′), —providing the first foundation (1′) with at least a first guide system (4′), —installing the first foundation (1′) at a subsea location, —preparing at least a first subsea station (3′, 13′) comprising a first flow module (5′) for connection with a pipeline (6), —installing the at least first subsea station (3′, 13′) with the first flow module (5′) in the first dedicated position on the first foundation (1′), —preparing a pipeline (6) and providing the pipeline (6) with at least a first T-connection (7′) at a determined calculated position corresponding to the first dedicated position on the first foundation (1′), —installing the pipeline (6) and allowing the pipeline (6) to rest on the first guide system (4′) on the first foundation (1′) such that the first T-connection (7′) is arranged at or in the proximity of the first dedicated position on the first foundation (1′), —preparing a first piece of pipe (8′) and connecting the first T-connection (7′) of the pipeline (6) with the first flow module (5′) on the first subsea station (3′, 13′) using the first piece of pipe (8′).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of installing a subsea system, the method comprising:
preparing a first foundation comprising at least a first dedicated position for receiving a first subsea station;
providing the first foundation with at least a first guide system;
installing the first foundation at a subsea location;
preparing at least a first subsea station comprising a first flow module for connection with a pipeline;
installing the at least first subsea station with the first flow module at the first dedicated position on the first foundation;
preparing a pipeline and providing the pipeline with at least a first T-connection at a determined calculated position corresponding to the first dedicated position on the first foundation;
installing the pipeline and allowing the pipeline to rest on the first guide system on the first foundation such that the first T-connection is arranged at or in the proximity of the first dedicated position on the first foundation; and
preparing a first piece of pipe and connecting the first T-connection of the pipeline with the first flow module on the first subsea station using the first piece of pipe.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
providing the pipeline with a second T-connection at a determined calculated position corresponding with a second dedicated position on the first foundation for receiving a second subsea station comprising a second flow module;
installing the pipeline and allowing the pipeline to rest on the at least first guide system on the first foundation such that when the pipeline is resting on the first foundation, the second T-connection is arranged at or in the proximity of the second dedicated position on the first foundation; and
preparing a second piece of pipe and connecting the second T-connection of the pipeline with the second flow module on the second subsea station using the second piece of pipe.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, before lowering the first foundation subsea, providing an additional guide system on the first foundation for receiving an additional pipeline.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
preparing a second foundation comprising at least a second dedicated position for receiving a second subsea station;
providing the second foundation with at least a second guide system;
installing the second foundation with the second guide system at a second subsea location;
providing the pipeline with a second T-connection at a determined calculated position corresponding with a second dedicated position on the second foundation for receiving a second subsea station comprising a second flow module; and
installing the pipeline by allowing the pipeline to rest on the at least first guide system on the first foundation and the second guide system on the second foundation, such that when the pipeline is resting on the first foundation and the second foundation, the first and second T-connections are respectively arranged at or in the proximity of the first and second dedicated positions; and
preparing pieces of pipe and connecting the first and second T-connections of the pipeline with the first and second flow modules, respectively, using the pieces of pipe.

5. The method according to any of claims 1 - 4 , wherein a number of the subsea stations are Xmas Trees and the method further comprises swapping the flow direction of a modular in line tee connector (MILC) which is connected between the flow module for one of said Xmas Trees and the pipeline or additional pipeline so as to change the Xmas tree from operating as a production Xmas Tree to an injection Xmas tree, or vice versa.

6. The method according to any of claims 1 - 4 , wherein the method further comprises, after installing at least one of the first, second or any additional foundations, but before installing one of said subsea stations on said foundation, drilling a well through a Xmas tree slot in said foundation.

7. The method according to any of claims 1 - 4 , wherein at least one of the subsea stations is a processing system, processing equipment, a X-mas tree, or a combination thereof.

8. A subsea system comprising:
a first foundation comprising at least a first dedicated position for receiving a first subsea station;
at least a first subsea station comprising a first flow module; and
a pipeline for connection with the first flow module;
wherein the first foundation comprises at least a first guide system for guiding of the pipeline to rest on the first foundation; and;
wherein the pipeline is provided with at least a first T-connection, and wherein, when the pipeline is resting on the first foundation, the first T-connection is arranged at or in the proximity of the first dedicated position on the first foundation.

9. The subsea system according to claim 8 , wherein the pipeline is provided with a second T-connection, and wherein, when the pipeline is resting on the first foundation, the second T-connection is arranged at or in the proximity of a second dedicated position on the first foundation.

10. The subsea system according to claim 8 , wherein the first foundation comprises an additional guide system for receiving an additional pipeline.

11. The subsea system according to claim 8 , wherein the system further comprises a number of additional foundations, each of which is provided with at least one corresponding guide system.

12. The subsea system according to claim 11 , wherein at least one of said foundations is a well template or a satellite well.

13. The subsea system according to claim 8 , wherein the subsea station is a processing system, processing equipment, a X-mas tree, or a combination thereof.

Assignees

• Fmc Kongsberg Subsea As
• FMG Kongsberg Subsea AS

Inventors

• Rasmussen Stein Rune

Classifications

• E21B43/017 Primary

  Production satellite stations, i.e. underwater installations comprising a plurality of satellite well heads connected to a central station · CPC title

• E21B43/013 Primary

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

• E21B41/08

  Underwater guide bases, e.g. drilling templates; Levelling thereof · CPC title

• E21B33/038

  Connectors used on well heads, e.g. for connecting blow-out preventer and riser · CPC title

• F16L1/26

  Repairing or joining pipes on or under water · CPC title