Self-aligning, multi-stab connections for managed pressure drilling between rig and riser components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11268332-B2
Application number	US-202016797148-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2020
Priority date	Feb 21, 2019
Publication date	Mar 8, 2022
Grant date	Mar 8, 2022

Abstract

A riser extending from a floating rig includes one or more flow control devices having at least one flow connection and having at least one control connection. A riser manifold is disposed on the riser above the one or more flow control devices and has a first mechanical connector, a first flow coupling, and a first control coupling. A rig manifold can be manipulated by an arm to couple in an automated manner to the riser manifold when running the riser from the rig. The rig manifold has a second mechanical connector that mechanically connects to the first mechanical connector of the riser manifold. Additionally, the rig manifold has a second flow coupling mating with the first flow coupling of the riser manifold for conducting flow, and has a second control coupling mating with the first control coupling of the riser manifold for conducting control.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for connecting rig lines of a managed pressure drilling (MPD) system on a floating rig to a riser, the rig lines including a rig flow line for conducting flow of the MPD system and including a rig control line for conducting control of the MPD system, the riser having an internal passage, the apparatus comprising:
a riser manifold disposed on the riser and having a first face, the riser manifold comprising: a first mechanical connector disposed on the first face, a first flow coupling for conducting the flow of the MPD system, and a first mating plate disposed on the first face, the first mating plate having a first control coupling disposed on the first face for conducting the control of the MPD system; and
a rig manifold configured to removably position adjacent the riser manifold and having a second face, the rig manifold comprising: a second mechanical connector disposed on the second face, a second flow coupling disposed on the second face and disposed in fluid communication with the rig flow line for conducting the flow of the MPD system, and a second mating plate disposed on the second face, the second mating plate having a second control coupling disposed in control communication with the rig control line for conducting the control of the MPD system,
the first and second mechanical connectors configured to mechanically connect together, the second flow coupling configured to mate in a flow connection with the first flow coupling for conducting the flow of the MPD system, at least one of the first and second mating plates being adjustable relative to the respective first and second face, the second control coupling configured to mate adjustably in a control connection with the first control coupling for conducting the control of the MPD system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , the rig lines including at least one additional rig flow line in communication with the MPD system, wherein the riser manifold comprises at least one additional first flow coupling for conducting the flow of the MPD system; and wherein the rig manifold comprises at least one additional second flow coupling disposed in flow communication with the at least one additional rig flow line for conducting the MPD flow, the at least one additional second flow coupling configured to mate in at least one additional flow connection with the at least one additional first flow coupling for conducting the flow of the MPD system.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , the rig lines including at least one additional rig control line in communication with the MPD system, wherein the riser manifold comprises at least one additional first control coupling for conducting the control of the MPD system; and wherein the rig manifold comprises at least one additional second control coupling disposed in control communication with the at least one additional rig control line for conducting the control of the MPD system, the at least one additional second control coupling configured to mate in at least one additional control connection with the at least one additional first control coupling for conducting the control of the MPD system.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the at least one additional first control coupling is disposed on the first face of the riser manifold; wherein the at least one additional second control coupling is disposed on the second face of the rig manifold; and wherein at least one of the at least one additional first and second control couplings is adjustable relative to the respective first and second face, the at least one additional second control coupling configured to mate adjustably in the at least one additional control connection with the at least one additional first control coupling.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first mechanical connector comprises a pair of guide sleeves defined in the first face of the riser manifold; and wherein the second mechanical connector comprises a pair of guide posts extending from the second face of the rig manifold, the guide posts configured to insert into the guide sleeves to mechanically connect the rig manifold to the riser manifold.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first flow coupling comprises a female receptacle defined in the first face of the riser manifold; and wherein the second flow coupling comprises a male nipple extending from the second face of the rig manifold, the male nipple configured to insert into the female receptacle to make the at least one flow connection.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first control coupling comprises at least one of a female electrical coupling, a female hydraulic coupling, and a female fiber optic coupling; and wherein the second control coupling comprises at least one of a male electrical coupling, a male hydraulic coupling, and a male fiber optic coupling, the male control coupling configured to insert into the female control coupling to make the control connection.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an arm extending from the floating rig for manipulating the rig manifold, the arm configured to: move the rig manifold relative to the riser manifold, mate the rig manifold to the riser manifold, and disconnect from the rig manifold.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the arm is further configured to: connect to the rig manifold mated with the riser manifold, and disconnect the rig manifold from the riser manifold.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the rig manifold defines a plurality of carry slots therein; and wherein the arm comprises a plurality of carry posts removably inserted in the slots of the rig manifold.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second mechanical connector comprises a rotatable lock; and wherein the arm comprises a rotatable key removably engaging the rotatable lock.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second face defines a cavity therein; and wherein the second mating plate is disposed in the cavity and is adjustable relative to the second face.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second mating plate is adjustably longitudinally, laterally, or both relative to the second face.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first control coupling is further adjustable relative to the first mating plate on the first face of the riser manifold; and/or wherein the second control coupling is further adjustable relative to the second mating plate on the second face of the rig manifold.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flow connection for the first and second flow couplings comprises at least one of: a first MPD connection to a buffer manifold of the MPD system, a second MPD connection to a choke manifold of the MPD system, a boost connection, a glycol injection connection, a hot connection, a spare connection, and a pumped riser connection.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a flow control device disposed on the riser and being configured to at least partially control communication of the internal passage of the riser, the flow control device being disposed in at least one of: (i) fluid communication with the second flow coupling and (ii) control communication with the second control coupling.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the flow control device comprises a valve disposed in fluid communication with the second flow coupling and disposed in control communication with the second control coupling, the valve being controllable to control flow between the second flow coupling and the internal passage of the riser.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the flow control de

Assignees

• Weatherford Tech Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Ziegler Robert
• Toralde Julmar Shaun S
• Thomson Gordon
• Andersen Edvin
• Christensen Øystein
• Reid Anthony James

Classifications

• E21B21/08

  Controlling or monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid, e.g. automatic filling of boreholes, automatic control of bottom pressure (valve arrangements therefor E21B21/10) · CPC title

• E21B17/0853

  Connections between sections of riser provided with auxiliary lines, e.g. kill and choke lines · CPC title

• E21B33/0355

  Control systems, e.g. hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, acoustic, for submerged well heads · CPC title

• E21B17/046

  with ribs, pins, or jaws, and complementary grooves or the like, e.g. bayonet catches · CPC title

• E21B19/002 Primary

  specially adapted for underwater drilling (E21B19/09, E21B19/143 take precedence) · CPC title