Method of and system for connecting to a tubing hanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11401768-B2
Application number	US-201917040987-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2019
Priority date	Apr 10, 2018
Publication date	Aug 2, 2022
Grant date	Aug 2, 2022

Abstract

A method of connecting a tubing hanger mounted in a subsea wellhead to equipment which is external to the tubing hanger. The method includes securing the tubing hanger to an end of a drill string using a tubing hanger running tool assembly, lowering the drill string from a drilling rig so as to land the tubing hanger on or in the wellhead, running an umbilical from the sea surface to the wellhead, and connecting the umbilical to at least one conduit in the tubing hanger via the tubing hanger running tool assembly. The umbilical is unconnected to the drill string other than via the tubing hanger running tool assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of connecting a tubing hanger mounted in a subsea wellhead to equipment which is external to the tubing hanger, the method comprising:
securing the tubing hanger to an end of a drill string using a tubing hanger running tool assembly;
lowering the drill string from a drilling rig so as to land the tubing hanger on or in the wellhead;
running an umbilical from a sea surface to the wellhead by connecting an end of the umbilical to a subsea umbilical termination assembly at or above sea level, using a cable to lower the subsea umbilical termination assembly, with the umbilical attached, to the sea bed so that the subsea termination assembly comes to rest on the sea bed, the umbilical having a plurality of conduits; and
connecting each of the plurality of conduits in the umbilical to one of a plurality of conduits in the tubing hanger via one of a plurality of conduits in the tubing hanger running tool assembly via an external connector which is connected to an external surface of the tubing hanger running tool assembly and at least one electrical or hydraulic flying lead which extends from the subsea umbilical termination assembly to the external connector,
wherein,
the umbilical is unconnected to the drill string other than via the tubing hanger running tool assembly.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein,
the lowering of the drill string from the drilling rig so as to land the tubing hanger on or in the wellhead is performed inside a riser which extends upwards from the subsea well head to the drilling rig, and
the running of the umbilical from the sea surface to the wellhead is performed outside the riser.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrical or hydraulic flying lead is connected to the external connector using a remotely operated vehicle.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the tubing hanger running tool assembly comprises:
a first end which has the tubing hanger releasably suspended therefrom;
a second end arranged opposite to the first end, the second end being connected to the drill string;
an end face at the first end;
a radially outward facing surface which extends generally perpendicular to the end face; and
a plurality of conduits which extend from the end face to the radially outward facing surface and which are connected to a corresponding conduit in the tubing hanger.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the tubing hanger running tool assembly further comprises:
a tubing hanger running tool at the first end; and
a separate crossover part at the second end;
wherein,
the plurality of conduits extend from the end face of the tubing hanger running tool to a radially outward facing surface of the separate crossover part.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein the plurality of conduits in the tubing hanger running tool assembly are each formed by a conduit portion in the tubing hanger running tool and by a conduit portion in the separate crossover part which are connected via a stab connector.

7. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein at least one of the plurality of conduits comprises a passage which is configured to permit a flow of a fluid.

8. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein at least one of the plurality of conduits comprises an electrical line.

9. The method as recited in claim 4 , further comprising:
prior to landing the tubing hanger in or on the wellhead, mounting on the wellhead an external crossover part which is generally tubular and which comprises,
a radially inward facing surface which encloses a generally central space,
a radially outward facing surface, and
a passage which extends from the radially outward facing surface to the radially inward facing surface;

when lowering the drill string to land the tubing hanger in or on the wellhead, passing the tubing hanger through the generally central space of the external crossover part; and
when the tubing hanger is landed in or on the wellhead, aligning the plurality of conduits emerging from the radially outward facing surface of the tubing hanger running tool assembly with the passage in the external crossover part.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the external connector is inserted into the passage of the external crossover part from outside the external crossover part so as to provide an electrical connection or a fluid tight connection to the plurality of conduits in the tubing hanger running tool assembly.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the external connector is mounted on the external crossover part before the external crossover part is mounted on the wellhead.

12. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein a blowout preventer stack is mounted on top of the external crossover part.

13. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the tubing hanger is landed in a tubing hanger support part which is mounted on top of and which is secured to the wellhead.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the external crossover part is mounted on top of the tubing hanger support part.

Assignees

• Aker Solutions As

Inventors

• Kardec Alan
• Augusto Alexandre
• Anastacio Felipe Ehike
• Mello Henrique
• Toledo Marcel
• Rehem Michel

Classifications

• E21B33/043 Primary

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

• E21B33/0355 Primary

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

• E21B33/0385

  electrical connectors · CPC title