Flexible wellhead connection systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11560973-B2
Application number	US-202016890793-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2020
Priority date	Jun 2, 2020
Publication date	Jan 24, 2023
Grant date	Jan 24, 2023

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to flexible wellhead connection systems, apparatus, methods, and associated components thereof. The aspects include a rotatable joint. In one example, the rotatable joint includes a swivel. In one example, the flexible wellhead connection systems, apparatus, and methods are used to connect wellheads to one or more of fluid sources and/or instrumentation skids.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flexible wellhead connection apparatus, comprising:
a flexible wellhead hose comprising a first end and a second end;
a connection sub coupled to the first end of the flexible wellhead hose through a connection conduit;
a rotatable joint coupled to the second end of the flexible wellhead hose through an upper fluid conduit; and
a flexible second hose and a lower fluid conduit coupled to the rotatable joint, the flexible second hose comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the flexible second hose is coupled to a fluid source and the second end of the flexible second hose is fluidly connected to the lower fluid conduit.

2. The flexible wellhead connection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a body of the flexible wellhead hose does not include any hard metal sections.

3. The flexible wellhead connection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable joint comprises a swivel.

4. The flexible wellhead connection apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the swivel comprises:
a lower sub, the lower sub comprising a lower flange coupled to the lower fluid conduit and a fluid opening;
an upper sub, the upper sub comprising an upper flange coupled to the upper fluid conduit and a fluid opening; and
one or more bearings disposed between the upper sub and the lower sub, wherein the upper sub and the upper fluid conduit are rotatable relative to the lower sub.

5. The flexible wellhead connection apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the one or more bearings are disposed within a bearing housing coupled to the lower sub and disposed above the lower sub.

6. The flexible wellhead connection apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the connection sub comprises a latch.

7. A flexible wellhead connection system, comprising:
a trailer;
a crane mounted on the trailer;
a flexible wellhead hose comprising a first end and a second end;
a connection sub coupled to the first end of the flexible wellhead hose through a connection conduit;
a rotatable joint coupled to the second end of the flexible wellhead hose through an upper fluid conduit; and
a flexible second hose and a lower fluid conduit coupled to the rotatable joint, the flexible second hose comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the flexible second hose is coupled to a fluid source and the second end of the flexible second hose is fluidly connected to the lower fluid conduit.

8. The flexible wellhead connection system of claim 7 , wherein a body of the flexible wellhead hose does not include any hard metal sections.

9. The flexible wellhead connection system of claim 7 , wherein the connection sub is coupled to a wellhead.

10. The flexible wellhead connection system of claim 7 , wherein the second end of the flexible second hose is fluidly connected to the lower fluid conduit through at least an instrumentation skid.

11. The flexible wellhead connection system of claim 7 , wherein the rotatable joint comprises a swivel.

12. The flexible wellhead connection system of claim 11 , wherein the swivel comprises:
a lower sub, the lower sub comprising a lower flange coupled to the lower fluid conduit and a fluid opening;
an upper sub, the upper sub comprising an upper flange coupled to the upper fluid conduit and a fluid opening; and
one or more bearings disposed between the upper sub and the lower sub, wherein the upper sub and the upper fluid conduit are rotatable relative to the lower sub.

13. The flexible wellhead connection system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more bearings are disposed within a bearing housing coupled to the lower sub and disposed above the lower sub.

14. The flexible wellhead connection system of claim 13 , wherein the connection sub comprises a latch.

15. A method of injecting fluid into a plurality of wellheads, comprising:
coupling a connection sub coupled to a first end of a flexible wellhead hose of a wellhead connection apparatus to a first wellhead, wherein the wellhead connection apparatus further comprises:
the connection sub coupled to the first end of the flexible wellhead hose through a connection conduit;
a rotatable joint coupled to a second end of the flexible wellhead hose through an upper fluid conduit; and
a flexible second hose and a lower fluid conduit coupled to the rotatable joint, the flexible second hose comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the flexible second hose is coupled to a fluid source and the second end of the flexible second hose is fluidly connected to the lower fluid conduit;

pumping fluid through the flexible wellhead hose and into the first wellhead;
decoupling the connection sub from the first wellhead;
moving the connection sub toward a second wellhead, the moving the connection sub comprising rotating the rotatable joint coupled to the second end of the wellhead hose;
coupling the connection sub to the second wellhead; and
pumping fluid through the flexible wellhead hose and into the second wellhead.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the rotating the rotatable joint comprises rotating a swivel of the rotatable joint, and the swivel comprises a lower sub, an upper sub, and one or more bearings disposed between the upper sub and the lower sub, wherein the rotating the swivel of the rotatable joint comprises rotating the upper sub relative to the lower sub.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more bearings are disposed within a bearing housing coupled to the lower sub and disposed above the lower sub.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the coupling the connection sub to the first wellhead comprises actuating a latch to engage the first wellhead.

Assignees

• Forum Us Inc

Inventors

• Post Steven

Classifications

• E21B43/26

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title

• F16L27/0849 Primary

  the fluid being turned through an angle when passing from one joint element to another · CPC title

• E21B43/2607 Primary

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title

• E21B21/02

  Swivel joints in hose-lines · CPC title

• E21B33/068

  having provision for introducing objects or fluids into, or removing objects from, wells (cementing-heads E21B33/05) · CPC title