System and method for installing or retrieving a pressure cap assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12044089-B2
Application number	US-202218049480-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2022
Priority date	Oct 25, 2022
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

A system includes a running tool having a carrier with an axial drive, an arm coupled to the axial drive, and a tool engagement bracket coupled to the arm. The tool engagement bracket is configured to couple to a pressure cap assembly having a clamp assembly disposed about a pressure cap. The tool engagement bracket includes a torque tool opening configured to enable engagement of a torque tool with the clamp assembly. The axial drive is configured to move the arm, the tool engagement bracket, and the pressure cap assembly along an axial path of travel along a central axis of the pressure cap. The system has at least one of: the running tool is configured to install or remove the pressure cap assembly within a window of a hydrocarbon system having first and second fluid systems removably coupled together, or the running tool is configured to removably couple to the pressure cap assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a running tool, comprising:
a carrier having an axial drive;
an arm coupled to the axial drive; and
a tool engagement bracket coupled to the arm, wherein the tool engagement bracket is configured to couple to a pressure cap assembly having a clamp assembly disposed about a pressure cap, and the tool engagement bracket comprises a torque tool opening configured to enable engagement of a torque tool with the clamp assembly;

wherein the axial drive is configured to move the arm, the tool engagement bracket, and the pressure cap assembly along an axial path of travel along a central axis of the pressure cap, wherein the running tool is configured for at least one of:
installation or removal of the pressure cap assembly within a window of a hydrocarbon system having first and second fluid systems removably coupled together; or
removably coupling to the pressure cap assembly.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tool engagement bracket comprises a tool lock assembly configured to removably couple the running tool to the pressure cap assembly, wherein the running tool is separate from the torque tool.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the running tool is configured to install or remove the pressure cap assembly within the window of the hydrocarbon system having the first and second fluid systems removably coupled together, the first fluid system comprises a first tubing connector having a first hub coupled to a first tubing, the second fluid system comprises a second tubing connector having a second hub coupled to a second tubing, the window is disposed axially between the first and second hubs, the first hub is an inboard hub, and the second hub is an outboard hub.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first and second fluid systems are configured to couple or uncouple relative to one another while the pressure cap assembly is coupled to the first hub, wherein the window is sized with clearance to enable movement of the pressure cap assembly during actuation by the running tool and the torque tool to install and remove the pressure cap assembly.

5. The system of claim 3 , comprising the first and second fluid systems, wherein the first fluid system comprises a first alignment guide configured to couple with a second alignment guide of the second fluid system, and a tool is configured to couple with the second fluid system to axially move the second hub toward the first hub, wherein the running tool is configured to install and remove the pressure cap assembly within the window while the tool is coupled to the second fluid system.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the axial drive comprises a piston cylinder assembly having a piston disposed in a cylinder.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the carrier comprises an axial guide assembly having an axial guide bore disposed in the arm and an axial guide bar extending through the axial guide bore.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the carrier comprises an axial slot, and the arm is configured to move along the axial slot in response to the axial drive.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tool engagement bracket comprises an alignment guide configured to engage with a mating alignment guide of the pressure cap assembly.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the alignment guide comprises one or more alignment bores, and the mating alignment guide comprises one or more alignment pins.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein tool lock assembly comprises a locking rod extending through a rod bore in the tool engagement bracket, the locking rod includes a lock release slot configured to align with each of the one or more alignment pins, and each of the one or more alignment pins includes a locking slot configured to lock with the locking rod.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tool engagement bracket comprises an alignment guide configured to engage with a mating alignment guide of the torque tool.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the running tool comprises an alignment guide coupled to the carrier, wherein the alignment guide is configured to couple with a mating alignment guide of a fluid system having a hub coupled to a tubing, wherein the alignment guide comprises an alignment post configured to couple with a mating alignment bore of the mating alignment guide, the alignment guide comprises an alignment bore configured to couple with a mating alignment post of the mating alignment guide, or a combination thereof.

14. The system of claim 1 , comprising the pressure cap assembly, wherein the pressure cap assembly comprises:
the pressure cap;
the clamp assembly disposed about the pressure cap, wherein the clamp assembly comprises a plurality of clamp segments movably coupled together;
a torque tool assembly coupled to the clamp assembly, wherein the torque tool assembly comprises a rod coupled to a torque tool interface configured to removably couple with the torque tool, wherein the rod is configured to drive the plurality of clamp segments to expand or contract about the pressure cap and a hub of a tubing connector in response to a torque applied by the torque tool; and
a tool interface plate configured to removably couple with the tool engagement bracket of the running tool.

15. A system, comprising:
a hydrocarbon system, comprising:
a first fluid system comprising a first tubing connector having a first hub coupled to a first tubing;
a second fluid system comprising a second tubing connector having a second hub coupled to a second tubing, wherein the first and second fluid systems are configured to removably couple together;
a pressure cap assembly comprising:
a pressure cap;
a clamp assembly disposed about the pressure cap, wherein the clamp assembly comprises a plurality of clamp segments movably coupled together;
a torque tool assembly coupled to the clamp assembly, wherein the torque tool assembly comprises a rod coupled to a torque tool interface configured to removably couple with a torque tool, wherein the rod is configured to drive the plurality of clamp segments to expand or contract about the pressure cap and the first hub in response to a torque applied by the torque tool; and
a tool interface plate configured to removably couple with a tool engagement bracket of a running tool having an axial drive, wherein the axial drive is configured to move the pressure cap assembly along an axial path of travel along a central axis of the pressure cap, wherein the pressure cap assembly, the running tool, and the torque tool are separate and configured to removably couple together; and

a window disposed axially between the first and second hubs, wherein the window is configured to enable at least one of:
installation or removal of the pressure cap assembly relative to the first hub while the first and second fluid systems are coupled together; or
coupling together of the first and second fluid systems while the pressure cap assembly is installed on the first hub.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first hub comprises an inboard hub and the second hub comprises an outboard hub, the inboard hub faces the outboard hub, the window is configured to enable the installation or removal of the pressure cap assembly relative to the first hub while the first and second fluid systems are coupled together, and the window is configured to enable coupling together of the first and second fluid systems while the pressure cap assembly is installed on the first hub.

17. A method, comprising:
configuring a first fluid system, a second fluid system, and a pressure cap assembly

Assignees

• Onesubsea Ip Uk Ltd

Inventors

• Shirani Alireza
• Sifford Curtis
• Gonzalez Gustavo
• Perrier Adele
• Wertz Thomas
• Mercer Ted

Classifications

• E21B41/04

  Manipulators for underwater operations, e.g. temporarily connected to well heads · CPC title

• E21B33/035 Primary

  specially adapted for underwater installations (E21B33/043, E21B33/064, E21B33/076 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/03 Primary

  Well heads; Setting-up thereof · CPC title