A suction anchor for a subsea well

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020086952-A1
Application number	US-201716471013-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 22, 2017
Priority date	Dec 23, 2016
Publication date	Mar 19, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A suction anchor for a subsea well is provided. The suction anchor comprises: a wellhead support structure, wherein the wellhead support structure is at least in part external of the internal volume.

First claim

1 . A suction anchor for a subsea well, wherein the suction anchor comprises:
a skirt; a top plate; a pipe that is for a well to extend through, wherein the skirt, top plate and pipe together define an internal volume in which the pressure can be adjusted relative to the outside environment, and a wellhead support structure, wherein the wellhead support is at least in part external of the internal volume, wherein the wellhead support structure has the dual function of supporting a wellhead and reinforcing the top plate.

2 . A suction anchor according to claim 1 , wherein the wellhead support structure comprises a plurality of radially extending members that extend in a radial direction from the wellhead.

3 . A suction anchor according to claim 2 , wherein the radially extending members are each welded along their length to the top plate of the suction anchor.

4 . A suction anchor according to any preceding claim, wherein the suction anchor comprises connection points, wherein the connection points permit other components to be connected to the suction anchor and permit loads to transfer from the component connected to the connection points into the suction anchor.

5 . A suction anchor according to claim 4 , wherein the connection points are each attached to the wellhead support structure.

6 . A suction anchor according to any preceding claim, wherein the wellhead support structure is for laterally supporting the wellhead.

7 . A suction anchor according to any preceding claim, wherein the wellhead support structure is for axially supporting the wellhead.

8 . A suction anchor according to any preceding claim, wherein the wellhead support structure is for resisting bending moments applied to the wellhead.

9 . A subsea well assembly, wherein the assembly comprises:
a suction anchor according to any of claims 1 to 8 , and a wellhead that extends through the top plate of the suction anchor, wherein the wellhead protrudes from a top plate of the suction anchor and is not enclosed within the suction skirt from the top of the wellhead at least down to a point below where a high pressure wellhead housing of the wellhead seals to a low pressure wellhead housing.

10 . A subsea well assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the wellhead support structure is connected to the wellhead.

11 . A method of providing support for a subsea well, wherein the method comprises providing the suction anchor of any of claims 1 to 8 or the subsea well assembly of any of claim 9 or 10 .

12 . A method according to claim 11 , wherein the method comprises laterally supporting the wellhead with the wellhead support structure.

13 . A method according to claim 11 or 12 , wherein the method comprises axially supporting the wellhead with the wellhead support structure.

14 . A method according to claim 11 , 12 or 13 , wherein the wellhead support structure is used to arrest thermal growth of the wellhead.

15 . A method according to any of claims 10 to 14 , wherein the wellhead support structure is used to resist bending moments applied to the wellhead.

Assignees

• Equinor Energy As

Inventors

• Eide Asle
• Saether Morten
• Nesse Harald Sigurd
• Dahl Kristoffer
• Reinås Lorents

Classifications

• E21B41/08 Primary

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

• B63B21/502

  by means of tension legs · CPC title

• B63B21/27 Primary

  by suction · CPC title

• E02B2017/0052

  Removal or dismantling of offshore structures from their offshore location · CPC title

• E02D27/50

  Anchored foundations · CPC title