Subsea wellhead monitoring and controlling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020102802-A1
Application number	US-201716471906-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 22, 2017
Priority date	Dec 23, 2016
Publication date	Apr 2, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A subsea well assembly for monitoring and/or controlling fluid within an annulus within the assembly is provided. The assembly comprises: a high pressure wellhead housing; and a port for monitoring and/or controlling fluid within an annulus within the high pressure wellhead housing. The port extends through the high pressure wellhead housing. The assembly comprises a wellhead support for laterally supporting the high pressure wellhead housing, wherein at the axial height of the port the wellhead support surrounds the high pressure wellhead housing at circumferentially discrete locations and the port is located at a circumferential location where the high pressure wellhead housing is not covered by the wellhead support. A method of monitoring and/or controlling fluid within an annulus within the assembly is also provided.

First claim

1 . A subsea well assembly, the assembly comprising:
a high pressure wellhead housing; a port for monitoring and/or controlling fluid within an annulus within the high pressure wellhead housing, wherein the port extends through the high pressure wellhead housing; and a wellhead support for laterally supporting the high pressure wellhead housing, wherein at the axial height of the port the wellhead support surrounds the high pressure wellhead housing at circumferentially discrete locations and the port is located at a circumferential location where the high pressure wellhead housing is not covered by the wellhead support.

2 . A subsea well assembly according to claim 1 , wherein assembly does not comprise a low pressure conductor housing around the high pressure wellhead housing.

3 . A subsea well assembly according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the port extends straight from an external surface of the high pressure wellhead housing to an internal surface of the high pressure wellhead housing.

4 . A subsea well assembly according to claim 1 , 2 or 3 , wherein the port is for monitoring and/or controlling the pressure within the annulus.

5 . A subsea well assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the port is for monitoring and/or controlling the temperature and/or fluid properties within the annulus.

6 . A subsea well assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the port is for injecting fluid.

7 . A subsea well assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the subsea well assembly comprises one or more sensors for monitoring fluid within the annulus.

8 . A subsea well assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the port is fluidly connected to an isolation device, such as a valve.

9 . A subsea well assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein at the location of the port there are no components covering the high pressure wellhead housing.

10 . A subsea well assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the wellhead support is part of a foundation.

11 . A subsea well assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the foundation comprises a suction anchor.

12 . A subsea well assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the assembly comprises a plurality of ports for monitoring and/or controlling the fluid in a respective plurality of annuli.

13 . A method of monitoring and/or controlling a fluid in an annulus of the high pressure wellhead housing of a subsea well assembly, the method comprising:
providing the subsea well assembly of any of claims 1 to 12 ; and monitoring and/or controlling a fluid within an annulus within the high pressure wellhead housing.

14 . A method according to claim 13 , wherein the method comprises monitoring the temperature and/or fluid properties of the fluid within the annulus.

15 . A method according to claim 13 or 14 , wherein the method comprises injecting fluid into the annulus.

Assignees

• Equinor Energy As

Inventors

• Wernø Tore Geir
• Reinås Lorents
• Nesse Harald Sigurd

Classifications

• E21B33/076

  specially adapted for underwater installations · CPC title

• E21B33/043

  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

• E21B34/04

  in underwater well heads · CPC title