Connection system for subsea flow interface equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9534474-B2
Application number	US-201615043995-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2016
Priority date	Feb 26, 2004
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A system for connecting flow interface equipment to a subsea tree or manifold is disclosed. The system relates to an apparatus adapted to inject fluids into a well having a flow bore. The system includes a connection apparatus adapted to land a conduit on a subsea tree or manifold and to connect the conduit of the connection apparatus to an access port or choke body of the tree or manifold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A subsea assembly for control of fluid flow from and to a subsea manifold, the assembly comprising:
a lateral branch extending from the subsea manifold, the lateral branch including a lateral branch inlet and a lateral branch outlet;
an access port extending through the lateral branch, the access port including a secondary conduit fluidly connected to the lateral branch outlet;
a flow interface device including a first flexible conduit and a second flexible conduit; and
a piping interface including an inner member, the piping interface configured to fluidly connect to the first flexible conduit and the second flexible conduit;
wherein the piping interface is connectable to the access port such that the inner member and the secondary conduit form a first flowpath that fluidly connects the first flexible conduit of the flow interface device to the lateral branch outlet and a second flowpath separate from the first flowpath that fluidly connects the second flexible conduit of the flow interface device to the lateral branch inlet.

2. The subsea assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a first port in a housing of the piping interface, the first port connected to the second flexible conduit and configured to fluidly connect an outlet of the flow interface device to an annulus between the housing and the inner member; and
a second port in the housing of the piping interface, the second port connected to the first flexible conduit and configured to fluidly connect an inlet of the flow interface device to the inner member.

3. The subsea assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a choke body disposed in the lateral branch, the access port extending through a wall of the choke body; and
wherein the first and second flowpaths are separate flowpaths within the choke body.

4. The subsea assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a cylindrical bore of the inner member fluidly connected to a cylindrical bore of the secondary conduit to define the first flowpath; and
an annulus of the piping interface fluidly connected to an annulus of the secondary conduit to define the second flowpath.

5. The subsea assembly of claim 1 wherein the lateral branch is in fluid communication with a flow bore of a subsea tree to inject fluids into a well bore.

6. The subsea assembly of claim 1 wherein the lateral branch outlet is fluidly connected to a flowline to inject fluids into the flowline.

7. The subsea assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second flowpaths comprise concentric lateral branch flowpath portions.

8. The subsea assembly of claim 7 wherein flow directions in the concentric lateral branch flowpath portions are opposable.

9. The subsea assembly of claim 1 wherein a flow direction in the fluidly connected first and second flowpaths is reversible.

10. A method for controlling fluids from and to a subsea manifold, the method comprising:
supporting a flow interface device with a frame;
flexibly connecting a first conduit between the flow interface device and a piping interface by fluidly connecting the first conduit to an inner member of the piping interface;
flexibly connecting a second conduit between the flow interface device and the piping interface by fluidly connecting the second conduit to an annulus around the inner member of the piping interface; and
fluidly connecting the piping interface to an access port extending through a lateral branch of the subsea manifold between a lateral branch inlet and a lateral branch outlet, including connecting the inner member to a secondary conduit of the access port and connecting the piping interface annulus to an annulus of the secondary conduit;
thereby allowing fluid to flow between the lateral branch outlet, the access port, the piping interface, the first conduit, the flow interface device, the second conduit, and the lateral branch inlet and establishing a first fluid flowpath between the flow interface device, the first conduit, the piping interface, the access port, and the lateral branch outlet, and a second fluid flowpath between the flow interface device, the second conduit, the piping interface, the access port, and the lateral branch inlet.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising providing two fluid flowpaths in the connection between the piping interface and the access port.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising flowing fluids in the two fluid flowpaths concentrically.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising flowing fluids in the two fluid flowpaths in opposite directions.

Assignees

• Onesubsea Ip Uk Ltd

Inventors

• Donald Ian
• Reid John
• Crawford Alan
• White Paul W

Classifications

• E21B33/076

  specially adapted for underwater installations · CPC title

• E21B43/162

  Injecting fluid from longitudinally spaced locations in injection well · CPC title

• E21B43/12

  Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells (E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00) · CPC title

• E21B43/16

  Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons · CPC title

• E21B33/047 Primary

  for plural tubing strings · CPC title