Subsea production system with downhole equipment suspension system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9784063-B2
Application number	US-201213588951-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2012
Priority date	Aug 17, 2012
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

A subsea production system for a well including a subsea production tree, a tubing hanger, and a production tubing extending into the well and supported by the tubing hanger. A downhole equipment suspension system includes a suspension head supported directly or indirectly by the production tree above and separately from the tubing hanger. The suspension system also includes downhole equipment inside the production tubing below the tubing hanger and a suspension line extending through the tubing hanger vertical production bore and the production tree vertical bore. The suspension line suspends the downhole equipment from the suspension head.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A subsea production system for a well including:
a subsea production tree including a vertical bore;
a tubing hanger including a vertical production bore;
a tree cap coupled to the production tree;
a production tubing extendable into the well and supportable by the tubing hanger;
downhole equipment locatable downhole in the well; and
a downhole equipment suspension system including:
a suspension head supportable directly or indirectly by the production tree above and separately from the tubing hanger, the suspension head configured to provide a primary pressure barrier;
an intermediate plug distinct from the tree cap and configured to seal against the tree cap to provide a secondary pressure barrier above the primary pressure barrier of the suspension head; and
a suspension line extendable through the tubing hanger vertical production bore and the production tree vertical bore and configured to suspend the downhole equipment from the suspension head.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the production tree is a vertical tree.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the production tree is a horizontal tree.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the suspension line includes at least one of an electrical conductor, a hydraulic conduit, and a fiber optic cable.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one of the electrical conductor, the hydraulic conduit, and the fiber optic cable is housed within a coiled tubing.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the downhole equipment includes a pump operated by electrical power, hydraulic power, or both electrical and hydraulic power and the suspension line may be used to convey power to the pump.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising the suspension head being landed in an assembly other than the tubing hanger, wherein the assembly is supportable by the production tree above and separately from the tubing hanger.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the assembly comprises the tree cap.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the tree cap includes an annulus flow-by passage for establishing fluid communication with an annular area surrounding the production tubing in the well.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the assembly is a spool assembly other than the production tree.

11. The system of claim 1 , further including:
a power source separate from the production tree; and
wherein the downhole equipment suspension system includes a flying lead assembly configured to connect the power source with the downhole equipment in power communication through the suspension line.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the production tree includes:
a lateral production bore;
a production wing valve block including a wing bore extending from the lateral production bore; and
a wing master valve configured to control fluid flow through the wing bore.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the production wing valve block is integral with or separable from the production tree and the wing bore is an extension of the lateral production bore.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the downhole equipment suspension system includes one or more environmental barriers configured to isolate the well.

15. A downhole equipment suspension system for suspending downhole equipment in a subsea well with a subsea production tree including a vertical bore, a tree cap, a tubing hanger including a vertical production bore, and a production tubing extendable into the well and supportable by the tubing hanger, the system including:
a suspension head supportable directly or indirectly by the production tree above and separately from the tubing hanger, the suspension head configured to provide a primary pressure barrier;
an intermediate plug distinct from the tree cap and configured to seal against the tree cap to provide a secondary pressure barrier above the primary pressure barrier of the suspension head; and
a suspension line extendable through the tubing hanger vertical production bore and the production tree vertical bore and configured to suspend the downhole equipment from the suspension head.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the suspension line includes at least one of an electrical conductor, a hydraulic conduit, and a fiber optic cable.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one of the electrical conductor, the hydraulic conduit, and the fiber optic cable is housed within a coiled tubing.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the downhole equipment includes a pump operated by electrical power, hydraulic power, or both electrical and hydraulic power and the suspension line may be used to convey power to the pump.

19. The system of claim 15 , further comprising the suspension head being landable in an assembly other than the tubing hanger, wherein the assembly is supported by the production tree above and separately from the tubing hanger.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the assembly comprises the tree cap.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the tree cap includes an annulus flow-by passage for establishing fluid communication with an annular area surrounding the production tubing in the well.

22. The system of claim 19 , wherein the assembly is a spool assembly other than the production tree.

23. The system of claim 15 , further including:
a power source separate from the production tree; and
wherein the downhole equipment suspension system includes a flying lead assembly configured to connect the power source with the downhole equipment in power communication through the suspension line.

24. The system of claim 15 , wherein the downhole equipment suspension system includes one or more environmental barriers configured to isolate the well.

25. A subsea production system for a well including:
a subsea production tree including a vertical bore and a lateral bore;
a tubing hanger including a vertical production bore;
a tree cap coupleable to the production tree;
a production tubing extendable into the well and supportable by the tubing hanger; and
a downhole equipment suspension system including:
a suspension head supportable directly by the production tree above and separately from the tubing hanger, the suspension head configured to provide a primary pressure barrier;
a suspension line extendable through the tubing hanger vertical production bore and the production tree vertical bore and configured to suspend downhole equipment from the suspension head; and

an intermediate plug configured to seal against the suspension head and provide a secondary pressure barrier.

26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the production tree is a vertical tree.

27. The system of claim 25 , wherein the production tree is a horizontal tree.

28. The system of claim 25 , further comprising:
a production wing valve block coupled to and separable from the subsea production tree, the production wing valve block including a wing bore extending from lateral bore and a valve located within and configured to control fluid flow through the lateral bore.

Assignees

• June David R
• Theiss David H
• Tetley Paul S
• Ward Scott D
• Vincent Jack H
• Onesubsea Ip Uk Ltd

Inventors

• June David R
• Theiss David H
• Tetley Paul S
• Ward Scott D
• Vincent Jack H

Classifications

• E21B33/0407

  with a suspended electrical cable · CPC title

• E21B33/038

  Connectors used on well heads, e.g. for connecting blow-out preventer and riser · CPC title

• E21B43/128

  Adaptation of pump systems with down-hole electric drives · CPC title

• E21B33/035 Primary

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

• E21B33/043

  specially adapted for underwater well heads ({E21B33/0407,} E21B33/047 take precedence) · CPC title