Subsea tree cap system deployable via remotely operated vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9926760-B1
Application number	US-201715486075-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 12, 2017
Priority date	Apr 12, 2017
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A technique facilitates use and operation of a tree cap which may be deployed into engagement with a subsea tree located over a subsea well. The subsea tree may comprise a production flow passage and an annulus flow passage in communication with a tree cap receiving area. The tree cap may be moved via a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) into position in the tree cap receiving area. The ROV also may be operated to selectively lock and/or release the tree cap with respect to its position in the subsea tree.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for use in a subsea well application, comprising:
a subsea tree having a tree cap receiving area in communication with a production passage and with an annulus passage via a crossover port in the subsea tree; and
a tree cap sized for receipt by the tree cap receiving area for removable engagement with the subsea tree, the tree cap comprising:
a locking feature selectively actuated to lock the tree cap to the subsea tree;
an ROV operated mechanism interacting with the locking feature to enable locking and unlocking of the tree cap via a remotely operated vehicle (ROV);
an upper sealing mandrel coupled with the ROV operated mechanism;
a lower sealing mandrel coupled with the upper sealing mandrel; and
a seal system positioned to provide a desired flow isolation with respect to the production passage and the annulus passage when the tree cap is engaged and locked with respect to the subsea tree, wherein the seal system comprises an upper seal on the upper sealing mandrel and a lower seal on the lower sealing mandrel, the upper seal being located above the crossover port and the lower seal being located below the crossover port when the tree cap is fully inserted into the tree cap receiving area.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the locking feature comprises a plurality of locking dogs acted on by a locking member engaged with the ROV operated mechanism.

3. The system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the ROV operated mechanism comprises a power screw coupled to the locking member and an ROV interface oriented for operative engagement with the ROV, the power screw being rotatable by the ROV to actuate the locking feature.

4. The system as recited in claim 3 , wherein the upper seal and the lower seal are moved to desired sealing locations via rotation of the power screw by the ROV.

5. The system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the tree cap further comprises a shear member which is sheareable by applying sufficient pull force to the tree cap, thus releasing the tree cap from the subsea tree without rotation of the power screw.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a tree cap installation and retrieval assembly coupled to the tree cap via a release mechanism, wherein the tree cap installation and retrieval assembly comprises an external guide funnel oriented to externally engage the subsea tree and to guide the tree cap into the tree cap receiving area.

7. A system, comprising:
a subsea tree cap having locking features and a seal system operatively coupled with an ROV operated mechanism, the ROV operated mechanism comprising an ROV interface oriented for engagement with and rotation by an ROV, the rotation of the ROV interface in a given direction causing the ROV operated mechanism to actuate the locking features and shift the seal system, the seal system comprising seals located at two different positions along the subsea tree cap so as to sealingly engage an inside surface of a production passage in a subsea tree when the subsea tree cap is inserted into the subsea tree, the two different positions being selected to block flow from an annulus crossover port, in communication with an annulus passage in the subsea tree, into the production passage.

8. The system as recited in claim 7 , wherein the locking features comprise a plurality of locking dogs acted on by a locking member engaged with the ROV operated mechanism.

9. The system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the ROV operated mechanism comprises a power screw coupled to the locking member and to the ROV interface, the power screw being rotatable by the ROV.

10. The system as recited in claim 9 , further comprising the subsea tree having a tree cap receiving area to receive the subsea tree cap, the subsea tree comprising the production passage and the annulus passage in communication with the tree cap receiving area.

11. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the subsea tree cap further comprises a shear member which is shearable by applying sufficient pull force to the subsea tree cap so as to release the subsea tree cap from the subsea tree without rotation of the power screw.

12. The system as recited in claim 10 , further comprising a tree cap installation and retrieval assembly coupled to the tree cap via a releasable mechanism.

13. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the tree cap installation and retrieval assembly comprises an external guide funnel oriented to externally engage the subsea tree and to guide the subsea tree cap into the tree cap receiving area.

14. A method, comprising:
positioning a subsea tree at a subsea well;
providing a production flow passage and an annulus flow passage in the subsea tree;
positioning a crossover port in communication with the production flow passage and the annulus flow passage;
moving a tree cap via an ROV into position in a tree cap receiving area of the subsea tree;
using the ROV to lock the tree cap into position in the tree cap receiving area; and
using seals positioned above and below the crossover port when the tree cap is locked into position to prevent fluid flow along the production flow passage and to prevent fluid flow between the annulus flow passage and the production flow passage via the crossover port, wherein using the ROV comprises using the ROV to rotate a power screw of the tree cap to both engage a locking mechanism and to move the seals into a position providing a sealed region with respect to the production flow passage and the annulus flow passage.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 , further comprising using the tree cap as a debris cap.

Assignees

• Onesubsea Ip Uk Ltd

Inventors

• Santilli Claudio
• Cabral Kris Andrew

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

• G05D1/0011

  associated with a remote control arrangement · CPC title