GB1603548A – Pipes
– Google Patents
GB1603548A – Pipes
– Google Patents
Pipes
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Publication number
GB1603548A
GB1603548A
GB2065778A
GB2065778A
GB1603548A
GB 1603548 A
GB1603548 A
GB 1603548A
GB 2065778 A
GB2065778 A
GB 2065778A
GB 2065778 A
GB2065778 A
GB 2065778A
GB 1603548 A
GB1603548 A
GB 1603548A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
pipe
flowline
pipes
alignment
rollers
Prior art date
1978-05-19
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
GB2065778A
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
BP PLC
Original Assignee
BP PLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
1978-05-19
Filing date
1978-05-19
Publication date
1981-11-25
1978-05-19
Application filed by BP PLC
filed
Critical
BP PLC
1978-05-19
Priority to GB2065778A
priority
Critical
patent/GB1603548A/en
1981-11-25
Publication of GB1603548A
publication
Critical
patent/GB1603548A/en
Status
Expired
legal-status
Critical
Current
Links
Espacenet
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Discuss
Classifications
F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
F16L1/00—Laying or reclaiming pipes; Repairing or joining pipes on or under water
F16L1/26—Repairing or joining pipes on or under water
E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
E21B43/01—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells specially adapted for obtaining from underwater installations
E21B43/013—Connecting a production flow line to an underwater well head
E21B43/0135—Connecting a production flow line to an underwater well head using a pulling cable
Description
(54) PIPES
(71) We, THE BRITISH PETROLEUM
COMPANY LIMITED, of Britannic House,
Moor Lane, London EC2Y 9BU, a British
Company, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a method of connecting pipes at an underwater location and also to an apparatus therefor.
In the development of oil and gas fields located underwater it is sometimes necessary to drill a well at a distance from the main production facilities. Such a well is called a satellite well. It is desirable that the production from the satellite well is fed to the main production facilities and for this purpose a small diameter pipeline, often called a flowline may be laid. In order to reduce the time necessary to get the satellite well into production, the satellite well itself may be drilled before the laying of the flowline which will be laid subsequently. A problem will then exist of how to connect the flowline lying on the sea bed to the well.
A method has now been invented for connecting pipes underwater and which provides a solution to this problem.
Thus, according to the present invention a method of joining together the ends of two pipes by means of flanges at an underwater location wherein at the commencement of the method a first of said pipes is held to a fixed member in a manner such that its flange is free of the sea bed and a second of said pipes is movable to permit alignment of the pipes comprising: (a) installing underwater an apparatus having means for pulling the second pipe into alignment with the first pipe and further having means for holding the second pipe in said said alignment but allowing longitudinal movement of the pipe to effect adjustment, (b) to assist in aligning the second pipe attaching a plurality of buoyancy means thereto at spaced apart locations and (c) employing said apparatus bringing the second pipe into alignment with the first pipe and drawing the flanges together in fluid tight relationship.
The means for pulling the second pipe can include a pulling wire and a winch on which the pulling wire is wound. The winch can be driven by a motor via a reduction gearing.
By the term wire we mean to include wire, rope, cable, chain and the like.
The term sea bed is intended to refer not only to the bottom of the sea but also to the bottom of any body of water such as ocean, lake or river.
The method can comprise attaching the apparatus to the fixed member.
The first and second pipes can be flowlines and the fixed member associated with a well head.
Conveniently at the commencement of the method the axes of the first and second pipes are inclined to each other at an angle of between 70 and 110 and the second pipe has been laid along a line sufficiently distant from the end of the first pipe to allow the second pipe to be pulled into a curved disposition when aligned with the first pipe.
The means for holding the second pipe in alignment with the first can comprise a plurality of pairs of rollers located at axially spaced apart locations, one of each pair of rollers being pivotable between an open position and a lockable pipe engaging position.
According to another aspect of the present invention an apparatus suitable for use in the method hereinbefore defined for removable attachment to a fixed member on the sea bed for aligning a pipe referred to as the second pipe with a fixed pipe referred to as the first pipe and holding said second pipe in alignment with the first to enable said pipes to be joined by means of flanges comprises: (a) means for pulling and guiding the second pipe into alignment with the first pipe, (b) means for holding the second pipe in said alignment but allowing longitudinal movement of the second pipe to effect adjustment comprising a plurality of pairs of rollers located at axially spaced apart locations, one of each pair of rollers being pivotable between an open position and a lockable pipe engaging position.
The invention is illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus for pulling and guiding the second of the pipes the apparatus being attached to a permanent guide base, and each pipe being in the form of a flowline.
Figure 2 is an elevation in the direction C of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan view showing the disposition of one of the flowlines at various stages of the method.
Figure 4 is a section along the line A-A of
Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a section along the line B-B of
Figure 1 showing the rollers in the pipe engaging position.
Figure 6 is a section along the line D-D of Figure 1 showing the levelling screw jacks.
Figure 7 is an enlarged view of a portion of
Figure 5 again showing the rollers in the pipe engaging position.
Referring to the drawings, the two flowlines 2 and 4 to be connected each have a flange 6 and 8 at the ends thereof.
Flowline 2 is connected to a well head and remains stationary throughout the operation.
Flowline 4 which is initially disposed as shown in the first position in Figure 3 has been laid with its axis inclined at 90 to the axis of flowline 2 and lies along a line about 30 m from the end of flowline 2. In the operation flowline 4 only is moved. The apparatus for aligning the flowlines is indicated generally by reference numeral 1 and is attached to permanent guide base 3 by four bolts only three of which 5, 7 and 9 are shown. The apparatus 1 rests on the sea bed 13 and includes a base structure 15 to which tubular guide members 17 and 19 are attached, and having a framework composed of tubular members 20, 22, 24 and 26. The apparatus also includes a hydraulic motor 21 which is connected via a worm and wormwheel reduction gearing (150:1) 23 to a winch 25 on which is wound a pulling wire 27 which is connected to a clamp 29 on flowline 4. The apparatus 1 includes two pairs of axially spaced apart rollers 31 and 32 and 33 and 34. Rollers 31 and 33 can pivot between an open position and releasably locked position. Transverse movement of flowline 4 is then prevented whilst a small degree of longitudinal movement for adjustment is allowed.
The apparatus includes levelling screw jacks 35 and 37 operated by detachable ratchet levers 39 and 41 respectively. In use the apparatus is installed on the sea bed 13, levelled using screw jacks 35 and 37 and bolted to the permanent guide base 3 by bolts 5, 7 and 9. A number of buoyancy tanks are then attached at spaced apart positions to the flowline 4 and the latter is pulled into a curved disposition using pulling wire attached to clamp 29, the pulling wire being wound onto the winch 25 by hydraulic motor 21. On reaching the second position shown in
Figure 1 (the fourth position shown in Figure 3) the pivotable rollers 31 and 33 are moved to the locking position. The flange 8 of flowline 4 is then held in alignment with flange 6 on flowline 2 with a gap between them. The flange 8 is then pulled up to flange 6 by means of hydraulic jacks (not shown) and bolted together in fluid tight manner.
The method above described has the advantage that expansion of the flowline due, for example, to hot crude oil can take place without placing excessive loads and moments on the well head structure.
WHAT WE CLAIM IS:
1. A method ofjoining together the ends of two pipes by means of flanges at an underwater location wherein at the commencement of the method a first of said pipes is held to a fixed number in a manner such that its flange is free of the sea bed and a second of said pipes is movable to permit alignment of the pipes which method comprises: (a) installing underwater an apparatus having means for pulling the second pipe into alignment with the first pipe and further having means for holding the second pipe in said alignment but allowing longitudinal movement of the pipe to effect adjustment, (b) to assist in aligning the second pipe attaching a plurality of buoyancy means thereto at spaced apart locations and (c) employing said apparatus bringing the second pipe into alignment with the first pipe and drawing the flanges together in fluid tight relationship.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for pulling the second pipe includes a pulling wire and a winch on which the pulling wire is wound.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 which method comprises attaching the apparatus to the fixed member.
4. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the first and second pipes are flowlines and the fixed member is associated with a well head.
5. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein at the commencement of the method the axis of the first and second pipes are inclined to each other at an angle of between 70 and 110 and the second pipe has been laid along a line sufficiently distant from the end of the first pipe to allow the second pipe to be pulled into a curved disposition when aligned with the first pipe.
6. A method as claimed in claim 2 which comprises driving the winch by a motor via a reduction gearing.
7. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the means for
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.
Claims (11)
**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. The invention is illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus for pulling and guiding the second of the pipes the apparatus being attached to a permanent guide base, and each pipe being in the form of a flowline. Figure 2 is an elevation in the direction C of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a plan view showing the disposition of one of the flowlines at various stages of the method. Figure 4 is a section along the line A-A of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a section along the line B-B of Figure 1 showing the rollers in the pipe engaging position. Figure 6 is a section along the line D-D of Figure 1 showing the levelling screw jacks. Figure 7 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 5 again showing the rollers in the pipe engaging position. Referring to the drawings, the two flowlines 2 and 4 to be connected each have a flange 6 and 8 at the ends thereof. Flowline 2 is connected to a well head and remains stationary throughout the operation. Flowline 4 which is initially disposed as shown in the first position in Figure 3 has been laid with its axis inclined at 90 to the axis of flowline 2 and lies along a line about 30 m from the end of flowline 2. In the operation flowline 4 only is moved. The apparatus for aligning the flowlines is indicated generally by reference numeral 1 and is attached to permanent guide base 3 by four bolts only three of which 5, 7 and 9 are shown. The apparatus 1 rests on the sea bed 13 and includes a base structure 15 to which tubular guide members 17 and 19 are attached, and having a framework composed of tubular members 20, 22, 24 and 26. The apparatus also includes a hydraulic motor 21 which is connected via a worm and wormwheel reduction gearing (150:1) 23 to a winch 25 on which is wound a pulling wire 27 which is connected to a clamp 29 on flowline 4. The apparatus 1 includes two pairs of axially spaced apart rollers 31 and 32 and 33 and 34. Rollers 31 and 33 can pivot between an open position and releasably locked position. Transverse movement of flowline 4 is then prevented whilst a small degree of longitudinal movement for adjustment is allowed. The apparatus includes levelling screw jacks 35 and 37 operated by detachable ratchet levers 39 and 41 respectively. In use the apparatus is installed on the sea bed 13, levelled using screw jacks 35 and 37 and bolted to the permanent guide base 3 by bolts 5, 7 and 9. A number of buoyancy tanks are then attached at spaced apart positions to the flowline 4 and the latter is pulled into a curved disposition using pulling wire attached to clamp 29, the pulling wire being wound onto the winch 25 by hydraulic motor 21. On reaching the second position shown in Figure 1 (the fourth position shown in Figure 3) the pivotable rollers 31 and 33 are moved to the locking position. The flange 8 of flowline 4 is then held in alignment with flange 6 on flowline 2 with a gap between them. The flange 8 is then pulled up to flange 6 by means of hydraulic jacks (not shown) and bolted together in fluid tight manner. The method above described has the advantage that expansion of the flowline due, for example, to hot crude oil can take place without placing excessive loads and moments on the well head structure. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:
1. A method ofjoining together the ends of two pipes by means of flanges at an underwater location wherein at the commencement of the method a first of said pipes is held to a fixed number in a manner such that its flange is free of the sea bed and a second of said pipes is movable to permit alignment of the pipes which method comprises: (a) installing underwater an apparatus having means for pulling the second pipe into alignment with the first pipe and further having means for holding the second pipe in said alignment but allowing longitudinal movement of the pipe to effect adjustment, (b) to assist in aligning the second pipe attaching a plurality of buoyancy means thereto at spaced apart locations and (c) employing said apparatus bringing the second pipe into alignment with the first pipe and drawing the flanges together in fluid tight relationship.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for pulling the second pipe includes a pulling wire and a winch on which the pulling wire is wound.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 which method comprises attaching the apparatus to the fixed member.
4. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the first and second pipes are flowlines and the fixed member is associated with a well head.
5. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein at the commencement of the method the axis of the first and second pipes are inclined to each other at an angle of between 70 and 110 and the second pipe has been laid along a line sufficiently distant from the end of the first pipe to allow the second pipe to be pulled into a curved disposition when aligned with the first pipe.
6. A method as claimed in claim 2 which comprises driving the winch by a motor via a reduction gearing.
7. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the means for
holding the second pipe in alignment with the first comprises a plurality of pairs of rollers located at axially spaced apart locations, one of each pair of rollers being pivotable between an open position and a lockable pipe engaging position.
8. A method of joining two pipes substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
9. Pipes whenever joined together by a method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.
10. An apparatus suitable for use in the method as claimed in claim 1 for removable attachment to a fixed member on the sea bed for aligning a pipe referred to as the second pipe with a fixed pipe referred to as the first pipe and holding said second pipe in alignment with the first to enable said pipes to be connected by means of flanges, the apparatus comprising: (a) means for pulling the second pipe into alignment with the first pipe; (b) means for holding the second pipe in said alignment but allowing longitudinal movement of the second pipe to effect adjustment comprising a plurality of pairs of rollers located at axially spaced apart locations, one of each pair of rollers being pivotable between an open position and a lockable pipe engaging position.
11. An apparatus for aligning a pipe with another pipe substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB2065778A
1978-05-19
1978-05-19
Pipes
Expired
GB1603548A
(en)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number
Priority Date
Filing Date
Title
GB2065778A
GB1603548A
(en)
1978-05-19
1978-05-19
Pipes
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number
Priority Date
Filing Date
Title
GB2065778A
GB1603548A
(en)
1978-05-19
1978-05-19
Pipes
Publications (1)
Publication Number
Publication Date
GB1603548A
true
GB1603548A
(en)
1981-11-25
Family
ID=10149511
Family Applications (1)
Application Number
Title
Priority Date
Filing Date
GB2065778A
Expired
GB1603548A
(en)
1978-05-19
1978-05-19
Pipes
Country Status (1)
Country
Link
GB
(1)
GB1603548A
(en)
Cited By (3)
* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number
Priority date
Publication date
Assignee
Title
GB2157784A
(en)
*
1984-04-27
1985-10-30
Vetco Offshore Ind Inc
Flow line pull in tool
US4558972A
(en)
*
1983-05-27
1985-12-17
Shell Oil Company
Subsea pipeline connection
WO2009053022A2
(en)
*
2007-10-22
2009-04-30
Services Petroliers Schlumberger
System and method for forming connections with a compliant guide
1978
1978-05-19
GB
GB2065778A
patent/GB1603548A/en
not_active
Expired
Cited By (4)
* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number
Priority date
Publication date
Assignee
Title
US4558972A
(en)
*
1983-05-27
1985-12-17
Shell Oil Company
Subsea pipeline connection
GB2157784A
(en)
*
1984-04-27
1985-10-30
Vetco Offshore Ind Inc
Flow line pull in tool
WO2009053022A2
(en)
*
2007-10-22
2009-04-30
Services Petroliers Schlumberger
System and method for forming connections with a compliant guide
WO2009053022A3
(en)
*
2007-10-22
2009-12-03
Services Petroliers Schlumberger
Method for forming a subsea connection
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Legal Events
Date
Code
Title
Description
1982-02-17
PS
Patent sealed
1986-01-29
PCNP
Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee
