Claims
- 1. A connector for connecting a subsea well member to a riser, the well member having a tubular upper portion having an external surface with a grooved profile, the connector comprising:
a lower terminal adapted to be connected to the riser and land on the upper portion of the well member; a housing carried by the lower terminal for sliding over the upper portion of the well member; a lower locking element carried by the housing for engaging the grooved profile while in a locked position and being radially spaced from the grooved profile while in an unlocked position; a lower cam surface carried by the housing for axial movement relative to the lower locking element to move the locking element from the unlocked to the locked position; and an actuator carried around the lower terminal for causing the axial movement of the cam surface.
- 2. The connector of claim 1 wherein:
said cam surface is formed on an inner surface of said housing; and said actuator moves said housing.
- 3. The connector of claim 1 further comprising:
an upper locking member that locks said actuator in a locked position.
- 4. The connector of claim 1 wherein:
said actuator is comprised of an annular piston disposed between said housing and said lower terminal.
- 5. The connector of claim 1 wherein:
said actuator is comprised of a piston within said housing; and an upper locking member locks said actuator in a locked position.
- 6. The connector of claim 1 wherein:
said actuator is comprised of an annular piston disposed between said housing and said lower terminal; an upper locking member locks said actuator in a locked position; and a load transfer ring is disposed between said locking member and said lower terminal.
- 7. The connector of claim 1 wherein:
said cam surface is formed on an inner wall of said housing; said actuator is a piston within said housing which moves said housing axially; an upper locking member locks said actuator in a locked position; and a load transfer ring is positioned between said upper locking member and said lower terminal.
- 8. The connector of claim 1 further comprising:
a mechanical release shaft attached to said actuator extending upwards out of the top of said connector.
- 9. A connector for connecting a subsea well member to a riser, the well member having a tubular upper portion having an external surface with a grooved profile, the connector comprising:
a lower terminal adapted to be connected to the riser and land on the upper portion of the well member; a housing carried by the lower terminal for sliding over the upper portion of the well member; a lower locking element carried by the housing for engaging the grooved profile while in a locked position and being radially spaced from the grooved profile while in an unlocked position; a lower cam surface formed on an inner wall of said housing for axial movement relative to the lower locking element to move the locking element from the unlocked to the locked position; an piston carried within said housing around the lower terminal for causing the axial movement of the housing; an upper locking member for engaging a profile on an inner surface of said housing to lock said piston when in a locked position and being radially spaced from said profile when in an unlocked position; an upper cam surface which is moved axially by said piston to cam said upper locking member radially into a locked position; and a load transfer ring positioned between said upper locking member and said lower terminal.
- 10. The connector of claim 9 further comprising:
a mechanical release shaft attached to said piston extending upwards out of the top of said connector.
- 11. The connector of claim 9 further comprising:
a bolt extending from said piston to a retraction ring positioned below said upper locking member to release said upper locking member from said housing.
- 12. A connector for connecting a riser to a well member comprising:
a lower terminal adapted to attach to said riser and abut an upper end of said well member; an outer housing which is removably secured to said wellhead housing by a lower locking system and seals said production riser to said wellhead housing with an upper locking system; said lower locking system comprising:
a lower locking element with inner teeth which lock into outer grooves on said wellhead housing and an outer profile with cam surfaces that interact with cam surfaces on an interior surface of said outer housing such that when said outer housing is raised relative to said lower locking element said lower locking element is moved into locking engagement with said wellhead housing; a lower retaining ring which is connected to a lower end of said lower terminal and engages an upper end of said lower dogs to ensure proper alignment of said dogs with said wellhead housing and to retain said dogs in said tieback connector; said upper locking system comprising:
a first piston positioned between an inner surface of said outer housing and an outer surface of said production riser having a lower thick portion and an upper thin portion that is adjacent to said outer surface of said production riser; an upper locking element positioned below said first piston adjacent said inner surface of said outer hosing having teeth on an outer surface which mate with a profile on said inner surface of said outer housing when aligned; a load transfer ring below said upper locking element and adjacent said riser to transfer loads form said upper dogs downward onto said riser; a retraction ring generally below said load transfer ring attached to said piston with a retainer bolt and with an upper disengagement portion that when raised acts to pry said upper locking element from engagement with said outer housing; said retraction ring and load transfer ring forming the lower end of a lower chamber between said riser and said outer housing extending to a lower surface of said first piston; a second piston between said outer housing and said upper portion of said first piston with an L-shaped cross-section which forms an intermediate chamber between a lower surface of said second piston and an upper surface of said lower thick portion of said first piston; and a piston cap extending from said upper thin portion of said first piston to an inner surface of said second piston forming an upper chamber between said first piston and said second piston.
- 13. The connector of claim 12 further comprising:
a primary locking port which communicates with said intermediate chamber; a primary release port which communicates with said lower chamber; and a secondary release port which communicates with said upper chamber.
- 14. The connector of claim 12 further comprising:
a mechanical release shaft attached to said first piston extending upwards out of the top of said connector.
- 15. A method for connecting a riser to a well member comprising the following steps:
providing a connector with a lower terminal, a housing, an actuator between said housing and said lower terminal, and a lower locking element below said lower terminal; attaching said lower terminal on a lower end of said riser; lowering said connector and said onto said well member such that said housing and lower locking element is around said well member and a lower end of said lower terminal abuts said well member; activating said actuator such that said housing moves axially downward relative to said lower locking element and cams said lower locking element radially inward into engagement with a grooved profile on an exterior of said well member.
- 16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:
further activating said actuator to move an upper locking element into a locked position that prevents further movement of said actuator.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/207,707, filed May 26, 2000.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60207707 |
May 2000 |
US |