The present invention relates to a pipeline repair connector, for a sub sea pipeline system, arranged to be lowered to the ocean floor for replacement of pipelines on the ocean floor, wherein the connector comprises a connector housing for gripping and sealing of the pipeline ends, and an inlet funnel for receipt of at least one of said pipeline ends. The invention further relates to a system for repair of pipelines, and a method for replacement of broken pipelines on the ocean floor.
There is an ever-increasing demand from the Oil and Gas industry to develop better equipment for the sub sea area that are smaller and simpler to handle and maintain. This equipment must allow for diver-less operations and are free from bolted and welded connections. The equipment should preferably also be hydraulically operated by ROV support only.
Within this market, there are many pipelines that are beginning to age, and the need for maintenance and repair is increasing. At the same time there are ever increasing tighter restrictions for the use of divers for such repairs. Consequently, there is an increasing demand for repair pipeline equipment to be fully ROV operated, and this is where the applicant has found a niche market, and gives oil companies their contingency plans for deep-water pipeline repairs deeper than was possible before.
The present repair connector is unique in its design and operation, comprising basically only three integrated weld less main parts, which will bring favorable cost-effective results to customers. By combining the hydraulic operated pipe sealing and gripping system together with the hydraulic operated Ball Joint and Quick Sealing Coupling System (HQS), as an integral weld less part of the connector, the equipment will be unique as it will be easy and quick to hydraulically connect and disconnect to pipelines. The system will make the existing use of flanges; stud bolts and nuts obsolete, and will represent a huge gain in operation and installation time for sub sea pipeline repairs in all applications.
There are many systems disclosing sub sea pipe handling equipment. Among others: NO 322062 regarding pulling in and connecting to the a pipe; U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,157 regarding a adjustable ball joint connector; EP-A1-733,843 regarding connecting underwater pipelines; NO-B-177,683 regarding repair of a sub sea pipeline; WO-A1-97/15773 regarding assembling installation on seabed, with a complicated piece of equipment to tighten or loosen bolt nuts on an ordinary flange, in a limited working area and depth. Other documents are: U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,964 regarding an apparatus for joining a pipe; US 2002/0179167 regarding a remotely operable closure device; and NO 910291 regarding inspection and cleaning of a pipe.
An object of the invention is thus to provide pipeline repair and maintenance tools, which are easy to operate and which, if necessary, can be deployed in deep water applications.
Said objects are achieved with a repair connector as defined in independent 1, wherein a first part of said housing comprises a pressurized gripping and sealing arrangement for receipt and gripping of an existing pipeline end in the connector housing, and a second part of said housing comprises a pressurized operated quick sealing light weight coupling (HQS) for receipt and gripping of a replacement pipe in the connector housing, and intermediate between said housing ends is a pressurized alignment ball joint, wherein all components are adapted to be hydraulically pressurized to a mechanical locking position and to provide a seal to the surrounding.
The above objects are also achieved with a system as defined in independent claim 9, and a method for replacement of broken pipelines on the ocean floor, as defined in independent claim 11.
Alternative embodiments are defined in the dependent claims 2-8, 10, and 12, respective.
An example embodiment of the invention shall now be described with the help of the enclosed drawings, wherein;
The present connectors 40 are designed and prepared for instance for pipe from 4 inch O.D. to a maximum 20 inch O.D., with a pressure rating according to customer's requests. The connector is unique in its design and operation, comprising of preferable three (3) integrated weld less main parts, which will bring favourable cost-effective results to customers.
A pipe sealing and gripping system 70, a ball joint 50 and quick sealing coupling 60 system (HQS) have been combined in the connector 40 to produce a revolutionary piece of equipment. The equipment is simple and quick to hydraulically connect and disconnect pipelines. The system will make the existing flanges stud bolts and nuts obsolete, and will represent a huge saving in operation and installation time for sub sea pipeline repairs in all applications.
General advantages with the connector are diver-less ROV installation, no flange/bolt connections, and hydraulically operated pipe gripping and pipe sealing system. The hydraulically operated alignment “ball joint” allows at least 14-degree movement in any direction. The connector is optimized in design for low weight and easy operation. Cost effective in comparison with existing mechanical connectors. It can be designed specifically for Sour Services & Corrosion with high H2S & CO2. The connector can be equipped with a special “environmental seal” system that will seal and protect the pipe and gripping system from corrosion. The connector pipeline sealing system is especially designed for application down to at least 2000 meters. It has a slim and lightweight. Moderate cost and high performance. Can be produced for application from 4″ pipe to 20″ O.D.
The connector 40 consists mainly of three integrated weld-less main parts. A connector housing 6 for hydraulic operation of a pipe with the gripping and sealing arrangement 70; the hydraulically operated alignment ball joint 50 that allows for at least 14 degrees movement in any direction; and the hydraulically operated quick sealing lightweight coupling 60.
The connector can comprise a transport and installation frame 42 that has attached tool for easy sub sea pipeline repair and installation. The transport and installation frame can be equipped with the following permanent tools for easy installation and entering of pipes during sub sea pipeline repair work: Connector pulling tool—to position connector onto the ridge pipe in the right position. At least two hydraulic cylinders for position and adjustment of ball joint correct alignment, and replacement pipe pulling and retracting guide tool.
The hydraulically operated pipe sealing and gripping system 70 as shown in
As shown in
The hydraulically operated ball joint system 50 is one of the unique features of the new hydraulically operated ball joint of flex type connection, with for instance elastomer seals. It is designed to compensate misalignments of pipeline up to at least 14 degrees in any direction. The advantages of a hydraulically operated ball joint, is that it is easy to adjust, in the open position during installations, due to no forces between seals and ball joint. A large area in the operating piston/actuator creates high closing force to compress elastomer seals, and at the same time gives good strength of preload to the connection. The hydraulic actuator can be designed with a position lock device, to maintain seal and ball joint in contact, when the hydraulic system has a maximum internal pressure and maximum bending is achieved.
The hydraulic quick sealing system coupling 60 (HQS) between the connector 40 and the replacement pipe 82 is one of the main keys to success. The HQS coupling is preferably a hub/clamp 26 connection with a metal-to-metal sealing system. It is designed with one operating annular piston/actuator with a large piston area which creates a high closing force, combined with for example a 5 degree taper actuator ring and for example a 25 degree taper on the clamp segment and hubs to have good strength and preload of connection. The dynamic parts of the system are designed with a “position lock” device to maintain metal-to-metal (hub-to-hub) contact when systems maximum internal pressure and maximum bending moments have been achieved. The coupling metal-to-metal sealing system is designed with a metal gasket ring, which provides the high-pressure seal between the hubs. The sealing gasket ring is a unique sealing system that provides sealing from the outside to the inside of the pipe, and from the inside to the outside of the pipe, including pressure balance and system for external and internal testing. The coupling is “full bore” and has no restrictions in the internal diameter to cause venture effect, allowing laminar flow of fluid through the coupling. The metal gasket ring can be re-used many times.
In front of the sealing coupling 60 is preferable a replacement pipe guide pulling tool 62, a replacement pipe pulling cylinder or pin 64, and a replacement pipe guide 66, in where all part are designed to ease connection of the replacement pipe to the quick sealing coupling system 60.
Connector operational advantages are quick and easy to hydraulic connect and disconnect operations of connectors HQS coupling and pipeline sealing and dripping system. For example, maximum 20 to 30 minutes. A safe and reliable visible indication system for control of close and open position of the pipe sealing and gripping system. Running and installation procedures that are efficient, and requires no extra handling and installation tool besides the tool that is permanently installed on the installation frame, that is included in the package.
There are hydraulic functions to open and close the ball joint during installation of the connectors 40 down to at least 2000 meters. The connector is provided with internal and external pressure test ports (facilities) to the following seals: pipeline seal, ball joint seal and HQS coupling seal.
Before the connectors are lowered to the ocean floor, a pipeline multifunction hydraulic adjustable lifting and positioning tool 440 is lowered to the ocean floor.
The multifunction hydraulic adjustable pipeline-lifting tool 440 can be used for several sub sea applications within the pipeline repair system. All functions are hydraulically operated from a ROV down to at least 2000 meter water depth. The pipeline adjustable lifting tool can operate on pipes of different dimensions, such as from 4″ to 20″ and lifting capacity from 12-24 tons. If required, divers in shallow water can operate this tool, by using hydraulic power pack and umbilical from a standard offshore vessel, but the pipeline lifting and positioning tool is preferable designed in connection with experienced ROV operators and can be operated from any standard deepwater ROV.
After the lifting and positioning tool 440 is in place on the ocean floor and supporting a pipeline, a preparation tool is lowered, comprising a single tooling package 140 for repairing radius and ovality defect and milling outer surface of pipeline to remove coating, pipe-welding seam and/or other defects and for finishing and bevelling end surface of pipe. The tooling package 140 is fitted with specially designed protection and guide frame to insure tooling package is not damaged during deployment and recovery. Front opening of guide frame designed to insure ease of deployment of tooling package onto pipe end.
Deep water rated inspection camera mounted on tooling package to monitor complete operation in real time. Tooling package can fitted with buoyancy blocks to render it neutral in water, and deployed using a clump weight attached to the bottom side of tool. Due to the tool being neutrally buoyant in water, attachment of the tool onto the pipeline is not affected by vessel heave.
It also has centrally located ROV intervention panel with docking point for ROV grabber for positioning of tooling package onto pipeline. Underwater mateable hydraulic and electrical connector c/w 4-meter umbilical for connection to ROV mounted stab plate, tooling package deployed with connector mounted in parking support on ROV intervention panel.
Extended control umbilicals insure that tooling package is not subject to vibration and movement of the ROV during operation and ROV is free to monitor operation from various locations. Hydraulic/electrical stab plate fitted with emergency fail-safe release mechanism in the case of loss of ROV hydraulics. Connector will automatically release allowing ROV to be recovered to surface for repair. Emergency manual override on mandrill extend and retract function to insure even in the case of complete hydraulic failure of system the mandrill can be released from pipeline using ROV mounted 1-¼″ torque tool. ROV intervention panel fitted with support for acoustic beacon to ease with positioning of tooling package. Visual indicators for all functions.
In the following, an example of a method for sub sea installation and testing of a replacement pipe is provided. However, it should be noted that many of the steps can be omitted depending on requirements and/or circumstances, and that the indicated depths, etc., are not absolute. The steps are carried out after the lifting and positions tool and the preparation tool are deployed.
Pipeline Repair Installation Completed
To further increase the understanding of the invention, a part list is provided below.
Parts list in the drawings for the connector 40:
Parts list in the drawings for the preparation tool 140:
Parts list in the drawings for the lifting tool 440.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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20061102 | Mar 2006 | NO | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/NO2007/000091 | 3/7/2007 | WO | 00 | 11/6/2009 |