Subsea field development and completion wells are often drilled in a pattern that spaces the wells apart from each other. Some wells have production trees that connect to flowlines at the sea floor. The flowlines typically lead to manifolds, templates, or other subsea processing units that collect or re-distribute the product coming from the well. The flowline connector for each tree is often configured horizontally and off to one side of the tree.
When developing the field, the operator orients the tree connector to align with a flowline hub or receptacle. That hub or receptacle may reside in a multi-well template that includes manifold components, in which the template will therefore receive a Christmas or production tree.
A typical subsea wellhead structure has a high pressure wellhead housing secured to a low pressure housing, such as conductor casing. The wellhead structure supports casing that extends into the well. One or more casing hangers land in a component of the wellhead structure, such as the high pressure wellhead housing, with each casing hanger being located at the upper end of a string of casing that extends into the well. A string of tubing extends through the casing for conveying production fluids, in which the tubing string is supported using a tubing hanger. The area between the tubing and casing is referred to as the annulus. Vertical completion arrangements typically plan for the tubing hanger to be landed in and supported by the wellhead structure. In this type of completion arrangement, the Christmas or production tree may attach to the wellhead structure, such as the high pressure housing, tubing spool, tubing head, or wellhead adapter, for controlling the well fluid. The tubing hanger landed in the wellhead structure will have one or more passages that may include a production passage, an annulus passage, and various hydraulic and electric control lines. While allowing access to the annulus passage, having more than one passage might lead to accurate tree to tubing hanger orientation. The tree has isolation tubes that stab vertically into engagement with the passages in the tubing hanger when the tree lands on the wellhead structure. These vertical connections may lead to precise alignment of the tree with the tubing hanger both in the vertical and the radial orientation.
Because the tree may be aligned to the tubing hanger and the flowline connection, the tubing hanger may then be aligned to the flowline connection when landed. In this type of completion arrangement, orientation is typically achieved by using the blowout preventer (BOP) assembly for guidance. The BOP assembly has an orientation pin within it that can be extended into the bore. The tubing hanger has an orientation member located in the running string that engages the internal orientation pin of the BOP assembly, and therefore aligns the tubing hanger. The BOP assembly and the tree assembly then each have an external alignment receptacle that fits over a post or feature outside the wellhead structure that is oriented to the flowline heading.
Accordingly, over the last thirty years, the search for oil and gas offshore has progressively moved into a wider range of accessible environments. As such, it remains a priority to increase the reliability of such systems to be free of installation issues.
For a detailed description of embodiments of the subject disclosure, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:
The following discussion is directed to various embodiments of the invention. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain features of the embodiments may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness. The embodiments disclosed should not be interpreted, or otherwise used, as limiting the scope of the disclosure, including the claims. It is to be fully recognized that the different teachings of the embodiments discussed below may be employed separately or in any suitable combination to produce desired results. In addition, one skilled in the art will understand that the following description has broad application, and the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be an illustration of that embodiment, and not intended to intimate that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to that embodiment.
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but are the same structure or function. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain features and components herein may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in interest of clarity and conciseness.
In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . .” Also, the term “couple” or “couples” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct connection. In addition, the terms “axial” and “axially” generally mean along or parallel to a central axis (e.g., central axis of a body or a port), while the terms “radial” and “radially” generally mean perpendicular to the central axis. For instance, an axial distance refers to a distance measured along or parallel to the central axis, and a radial distance means a distance measured perpendicular to the central axis. The use of “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below,” and variations of these terms is made for convenience, but does not require any particular orientation of the components.
Accordingly, disclosed herein are an assembly, system, and method for use with a wellhead structure of a subsea well. The wellhead structure may include a high pressure wellhead housing, such as positioned at an upper end of the subsea well, and/or may include any structure in use similar to a high pressure wellhead housing and/or connected or coupled to a high pressure wellhead housing such as a casing spool or a tubing spool. The assembly includes or may be used with a tubing hanger that is landable in a predetermined orientation with respect to the wellhead structure to support production tubing extending into the subsea well. The assembly further includes a spool, such as a tubing hanger orientation spool, with a spool orientation feature. A running tool is connectable to the tubing hanger that includes a running tool orientation feature. As such, the tubing hanger is orientable to the predetermined orientation by upward movement of the running tool with respect to the spool such that the running tool orientation feature engages the spool orientation feature. Further, once oriented the tubing hanger is landable in the predetermined orientation by downward movement of the running tool with respect to the spool guided by the interaction of the running tool orientation feature and the spool orientation feature.
Furthermore, in one embodiment, the spool orientation feature, or the running tool orientation feature, may include a camming surface, such as a down-facing or upward-facing camming surface in one or more embodiments, with a guiding feature, such as an orientation slot. The running tool orientation feature, or the spool orientation feature, may then include a camming member, such as a pin configured to be selectively extendable for engagement with the camming surface. In such an embodiment, the tubing hanger may be orientable or rotatable to the predetermined orientation by upward movement of the pin against the camming surface, or the camming surface against the pin, and the tubing hanger is landable in the predetermined orientation by downward movement of the running tool with the pin in the orientation slot.
Referring now to
In one or more embodiments, a connector 112 may be used to facilitate connecting the spool 106 to the wellhead structure 102. For example, the connector 112 may be connected to the spool 106, such as at the surface, and then the spool 106 and the connector 112 may be lowered on and/or connected to the wellhead structure 102 when at the well 104. To facilitate connecting the spool 106 to the wellhead structure 102, one or more orientation features may be used or included between the spool 106, the connector 112, the wellhead structure 102, and/or the well 104. In one embodiment, the spool 106 and/or the connector 112 may include an orientation feature and/or have the orientation feature keyed thereto, and the wellhead structure 102 and/or the well 104 may include a corresponding orientation feature and/or have the corresponding orientation feature keyed thereto.
For example, with reference to
Referring again to
To facilitate landing or orienting the tubing hanger 118 in a desired or predetermined orientation or position with respect to the wellhead structure 102, one or more orientation features may be used or included between the spool 106 and/or the running tool 120. The spool 106 may include a spool orientation feature 124, and the running tool 120 may include a running tool orientation feature 126. The spool orientation feature 124 and the running tool orientation feature 126 may then engage with each other to radially orient the running tool 120 and thus the tubing hanger 118 with respect to the spool 106 and/or the wellhead structure 102.
For example, with reference to
The running tool orientation feature 126 may include a camming member that may selectively engage with the camming surface 128. For example, a camming member may include a pin 134, an end, or an appropriately defined feature or surface without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. As shown, the running tool orientation feature 126 may include a pin 134 that is selectively extendable for engagement with the camming surface 128. Though the present disclosure is not limited to only this configuration or arrangement,
Those having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that, though the spool 106 is shown and discussed as including the camming surface 128, the clearance 130, and the slot 132 and the running tool 120 is shown and discussed as including the pin 134, the present disclosure is not so limited. For example, other orientation features may be used with the spool 106 and/or the running tool 120, and/or the orientation features may be swapped in location with the spool 106 including the pin 134 and the running tool 120 including the camming surface 128, the clearance 130, and the slot 132. Further discussion of this embodiment is included below. Other embodiments and arrangements are envisioned in addition to those shown, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The above and below discussions may also be applied to such other embodiments and arrangements.
Referring still to
When orienting and landing the tubing hanger 118 in a predetermined orientation with respect to one or more components of the assembly 100, the running tool 120 with the tubing hanger 118 connected thereto may be lowered into the spool 106. Once past the camming surface 128, such as when positioned adjacent to or within the clearance 130, the pin 134 may be extended from and with respect to the running tool 120 and into the clearance 130. The pin may be extended by any suitable means, such a hydraulically, mechanically, electrically, or any combination of these, and may further be manually controlled and/or automated for control. Further, the landing ring 140 may remain coupled to the tubing hanger 118 through the shear pins 142, in which the landing ring 140 may engage and/or land on the seat 136. For example, the position of the tubing hanger 118 and/or the running tool 120 with respect to the wellhead structure 102, the spool 106, and/or the seat 136 in
One or more compensators on a surface platform or structure (not shown but understood by those skilled in the art) may be used to facilitate landing in the soft landed position when lowering the running tool 120 and tubing hanger 118, such as to facilitate preventing the shear pins 142 from shearing. For example, in one embodiment, the shear pins 142 may be manufactured to shear upon receiving a certain amount of shear force, such as about 100,000 lbs of shear force. The compensator may be set to an amount lower than this shearing force, such as set to about 20,000 lbs in one embodiment, in which the compensator may prevent movement of the running tool 120 and tubing hanger 118 when the compensator determines that the set amount of force has been applied to the landing ring 140. This may facilitate landing the tubing hanger 118 in the soft landed position and prevent shearing the shear pins 142 prematurely.
After landing in the soft landed position, the running tool 120 with the tubing hanger 118 connected thereto may be raised with respect to the spool 106 with the pin 134 extended. This movement may enable the pin 134 to engage and slide against the camming surface 128, thereby orienting and rotating the running tool 120 and the tubing hanger 118 to a desired and/or predetermined orientation with respect to the spool 106 and/or the wellhead structure 102. Continued raising of the running tool 120 may then have the pin 134 follow the camming surface 128 such that the pin 134 engages and is positioned in the slot 132.
Once the pin 134 is positioned adjacent or in the slot 132, the running tool 120 with the tubing hanger 118 connected thereto may again be lowered to land the tubing hanger 118 in the predetermined orientation with respect to the spool 106 and/or the wellhead structure 102. This movement may enable the pin 134 to be guided by or otherwise engage and slide in the slot 132. The slot 132 may be tapered, such as shown in
As the running tool 120 with the tubing hanger 118 is lowered, the tubing hanger 118 may land in the seat 136 in a hard landed position. The hard landed position may be the final position for the tubing hanger 118 before the running tool 120 detaches from the tubing hanger 118. In the hard landed position, the shear pins 142 may shear such that the landing ring 140 is movable, in which the landing ring 140 may move and ride up along the outer surface of the tubing hanger 118 to enable the tubing hanger 118 to engage the seat 136. The pin 134 may remain in the slot 132, in which the pin 134 may be positioned lower within the slot 132 and/or at the end of the slot 132. Further, when moving into the hard landed position, the anti-rotation splines 144 may engage and cut into the seat 136 to prevent rotation of the tubing hanger 118 with respect to the wellhead structure 102. Furthermore, once the pin 134 enters or is engaged with the slot 132, the running tool 120 may be torqued in a direction away from the camming surface 128 to ensure that the pin 134 remains in the slot 132 when, at least initially, lowering the running tool 120 into the hard landed position. This ensures the pin 134 moves downward into the slot 132 instead of reengaging the camming surface 128.
After the tubing hanger 118 is in the hard landed position, the running tool 120 may detach from the tubing hanger 118 and be removed from the spool 106. The orientation spool 106 may then be removed, if desired, such as to connect a blowout preventer assembly, a production tree, and/or other subsea component to the wellhead structure 102. Additionally, or alternatively, the orientation spool 106 may be left in place and a blowout preventer assembly and/or production tree may be connected to the orientation spool 106. For example, with reference to
In one or more embodiments, such as shown in
In one or more embodiments, the pin 134 may include a hydraulically actuated pin such that hydraulic pressure may be used to selectively extend the pin 134. It should be appreciated that the pin 134 may also be actuated mechanically, electrically, or by any suitable means. The pin 134 may further be biased towards an un-extended position, such as by including a spring or other biasing mechanism to bias the pin 134 from an extended position, as shown, towards the un-extended position. In such an embodiment, once hydraulic pressure is no longer provided to extend the pin 134, the biasing mechanism may then bias the pin 134 back towards and into the un-extended position, such as when retrieving the running tool 120 from the spool 106.
An assembly, system, and/or method in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may be able to have a reduced height of the clearance 130 to compensate for heave. For example, as the running tool and the tubing hanger may be able to land in a soft landed position, with the pin then extended into the clearance and the running tool then raised, the assembly may be able to compensate for heave from a structure or vessel controlling the running tool. If the tubing hanger is not landed in the soft landed position, a larger clearance may otherwise be provided to ensure the pin, when extended, is positioned within the clearance for engagement.
In another embodiment, the spool and the running tool may have increased use with multiple different wells and wellhead structures. For example, when using a blowout preventer or a blowout preventer stack to orient a running tool and a tubing hanger within a well and wellhead, the blowout preventer or stack might be particularly designed such that orientation features engage and align when in use with a well or wellhead structure. In the present disclosure, an assembly may be able to connect with and be in use with multiple wells and wellhead structures, and in fact may be easily removable for use with the other wells and wellhead structures. As such, the present disclosure may prevent the use of a running tool and a uniquely equipped BOP stack, or other similar equipment, to orient components of the completion or production system, such as the production tree and tubing hanger. Therefore, the present disclosure may result in a reduction of operating expenditures and an increase of BOP stack availability.
In
Referring now to
To facilitate landing or orienting the tubing hanger 218 in a desired or predetermined orientation or position with respect to the wellhead structure 202, one or more orientation features may be used or included between the spool 206 and/or the running tool 220. The spool 206 may include a spool orientation feature 224, and the running tool 220 may include a running tool orientation feature 226. The spool orientation feature 224 and the running tool orientation feature 226 may then engage with each other to radially orient the running tool 220 and thus the tubing hanger 218 with respect to the spool 206 and/or the wellhead structure 202.
For example, with reference to
The spool orientation feature 224 may include a pin 234 that is selectively extendable for engagement with the camming surface 228 as described above with respect to the pin 134. However, the present disclosure is not limited to only this configuration or arrangement. Other embodiments and arrangements are envisioned in addition to those shown, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The above and below discussions may also be applied to such other embodiments and arrangements.
Referring still to
Once the pin 234 is positioned adjacent or in the slot 232, the running tool 220 and the tubing hanger 218 may again be lowered to hard land the tubing hanger 218 in the predetermined orientation with respect to the spool 206 and/or the wellhead structure 202. This movement may enable the pin 234 to be guided by or otherwise engage and slide against the slot 232. The slot 232 may be tapered in which the slot 232 may include a wider portion towards a lower end of the slot 232 and a narrower portion towards an upper end of the slot 232. By having the slot 232 tapered, or narrowed, even more precision may be used when orienting and landing the tubing hanger 218 in the desired or predetermined orientation. Furthermore, once the pin 234 enters or is engaged with the slot 232, the running tool 220 may be torqued in a direction away from the camming surface 228 to ensure that the pin 234 remains in the slot 232 when, at least initially, lowering the running tool 220 into the hard landed position. This ensures the pin 234 moves upward into the slot 232 instead of reengaging the camming surface 228.
After the tubing hanger 218 is in the hard landed position, the running tool 220 may detach from the tubing hanger 218 and be removed from the spool 206. The orientation spool 206 may then be removed, if desired, such as to connect a blowout preventer, a production tree, and/or other subsea component to the wellhead structure 202. Additionally, or alternatively, the orientation spool 206 may be left in place and a blowout preventer and/or production tree may be connected to the orientation spool 206. Alternatively, the spool 206 may be integral or otherwise attached or part of and landed with a blowout preventer 250 that may or may not be part of a blowout preventer stack.
In one or more embodiments, the camming surface 228, in addition to the clearance 230 and the slot 232, may be formed in the outer surface of the tubing hanger running tool 220. Additionally or alternatively, the camming surface 228, the clearance 230, and/or the slot 232 may be formed or included within a sleeve on the outside of the running tool 220.
Although the present invention has been described with respect to specific details, it is not intended that such details should be regarded as limitations on the scope of the invention, except to the extent that they are included in the accompanying claims.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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4386656 | Fisher | Jun 1983 | A |
5145006 | June | Sep 1992 | A |
5372199 | Cegielski et al. | Dec 1994 | A |
7032673 | Dezen et al. | Apr 2006 | B2 |
20110253389 | Nguyen | Oct 2011 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20150259990 A1 | Sep 2015 | US |