Classifications

• • 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
  • E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
  • E21B33/02—Surface sealing or packing
  • E21B33/03—Well heads; Setting-up thereof
  • E21B33/035—Well heads; Setting-up thereof specially adapted for underwater installations
  • E21B33/0353—Horizontal or spool trees, i.e. without production valves in the vertical main bore
• • 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
  • E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
  • E21B33/02—Surface sealing or packing
  • E21B33/03—Well heads; Setting-up thereof
  • E21B33/06—Blow-out preventers, i.e. apparatus closing around a drill pipe, e.g. annular blow-out preventers
• • 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
  • E21B34/00—Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells
  • E21B34/02—Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells in well heads
  • E21B34/04—Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells in well heads in underwater well heads
• • 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
  • E21B43/12—Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for enabling removal of a horizontal Christmas tree from a wellhead, or for enabling installation of a horizontal
• the present invention also relates to a method for performing a well operation in a hydrocarbon well with a horizontal Christmas tree.
• the present inventions are related to the possible use of a monohull vessel instead of a drilling rig, a drill ship or a jack-up rig during the well operation.
• Such operations may be to install, remove or replace a horizontal Christmas tree (often referred to as a HXT).
• HXT horizontal Christmas tree
• blowout preventer (BOP) During top completion of a well using a horizontal Christmas tree (HXT), the blowout preventer (BOP) has to be retrieved from the wellhead (WH) in order for the Christmas tree to be installed using a dedicated tree running tool, that amongst others could be the device described herein.
• WH wellhead
• BOP blowout preventer
• the upper barrier element is normally a casing plug.
• blowout preventer BOP
• HXT Christmas tree
• the above operations are today only performed using a drilling rig, a drill ship or a jack-up rig.
• Installation of the specified Christmas tree may be performed from a drilling rig, a drill ship, a jack-up rig, a riserless light well intervention (RLWI) vessel or another monohull vessel suitable for such operations.
• RLWI riserless light well intervention
• the Christmas tree (HXT) is run and installed from a riserless light well intervention (RLWI) vessel or another monohull vessel suitable for such operations, the Christmas tree (HXT) will be left on the wellhead (WH) with only a debris cap or corrosion cap on the top, as the well is already equipped with the required barriers.
• a drilling rig, drill ship or a jack-up rig will arrive at the location to install the top completion string with the tubing hanger (TH).
• Removal of the HXT from the wellhead is an operation performed during a temporary or permanent plug and abandonment operation of the well, or when the HXT is experiencing malfunction(s) and must be replaced.
• Prior art technology for removing the HXT involves the use of a drilling rig, a drill ship, a jack-up rig or a RLWI vessel with subsea pressure control equipment, such as a blowout preventer (BOP) or a RLWI pressure control stack respectively.
• BOP blowout preventer
• a deep barrier plug must be installed in the production tubing, or the production tubing may comprise flow control valves (FCV) and/or gas lift valves (GLV) that could be closed or the well could be filled with a kill pill and brine or kill mud from perforations/screens to surface to maintain the requirement for a deep barrier.
• FCV flow control valves
• GLV gas lift valves
• FCV flow control valves
• GLV gas lift valves
• the HXT controls the flow of fluids in the well, in particular produced
• the HXT is arranged on the seabed, on top of a subsea wellhead on a well extending into the seabed. After installing the HXT on the wellhead a tubing hanger (TH)/tubing is run, landed and locked in the HXT.
• TH tubing hanger
• all operations, involving running or retrieving of tubing/upper completion strings include utilization of drilling rigs, drill ships or jack-up rigs as well as installation of subsea BOPs on top of the HXTs or use of high pressure riser from HXT to surface BOP prior to handling the upper completion strings.
• produced fluid is guided from the production bore and out into the manifold and then into the pipeline to the designated location.
• the vertical bore is, after the upper completion string is installed in the HXT, isolated with two individual barrier plugs that are installed using either wireline (WL) or drill pipe (DP).
• the lower plug is installed in the TH bore above the production outlet and the upper plug is installed in the HXT bore.
• plugs shut off/barrier off any eventually leakage originating from the tubing production bore and permits the removal of the BOP after installation of the upper completion.
• the BOP rams will be used to shut off/barrier off the access to the well if necessary.
• completion string This allows for wireline (WL) tools and/or drill pipe to be used to install and/or retrieve barrier elements and other remedies in the HXT and the completion string through e.g. a workover riser, a marine riser or similar.
• WL wireline
• tubing annulus which is the annular space between the production tubing and the well casing.
• the objective of the present invention is to reduce the potential safety issue of handling heavy equipment onboard floating work platforms as well as to reduce the complexity, time, cost, equipment/tools and personnel involved with such operations through the possibility to run and retrieve Christmas trees (HXT) from other work platforms than a drilling rig, a drill ship or a jack-up rig.
• HXT Christmas trees
• Christmas tree from a wellhead or for installation of a horizontal Christmas tree on a wellhead comprising: - a housing device having a bore provided through the housing for alignment with the production bore of the horizontal Christmas tree;
• the device further comprises a second production bore valve provided in the bore, where the second production bore valve is provided below the first production bore valve.
• the device further comprises a second fluid line valve provided in the fluid line, where the second fluid line valve is provided closer to the fluid line entry point than the first fluid line valve.
• the fluid communication port is provided for connection to a fluid circulation device via a hose.
• the fluid circulation device may be located on a vessel.
• the device comprises a removable cap provided in the upper part of the bore.
• the device comprises a tool running and/or retrieval unit comprising a production bore lubricator, a tool provided in the production bore lubricator and a production bore stuffing box, where the tool running and/or retrieval unit is connected to the upper part of the bore.
• the tool running and/or retrieval unit comprises a tool dropping barrier.
• the unit is a device running and/or retrieval unit.
• the tool running and/or retrieval unit is a ROV-operated tool running and/or retrieval unit, where the unit further comprises a ROV-operable handle, and a wire sheave, where the tool is connected by means of a wire via the sheave to the handle.
• the tool running and/or retrieval unit is a winch-operated tool running and/or retrieval unit, where the unit further comprises a winch, and a wire sheave, where the tool is connected by means of a wire via the sheave to the winch.
• the tool running and/or retrieval unit is a vessel-operated tool running and/or retrieval unit, where the tool is connected by means of a wire to a vessel.
• the device further comprises a guide sleeve provided in the bore.
• the device further comprises a shear ram device provided in the bore.
• the first production bore valve is a pipe ram device for sealing against a tool running and/or retrieval unit or a device running and/or retrieval unit.
• the pipe ram device together with the unit is forming the first production bore valve.
• the second production bore valve is a shear ram device or a blind shear ram device.
• the shear ram device or blind shear ram device has two purposes, the first is to shearing off a wire etc. in the bore if needed, the second is to shutting off fluid flow in the bore.
• the first production bore valve is provided below the fluid line entry point into the bore.
• the lower connector is connected to the upper re-entry mandrel of the vertical Christmas tree via a tree running tool.
• the present invention also relates to a method for removal of a horizontal Christmas tree from a wellhead comprising the steps of: a) submerging a device according to the device described above from a vessel down to the Christmas tree; b) connecting the device to the Christmas tree by aligning a bore of the device with a production bore of the Christmas tree;
• the method may comprise the step of:
• the present invention also relates to a method for installing a horizontal Christmas tree on a wellhead comprising the steps of: a) connecting a device according to any one of claims 1 - 12 to the Christmas tree by aligning a bore of the device with a bore of the Christmas tree; b) submerging the device from a vessel down to the Christmas tree; c) connecting the Christmas tree and the device to the wellhead; d) disconnecting the device from the Christmas tree; e) elevating the device to the vessel.
• FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art horizontal Christmas tree HXT landed on a subsea wellhead schematically, where the different main valves in the tree are indicated by their respective names;
• Figs. 2a - 2n illustrates different embodiments of the present invention
• FIG. 3 illustrates schematically the submerging of the device from a vessel and down to a Christmas tree
• Figs 4 - 12 illustrates different steps of how the embodiments of the invention may be used.
• Fig. 1 is considered to be described in the introduction above. It is now referred to figs. 2a - 2n, illustrating a device generally referred to with reference number 1.
• SPPA is also used for the device 1, which is an abbreviation for "Subsea Pump and Plug Adapter”.
• the present invention can be used to enable removal of a horizontal Christmas tree from a wellhead WH or for installation of a horizontal Christmas tree on a wellhead.
• HXT is used as an abbreviation for a horizontal Christmas tree.
• valves provided in the device 1 will vary between the different embodiments. For example, some valves may be omitted for HXTs where barriers can be established below the HXT themselves. Such a barrier will typically be a downhole safety valve DHSV. However, in HXTs where such a barrier is not present, or in situations where such a barrier cannot be thrusted, more valves may be necessary to be installed in the device 1 itself, or a bore plug may have to be installed in the production bore using wireline (WL).
• WL wireline
• the number of valves may also be dependent on safety regulations determined by the owner of the well. For example, if wireline operations above the DHSV will take place there could be necessary to introduce two bore valves in the vertical bore where one of the valves is intended for cutting the wireline and the other valve is used to barrier off the well bore. Alternatively, there may be two ram blocks in the vertical bore where blind shear rams BSR or 63 (shown in fig. 2n, 11 and 12) is used for cutting wireline and/or to barrier off the well and where the pipe rams PR or 64 (shown in fig. 2n, 11 and 12) is used, in connection with a lubricator device, to barrier off the well.
• blind shear rams BSR or 63 shown in fig. 2n, 11 and 12
• the pipe rams PR or 64 shown in fig. 2n, 11 and 12
• the device 1 comprises a housing device 10 having a bore 1 1 provided through the housing 10.
• the bore 11 is provided for alignment with the production bore PB of the horizontal Christmas tree HXT.
• the device 1 may comprises a removable cap 14 provided in the upper part of the bore 11.
• the cap 14 may be a debris cap for preventing debris to enter the bore 11.
• the cap 14 may be a high-pressure end cap 14.
• the device 1 may comprise a complete lubricator device 18 in the upper part of the bore 1 1, supporting access to the production bore for wireline operations in the well.
• a lower connector 15 is provided for connection directly to an upper re-entry mandrel on the horizontal Christmas tree HXT or to the dedicated connection interface of a dedicated tree running and retrieval tool. If the lower connector 15 is connected to the Christmas tree HXT upper mandrel directly, the device 1 may have to comprise special functionalities that a tree running and retrieval tool could include. Such functionalities could be to e.g.
• hydraulically operate soft landing cylinders or jacks include a connection point for umbilical and/or relevant hydraulic supplies to the HXT, include ROV-panel for operating of the HXT, have the capabilities to lift the complete HXT-stack, in this case the device 1 and the HXT or the device 1, the tree running and retrieval tool and the HXT, have attached a bumper structure for any under- and/or over-hull guiding structure interface etc.
• the device 1 further comprises a fluid communication port 30 provided in fluid communication with the bore 11 via a fluid line 31.
• the device 1 also comprises a first fluid line valve 41 provided in the fluid line 31 or a first production bore valve 51 provided in the bore 11.
• the device 1 comprises a first fluid line valve 41 provided in the fluid line 31 , a second fluid line valve 42 provided in the fluid line 31, a first production bore valve 51 provided in the bore 1 1 and a second production bore valve 52 provided in the bore 11.
• the second production bore valve 52 is provided below the first production bore valve 51.
• the second fluid line valve 42 is provided closer to the fluid line 31 entry point 31a than the first fluid line valve 42.
• the fluid line 31 entry point 31a is provided below the second production bore valve 52.
• Fig. 2b is similar to fig. 2a, but here, there is only one fluid line valve, that is fluid line valve 41.
• Fig. 2c is similar to fig. 2a, but here, the fluid line 31 entry point 31a is provided below the first production bore valve 51 and above the second production bore valve 52.
• Fig. 2d is similar to fig. 2c, but here, there is only one fluid line valve, that is fluid line valve 41.
• Fig. 2e is similar to fig. 2a, but here, the fluid line 31 entry point 31a is provided above the first production bore valve 51.
• Fig. 2f is similar to fig. 2e, but here, there is only one fluid line valve, that is fluid line valve 41.
• Fig. 2g is similar to fig. 2a, but here, there is only one production bore valve, that is production bore valve 51.
• Fig. 2h is similar to fig. 2a, but here, there is only one fluid line valve 41 and only one production bore valve 51, as indicated in the drawings.
• Fig. 2i shows an embodiment where the device 1 comprises two housing sections 10a, 10b connected above each other, and where the fluid line 31 and fluid port 30 are provided in the upper housing section 10a.
• the upper housing section 10 corresponds to fig. 2g (i.e. two fluid line valves 41, 42 and one production bore valve 51) while the lower housing section 10b comprises the second fluid valve 52.
• a third production bore valve 53 is provided in the bore 11 between the upper first valve 51 and the lower second valve 52.
• Fig. 2j corresponds to fig. 2a, here the device 1 further comprises a guide sleeve 61 provided in the bore 11.
• the purpose of the guide sleeve 61 is to guide tools etc from the bore 11 of the device 1 having a wider diameter into the production bore PB of the HXT having a narrower diameter.
• Such a guide sleeve 61 may be provided in the other embodiments as well.
• Fig. 2k corresponds to fig. 2g, here the device 1 further comprises an upper shear ram device 62 and a lower shear ram device 63 provided in the bore 11.
• the purpose of the shear ram devices 62, 63 is to cut wires etc. provided in the bore 11 in case objects connected to the wire are stuck below the device 1.
• the shear rams may for example be operated by means of a ROV.
• the device 1 only comprises the first and second fluid line valves 41, 42.
• the device 1 only comprises the first and second production bore valves 51 , 52.
• the fluid line 31 entry point 31a is provided above the first and second production valves 51, 52.
• the valves 51, 52 will prevent fluid from the well to arrive at the top of the production bore 1 1 and also to prevent fluid from the well to arrive into the fluid line 31.
• the device 1 comprises pipe ram devices 64 and shear ram devices 63 provided in the first bore 1 1 below a tool holding device 20 but above the entry point 31a.
• the pipe ram devices 64 and the shear rams device 63 may be operated by the ROV 120 to cut any wires present in the bore 1 1, for example a wire 18d used to guide a tool 20 through the device 1 and further into or up from the well.
• the ram devices 63 and 64 may be operated via an umbilical from the surface vessel 100.
• the embodiment in fig. 2n also comprises a valve device 41 in the form of a kill valve in the fluid line 31.
• a tool running and/or retrieval unit 18 having a subsea lubricator 18a equipped with a no-go device 18h at the bottom as well as a guide funnel cone 18i is installed in device 1.
• Such a tool running and/or retrieval unit 18 with lubricator 18a is enabling the device 1 to perform wireline operations.
• This unit 18 will be described in detail in example 3 below.
• the device 1 in fig. 2n is equipped with a guide funnel 10a on the top that will centralize the subsea lubricator 18a and ensure correct installation depth of the no- go device 18h relative to the pipe ram devices 64.
• the upper pipe ram devices 64 are then used to close around the lubricator 18a to make a seal tight assembly together with the device 1.
• the lubricator 18 referred to above could also be a solid running and retrieval tool, with the same vital outer dimensions and design as the subsea wireline lubricator, with the purpose of lifting the device 1 , the tree running and retrieval tool if such a tool exists, and the HXT, in one lift or as separate items subsea or on surface, (as shown in fig.11) using wire 102.
• the device 1 may be equipped with gauges for pressure and/or temperature reading at different locations in the bore 11 and/or fluid line 31.
• the device 1 could also be equipped with lifting points enabling lifting of the complete stack, i.e. device 1, tree running tool and the HXT - both with or without the vessel- or ROV-operated tool running and/or retrieval unit 18/16 connected (as shown in fig. 6, 9 and 10).
• a vessel 100 is disclosed at sea level SL above the seabed SB.
• a subsea well is provided on the seabed, illustrated as a wellhead WH with a Christmas tree XT.
• the vessel 100 comprises a lifting device 101 that is used to lower the device 1 down towards the Christmas tree via a wire 102.
• the vessel 100 is preferably a monohull vessel.
• other vessels such as a drilling rig may be used.
• monohull vessels are often a less expensive solution.
• the lifting device 101 may be a crane, an A-frame, a module handling system MHS or drillpipe DP with its drill pipe derrick and draw-works.
• the wire 102 may be a wire or a drillpipe.
• a remotely operated vehicle ROV 120 is controlled from the vessel 100 via a control and power cable 122.
• the valves 41 , 42, 51 , 52 and/or 53 are preferably configured to be operated by a remotely operated vehicle 120.
• ROV 120 is commonly used to open/close valves of XTs and to perform other types of subsea operations. These operations can be performed mechanically with the ROV manipulator and/or a ROV hydraulic operated tool and/or with hot lining from a ROV hydraulic test skid to connection points on the subsea equipment.
• the device 1 could be configured so that the different hydraulic functions to be performed on device 1 and if applicable the tree running and retrieval tool as well as the Christmas tree, are controlled and supplied from the vessel 100 via a separate umbilical attached to the device 1 from the vessel 100.
• the fluid communication port 30 is provided for connection to a fluid circulation device 110.
• the fluid circulation device 110 may be provided topside on the vessel, and may for example be a pumping device.
• the fluid circulation device 1 10 may be connected to a fluid reservoir containing fluids with desired properties e.g. mud, brine, seawater, cement, etc.
• the fluid circulation device 110 is connected to the fluid communication port 30 of the device 1 via a hose 11 1.
• the hose is a high-pressure hose
• the fluid circulation device 110 is a high pressure pump for applying a high fluid pressure into the port 30 of the device 1.
• the fluid circulation device 110 could comprise pressure, temperature and flow meters to measure the pressure and temperature of the fluid in port 30 and/or the fluid rate through port 30.
• the fluid circulation device 110 and hose 1 11 are used to pressure test/operate the tree and well barriers during the well operation as well as to provide for circulating different fluids in the well.
• a non-return valve may also be provided in the hose.
• All of the embodiments of the devices 1 can be deployed and operated from any work platform, e.g. mono-hull vessel, drilling rig, platform etc.
• the conveyance method for running and retrieving activities from a monohull vessel will be by wire. If the SPPA is run/retrieved from a drilling rig, a drill ship and a jack-up without the possibility to run equipment on wire, a drill-pipe solution could be used.
• DP drill pipe
• Such a solution will either require a standard lifting sub to be made up to the DP and use of the aforementioned high pressure pumping hose run down from the rig to device 1 , or it would require a special lifting adapter with a side outlet for pumping purposes.
• the idea behind such a purpose- made side outlet adapter is twofold; lifting of the XT stack, similar function as the standard lifting sub, and in addition make pumping activities possible without the need for a surface hose reel and the corresponding high pressure pumping hose.
• the required fluid could be pumped down the DP through the adapter outlet and a high-pressure hose and into the well through the port 30 on the device 1, thus enabling bullheading/killing of well, pressure testing, pumping of prong/plug, etc. - "as normal".
• the above-mentioned DP conveyance methods will enable the forerunner to be disconnected from the device 1 by use of a ROV, as will also be the situation if deploying device 1 by a wire, hence there is no "locked to bottom"-situation requiring weak-link, drive-off/drift-off calculations/evaluations, control systems etc.
• the high pressure pumping hose will still be connected to both the device 1 port 30 and the special lifting adapter side outlet, thus demanding the hose connector to either be equipped with a disconnect device/design enabling both disconnect and reconnect or a guillotine solution to cut the hose in an emergency.
• a non-return/shut- in valve taking care of the integrity of device 1 in a drive-off/drift-off situation would also be part of the overall design. The same situation and means will apply for situations where the high-pressure hose is run from the vessel to device 1 port 30 if an emergency situation would occur.
• the device 1 may comprise a ROV-operated tool running and/or retrieval unit 16 or a vessel-operated tool running and/or retrieval unit 18.
• the vessel-operated tool running and/or retrieval unit 18 is shown in fig. 6 and comprises a production bore lubricator 18a, a tool 18f provided in the production bore lubricator 18a and a production bore stuffing box 18b.
• the tool further comprises a tool dropping barrier 18g to prevent the tool 18f to enter the bore 11 before it is desired, as well as to avoid dropping the tool 18f during running and pulling operations of running and retrieval unit 18.
• the tool dropping barrier 18g is preferably operated by means of a ROV.
• the tool running and/or retrieval unit 18 is connected to the upper part of the bore 11 by a ROV subsea operated high pressure connector or a fixed or removable high pressure connection made up to device 1 on surface.
• a wire 18d is connected to the tool 18f and is guided out from the lubricator and stuffing box up to the vessel 100.
• the ROV-operated tool running and/or retrieval unit 16 is shown in fig. 9. Similar to the unit 18, the unit 16 comprises a lubricator 16a, stuffing box 16b, wire 16d, tool 16f and tool dropping barrier 16g. In addition, the unit 16 further comprises a ROV-operable handle 16e, and a wire sheave 16c, where the tool 16f is connected by means of a wire 16d via the sheave 16c to the handle 16.
• the unit 16 may comprise a winch unit 16j for controlling the wire 16d instead of the ROV-operated handle 16e.
• the winch unit 16j can either be supplied from a ROV/skid or supplied from surface.
• the winch could be operated manually with a ROV manipulator and/or a mechanical tool device or by a ROV-operated hydraulic torque tool.
• a rig may be needed in order to prepare the well, the wellhead and/or the HXT before the device 1 can be used.
• These prerequisite operations will be described very short in the examples, as such rig operations are considered to be known for the skilled person.
• monohull vessels have advantages over rigs with respect to costs etc. as discussed above, it may still be advantageous to use the present invention for only parts of the well operation.
• Example 1 Installation of a horizontal Christmas HXT tree on a wellhead WH
• the device 1 according to fig. 2a is connected to the Christmas tree topside on the vessel.
• a tree running tool TRT could be used for connecting the device 1 to the Christmas tree.
• the device 1 and the Christmas tree HXT are lowered by means of the vessel 100 down to the well head.
• the connection between the Christmas tree HXT and the well head WH, the valves of the Christmas tree HXT and the upper barrier plug set in the casing bore are tested by pumping a high-pressure fluid into port 30 and further into the bore 11 of the device 1 and further down. If pressure test is approved, then the device 1 may be disconnected from the Christmas tree HXT and elevated up to the vessel. During this entire operation, the bore valves 51, 52 are closed, while fluid line valves 41, 42 are opened for allowing fluid into the bore. The fluid line valves are closed after the pressure testing operation.
• a debris cap, a corrosion cap or a high-pressure cap could be installed on the HXT upper mandrel to protect the bore from eventual debris falling into the HXT/on top of the upper barrier plug.
• the above operations may be performed by lighter vessels, i.e. vessels other than drilling rig, a drill ship or a jack-up rig.
• the vessel should have wireline capabilities and should have the above-mentioned fluid circulation device (110).
• the vessels should have ROV capabilities.
• drillship or jack-up rig could be positioned above the well to continue the operation to prepare the well for production by installing the upper completion string.
• Example 2 Removal of Christmas tree
• the device 1 comprises the above described unit 18.
• a tree running tool TRT is connected below the device 1 for connecting the device 1 to the Christmas tree.
• the tree running tool TRT and device 1 has been connected to the Christmas tree.
• the tool holder 18g is opened, and the plug running and retrieval tool 18f is lowered into the bore 11 of the device 1 , and further down into the production bore of the Christmas tree HXT.
• the tool 18f is connected to the tubing hanger TH plug.
• the vessel-operated tool running and/or retrieval unit 18 is disconnected from the device 1 and pulled to surface for disconnection of the TH plug and corresponding pulling tool 18f and replacement with a production bore barrier plug and corresponding plug setting tool 18f. Then the vessel-operated tool running and/or retrieval unit 18 with the new tool and plug 18f is re-run and connected to the device 1 prior to open the bore valves 51 and 52 to give access to the production tubing bore for setting of this upper barrier plug on a predefined depth above the down hole safety valve DHSV.
• the vessel-operated tool running and/or retrieval unit 18 with the plug setting tool 18f is disconnected from the device 1 and pulled to surface for disconnection of the aforementioned plug setting tool 18f.
• a new tool 18f, a cutting tool is connected to the wire 18d and the vessel-operated tool running and/or retrieval unit 18 with the cutting tool 18f is re-run and connected to the device 1 prior to open the bore valves 51 and 52 to give access to the production tubing bore. Thereafter the cutting tool 18f is lowered into the production bore to a predefined depth cutting the tubing apart. The cutting tool 18f is now pulled back into the vessel-operated tool running and/or retrieval unit 18.
• a debris cap, a corrosion cap or a high-pressure cap could be installed on the wellhead WH to protect the well from eventual falling debris that could end up in the well.
• the above operations can be performed with the above embodiments of the device 1.
• the device 1 comprises shear rams 62, 63, these can be used to cut wires if necessary.
• Example 3 Installation and removal of a horizontal Christmas tree It is now referred to fig. 2n and figures 11 and 12.
• the tool running and/or retrieval unit 18 comprises a production bore lubricator 18a, a production bore stuffing box 18b, a guide cone 18i, a no-go device 18h and a wireline 18d provided into the production bore.
• the lubricator, the stuffing box, the guide cone and the no-go device are configured together with the housing device 10 to cater for regulatory well control facilities enabling wireline operations to be conducted in production bore PB from a surface vessel 100 to depths suitable for wireline operations.
• the device 1 comprises a pipe ram device 64 and a shear ram device 63 provided in the first bore 11 below the first tool holding device 21 but above the entry point 31a.
• the pipe ram device 64 and the shear ram device 63 may be operated by the ROV 120 to cut any wires present in the bore 1 1, for example the wire 18d described above.
• the ram devices 63 and 64 may be operated via an umbilical from the surface vessel 100.
• a subsea lubricator 18a is equipped with a no-go device 18h at the bottom as well as a guide funnel cone 18i is installed in device 1 enabling wireline operations to be performed.
• the housing device 10 in fig. 2n is equipped with a guide funnel 10a for receiving and centralizing the subsea lubricator 18a and for ensuring correct installation depth of the no-go device 18h relative to the pipe ram device 64.
• the subsea lubricator is comprising a corresponding outer guide cone 18i to establish the correct landing depth for the no-go device 18h relative to the pipe ram 64.
• the first bore 11 is aligned with the production bore PB of the HXT enabling vertical wireline WL access to the production bore PB of the HXT.
• the device 1 comprises possibilities for pumping operations, mechanical operations and control system operations to be performed through or by a remotely operated vehicle 120 or through an umbilical and a high-pressure hose from a surface vessel.
• functionality of the tool holding device 21 could be provided by the wireline 18d itself or by the blind shear ram 63.
• the wireline 18d and the blind shear ram 63 could be considered to represent a tool holding device.
• the tool 20 is here released from its initial position by lowering the wire 18d together with the tool 20 into the bore 11 and further into the production bore PB.
• the subsea running and retrieval unit 18 is shown installed in the device 10 after landing or prior to lifting the stack including the Christmas tree with a crane wire or similar.
• the no-go device 18h is interfacing with the pipe ram device PR, enabling that the entire stack can be lifted.
• the unit 18 is a device running and retrieval unit, i.e. a tool for lowering and elevating the device 1 itself between the seabed and the vessel via the wire and lifting appliances LA, typically a lifting ear fixed to the unit 18 and a shackle of the wire. Due to the estimated weight of the device 1, such a unit 18 must be rigid and therefore, this unit 18 does not have a bore. Hence, this unit 18 must be removed before any wireline operations can be performed through the bore 11 in the well.
• the tool running and/or retrieval unit 18 installed in device 10 is a unit having a lubricator 18a as described above.
• this unit is, enabling wireline activities to commence in the production bore.
• the wire 18d itself to prevent the tool PRRT to enter the well too early.
• the blind shear ram 63 also referred to as BSR in fig. 12, may be used to prevent the tool to enter the well too early.
• the opposing parts of the pipe rams PR or 64 in fig. 2n, 11 and 12 comprises seals to seal against the unit 18 (either the device running and retrieval unit of fig. 11 or the tool device running and retrieval unit of fig. 12) and thereby seal off fluid flow between the pipe rams and the unit 18.
• the pipe rams PR or 64 is here considered to be an alternative first type of production bore valve 51 provided in the bore 11.
• the opposing parts of the blind shear rams BSR or 63 in fig. 2n, 11 and 12 comprises seals to seal off the fluid flow in the bore 11.
• the blind shear rams BSR or 63 is here considered to be an alternative type of second production bore valve 52 provided in the bore 11.

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• 2016
  • 2016-02-12 NO NO20160250A patent/NO343789B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2017
  • 2017-02-13 WO PCT/EP2017/053136 patent/WO2017137622A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2017-02-13 EP EP17704476.5A patent/EP3414421A1/de not_active Withdrawn

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