Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
  • B66C—CRANES; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS, WINCHES, OR TACKLES
  • B66C1/00—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles
  • B66C1/10—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles by mechanical means
  • B66C1/62—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles by mechanical means comprising article-engaging members of a shape complementary to that of the articles to be handled
  • B66C1/66—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles by mechanical means comprising article-engaging members of a shape complementary to that of the articles to be handled for engaging holes, recesses, or abutments on articles specially provided for facilitating handling thereof
  • B66C1/663—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles by mechanical means comprising article-engaging members of a shape complementary to that of the articles to be handled for engaging holes, recesses, or abutments on articles specially provided for facilitating handling thereof for containers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
  • B66C—CRANES; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS, WINCHES, OR TACKLES
  • B66C1/00—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles
  • B66C1/10—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles by mechanical means
  • B66C1/101—Load-engaging elements or devices attached to lifting or lowering gear of cranes or adapted for connection therewith for transmitting lifting forces to articles or groups of articles by mechanical means for containers
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B41/00—Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00
  • E21B41/0007—Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00 for underwater installations
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B27/00—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers
  • B63B27/36—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for floating cargo

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the general field of submarine treatment of fluids involved in the production of hydrocarbons, for example oil and gas, or the exploitation of deep-sea mining resources from subsea production wells. .
• underwater processing stations In the context of the production of hydrocarbons, it is generally necessary to proceed with the treatment of production effluents and / or injection fluids (such as, for example, seawater).
• production effluents and / or injection fluids such as, for example, seawater.
• injection fluids such as, for example, seawater.
• underwater processing stations called “subsea processing”, in which the fluids are treated in equipment placed directly on the seabed instead of being located on the platforms of production as is usually the case.
• These underwater treatment stations have many economic advantages, in particular in that they make it possible to avoid having to route the fluids to the surface. In a more general way, these underwater treatment stations can help to unblock the exploitation of new fields previously difficult to exploit.
• this underwater treatment solution poses some problems.
• these stations may require interventions for maintenance operations for which it is then necessary to remount equipment from the station to the surface.
• each of these modules is light enough to be brought to the surface by means of a conventional intervention and maintenance boat.
• the architecture of the treatment station typically consists of a structural base on which are placed and connected the different modules. The assembly formed by the base and the modules constitutes the complete treatment station. It is also necessary to connect the modules together and / or with the structural base if the fluids to be treated pass through them between the different modules (the structural base of the station is then called "flowbase”), these connections being made using vertical or horizontal connectors.
• the present invention therefore has the main purpose of providing a device for the installation and maintenance of a module of an underwater treatment station that does not have the aforementioned drawbacks.
• a device for installing and handling a module of an underwater treatment station comprising a frame intended to be fixed to a module, and a hydraulic system intended to provide damping and controlled descent of the module on the base of the station, the hydraulic system comprising a plurality of hydraulic cylinders each intended to be connected to a foot . able to come in contact with a base of the underwater treatment station, each hydraulic cylinder comprising:
• a piston intended to be brought into contact with a foot and movable in translation inside the cylinder body between a first mechanical stop corresponding to an extended position of the piston and a second mechanical stop corresponding to a retracted position of the piston, the piston separating the internal volume of the cylinder body into a first chamber and a second chamber which are sealed relative to each other;
• each hydraulic cylinder being supplied with hydraulic fluid by two independent hydraulic circuits comprising a damping circuit able to move the piston between its deployed position and an intermediate position located between the deployed position and the retracted position and defined by a stop hydraulic, and a controlled descent circuit adapted to move the piston between the intermediate position and its retracted position.
• the hydraulic system of the device comprises hydraulic cylinders fixed to the frame and whose piston is brought into contact or connected with the feet and having two functions: a damping function of the impacts during the landing of the module on the base of the station during which the piston moves between its deployed position (first mechanical stop) and its intermediate position (hydraulic stop), and a controlled descent function in which the piston can move between its intermediate position and its retracted position ( second mechanical stop).
• a controlled descent function in which the piston can move between its intermediate position and its retracted position
• the device according to the invention is thus remarkable, in particular in that it provides for a decoupling between the damping stroke and the controlled descent stroke of the pistons of the hydraulic cylinders, unlike the damping devices of the prior art in which these two phases are implemented at the same time.
• the damping during the landing of the module takes place without risk of contact between the faces of the vertical connectors, whatever the number of impacts.
• the final descent of the module is performed independently of the movements of the boat installation and maintenance and can be perfectly controlled.
• the device of the invention thus minimizes the risks associated with the installation of modules equipped with vertical connectors.
• the use of multi-stage hydraulic cylinders makes it possible to implement these functions in a compact and as light as possible manner.
• the device according to the invention can make it possible to reassemble the module to carry out maintenance operations on the connectors (change of joint for example) without using the winch of the maintenance boat.
• the device according to the invention can be recovered on the surface after the installation of a module, which makes it possible to carry out its maintenance for the next operation.
• each hydraulic cylinder may have, at an end located inside the cylinder body, an opening communicating with the first chamber and a collar coming into sealing contact with an inner wall of the cylinder body.
• each hydraulic cylinder may be provided with a finger protruding inside the first chamber, the finger having an outer diameter corresponding substantially to the internal diameter of the piston so as to cooperate with the opening of the piston to form the hydraulic stop corresponding to the intermediate position of the piston.
• the finger advantageously comprises a discharge duct of the controlled descent hydraulic circuit which opens into the piston when the latter is in the intermediate position so as to allow the piston to move between the intermediate position and the retracted position.
• each hydraulic cylinder may include bearings against which the collar of the piston is adapted to come into contact to form the first and the second mechanical stop.
• Each hydraulic cylinder may further comprise a guide rod connecting the finger to the piston and a spring mounted around the guide rod to assist the deployment of the piston.
• the second chamber of each hydraulic cylinder can be supplied with hydraulic fluid by a hydraulic circuit rise.
• the hydraulic lifting circuit of each hydraulic cylinder may comprise grooves formed in an outer wall of the piston which open outside the device and open into the second chamber.
• the damping and controlled descent circuits each comprise a valve which is adapted to be driven by an underwater vehicle remote-controlled from the surface, and a non-return valve in parallel with the valve to make it possible to increase the flow of fluid entering during the deployment of the cylinders.
• the damping and controlled descent circuits each comprise at least one pressure limiting valve downstream of the hydraulic cylinders.
• the damping and controlled descent circuits can be supplied with seawater.
• the invention also relates to a method for installing and handling a module of an underwater treatment station, in which the frame of a device as defined above is attached to a module, the method comprising during the phases of descent and landing of the module on a base of the underwater treatment station, the steps of:
• the opening of the descent circuit controlled by maintaining the damping circuit open to allow the final descent of the station of the module on the basis of the station.
• the method further comprises, during a lifting phase of the module, a step of pumping the fluid to inject it into the damping and controlled descent circuits to deploy the respective pistons of the hydraulic cylinders of the device.
• the method further comprises, during a recovery phase at the surface of the device after installation of the module based on the underwater treatment station, closing the controlled descent circuit and opening mechanical connections between the device and the module in order to lift the surface of the device using a winch a boat installation and maintenance.
• the method further comprises a module recovery phase at the surface with the device recovered at the surface, the recovery phase comprising the steps of:
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention mounted on a module of an underwater treatment station;
• FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary hydraulic circuit architecture of the device of FIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of a hydraulic jack of the device of FIG. 1;
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a hydraulic cylinder of the device according to an alternative embodiment of the invention.
• the invention applies to the maintenance of modules constituting an underwater treatment plant used for the production of hydrocarbons or the exploitation of deep-sea mining resources for the treatment of production effluents and / or injection fluids (such as seawater).
• FIG. 1 represents a device 2 according to one embodiment (non-limiting) of the invention which is used to carry out such maintenance.
• the device 2 comprises a frame 4 which is intended to be fixed (temporarily or permanently) on the upper face of a module 6 of the underwater treatment station.
• the frame 4 of the device comprises a structure 8, for example of rectangular shape, on which are mounted fasteners to the module and on which are also mounted fasteners 10 to allow to fix the slings 12 attached to the end a cable moved by a winch from the maintenance boat.
• the module 6 of the underwater treatment station comprises feet 14 (four in number) which slide in sleeves (here integrated into the module but can be alternatively integrated into the frame of the device) and which are intended to come into operation. contact with the base of the underwater treatment station (called "flowbase” in English) during the landing of the module. In this way, the vertical forces exerted on the feet 14 by the base of the station during the landing of the module are transmitted to the pistons of the cylinders.
• the frame 4 of the device also comprises a hydraulic system 16 which is intended to ensure damping and controlled descent of the module on the basis of the station.
• This hydraulic system 16 comprises a plurality of hydraulic cylinders 18 which are each intended to be connected to one of the feet 14 of the module.
• the hydraulic system comprises four hydraulic cylinders 18 positioned at the four corners of the structure 8 of the frame, these jacks being in contact with the feet 14 which slide through the sleeves on along the module.
• FIG. 2 represents an exemplary architecture of the hydraulic system 16 equipping the device according to the invention.
• this hydraulic system 16 comprises four hydraulic cylinders 18. These hydraulic cylinders are double-stage cylinders which are fed with fluid (typically seawater) by two independent hydraulic circuits, namely the same circuit. damping 22 (for all the cylinders) and the same controlled descent circuit 24 (for all the cylinders).
• the damping circuit 22 comprises, downstream of each hydraulic cylinder (in the direction of flow of the fluid towards a common exhaust 26), a pressure limiting valve 28.
• These valves have the particular function of limiting the pressure in the chambers hydraulic cylinders by releasing only the required fluid flow. This makes it possible to obtain a damping force of the cylinders (directly related to the pressure in the chambers of the cylinders) which is constant at the beginning of the damping phase and thus to avoid any too sudden deceleration at the start. Of course, this function could be obtained through the same pressure limiting valve common to all the hydraulic cylinders of the damping circuit.
• the damping circuit 22 also comprises, downstream of the pressure-limiting valves 28, a valve 30 which is common to all the hydraulic cylinders and which is adapted to be driven by a remote-controlled underwater vehicle (or ROV for "Remote Operated Vehicle", not shown in the figures) from the surface.
• a remote-controlled underwater vehicle or ROV for "Remote Operated Vehicle", not shown in the figures
• the damping circuit 22 Downstream of the valve 30, the damping circuit 22 further comprises a restriction orifice 32 which makes it possible to define the profile of the damping phase of the device. More specifically, this restriction orifice 32 is calibrated to control the desired damping and thus the final impact speed.
• a check valve 34 is also added in the damping circuit and the restriction orifice 32 in parallel with the valve 30 to make it possible to increase the flow rate of fluid entering the chambers during the deployment of the jacks. rearming the device).
• damping circuit 22 terminates in an exhaust 26 which is common with the controlled descent circuit 24.
• a filter 36 may be added upstream of the common exhaust 26 to prevent the introduction of solid particles or organisms into the hydraulic circuits.
• the controlled descent circuit 24 comprises, downstream of the four hydraulic cylinders, a pressure limiting valve 38. This valve is common for all the hydraulic cylinders and increases the safety of the device in case of accidental pressure rise. in the controlled descent circuit.
• the controlled descent circuit 24 also comprises, downstream of the pressure limiting valve 38, a valve 40 which is common to all the hydraulic cylinders and which is adapted to be driven by the underwater vehicle remote-controlled from the surface .
• the control of this valve 40 will be detailed later.
• the controlled descent circuit Downstream of the valve 40, the controlled descent circuit further comprises a restriction orifice 42 which makes it possible to control the escape rate of the controlled descent circuit and therefore the rate of descent of the module during the descent phase of the device.
• a check valve 44 is also added in the controlled descent circuit in parallel with the valve 40 and the restriction orifice 42 in order to increase the return flow rate of the fluid and to assist the outlet of the cylinders. reducing hydraulic head losses.
• Each hydraulic cylinder 18 of the hydraulic system 16 of the device according to the invention is a double-stage cylinder. It comprises in particular a cylinder body 46 which is secured (temporarily or permanently) to the frame of the device, and a piston 48 whose free end 50 is intended to be brought into contact (by being connected or by simple support) with one of the feet of the module.
• the piston 48 is movable inside the cylinder body 46 and separates the internal volume of the cylinder body into a first chamber 52 and a second chamber (see FIGS. 4B to 4D) which are sealed relative to one another. 'other.
• the piston 48 has an opening 56 which communicates with the descent chamber 52, and a flange 58 which comes into sealing contact with an inner wall of the cylinder body during movement of the piston inside thereof.
• the flange 58 is able to come into mechanical abutment against the surfaces formed in the body of the jack.
• the cylinder body comprises a lower bearing surface 60 against which the flange 58 of the piston comes into contact to form a first mechanical stop corresponding to an extended position of the piston (as in FIGS. 3 and 4A).
• the cylinder body comprises an upper bearing surface 62 against which the collar 58 of the piston comes into contact to form a second mechanical stop corresponding to a retracted position of the piston (case of FIG. 4D).
• the cylinder body 46 of the hydraulic cylinder is here substantially cylindrical and is provided with a cylindrical pin 64 projecting inside the first chamber 52.
• This finger is centered on an axis of revolution XX of the jack and has an outer diameter D which is substantially equal to the internal diameter d of the opening 56 formed at the end of the piston 48. It defines a hydraulic stop of the corresponding piston. at an intermediate position of the piston located between the deployed position and the retracted position.
• each hydraulic cylinder 18 of the hydraulic system of the device according to the invention is supplied with fluid by the damping circuit 22 and the controlled descent circuit 24.
• the body of the cylinder 46 has, at its upper reach 62, one or more evacuation conduits 66 opening in the lowering chamber 52 and opening towards the damping circuit 22 described above.
• the damping circuit moves the piston of the cylinder between the first mechanical stop and the hydraulic stop.
• the cylinder body comprises a discharge conduit 68 opening in the first chamber 52 and opening to the controlled descent circuit 24.
• the descent circuit controlled allows to move the piston between the hydraulic stop and the second mechanical stop.
• the device according to the invention is mounted on the module and connected to the boat installation and maintenance surface by means of the cable of a winch.
• the winch unrolls the cable to lower the module towards the base of the underwater treatment station.
• valve 30 of the damping circuit 22 is open and the valve 40 of the controlled descent circuit is closed on the surface aboard the installation and maintenance boat to cushion the impacts of the module based on the station, especially due to the swell that can generate several.
• the second chamber 54 fills with seawater, for example by passing through grooves 70 formed in an outer wall of the piston which open outside the device and which exit into the second chamber (see Figure 5).
• the end of the damping phase is defined by the moment when the finger 64 of the cylinder body closes the opening 56 of the piston (FIG. 4C). From this position of the piston, the water present inside the piston (in the secondary chamber 72 created during the passage of Figure 4B to 4C by the displacement of the piston and shown in FIG. 4C), can no longer escape, which stops the retraction of the piston (it is thus in hydraulic stop in its intermediate position).
• the pressure in the damping circuit falls below the value defined by the pressure limiting valves 28.
• the pressure in the cylinders and the hydraulic circuit is limited by the valves 28 which also limit the maximum deceleration seen by the module.
• the finger 64 may have at its free end a chamfer 64a to smooth the stopping of the piston in the intermediate position. It will also be noted that the dimensioning of the restriction orifice 32 of the damping circuit makes it possible to control the damping desired during this phase and to control the final impact speed of the piston before stopping in the intermediate position.
• non-return valve 34 of the damping circuit makes it possible to increase the water return flow rate in the circuit and thus also to help the redeployment of the pistons by reducing the hydraulic pressure drops.
• the winch cable of the installation and maintenance boat is relaxed and the module is no longer tied to movements of the boat. It is then in intermediate position, the cylinders being in hydraulic abutment.
• the remote-controlled underwater vehicle then connects to the hydraulic system of the device to open the valve 40 of the controlled descent circuit by keeping open the valve 30 of the damping circuit 22 (FIG. 4D). This action releases the water contained in the secondary chamber 72 to control the final descent of the module.
• the water present in the secondary chamber 72 is forced towards the controlled descent circuit by taking the evacuation duct 68 made in the finger 64, while the water present in the first chamber 52 continues to be driven to the damping circuit through the exhaust ducts 66.
• the restriction orifice 42 of the controlled descent circuit makes it possible to control the exhaust flow rate and therefore the rate of descent of the module.
• the final height position of the module is determined by the stops of the connectors and the module itself. The total length of the jack can therefore be thought so that the second mechanical stop defined by the upper reach 62 "arrives" after the abutment of the connectors during the descent of the module in the end position.
• the remote-controlled underwater vehicle can close the connectors between the module and the base of the device. He then carries out leak tests of the connectors. In case of poor sealing, it can intervene directly on these connectors to change the seals for example.
• the remote-controlled underwater vehicle closes the two valves 30 and 40 of the hydraulic circuits 22 and 24, connects to the exhaust 26 of the hydraulic circuits 22, 24 and pumps the water in these circuits to make deploy the pistons of the cylinders and thus reassemble the module in the up position.
• the pumped water passing through the check valves of the two circuits, and as the valves 30, 40 are closed the module remains in the high position even when the remote-controlled underwater vehicle stops pumping water. In this way, a remote-controlled underwater vehicle makes it possible to maneuver the module and to change the joints of the connectors. Once the maintenance intervention is complete, the remote-controlled underwater vehicle returns to open hydraulic circuit valves and the module goes back down.
• the device can be recovered.
• the valve 40 of the controlled descent circuit is closed, then the mechanical connections between the device and the module are open (it can be hydraulic cylinders which release the lifting lugs for example, actuated by the ROV) .
• the device is thus no longer connected to the module.
• the installation and maintenance boat can then rewind its winch cable and the device can be recovered on the surface while the module remains in place on the base of the station.
• the method may further comprise a module recovery phase at the surface with the device recovered at the surface.
• This recovery phase comprises the successive steps of descent of the device under water from the surface by the installation and handling vessel, to the module, mechanical fastening of the device to the module, closing of the valve of the circuit. controlled descent, pumping the fluid to inject it into the damping and controlled descent circuits to deploy the respective pistons of the hydraulic cylinders of the device and reassemble the module in the intermediate position, on the hydraulic stop, and recovery module and of the device using the boat's winch installation and maintenance.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• Earth Drilling (AREA)
• Fluid-Pressure Circuits (AREA)
• Manipulator (AREA)
• Actuator (AREA)

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• 2018
  • 2018-01-18 FR FR1850415A patent/FR3076826B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2019
  • 2019-01-15 US US16/961,791 patent/US11148913B2/en active Active
  • 2019-01-15 WO PCT/FR2019/050076 patent/WO2019141933A1/fr unknown
  • 2019-01-15 BR BR112020013690-5A patent/BR112020013690A2/pt unknown
  • 2019-01-15 EP EP19703405.1A patent/EP3740449B1/de active Active

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