US3503442A - Marine conductor pipe connecting method - Google Patents

Marine conductor pipe connecting method Download PDF

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Publication number
US3503442A
US3503442A US749195A US3503442DA US3503442A US 3503442 A US3503442 A US 3503442A US 749195 A US749195 A US 749195A US 3503442D A US3503442D A US 3503442DA US 3503442 A US3503442 A US 3503442A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
guideline
mono
conductor pipe
wellhead assembly
vessel
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US749195A
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English (en)
Inventor
Paul L Dodd
Charles P Peterman
William H Petersen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Shell USA Inc
Original Assignee
Shell Oil Co
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Shell Oil Co filed Critical Shell Oil Co
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3503442A publication Critical patent/US3503442A/en
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    • 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
    • E21B41/10—Guide posts, e.g. releasable; Attaching guide lines to underwater guide bases
    • 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
    • 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
    • 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
    • E21B7/00—Special methods or apparatus for drilling
    • E21B7/12—Underwater drilling
    • E21B7/128—Underwater drilling from floating support with independent underwater anchored guide base

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of connecting a marine conductor pipe to an underwater wellhead assembly including the steps of remotely attaching a mono-guideline to a wellhead assembly, lowering marine conductor pipe means and guideline attaching means along the mono-guideline and pulling both of said means into operative engagement with the wellhead assembly.
  • This invention relates to offshore well operations and pertains more particularly to a method of connecting a marine conductor pipe to an underwater wellhead assembly positioned anywhere from 100 to 1,500 ft. or more below the surface of a body of water.
  • guideline means are sometimes employed.
  • the guidelines or cables may be permanently attached to the underwater structure and secured at their other ends to a buoy floating on the surface of the water. Alternatively, they may be dropped to the ocean floor from which they are subsequently recoverd by means of grappling hooks or other suitable means.
  • buoy line housing and release means have sometimes been incorporated in wellhead assembly constructions whereby a buoy line may be released from the housing to extend to the surface of the water upon application of power through a supply line or upon an electrical signal transmitted from a vessel. Also, acoustic releasing devices have been used for this purpose. In such arrangements there is always the possibility that the buoy line may become fouled or that the hostile sea water environment may render the buoy line release mechanism inoperative.
  • a further object of the present invention is to provide a method for remotely attaching a marine conductor pipe to a wellhead assembly wherein the sea water environment will have no adverse effect in the proper performance thereof.
  • the method includes the steps of remotely attaching a mono-guideline between the vessel and the assembly, and lowering a marine conductor pipe having connector means along the mono-guideline into position on the assembly. Substantially simultaneously with the lowering of the marine conductor pipe, guideline carrying means is lowered from the vessel into engagement with the assembly.
  • FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view taken on longitudinal projection illustrating a mono-guideline being lowered from a floating vessel positioned on the surface of the ocean to the proximate vicinity of a wellhead assembly on the ocean floor;
  • FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic view taken on longitudinal projection illustrating a mono-guideline connected between a floating vessel and a wellhead assembly;
  • FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view taken on longitudinal projection illustrating a marine conductor pipe connector and guideline connecting assembly being lowered onto a wellhead assembly along a mono-guideline;
  • FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view taken on longitudinal projection illustrating a portion of the marine conductor pipe connector and guideline connecting assembly of FIGURE 3 in contact with a portion of the wellhead assembly;
  • FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view taken on longitudinal projection illustrating the marine conductor pipe connector and guideline connecting assembly of FIG- URES 4 and 5 in complete operative engagement with the wellhead assembly.
  • a drilling vessel or platform 11, of any suitable floatable type is illustrated as floating on the surface of a body .of water 12 and substantially fixedly positioned over a preselected location by suitable barge positioning means or by being anchored to the ocean floor 13 by suitable anchors (not shown) connected to the anchor lines 14 and 15.
  • Equipment of this type may be used when carrying on well operations in water depths varying from about to 1500 feet or more.
  • the vessel 11 is equipped with a suitable derrick 16 as well as other auxiliary equipment needed during the drilling of a well.
  • the derrick 16 may be either centrally located on the vessel or extend in from one edge, but in any event the lower end thereof is positioned in such a manner as to have unrestricted access to the body of water 12.
  • the method according to the present invention may be carried out with equal facility from any suitable operational base positioned above the surface of the water such, for example, as from a drilling platform having feet extending to the ocean floor or from a platform permanently positioned on the ocean floor.
  • FIGURE 1 A typical underwater wellhead structure is illustrated in FIGURE 1 as comprising a base member 17 which is positioned on or near the ocean floor 13 and is fixedly secured to a conductor pipe or large diameter well casing 18 which extends down into a well, which has been previously partially drilled, and is preferably cemented therein.
  • the base base member 17 supports two or more vertically-extending guide columns 19 and 20.
  • An upstanding wellhead assembly 21 is mounted on base member 17 and communicates with well casing 18 in the usual manner.
  • the wellhead assembly includes a wellhead connector 22 and a blowout preventer stack 23.
  • the blowout preventers comprising stack 23 may be either hydraulically, pneumatically, or electrically actuatable.
  • the wellhead assembly terminates at its upper end with a reentry conduit 24 which supports a frame 25 having a mono-post 26 mounted thereon.
  • reentry conduit 24 has a closure cap 27 releasably engaged thereon to protect the interior of the assembly from the possibly harmful effects of the sea water.
  • Mono-guideline attachment means 28 Depending from vessel 11 by means of a pipe string 27 is mono-guideline attachment means 28.
  • Mono-guideline attachment means 28 includes a television camera 29 and a 'sonar unit 30, the purposes of which will be described in greater detail below.
  • a mono-guideline support fixture 30a Further included in mono-guideline attachment means 28 is a mono-guideline support fixture 30a having a cone-shaped lower portion 31 as shown.
  • a mono-guideline attachment means of the type illustrated is described more full in copending US. Patent application Ser. No. 749,171, filed July 31, 1968. Since any suitable mono-guideline attachment means may be used in carrying out the method of the present invention and the illustrated mono-guideline attachment means is described in detail in the above-identified copending patent application, it will not be further described here.
  • a mono-guideline latching mechanism (not shown) connected to mono-guideline 32 is releasably retained in support fixture 30a.
  • the latching mechanism may be of any suitable type such as that described in US. Patent No. 3,050,140, issued Aug. 21, 1962, to W. J. Hayes.
  • the mono-guideline 32 extends upwardly along pipe string 27 to vessel 11 where it is yieldably retained under tension by suitable tension means on vessel 11.
  • the tensioning means may be of any known type but preferably comprises a portion of a wave cancellation mechanism indicated generally by numeral 33.
  • One suitable tensioning means and wave cancellation mechanism which may be used for this purpose is disclosed in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 732,916, filed May 29, 1968, but it is to be understood that any suitable tensioning means may be utilized according to the requirements of practice.
  • the operation of attaching mono-guideline 32 to the wellhead assembly is as follows.
  • the vessel 11 is positioned over the approximate vicinity of the wellhead assembly and suitably anchored or otherwise substantially fixedly positioned.
  • the mono-guideline attachment means 28 and associated mono-guideline 32 are then lowered from vessel 11 by means of pipe string 27. This is accomplished by lengthening pipe string 27 through the addition of additional pipe sections in the usual manner until it is determined that the pipe string is of sufiicient length to position mono-guideline attachment means 28 at a distance from ocean floor 13 slightly greater than the height of the wellhead structure to be operatively engaged.
  • the sonar unit 30 and television camera unit 29 are actuated, both of said units being monitored by an operator on vessel 11 in the usual manner.
  • the pipe string is manipulated until the operator observes that cone-shaped lower portion 31 of mono-guideline attachment means 28 is positioned over mono-post 26 of the wellhead assembly.
  • the manipulation of pipe string 27 may be carried out through the use of a water jet 34 the direction of which may be controlled from the vessel.
  • a water jet 34 the direction of which may be controlled from the vessel.
  • the pipe string 27 is then further lowered from vessel 11 until the cone-shaped lower portion is seated on the mono-post.
  • a connector assembly including a wellhead connector 41 is lowered from vessel 11 by means of a marine conductor pipe 42 after having been operatively affixed thereto by coupling member 43.
  • the lowering operation is carried out through the addition of individual sections to the conductor pipe.
  • the conductor pipe is held at its upper end by any suitable adjustable tensioner means such as hydraulic tensioner unit 44.
  • the wellhead connector 41 is guided along mono-guideline 32 by means of a tubular element 45 also comprising a portion of the connector assembly and frame-mounted on connector 41.
  • Tubular element 45 defines a throughbore (not shown) through which mono-guideline 32 passes freely.
  • cylindrical elements 46 and 47 which house therein latch members 48 and 49, respectively.
  • Latch members 48 and 49 are connected to guidelines or guidecables 50 and 51 as shown and are normally releasably retained relative to guideline carrying means comprising cylindrical elements 46 and 47 as shown in FIGURE 3 by lock members (not shown).
  • the guidelines 50 and 51 extend to vessel 11 and are supported thereby in any known manner.
  • hydraulic tensioner unit 44 normally urges conductor pipe 42 in an upward direction.
  • the upward directed force normally exerted by a unit of this type is greater than the combined weight of the marine conductor pipe 42, wellhead connector 41 and said guideline carrying means. Therefore, in an arrangement of this sort it is necessary to overcome the upwardly directed force of hydraulic tensioner unit 44 so that the conductor pipe and depending structure will be pulled down into operative engagement with wellhead assembly 21.
  • One arrangement for accomplishing this is also shown in US.
  • a latching mechanism (not shown) is disposed within the throughbore defined by tubular element 45 which engages a cooperating portion of mono-post 26 to prevent the tubular element from being axially removed from the mono-post.
  • a method of remotely establishing contact with an underwater wellhead assembly from a vessel floating on a body of water and of connecting a marine conductor pipe and guideline means to said wellhead assembly comprising:
  • mono-guideline attachment means lowering mono-guideline attachment means from the vessel by means of a pipe string, said mono-guideline attachment means carrying one end of a mono-guideline extending to said vessel;
  • step of bringing the marine conductor pipe into operative engagement with the wellhead assembly comprises interrupting the lowering of the marine conductor pipe from the vessel, axially positioning the marine conductor pipe over the wellhead assembly and further lowering the marine conductor pipe into position on the wellhead assembly.

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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Earth Drilling (AREA)
US749195A 1968-07-31 1968-07-31 Marine conductor pipe connecting method Expired - Lifetime US3503442A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US74919568A 1968-07-31 1968-07-31

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3503442A true US3503442A (en) 1970-03-31

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US749195A Expired - Lifetime US3503442A (en) 1968-07-31 1968-07-31 Marine conductor pipe connecting method

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3503442A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS4841402B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2014047A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1271462A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (1) NL6911551A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3603386A (en) * 1969-09-17 1971-09-07 Mobil Oil Corp Subsea guideline anchoring method and apparatus
US3954137A (en) * 1974-12-11 1976-05-04 Vetco Offshore Industries, Inc. Sub-sea well re-entry guidance apparatus
US4375835A (en) * 1979-12-21 1983-03-08 The British Petroleum Company Limited Oil production system
US4541755A (en) * 1982-06-25 1985-09-17 Societe Nationale Elf Aquitaine (Production) Tour Aquitaine Device and process for lowering and connecting the four guide lines to guide posts of an underwater station
US4629003A (en) * 1985-08-01 1986-12-16 Baugh Benton F Guilelineless subsea completion system with horizontal flowline connection
EP0338832A1 (en) * 1988-04-20 1989-10-25 Conoco Inc. Method and apparatus for retrieving a running tool/guideframe assembly
WO1998040602A1 (en) * 1997-02-27 1998-09-17 Abb Offshore Technology As A method and a means for arranging and installing a structure on the sea bed
US20110297389A1 (en) * 2008-12-17 2011-12-08 Subsea Technologies Limited Subsea system

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4174011A (en) * 1977-09-12 1979-11-13 Standard Oil Company (Indiana) Subsea drilling template with carousel guidance system

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2984308A (en) * 1956-09-04 1961-05-16 Shell Oil Co Underwater drilling guide
US3050140A (en) * 1960-07-18 1962-08-21 Shell Oil Co Method and apparatus for installing guide lines at underwater wellheads
US3166123A (en) * 1962-05-23 1965-01-19 Shell Oil Co Method and apparatus for underwater wells
US3179176A (en) * 1963-09-18 1965-04-20 Shell Oil Co Method and apparatus for carrying out operations at underwater installations
US3302709A (en) * 1962-11-05 1967-02-07 Chevron Res Method for attaching and detaching a working base to an underwater well base

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2984308A (en) * 1956-09-04 1961-05-16 Shell Oil Co Underwater drilling guide
US3050140A (en) * 1960-07-18 1962-08-21 Shell Oil Co Method and apparatus for installing guide lines at underwater wellheads
US3166123A (en) * 1962-05-23 1965-01-19 Shell Oil Co Method and apparatus for underwater wells
US3302709A (en) * 1962-11-05 1967-02-07 Chevron Res Method for attaching and detaching a working base to an underwater well base
US3179176A (en) * 1963-09-18 1965-04-20 Shell Oil Co Method and apparatus for carrying out operations at underwater installations

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3603386A (en) * 1969-09-17 1971-09-07 Mobil Oil Corp Subsea guideline anchoring method and apparatus
US3954137A (en) * 1974-12-11 1976-05-04 Vetco Offshore Industries, Inc. Sub-sea well re-entry guidance apparatus
US4375835A (en) * 1979-12-21 1983-03-08 The British Petroleum Company Limited Oil production system
US4541755A (en) * 1982-06-25 1985-09-17 Societe Nationale Elf Aquitaine (Production) Tour Aquitaine Device and process for lowering and connecting the four guide lines to guide posts of an underwater station
US4629003A (en) * 1985-08-01 1986-12-16 Baugh Benton F Guilelineless subsea completion system with horizontal flowline connection
EP0338832A1 (en) * 1988-04-20 1989-10-25 Conoco Inc. Method and apparatus for retrieving a running tool/guideframe assembly
WO1998040602A1 (en) * 1997-02-27 1998-09-17 Abb Offshore Technology As A method and a means for arranging and installing a structure on the sea bed
GB2338739A (en) * 1997-02-27 1999-12-29 Abb Offshore Technology As A method and a means for arranging and installing a structure on the sea bed
US20110297389A1 (en) * 2008-12-17 2011-12-08 Subsea Technologies Limited Subsea system
US9045971B2 (en) * 2008-12-17 2015-06-02 Subsea Technologies Group Limited Subsea system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2014047A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-04-10
JPS4841402B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-12-06
NL6911551A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-02-03
GB1271462A (en) 1972-04-19

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