Further advances in deepwater flowline connection technology
A diverless guidelineless flowline connection system, the so-called direct vertical connection, has been developed, and tested, which sharply decreases connection time, while allowing the lay-vessel itself to perform both flowline ends connections, thus dispensing with the use of auxiliary tools and making the operation more cost effective and reliable. This system has been designed to overcome problems associated with conventional pull-in systems, the lay-away method, ROV assisted pull-in systems and conventional vertical connections. The former have already been successfully used in Marlim field, in 25 wells located at water depths ranging from 740 m to 980 m. The direct vertical connection can now be considered a field proven method. Five import flowline connections have already been successfully performed in Albacora field manifold, installed at 620 m water depth. From now on, based on the excellent results achieved from those installations and previous tests, all deepwater Brazilian subsea trees and manifolds will be designed for direct vertical connection. Sixty six trees and six manifolds incorporating the direct vertical connection system are presently under fabrication in Brazil.
- OSTI ID:
- 434051
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960525--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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