Method and apparatus for remotely orienting a flowline for connection to a subsea structure

Patent · Tue Nov 15 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6502814

Louis, B G; Mack, R C

This patent describes an apparatus for aligning a flowline having a lead end with an offshore structure extending upwardly from the bottom of a body of water for connection to a riser having a lower end and being associated with the offshore structure comprising: a pipe guide for holding the lead end of the flowline and for directing the lead end of the flowline upwardly, the pipe guide having a lead end and being capable of being pulled along the bottom of the body of water, the pipe guide being attached to the lead end of the flowline; a structural guide having a front side, the structural guide being attached to the offshore structure and being rotatable along a substantially vertical axis so that the front side faces toward the pipe guide; a pull-in device connected to the offshore structure for pulling the pipe guide to the structural guide for connection thereto; at least one riser guidepost for directing the lower end of the riser into alignment with the lead end of the flowline for connection thereto once the pipe guide is connected to the structural guide.

• Assignee: Exxon Production Research Co., Houston, TX
• Patent Number(s): US 4784523
• OSTI ID: 6502814
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
03 NATURAL GAS
030300 -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
42 ENGINEERING
420206 -- Engineering-- Mining & Drilling Equipment & Facilities-- (1980-1989)
423000 -- Engineering-- Marine Engineering-- (1980-)
ALIGNMENT
DESIGN
DRILL PIPES
DRILLING EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
INSTALLATION
JOINING
JOINTS
MARINE RISERS
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OFFSHORE PLATFORMS
OIL WELLS
PIPE JOINTS
PIPES
SUPPORTS
TOOLS
WELLS