Flowline pull-in apparatus and method

Patent · Tue Jul 03 04:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:6525649

Watkins, B J

A flowline pull-in apparatus is operable from an overhead vessel and transports flowlines to a subsea wellhead. The apparatus includes a sled disposed on the sea floor and connected to the flowlines. A two-part pull-in frame, removably positioned within the sled, is connected to the overhead vessel. The overhead vessel removes the pull-in frame and lands the frame on a wellhead. The frame is connected to the sled by means of cables. After the frame has been landed upon the wellhead, winches on the frame are hydraulically activated from the vessel and reel in the cables, thereby drawing the sled into engagement with the lower portion of frame and positioning flowline mandrels, which project from the sled, adjacent the lower portion of the frame. The cables are thereafter cut and the upper portion of the frame is released and removed by the vessel from the lower portion. A wellhead production system is then landed on the lower portion to establish fluid communication between the flowline mandrels and the wellhead.

• Assignee: Hughes Tool Co.
• Patent Number(s): US 4457378
• OSTI ID: 6525649
• 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
423000 -- Engineering-- Marine Engineering-- (1980-)
CABLES
CONTROL
DESIGN
EQUIPMENT
INSTALLATION
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OFFSHORE OPERATIONS
OIL WELLS
PIPELINES
POSITIONING
REMOTE CONTROL
REMOTE HANDLING
REMOTE HANDLING EQUIPMENT
SHIPS
WELLHEADS
WELLS
WINCHES