US Patent:
20030051877, Mar 20, 2003
Inventors:
Kevin Koen - Cypress TX, US
Gilbert Mican - Sealy TX, US
Arjin Nolan - Houston TX, US
Joseph Pallini - Tomball TX, US
Kim Phan - Houston TX, US
Andrew Roberts - Houston TX, US
International Classification:
E21B043/01
US Classification:
166/339000, 166/342000, 166/349000
Abstract:
A subsea production system and method includes a wellhead field having multiple wellheads and utilizes a stackable guide funnel system for sequential tying back of those wellheads. A storage frame retains several guide funnels that are nestably stacked one upon the other. The guide funnels may be sequentially removed from the frame by a riser connector having a complimentary latching mechanism. The frame is made up of a plurality of guide members that are secured to the exposed tubular conductor of a wellhead. A pair of annular rings surrounds portions of each of the guide members. The upper end of the frame is outwardly flared to assist in landing of the riser connector. The stacked guide funnels are prepositioned at one or more central locations upon the sea floor. The guide funnels are configured at the central location to permit sequential retreival. A riser having a riser connector is lowered to the central location. The riser connector latches onto the uppermost guide funnel within the frame. The riser, together with the affixed funnel, is then lifted upwardly, removing the affixed funnel from the frame. The riser is then moved laterally through the sea until the funnel and riser are proximate a second wellhead within the wellhead field. The riser next is lowered to mate the riser connector with the tubular conductor of the second wellhead. The skirt of the guide funnel assists in this mating operation by guiding the tubular conductor toward the riser conductor. A second riser can then be lowered from the surface and latched into the next guide funnel available at the central location.