BYPASS FITTING

• US 20100059998A1
• Filed: 09/05/2008
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Oil States Industries Incorporated (Oil States International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Oil States Industries Incorporated (Oil States International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Morris, Bruce E., Avery, Fred L.
• Application Number:
  US12/205,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20100059998A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 285/351
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 1/26 Repairing or joining pipes on or under water
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 41/06 making use of attaching means embracing the pipe

Abstract

A fitting includes a body having at least two portions coupled together to form a body having a passage through the body. The passage allows at least a portion of a conduit to be located at least substantially lengthwise within the body. First and second ports are located on the body and are in fluid communication with the passage. A first seal is located on the passage wall between a first end of the body and the ports. A second seal is located on the passage wall between a second end of the body and the ports. The first and second seals provide a seal between the outside wall of the conduit and the inside wall of the body. A channel is formed in the body to allow fluid flow at least partially circumferentially in the body between the first port and the second port.

Claims

1-29. -29. (canceled)

30. A fitting, comprising:

a body having at least two portions configured to be coupled together to form the body having a passage through the body, the passage being configured to allow at least a portion of a conduit to be located at least substantially lengthwise within the body;

a first port located on the body, the first port being in fluid communication with the passage;

a second port located on the body, the second port being in fluid communication with the passage;

a first seal located on the passage wall between a first end of the body and the ports;

a second seal located on the passage wall between a second end of the body and the ports;

wherein the first and second seals, when activated, are configured to provide a seal to inhibit fluid flow into or out of the portion of the passage between the seals; and

a channel formed in the body, the channel being configured to allow fluid flow at least partially circumferentially in the body between the first port and the second port so that when the conduit is tapped into through the first port, fluid from inside the conduit is allowed to flow around the outside of the conduit to the second port.

31. The fitting of claim 30, further comprising one or more gripping collets on at least one end of the body, the collets being configured to engage the conduit when the collets are activated.

32. The fitting of claim 31, wherein the first and second seals are activated when at least one of the collets is activated.

33. The fitting of claim 30, further comprising one or more activation devices coupled to the body, the activation devices being configured to activate the first and second seals.

34. The fitting of claim 30, further comprising a translatable ring located on the passage wall between the first and second seals, wherein the ring is configured to move along the passage wall when the first seal is activated so that the second seal is activated, and wherein the ring comprises an opening proximate the first port configured to provide access to the conduit from the first port.

35. The fitting of claim 30, wherein the two body portions are configured to be coupled together using removable fasteners.

36. The fitting of claim 30, further comprising one or more fasteners configured to fasten the portions of the body together.

37. The fitting of claim 30, wherein the first seal comprises at least one circumferential seal and at least one axial seal.

38. The fitting of claim 30, wherein the second seal comprises at least one circumferential seal and at least one axial seal.

39. The fitting of claim 30, wherein the first port is configured to allow hot tapping of the conduit when the first and second seals are activated.

40. The fitting of claim 30, wherein the fitting is a subsea fitting.

41. The fitting of claim 30, wherein the conduit is a portion of a subsea pipeline.

42. The fitting of claim 30, wherein the body is substantially cylindrical in shape.

43. The fitting of claim 30, wherein the passage is substantially tubular in shape.

44. The fitting of claim 30, wherein the first and second seals, when activated, are configured to provide a seal between the outside wall of the conduit and the inside wall of the body to inhibit fluid flow into or out of the portion of the passage between the seals.

45. A method of installing a bypass fitting onto a portion of a subsea pipeline, comprising:

coupling together at least two body portions to form a body having a passage through the body, the passage at least partially surrounding at least a portion of the subsea pipeline at least substantially lengthwise within the body;

securing the body to the subsea pipeline;

activating a first seal located on the passage wall between a first end of the body and a first port and a second port located on the body, the ports being in fluid communication with the passage;

activating a second seal located on the passage wall between a second end of the body and the ports;

tapping into the subsea pipeline through the first port;

plugging flow in the subsea pipeline with a plugging head inserted through the first port; and

allowing fluid from inside the conduit to flow at least partially circumferentially around the outside of the conduit from the first port to the second port through a channel formed in the body between the first port and the second port.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the first and second seals, when activated, provide a seal in the passage between the outside wall of the conduit and the inside wall of the body.

47. The method of claim 45, further comprising clamping the body portions together using one or more removable fasteners.

48. The method of claim 45, further comprising coupling a bypass line to the second port so that fluids flowing from the conduit into the second port bypass a section of the subsea pipeline downstream of the plugging head.

49. The method of claim 45, further comprising activating the seals using at least one activation device coupled to the body.

50. The method of claim 45, further comprising providing fluids into the subsea pipeline through the first port after maintenance and/or repair of the subsea pipeline.

51. The method of claim 45, further comprising activating the second seal using a translatable ring located on the passage wall between the first and second seals, the ring being moved along the passage wall when the first seal is activated so that the second seal is activated.

52. The method of claim 45, further comprising installing the bypass fitting in a subsea environment.

53. The method of claim 45, further comprising installing the bypass fitting in a subsea environment using an ROV.

54. The method of claim 45, wherein the body is substantially cylindrical in shape.

55. The method of claim 45, wherein the passage is substantially tubular in shape.

56. The method of claim 45, wherein tapping comprises hot tapping.