SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERING MATERIAL TO A SUBSEA WELL

• US 20110067881A1
• Filed: 12/03/2009
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Chevron USA Incorporated (Chevron Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Chevron USA Incorporated (Chevron Corp.)
• Inventors: Blake, Peter W.
• Application Number:
  US12/630,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20110067881A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/352
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 37/06 using chemical means for preventing or limiting , e.g. eliminating, the deposition of paraffins or like substances

Abstract

A system and method for delivering a material from a vessel at a surface facility to a subsea location and into a subsea well are provided. The system generally includes a first-stage pump that is located at the surface facility and is configured to receive the material from the vessel. A tubular member extends from the first-stage pump to the subsea location. A second-stage pump is located at the subsea location and connected to the tubular member. The first-stage pump is configured to deliver the material through the tubular member to the second-stage pump at a first pressure, and the second-stage pump being configured to receive the material from the tubular member and inject the material into the well at a second pressure higher than the first pressure.

Claims

1. A system for delivering a material from a vessel at a surface facility to a subsea location and into a subsea well, the system comprising:

a first-stage pump located at the surface facility and configured to receive the material from the vessel;

a tubular member extending from the first-stage pump to the subsea location; and

a second-stage pump at the subsea location and connected to the tubular member, the first-stage pump being configured to deliver the material through the tubular member to the second-stage pump at a first pressure, and the second-stage pump being configured to receive the material from the tubular member and inject the material into the well at a second pressure higher than the first pressure.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the tubular member is a flexible umbilical, the umbilical defining a first tubular passage for receiving and delivering the material, and a second tubular passage having at least one conductive cable for communicating between the surface facility and the subsea location.

3. A system according to claim 2 wherein the conductive cable is configured to provide at least one of an electrical signal for controlling the operation of the second-stage pump and electrical power for powering the operation of the second-stage pump.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein the second-stage pump is disposed on the seafloor.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein the second-stage pump is disposed as part of a tree at a head of the subsea well.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein the vessel is configured to provide a scale squeeze treatment chemical adapted to inhibit scaling and the second-stage pump is configured to inject the chemical into the well to perform a scale squeeze treatment of the well.

7. A system according to claim 1 wherein the tubular member is a flexible tube formed of a thermoplastic material.

8. A method of delivering a material from a vessel at a surface facility to a subsea location and into a subsea well, the method comprising:

operating a first-stage pump located at the surface facility to pump the material from the vessel through a tubular member extending from the first-stage pump to the subsea location; and

operating a second-stage pump at the subsea location and connected to the tubular member to inject the material from the tubular member into the well.

9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising providing a flexible umbilical as the tubular member, wherein operating the first-stage pump comprises pumping the material through a first tubular passage of the umbilical, and further comprising providing at least one conductive cable in the umbilical in communication with the surface facility and the subsea location.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising communicating an electrical signal from the surface facility to the subsea location via the conductive cable to control the operation of the second-stage pump.

11. A method according to claim 9, further comprising providing electrical power from the surface facility to the subsea location via the electrically conductive cable to power the operation of the second-stage pump.

12. A method according to claim 8 wherein operating the first-stage pump comprises providing the material to the tubular member at a pressure that is greater than a pressure drop that occurs through the tubular member and less than a sum of the pressure drop that occurs through the tubular member and a pressure required for injecting the material into the well.

13. A method according to claim 8, further comprising providing the second-stage pump at the seafloor.

14. A method according to claim 8, further comprising providing the second-stage pump as part of a tree at a head of the subsea well.

15. A method according to claim 8 wherein operating the first-stage pump and the second-stage pump comprises injecting a scale squeeze treatment chemical into the well to thereby perform a scale squeeze treatment of the well and inhibit scaling in the well.

16. A method according to claim 8, further comprising providing a flexible tube as the tubular member, the flexible tube being formed of a thermoplastic material.