METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING MOVEMENTS OF A FREE-HANGING TUBULAR
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling movements of a free-hanging tubular in a soft hang-off mode suspended via at least a connector element by at least one compensator member which is connected to a buoyant vessel, said tubular extending into a body of water below the vessel, comprising:
- first sensing means for sensing dynamic and/or spatial parameters of the compensator member and thus that of the vessel;
second sensing means for sensing dynamic and/or spatial parameters of the connector element, and thus that of an upper region of the tubular;
data processing means for processing data supplied by said first and second sensing means and determining one or more parameters regarding the movement between the vessel and the upper region of the tubular; and
adjusting means for controlling at least the stiffness and dampening of the compensator member,whereby the axial loads which are transferred between the compensator and the tubular may be controlled.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for controlling movements of a free-hanging tubular suspended via at least a connector element by at least one compensator member connected to a buoyant vessel, the tubular extending into a body of water below the vessel. The apparatus includes a motion sensing device configured to sense movements of the compensator member and thus that of the vessel, and a position indicator device configured to sense the position of the connector element, and thus that of an upper region of the tubular, with respect to the compensator member. The apparatus further includes a data processor configured to determine one or more parameters regarding the movement between the vessel and the upper region of the tubular; and an adjusting device configured to control at least the stiffness and dampening of the compensator member; whereby the axial loads which are transferred between the compensator and the tubular may be controlled.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling movements of a free-hanging tubular in a soft hang-off mode suspended via at least a connector element by at least one compensator member which is connected to a buoyant vessel, said tubular extending into a body of water below the vessel, comprising:
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first sensing means for sensing dynamic and/or spatial parameters of the compensator member and thus that of the vessel; second sensing means for sensing dynamic and/or spatial parameters of the connector element, and thus that of an upper region of the tubular; data processing means for processing data supplied by said first and second sensing means and determining one or more parameters regarding the movement between the vessel and the upper region of the tubular; and adjusting means for controlling at least the stiffness and dampening of the compensator member, whereby the axial loads which are transferred between the compensator and the tubular may be controlled. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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9. A method of controlling movements of a free-hanging tubular in a soft hang-off mode suspended via a connector element by at least one compensator member which is connected to a buoyant vessel, said tubular extending into a body of water below the vessel, said method comprising the steps of:
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collecting motion data for the vessel; collecting motion data for the upper region of the tubular with respect to the compensator member; and processing said motion data for the vessel and said motion data for the upper region of the tubular and determining one or more parameters regarding the movement between the vessel and the upper region of the tubular and, based on such data, controlling at least the stiffness and dampening of the compensator member, whereby the axial loads which are transferred between the compensator and the tubular may be controlled. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification