Subsea overload release system and method

• US 8,210,264 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2009
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eda Kopa Solwara Limited
• Original Assignee: Nautilus Minerals Pacific Pty Ltd. (Nautilus Minerals, Inc.), Techip France
• Inventors: Mohr, Harvey O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buck, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US12/436,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20100282474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 166/343, 166339-341, 166/344, 166/345, 166/351, 166/352, 166/355, 166/364, 166/365, 166/367, 166/377, 166/381, 166/85.1, 285/114, 285/115, 285/116, 285/1, 285/2, 285/922
• US Class Current: 166/343
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/06 Releasing-joints, e.g. safety joints
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/922 Safety and quick release for drill pipes

Abstract

The disclosure provides a subsea overload release system and method. The disclosure provides a releasable connection system than can be overridden during an overload condition, and is resettable in a subsea location in situ. During normal operation, a collet sleeve is slidably engageable with a collet having one or more fingers that can releasably couple a first member with a second member. During an overload condition, an overload piston acting on fluid in an overload reservoir causes an overload pressure and a rupture or other release of fluid through an overload pressure member, causing the overload reservoir to at least partially collapse. The collapse allows the system to extend and force open the fingers to disengage the second member from the first member. When the overload symptom is rectified, the overload reservoir can be reset and the overload pressure member reset or replaced without requiring repairs above sea surface.

Claims

1. A subsea system for releasing a first member from a second member, comprising:

an overload outer sleeve adapted to be coupled to the first member, comprising;

an overload sleeve wall;

an overload pressure wall disposed at an angle to the overload sleeve wall; and

a collet sleeve overload actuator disposed toward the second member;

an overload pressure member coupled to the overload outer sleeve;

an overload piston slidably coupled to the overload outer sleeve;

a piston extension coupled to the piston, wherein a volume between the overload sleeve wall, the overload pressure wall, the overload piston, and the piston extension forms a collapsible overload reservoir adapted to contain fluid therein;

a connector coupled to the piston extension and having a receiving surface;

a collet coupled to the connector and having at least one finger;

an engagement member adapted to be coupled with the second member and having a mating surface releasably engageble with the receiving surface of the connector; and

a collet sleeve having a wall and slidably engageable with the connector and the overload outer sleeve, the collet sleeve comprising;

a collet sleeve overload receiver disposed toward the collet sleeve overload actuator and adapted to be selectively engaged with the collet sleeve overload actuator;

a first port disposed through the collet sleeve wall;

a second port disposed through the collet sleeve wall;

a collet sleeve piston disposed between the first port and the second port;

wherein a volume between the collet sleeve wall, the connector, and the collet forms a connector reservoir in which the collet sleeve piston is slidable;

the overload piston being adapted to sealingly engage the overload sleeve wall and cause pressure to increase on a fluid in the overload reservoir when a tensile stress occurs between the first member and the second member, the overload pressure member being adapted to allow fluid to exit the overload reservoir when the pressure of the fluid exceeds a pre-established value to allow the overload piston to move relative to the overload outer sleeve and at least partially collapse the overload reservoir, the collet sleeve overload actuator being adapted to engage the collet sleeve overload receiver when the overload piston is moved relative to the overload outer sleeve and move the collet sleeve in a longitudinal direction away from the second member, the collet sleeve being adapted to engage the finger when the collet sleeve is moved longitudinally away from the second member to pull the finger radially outward from the engagement member and disengage the finger from the engagement member to release the second member.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the collet sleeve further comprises a collet sleeve recess having a collet sleeve disengagement surface, the disengagement surface being adapted to selectively engage the collet finger and radially disengage the finger from the engagement member.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the overload reservoir is refillable in situ and the overload pressure member is replaceable in situ to allow resetting of the overload portion after fluid is allowed to exit through the overload pressure member.

4. A subsea system for releasing a first member from a second member, comprising:

a first portion adapted to be connected to the first member;

a second portion adapted to be connected to the second member;

a connection portion slidably coupled to the first portion and adapted to releasably engage the second portion, the connection portion comprising;

a collet sleeve slidably disposed relative to the second portion; and

a collet slidably coupled to the first portion, the collet having a plurality of flexible fingers adapted to selectively engage the second portion by slidable movement of the collet sleeve relative to the second portion; and

an overload portion coupled to the first portion and adapted to override the engagement of the connection portion when a tensile stress between the first member and the second member exceeds a pre-determined stress, the overload portion comprising;

a collapsible overload reservoir adapted to contain fluid therein;

an overload outer sleeve adapted to be coupled to the first member, comprising;

an overload sleeve wall;

an overload pressure wall disposed at an angle to the overload sleeve wall; and

a collet sleeve overload actuator disposed toward the second member;

an overload pressure member coupled to the overload outer sleeve and adapted to restrict fluid from exiting the reservoir at a pressure below a pre-determined amount;

an overload piston slidably coupled to the overload outer sleeve; and

a piston extension coupled to the piston, wherein a volume between the overload sleeve wall, the overload pressure wall, the overload piston, and the piston extension forms the collapsible overload reservoir.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the overload reservoir is refillable in situ and the overload pressure member is replaceable in situ to allow resetting of the overload portion.

6. The system of claim 4, the overload piston being adapted to sealingly engage the overload sleeve wall and cause pressure to increase on a fluid in the overload reservoir when a tensile stress occurs between the first member and the second member, the overload pressure member being adapted to allow fluid to exit the overload reservoir when the pressure of the fluid exceeds a pre-established value to allow the overload piston to move relative to the overload outer sleeve and at least partially collapse the overload reservoir.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the connection portion further comprises:

a connector coupled to the overload portion and having a receiving surface, the collet being coupled to the connector, the second portion comprising an engagement member having a mating surface releasably engageble with the receiving surface of the connector;

the collet sleeve having a wall and slidably engageable with the connector and the overload portion, the collet sleeve comprising;

a collet sleeve overload receiver disposed toward the overload portion;

a first port disposed through the collet sleeve wall;

a second port disposed through the collet sleeve wall;

a collet sleeve piston disposed between the first port and the second port;

wherein a volume between the collet sleeve wall, the connector, and the collet forms a connector reservoir in which the collet sleeve piston is slidable.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the overload portion further comprises a collet sleeve overload actuator disposed toward the second member, the collet sleeve overload actuator being adapted to engage the collet sleeve overload receiver when the overload piston is moved relative to the overload outer sleeve and move the collet sleeve in a longitudinal direction away from the second member, the collet sleeve being adapted to engage the fingers when the collet sleeve is moved longitudinally away from the second member to pull the fingers radially outward from the engagement member and disengage the fingers from the engagement member to release the second member.

9. A method of releasably coupling a first member and a second member, the first member slidably coupled with collet with a plurality of fingers engageable with the second member, the collet being slidably coupled to a collet sleeve having a collet sleeve overload receiver, and the first member being slidably coupled with an overload portion having an overload reservoir, a collet sleeve overload actuator disposed toward the second member, and an overload pressure member, comprising:

allowing fluid in the overload reservoir to be pressurized above a predetermined pressure based on a tensile stress between the first member and the second member;

allowing fluid in the overload reservoir to exit the overload reservoir through the overload pressure member;

causing the overload reservoir to at least partially collapse;

allowing the collet sleeve overload actuator to engage the collet sleeve overload receiver and move the collet sleeve in a longitudinal direction away from the second member;

allowing the first member to move in a longitudinal direction away from the collet and the second member; and

forcing the fingers to radially disengage the second member to releasably uncouple the first member and the second member.

10. A subsea system for releasing a first member from a second member, comprising:

a first portion adapted to be connected to the first member;

a second portion adapted to be connected to the second member;

a connection portion slidably coupled to the first portion and adapted to releasably engage the second portion, the connection portion comprising;

a collet sleeve slidably disposed relative to the second portion;

a collet slidably coupled to the first portion, the collet having a plurality of flexible fingers adapted to selectively engage the second portion by slidable movement of the collet sleeve relative to the second portion; and

a connector coupled to an overload portion and having a receiving surface, the collet being coupled to the connector, the second portion comprising an engagement member having a mating surface releasably engageble with the receiving surface of the connector;

the collet sleeve having a wall and slidably engageable with the connector and the overload portion, the collet sleeve comprising;

a collet sleeve overload receiver disposed toward the overload portion;

a first port disposed through the collet sleeve wall;

a second port disposed through the collet sleeve wall;

a collet sleeve piston disposed between the first port and the second port;

wherein a volume between the collet sleeve wall, the connector, and the collet forms a connector reservoir in which the collet sleeve piston is slidable; and

the overload portion being coupled to the first portion and adapted to override the engagement of the connection portion when a tensile stress between the first member and the second member exceeds a pre-determined stress, the overload portion comprising;

an overload reservoir;

an overload pressure member adapted to restrict fluid from exiting the reservoir at a pressure below a pre-determined amount; and

a collet sleeve overload actuator disposed toward the second member, the collet sleeve overload actuator being adapted to engage the collet sleeve overload receiver when the overload piston is moved relative to the overload outer sleeve and move the collet sleeve in a longitudinal direction away from the second member, the collet sleeve being adapted to engage the fingers when the collet sleeve is moved longitudinally away from the second member to pull the fingers radially outward from the engagement member and disengage the fingers from the engagement member to release the second member.