Apparatus and method for recovering fluids from a well and/or injecting fluids into a well

• US 8,540,018 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2012
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: OneSubsea IP UK Limited (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Cameron Systems (Ireland) Limited (SLB)
• Inventors: Donald, Ian, Reid, John
• Primary Examiner(s): HUTCHINS, CATHLEEN R
• Application Number:
  US13/536,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20120267094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: 166/95.1, 166/75.12, 166/97.5, 166/91.1, 166/368, 166/88.1, 166/75.13, 166/86.2, 137/597
• US Class Current: 166/95.1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/03 Well heads; Setting-up thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/0353 Horizontal or spool trees, i.e. without production valves in the vertical main bore
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/0387 Hydraulic stab connectors
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/047 for plural tubing strings
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/068 having provision for introducing objects or fluids into, or removing objects from, wells cementing-heads E21B33/05
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/076 specially adapted for underwater installations
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/025 Chokes or valves in wellheads and sub-sea wellheads for variably regulating fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/04 in underwater well heads
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0007 for underwater installations E21B41/005, E21B41/04, E21B41/06, E21B41/08, E21B41/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/01 specially adapted for obtaining from underwater installations
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/12 Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/16 Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/162 Injecting fluid from longitudinally spaced locations in injection well
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/166 Injecting a gaseous medium; Injecting a gaseous medium and a liquid medium CO2 injection E21B43/164; steam injection E21B43/24
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/36 Underwater separating arrangements E21B43/38 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for diverting fluids either into or from a well are described. Some embodiments include a diverter conduit that is located in a bore of a tree. The invention relates especially but not exclusively to a diverter assembly connected to a wing branch of a tree. Some embodiments allow diversion of fluids out of a tree to a subsea processing apparatus followed by the return of at least some of these fluids to the tree for recovery. Alternative embodiments provide only one flowpath and do not include the return of any fluids to the tree. Some embodiments can be retro-fitted to existing trees, which can allow the performance of a new function without having to replacing the tree. Multiple diverter assembly embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. A subsea system, comprising:

a manifold configured to communicate with a well bore, wherein the manifold comprises a branch;

a diverter assembly directly coupled to the branch; and

a bypass conduit coupled to the diverter assembly, wherein the bypass conduit is configured to couple to the well bore whilst bypassing at least a part of the branch;

wherein the manifold is connected to a processing apparatus via the bypass conduit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein an internal passage of the diverter assembly extends within an interior of the branch.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein an internal passage of the bypass conduit is in fluid communication with a branch outlet of the branch.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the branch has an inlet and an outlet, and the diverter assembly comprises a barrier to separate the branch inlet from the branch outlet.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a part of the diverter assembly is sealed inside the branch to block fluid communication between two separate regions of the branch.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the two separate regions are separated by an insert of the diverter assembly.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing apparatus is chosen from at least one of:

a process fluid turbine;

injection apparatus;

chemical injection apparatus;

materials injection apparatus;

a fluid riser;

measurement apparatus;

temperature measurement apparatus;

flow rate measurement apparatus;

constitution measurement apparatus;

consistency measurement apparatus;

gas separation apparatus;

water separation apparatus;

solids separation apparatus; and

hydrocarbon separation apparatus.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the bypass conduit connects the diverter assembly to the well bore via an aperture in a cap.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the diverter assembly is connected to a processing apparatus.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the diverter assembly includes a tubular insert disposed at least partially inside the branch.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the tubular insert seals with a wall of the branch.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the bypass conduit communicates with the tubular insert.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the bypass conduit and tubular insert form a fluid passageway between the well bore and a branch outlet.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the bypass conduit communicates a processing apparatus with the well bore and a flowline.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the diverter assembly comprises a housing having an insert projecting into the branch and forming a space between the insert and the housing.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the diverter assembly comprises a housing having an insert projecting into the branch and forming a space between the insert and the branch.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the diverter assembly comprises a housing having an insert projecting into the branch and forming a first region comprising a bore of the insert and a second region comprising a space between the insert and the housing or the branch.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the diverter assembly comprises a housing having an insert projecting into the branch, and wherein the bypass conduit is configured to couple to an aperture in the housing.

19. An assembly for a subsea well having a tree bore extending through a tree and into the well, comprising:

a branch on the tree, the branch having a branch bore communicating with the tree bore at a branch inlet and having an outlet and the branch including a port through a wall of the branch communicating with the branch bore; and

a choke mounted on the branch between the port and the outlet, the choke having an open position to allow flow through the branch bore and a closed position to close flow through the branch bore.

20. The assembly of claim 19 further comprising a conduit communicating with the port to form a flowpath extending from an apparatus and through the conduit and port and into at least a portion of the branch bore to flow fluids into or from the at least a portion of the branch bore.

21. The assembly of claim 20 wherein the apparatus is adapted to inject chemicals through the flowpath.

22. The assembly of claim 20 wherein the apparatus is selected from the group consisting of at least one of a pump, process fluid turbine, gas injection apparatus, steam injection apparatus, chemical injection apparatus, materials injection apparatus, gas separation apparatus, water separation apparatus, sand/debris separation apparatus, hydrocarbon separation apparatus, fluid measurement apparatus, temperature measurement apparatus, flow rate measurement apparatus, constitution measurement apparatus, consistency measurement apparatus, chemical treatment apparatus, pressure boosting apparatus, and water electrolysis apparatus.

23. The assembly of claim 20 wherein the apparatus is an injection apparatus to inject materials through the flowpath.

24. The assembly of claim 20 wherein the conduit is connected to the branch at the port.

25. The assembly of claim 20 wherein the at least a portion of the branch bore includes communicating with the tree bore.

26. The assembly of claim 20 wherein the at least a portion of the branch bore includes the outlet.

27. The assembly of claim 26 wherein the outlet communicates with a bore of another well.

28. The assembly of claim 27 wherein the apparatus is a materials injection apparatus to inject material into the another well.

29. The assembly of claim 26 wherein the outlet communicates with a communal conduit connected to another well.

30. A subsea tree assembly connectable to a subsea tree and a subsea production flowline, the subsea tree including a production bore, comprising:

a tree cap adapted for connection to the top of the subsea tree, the tree cap having a hub on the top of the tree cap and an axial passage extending therethrough and in axial alignment with the production bore;

a processing apparatus comprising a first conduit adapted for connection to the tree cap hub and a second conduit adapted for connection to a production flowline hub communicating with the flowline, the first and second conduits and processing apparatus defining a fluid flow passageway therein, whereby the subsea tree is in fluid communication with the production flowline after the tree cap, processing apparatus and conduits are connected to the subsea tree and the production flowline; and

a choke for controlling fluids flowing through the fluid flow passageway;

wherein the tree cap is spaced apart from the production flowline hub.

31. The subsea tree assembly of claim 30, wherein the processing apparatus includes a flow measuring device.

32. The subsea tree assembly of claim 30, wherein the module includes a chemical injection device.

33. The subsea tree assembly of claim 30 wherein the processing device comprises a process fluid turbine, an injection apparatus for injecting gas or steam, a chemical injection apparatus, a materials injection apparatus, a chemical reaction vessel, a pressure regulation apparatus, a fluid riser, a measurement apparatus, a temperature measurement apparatus, a flow rate measurement apparatus, a constitution measurement apparatus, a consistency measurement apparatus, a gas separation apparatus, a water separation apparatus, a solids separation apparatus, a hydrocarbon separation apparatus, or a combination thereof.

34. A subsea tree assembly to provide a fluid communication between a subsea tree having a hub and a production flowline having a hub, the assembly comprising:

a first connector for connecting to the subsea tree hub and a second connector for connecting to the production flowline hub;

a choke for controlling fluids flowing through the connectors; and

a flow measuring device;

the assembly, when installed, forming a fluid flow passageway which connects the subsea tree and the production flowline and extends through the choke and flow measuring device;

wherein the subsea tree hub is laterally spaced apart from the production flowline.

35. The subsea assembly of claim 34 wherein the assembly further includes a processing apparatus.

36. The subsea assembly of claim 35 wherein the processing device includes at least one of the group consisting of a pump, a process fluid turbine, an injection apparatus for injecting gas or steam, a chemical injection apparatus, a material injection apparatus, a chemical reaction vessel, a pressure regulation apparatus, a fluid riser, a measurement apparatus, a temperature measurement apparatus, a flow rate measurement apparatus, a constitution measurement apparatus, a consistency measurement apparatus, a gas separation apparatus, a water separation apparatus, a solids separation apparatus, a hydrocarbon separation apparatus, or a combination thereof.

37. The subsea assembly of claim 34 wherein the subsea tree and flowline have hubs for connecting to the two connectors.

38. A subsea tree assembly to provide a fluid communication between a subsea tree having a hub and a production flowline having a hub, the assembly comprising:

a first connector for connecting to the subsea tree hub and a second connector for connecting to the production flowline hub;

a choke for controlling fluids flowing through the connectors; and

a flow measuring device;

the assembly, when installed, forming a fluid flow passageway which connects the subsea tree and the production flowline and extends through the choke and flow measuring device and provides the only fluid communication between the subsea tree and flowline;

wherein the subsea tree hub is laterally spaced apart from the production flowline.