Subsea diverter system for use with a blowout preventer
First Claim
1. An apparatus for diverting a fluid from a subsea well, the apparatus comprising:
- a blowout preventer having an upper portion and a lower portion, each of said upper portion and said lower portion having a flow passageway extending vertically therethrough, said blowout preventer having a valve in said upper portion and a valve in said lower portion, said valve suitable for closing a flow of the fluid through that flow passageway;
a diverter affixed between said upper portion and said lower portion of said blowout preventer, said diverter having an interior passageway extending vertically therethrough in alignment with said flow passageways of said upper and lower portions of said blowout preventer, said diverter having a flowline communicating with said interior passageway and extending outwardly therefrom, said flowline having a valve thereon, said valve of said flowline movable between an open position and a closed position, said open position suitable for allowing at least a portion of the fluid from the flow passageway to pass outwardly of said flowline, said closed position suitable for blocking the fluid from passing outwardly of said flowline of said diverter; and
a first pressure transducer cooperative with said flow passageway of said upper portion of said blowout preventer, anda second pressure transducer cooperative with said flow passageway of said lower portion of said blowout preventer, each of said first and second pressure transducers suitable for measuring a pressure in the flow passageway.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for diverting a fluid from a subsea well has a blowout preventer with an upper portion and a lower portion, and a diverter affixed between the upper and lower portions of the blowout preventer. Each of the upper portion and lower portion of the blowout preventer has a flow passageway extending vertically therethrough. The diverter has an interior passageway extending vertically therethrough in alignment with the flow passageway of the upper and lower portions of the blowout preventer. The diverter has a flowline communicating with the interior passageway and extends outwardly therefrom. The flowline has a valve thereon which is movable between an open position and a closed position. The open position is suitable for allowing at least a portion of the fluid from the flow passageway to pass outwardly of the flowline to a location remote from the blowout preventer.
35 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus for diverting a fluid from a subsea well, the apparatus comprising:
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a blowout preventer having an upper portion and a lower portion, each of said upper portion and said lower portion having a flow passageway extending vertically therethrough, said blowout preventer having a valve in said upper portion and a valve in said lower portion, said valve suitable for closing a flow of the fluid through that flow passageway; a diverter affixed between said upper portion and said lower portion of said blowout preventer, said diverter having an interior passageway extending vertically therethrough in alignment with said flow passageways of said upper and lower portions of said blowout preventer, said diverter having a flowline communicating with said interior passageway and extending outwardly therefrom, said flowline having a valve thereon, said valve of said flowline movable between an open position and a closed position, said open position suitable for allowing at least a portion of the fluid from the flow passageway to pass outwardly of said flowline, said closed position suitable for blocking the fluid from passing outwardly of said flowline of said diverter; and a first pressure transducer cooperative with said flow passageway of said upper portion of said blowout preventer, and a second pressure transducer cooperative with said flow passageway of said lower portion of said blowout preventer, each of said first and second pressure transducers suitable for measuring a pressure in the flow passageway. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for diverting a fluid from a subsea well, the apparatus comprising:
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a blowout preventer having an upper portion and a lower portion, each of said upper portion and said lower portion having a flow passageway extending vertically therethrough, said blowout preventer having a valve in said upper portion and a valve in said lower portion, said valve suitable for closing a flow of the fluid through said flow passageway; and a diverter affixed between said upper portion and said lower portion of said blowout preventer, said diverter having an interior passageway extending vertically therethrough in alignment with said flow passageways of said upper and lower portions of said blowout preventer, said diverter having a flowline communicating with said interior passageway and extending outwardly therefrom, said flowline having a valve thereon, said valve of said flowline movable between an open position and a closed position, said open position suitable for allowing at least a portion of the fluid from the flow passageway to pass outwardly of said flowline, said closed position suitable for blocking the fluid from passing outwardly of said flowline of said diverter, said valve in said flowline of said diverter being a gate valve, said gate valve having an actuator extending outwardly therefrom, said actuator suitable for manipulation by a remotely-operated vehicle.
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10. An apparatus for diverting a fluid from a subsea well, the apparatus comprising:
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a blowout preventer having an upper portion and a lower portion, each of said upper portion and said lower portion having a flow passageway extending vertically therethrough, said blowout preventer having a valve in said upper portion and a valve in said lower portion, said valve suitable for closing a flow of the fluid through said flow passageway, a diverter affixed between said upper portion and said lower portion of said blowout preventer, said diverter having an interior passageway extending vertically therethrough in alignment with said flow passageways of said upper and lower portions of said blowout preventer, said diverter having a flowline communicating with said interior passageway and extending outwardly therefrom, said flowline having a valve thereon, said valve of said flowline movable between an open position and a closed position, said open position suitable for allowing at least a portion of the fluid from the flow passageway to pass outwardly of said flowline, said closed position suitable for blocking the fluid from passing outwardly of said flowline of said diverter, said flowline of said diverter having a connector at an end thereof; and a diversion line having a connector thereon, said connector of said diversion line engageable with said connector of said diverter. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for diverting a fluid from a subsea well, the method comprising:
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affixing a diverter between an upper portion and a lower portion of a blowout preventer, said diverter having a flowline extending outwardly therefrom, said flowline communicating with an interior passageway of said diverter, said interior passageway of said diverter being aligned with a flow passageway of said upper and lower portions of said blowout preventer; affixing said lower portion of said blowout preventer to a wellhead; actuating a valve in said flowline of said diverter so as to move said valve from a closed position to an open position; flowing the fluid from the subsea well through said flowline of said diverter to a location remote from said blowout preventer; affixing a pipe to an end of said flowline opposite said diverter, said pipe extending away from said blowout preventer; flowing the fluid from said flowline through said pipe; and releasing the fluid from an end of said pipe opposite said flowline. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method for diverting a fluid from a subsea well, the method comprising:
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affixing a diverter between an upper portion and a lower portion of a blowout preventer, said diverter having a flowline extending outwardly therefrom, said flowline communicating with an interior passageway of said diverter, said interior passageway of said diverter being aligned with a flow passageway of said upper and lower portions of said blowout preventer; affixing said lower portion of said blowout preventer to a wellhead; actuating a valve in said flowline of said diverter so as to move said valve from a closed position to an open position; flowing the fluid from the subsea well through said flowline of said diverter to a location remote from said blowout preventer; sensing a fluid pressure in said upper portion of said blowout preventer; and sensing a fluid pressure in said lower portion of said blowout preventer, the step of actuating comprising; moving said valve from said closed position to said open position when the sensed fluid pressure in said upper portion of said blowout preventer is less than the sensed fluid pressure in said lower portion.
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18. A method for diverting a fluid from a subsea well, the method comprising:
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affixing a diverter between an upper portion and a lower portion of a blowout preventer, said diverter having a flowline extending outwardly therefrom, said flowline communicating with an interior passageway of said diverter, said interior passageway of said diverter being aligned with a flow passageway of said upper and lower portions of said blowout preventer; affixing said lower portion of said blowout preventer to a wellhead; actuating a valve in said flowline of said diverter so as to move said valve from a closed position to an open position; flowing the fluid from the subsea well through said flowline of said diverter to a location remote from said blowout preventer; guiding a diversion line toward a connector at an end of said flowline; engaging a connector of said diversion line with said connector of said flowline; and opening a valve in said diversion line so as to allow fluid to flow outwardly of said flowline.
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Specification