High power laser ROV systems and methods for treating subsea structures

• US 9,327,810 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2015
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Foro Energy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Foro Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Faircloth, Brian O, Rinzler, Charles C, Zediker, Mark S
• Primary Examiner(s): Fiorello, Benjamin
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOLEDO-DURAN, EDWIN J
• Application Number:
  US14/791,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20150307174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• Field of Search: 405/190, 405/191, 405/185, 405/192, 405/193, 405/154.1, 219/121.67, 219/121.72
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/0042 by laser
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/0071 by heating B08B7/0035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/023 Cleaning the external surface B08B9/021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/027 Cleaning the internal surfaces; Removal of blockages
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/007 by means of a physical link to a base, e.g. wire, cable or umbilical
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/001 Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/04 Manipulators for underwater operations, e.g. temporarily connected to well heads
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4296 coupling with sources of high radiant energy, e.g. high power lasers, high temperature light sources

Abstract

There is provided a high power laser system for powering a remotely located laser device, such as an ROV, using a high power laser fiber optic tether and a photo-conversion device, such as a laser photovoltaic assembly. Laser device systems, such as ROV systems that utilizes a high power laser cutting and/or cleaning tools are also provided.

Claims

1. A high power offshore laser remotely operated vehicle system, for positing a remotely operated vehicle below a surface of a body of water to manage hydrate formation in a subsea structure, the system comprising:

a. a submergible cage structure comprising an electric cable associated with a source of electrical power, and a lifting cable for lowering and raising the cage structure;

b. the submergible cage structure retrievably housing a remotely operated vehicle, whereby, when submerged, the remotely operated vehicle is capable of exiting the cage structure to perform a laser operation and returning to the cage structure;

c. a submergible laser housing, containing a high power laser for providing a high power laser beam having at least about 1 kW of power;

d. the remotely operated vehicle comprising a laser beam deliver tool; and

,

e. a submergible optical fiber, optically connecting the laser beam delivery tool with the high power laser;

f. wherein the cage structure housing the remotely operated vehicle is capable of being lowered below a surface of a body of water, the remotely operated vehicle is capable of exiting the submerged cage structure and delivering the high power laser beam to a subsea structure, whereby a hydrate formation associated with the subsea structure is reduced.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the lifting cable and electric cable are contained in a tether.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the high power laser beam has at least about 5 kW of power.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the high power laser beam has a wavelength of at least 455 nm.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the high power laser beam has a wavelength of at least 400 nm.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the source of the high power laser beam is a diode laser.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the source of the high power laser beam is a diode laser.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the source of the high power laser beam is a semiconductor laser.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the source of the high power laser beam is a semiconductor laser.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the submergible laser housing is attached to the submergible cage structure.

35. The system of claim 1, wherein the remotely operated vehicle comprises a sensor.

11. A high power offshore remotely operated vehicle laser system, for positing a remotely operated vehicle below a surface of a body of water to perform a laser operation on a subsea structure without physically touching the subsea structure, the system comprising:

a. a submergible cage structure comprising a tether associated with a source of electrical power;

b. the submergible cage structure retrievably housing a ROV, whereby, when submerged, the remotely operated vehicle is capable of exiting the cage structure to perform a laser operation and returning to the cage structure;

c. a submergible laser housing, containing a high power laser for providing a high power laser beam having a power of at least about 1 kW;

d. the remotely operated vehicle comprising a laser beam deliver tool; and

,

e. an optical fiber, optically connecting the laser beam delivery tool with the the high power laser;

f. wherein the cage structure housing the remotely operated vehicle is capable of being lowered below a surface of a body of water, the remotely operated vehicle is capable of exiting the submerged cage structure and delivering the high power laser beam to a subsea structure, whereby the laser operation is performed on the subsea structure without physically contacting the subsea structure.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the high power laser beam has at least about 5 kW of power.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the high power laser beam has a wavelength of at least 455 nm.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the source of the high power laser beam is a semiconductor laser.

15. The system of claim 11, comprising a submergible spool containing at least a portion of the optical fiber.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the submergible laser housing is attached to the submergible cage structure.

36. The system of claim 11, wherein the remotely operated vehicle comprises a sensor.

17. A high power offshore remotely operated vehicle laser system, for positing a remotely operated vehicle below a surface of a body of water to perform a laser operation on a subsea structure without physically touching the subsea structure, the system comprising:

a. a deployment system comprising a tether, the tether connected to a remotely operated vehicle;

b. a high power laser for providing a laser beam having a power of at least about 1 kW;

c. the remotely operated vehicle comprising a laser beam deliver tool; and

,

d. an optical fiber, optically connecting the laser beam delivery tool with the high power laser, whereby the laser beam delivery tool is capable of delivering the laser beam to a subsea structure;

e. wherein the the remotely operated vehicle is capable of being positioned below a surface of a body of water and delivering the high power laser beam to the subsea structure, whereby a laser operation is performed on the subsea structure without physically contacting the subsea structure.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the laser operation is the elimination of a hydrate formation.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the laser operation is the management of hydrate formation.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the laser operation is the control of hydrate formation.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the high power laser beam has a wavelength of at least 400 nm.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the high power laser beam has a wavelength of at least 400 nm.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the source of the high power laser beam is a diode laser.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the source of the high power laser beam is a diode laser.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the source of the high power laser beam is a diode laser.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the source of the high power laser beam is a semiconductor laser.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the source of the high power laser beam is a semiconductor laser.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the source of the high power laser beam is a semiconductor laser.

37. The system of claim 17, wherein the remotely operated vehicle comprises a sensor.

29. A high power subsea laser subsea structure treatment system comprising:

a. an offshore support vessel;

b. a subsea laser assembly comprising a subsea high power laser, the high power laser capable of propagating at least a 1 kW laser beam;

c. a subsea umbilical having a distal end and a proximal end defining a length there between;

d. a high power optical fiber;

e. a subsea remotely operated vehicle comprising a laser delivery tool;

f. an umbilical handling device;

g. the support vessel comprising a subsea laser assembly handling device, wherein the subsea laser assembly can be deployed from the vessel; and

,

h. a proximal end of the optical fiber in optical communication with the high power laser and a distal end of the optical fiber in optical communication with the laser delivery tool.

38. The system of claim 29, wherein the subsea remotely operated vehicle comprises a sensor.

30. A method of performing a subsea laser operation on an offshore structure, the method comprising:

a. deploying a remotely operated vehicle into a body of water, the remotely operated vehicle comprising a laser delivery tool in optical communication with a high power laser;

b. positing the remotely operated vehicle below a surface of the body of water adjacent to an offshore structure;

c. positioning the laser delivery tool to direct a laser beam to the offshore structure;

d. providing a high power laser beam having a power of at least about 1 kW from the high power laser to the laser delivery tool, and delivering the high power laser beam from the laser delivery tool to the offshore structure; and

,

e. the laser beam performing a laser operation on the offshore structure without damaging the offshore structure.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the offshore structure is a subsea structure.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the laser operation is the elimination of a hydrate formation.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the laser operation is the management of hydrate formation.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the laser operation is the control of hydrate formation.