Subsea Well Safing System

• US 20140332221A1
• Filed: 07/21/2014
• Published: 11/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bastion Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bastion Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Coppedge, Charles Don, Kelley, Dana Karl, Porter, Charles C., Rumann, Hildebrand Argie
• Granted Patent: US 9,181,769 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/340
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/01 Risers
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 2200/01 Sealings characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/12 specially adapted for underwater installations E21B29/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/038 Connectors used on well heads, e.g. for connecting blow-out preventer and riser
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/064 specially adapted for underwater well heads

Abstract

A subsea well safing method and apparatus to secure a subsea well in the event of a perceived blowout in a manner to mitigate the environmental damage and the physical damage to the subsea wellhead equipment to promote the ability to reconnect and recover control of the well. The safing assembly is connectable to a subsea well and a marine riser. Pursuant to a safing sequence, the well tubular is secured in the upper and lower safing assemblies and the tubular is then sheared between the locations at which it has been secured. Subsequently, an ejection device may be actuated to physically separate the upper safing assembly and the connected marine riser from the lower safing assembly the subsea well.

Claims

1. A subsea well safing package, comprising:

an assembly connector interconnecting a lower assembly and an upper assembly, the lower assembly is to be connected to a subsea well;

the lower assembly comprising lower slips to engage and secure a tubular suspended in a bore formed through the lower assembly and the upper assembly;

the upper assembly comprising upper slips operable to engage and secure the tubular; and

a shear positioned between the upper slips and the lower slips, the shear operable to shear the tubular.

2. The package of claim 1, further comprising a vent carried by the lower assembly, the vent operable between an open and a closed position.

3. The package of claim 1, comprising a vent carried by the lower assembly and positioned below the lower slips when connected to the subsea well, wherein the vent is operable between an open and a closed position.

4. The package of claim 1, comprising an ejector device connected between the lower assembly and the upper assembly, the ejector device operable to push the upper assembly and the lower assembly apart.

5. The package of claim 1, wherein the lower assembly comprises a blind ram located between the lower slips and the assembly connector operable to seal the bore.

6. The package of claim 1, comprising an ejector device connected between the lower assembly and the upper assembly operable to push the upper assembly and the lower assembly apart;

and

the lower assembly comprising a blind ram located between the lower slips and the assembly connector operable to seal the bore.

7. The package of claim 6, comprising a vent carried by the lower assembly and positioned below the lower slips when connected to the subsea well, wherein the vent is operable between an open and a closed position.

8. The package of claim 1, comprising:

a vent carried by the lower assembly and positioned below the lower slips when connected to the subsea well, wherein the vent is operable between an open and a closed position; and

a deflector device positioned between the lower slips and the vent, the deflector device operable to a closed position to contact the tubular in the bore.

9. The package of claim 8, wherein the deflector device does not seal against the tubular.

10. The package of claim 8, comprising an ejector device connected between the lower assembly and the upper assembly operable to push the upper assembly and the lower assembly apart;

and

the lower assembly comprising a blind ram located between the shear and the assembly connector operable to seal the bore.

11. A subsea well system, comprising:

a safing package comprising a lower assembly connected to a subsea well and an upper assembly connected to a marine riser;

an assembly connector in a latched position interconnecting the lower assembly and the upper assembly and providing a bore through the safing package in communication with the marine riser and the subsea well, the assembly connector operable to an unlatched position thereby disconnecting the upper assembly from the lower assembly;

the lower assembly comprising lower slips to engage and secure a tubular suspended in the bore;

the upper assembly comprising upper slips operable to engage and secure the tubular; and

a shear positioned between the upper slips and the lower slips operable to shear the tubular.

12. The system of claim 11, comprising an ejector device connected between the lower assembly and the upper assembly, the ejector device operable to urge the upper assembly and the lower assembly physically apart.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the assembly comprises a vent in communication with the bore and located between the subsea well and the lower slips, the vent operable between a closed position and an open position.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the assembly comprises:

a vent in communication with the bore and located between the subsea well and the lower slips, the vent operable between a closed position and an open position; and

a deflector device located in the lower assembly between the lower slips and the vent, the deflector device operable to a closed position to contact the tubular in the bore.

15. A subsea well safing method, comprising:

utilizing a safing package installed between a subsea well and a marine riser, the safing package comprising a lower assembly connected to the subsea well and upper assembly connected to the marine riser forming a bore between the riser and the subsea well, wherein the lower assembly comprises lower slips and the upper assembly comprises upper slips;

securing a tubular suspended in the bore with the lower slips at a position in the lower assembly;

securing the tubular with the upper slips at a position in the upper assembly;

shearing the tubular in the bore between the position in the lower assembly and the position in the upper assembly at which the tubular has been secured; and

after shearing the tubular, disconnecting the upper assembly from the lower assembly.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the disconnecting comprises physically separating the upper assembly from the lower assembly.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the disconnecting comprises actuating an ejector device connected between the upper assembly and the lower assembly thereby physically separating the upper assembly from the lower assembly.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising after shearing the tubular, sealing the bore in the lower assembly.

19. The method of claim 15, comprising prior to securing the tubular, venting pressure from the bore through a vent located in the lower assembly below the position at which the tubular is to be secured in the lower assembly.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising prior to securing the tubular:

venting pressure from the bore through a vent located in the lower assembly below the position at which the tubular is to be secured in the lower assembly; and

diverting fluid flow from the bore to the vent prior to securing the tubular.