Deep water riser assembly

• US 5,676,209 A
• Filed: 11/20/1995
• Issued: 10/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hydril USA Manufacturing LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: Hydril Company L P (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Reynolds, Graeme E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsay, Frank
• Application Number:
  US08/559,638
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 166/339, 166/340, 166/345, 166/352, 166/359, 405/195.1, 405/223.1
• US Class Current: 166/345
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/012 with buoyancy elements E21B17/015 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 33/063 for shearing drill pipes cutting of wireline E21B29/04
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/064 specially adapted for underwater well heads

Abstract

A deep water riser assembly includes a lower BOP stack positioned adjacent and anchored to the bottom of the ocean and an upper BOP stack attached to the riser at a water level just far enough below the surface to be unaffected by surface currents. The upper BOP stack has shear rams above the pipe rams to sever the section of the drill pipe above the shear rams to allow the upper section of the drill pipe between the shear rams and the drill ship to be retrieved followed by the section of riser above the upper BOP stack to free the drill ship to move as required to better weather a surface storm. A floatation module is attached to the riser below the upper BOP stack and exerts an upward force that holds the riser below the upper BOP stack free-standing and in tension. Means are provided to reconnect the upper section of the riser to the upper BOP stack after the storm has passed.

Claims

1. A deep water riser assembly extending between a drill ship and the bottom of the water through which drill pipe extends to rotate a drill bit and drill a well bore in the bottom below the water, said riser assembly comprising a lower BOP stack positioned adjacent and anchored to the bottom of the water, a lower section of riser pipe joints extending upwardly from the lower BOP stack, an upper BOP stack attached to the lower section of the riser at a water level far enough below the surface to be unaffected by surface currents, said upper BOP stack having lower pipe rams to engage the drill pipe and seal the annulus between the upper BOP stack and the riser, and an upper section of riser pipe joints extending upwardly from the upper BOP stack, shear rams in the upper BOP stack above the pipe rams to sever the portion of the drill pipe above the shear rams to allow the upper section of the drill pipe between the shear rams and the drill ship to be retrieved and disconnecting and removing the upper section of riser pipe to free the drill ship to move as required to better weather a surface stem, and a floatation module attached to the riser below the upper BOP stack to exert an upward force of the riser below the upper BOP and hold the riser below the upper BOP free-standing in tension, and means to reconnect the upper section of the riser to the upper BOP stack after the storm has passed.

2. The deep water riser assembly of claim 1 in which the lower BOP are opened and closed by electrical motors, two reels of electrical conduit mounted on the upper BOP having sufficient cable to extend to the lower BOP stack and supply power to the lower BOP to open and close the rams of the BOP'"'"'s.

3. The deep water riser assembly of claim 2 further provided with kill and flow lines and electrical conductors having upper portions that extend from the drill ship to the upper BOP stack and lower portions that extend from the upper BOP stack to the lower BOP stack, kill and flow line connectors mounted on the upper BOP stack for connecting the upper and lower portions of the kill and flow lines and connectors mounted on the upper BOP stack for connecting the upper and lower portions of the electrical conductors to allow the upper portions of the kill and flow lines and the upper portion of the electrical conductors to be disconnected from their lower portions and raised to the surface with the upper portion of the riser.