Subsea exploitation device
View Patent ↗A subsea oil and/or gas exploitation device including at least one guide member for guiding subsea equipment that is to be landed and connected to the device into a connecting position in relation to the device. The at least one guide member includes an array of projections provided for the purpose of engaging corresponding recesses arranged in a corresponding guide member of the subsea equipment.
1. A subsea oil and/or gas exploitation device, comprising:
at least one projecting guide member comprising a plurality of generally vertically extending projections arranged about a central axis, each projection having a radially sloped upper edge; and
at least one receiving guide member comprising a receiving structure, each receiving structure having an inner surface defining a truncated cone that is radially sloped in a similar direction to the upper edges of the projections, the truncated cone at a wider end extending further from the central axis than the projections, each receiving structure being operative to engage the plurality of projections on the at least one projecting guide member, each receiving structure comprising a plurality of recesses extending through the inner surface of the receiving structure, each recess engaging and surrounding one of the projections, such that each projection extends throughout and vertically above each corresponding recess, wherein said receiving guide member itself is operatively arranged to guide subsea equipment that is to be landed and connected to said device into a connecting position in relation to said device.
2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein each projection has a thickness that is reduced toward a free end thereof.
3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein each projection comprises an outer layer of a low-friction material.
4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the receiving structure comprises a hollow body that defines a funnel, and wherein the recesses are provided in a wall of the funnel.
5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the projections are arranged circumferentially around a center axis of each projecting guide member and the recesses are arranged circumferentially around a center axis of each receiving guide member.
6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device defines a well template and wherein the equipment to be seated thereon comprises a Christmas tree and/or a blow out preventer device.
7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the projections of each projecting guide member or recesses of each receiving guide member are arranged around a center axis of each projecting guide member or each receiving guide member.
8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the projections of each projecting guide member or recesses of each receiving guide member are evenly angularly distributed around a center axis of each projecting guide member or each receiving guide member.
9. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device is a base device that is to be located on the sea bottom.
10. The device according to claim 6 , wherein the device comprises a plurality of said projecting guide members and said receiving guide members, one for each well or drill hole.
11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device defines a Christmas tree or a blow out preventer device.
12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device defines any one of a pump, a de-sander, a de-oiler, a separator, a transformer or a subsea frequency converter.
13. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the low-friction material comprises a polymer.
14. The device according to claim 13 , wherein the polymer comprises poly-tetra-fluor-ethylene.
15. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one receiving guide member is arranged on subsea equipment that is to be landed.
16. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the projections are removably arranged about the central axis.
17. A subsea oil and/or gas exploitation device, comprising:
at least one projecting guide member comprising a plurality of generally vertically extending projections arranged about a central axis, each projection having a radially sloped lower edge; and
at least one receiving guide member comprising a receiving structure, each receiving structure having an inner surface defining a truncated cone that is radially sloped in a similar direction to the lower edges of the projections, the truncated cone at a wider end extending further from the central axis then the projections, each receiving structure being operative to engage the plurality of projections on the at least one projecting guide member, each receiving structure comprising a plurality of recesses extending through the inner surface of the receiving structure, each recess engaging and surrounding one of the projections, such that each projection extends throughout and vertically below each corresponding recess, wherein said receiving guide member itself is operatively arranged to guide subsea equipment that is to be landed and connected to said device into a connecting position in relation to said device.
18. The device according to claim 17 , wherein the at least one projecting member is arranged on subsea equipment that is to be landed.