Interchangeable subsea wellhead devices and methods
View Patent ↗A method for interchangeably connecting undersea a marine package with first and second pressure control devices. The method includes lowering undersea the marine package toward the first pressure control device such that a first half of a feed-thru component mounted to the marine package contacts a second half of the feed-thru component mounted on the first pressure control device; engaging the first and second halves, wherein the first and second halves of the feed-thru component were not previously engaged while the marine package and the first pressure control device were each assembled above sea; and locking the first half to the second half by using an external pressure such that a functionality of the feed-thru component is achieved.
1. A method for interchangeably connecting undersea a marine package with first and second pressure control devices, the method comprising:
lowering undersea the marine package toward the first pressure control device that controls pressure of a fluid, such that a first half of a feed-thru component for the fluid mounted to the marine package contacts a second half of the feed-thru component mounted to the first pressure control device;
engaging the first and second halves, wherein the first and second halves of the feed-thru component were not previously engaged while the marine package and the first pressure control device were each assembled above sea; and
locking the first half to the second half by using an external pressure such that a functionality of the feed-thru component is achieved.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
engaging the first and second halves prior to the locking without using the external pressure.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the engaging step comprises:
floating at least a part of one of the first half of the feed-thru component or the second half of the feed-thru component as the marine package is lowered further toward the first pressure control device, wherein floating comprises allowing the at least a part of the first half of the feed-thru component to move with respect to the marine package or allowing the at least a part of the second half of the feed-thru component to move with respect to the first pressure control device.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein floating comprises allowing the entire first half or the entire second half of the feed-thru component to move with respect to a corresponding frame.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the move during the floating comprises at least one of:
allowing at least one of the first half or second half of the feed-thru component to translate in an oversized hole formed in a corresponding frame while the marine package is further lowered toward the first pressure control device, the oversized hole extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of a well to which the first pressure control device is attached, or
allowing at least one of the first or second half of the feed-thru component to rotate about a point of contact between the first half of the feed-thru component and the second half of the feed-thru component or allowing at least one of the first or second half to rotate relative to a corresponding frame while the marine package is further lowered toward the first pressure control device.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
disconnecting the marine package from the first pressure control device; and
connecting the first half of the feed-thru component of the marine package with another second half of the feed-thru componentmounted to the second pressure control device controlling the pressure of the fluid such that a functionality of the feed-thru component is achieved.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first half of the feed-thru component and the other second half of the feed-thru component were not previously engaged while the marine package and the second pressure control device were each assembled above sea.
8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
before connecting the first half of the feed-thru component of the marine package with the other second half of the feed-thru component mounted to the second pressure control device, floating at least a part of one of the first half of the feed-thru component or the other second half of the feed-thru component mounted to the second pressure control device, as the lower marine package is lowered toward the second pressure control device, wherein floating comprises allowing the at least a part of the first half of the feed-thru component to move with respect to a frame of the marine package or allowing a part of the other second half of the feed-thru component to move with respect to the second pressure control device.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the marine package, the first pressure control device and the second pressure control device are selected from a lower marine riser package, a lower blowout preventer stack, a wellhead, a ROV mount, a production package, a workover package, a completion package, a riser, and combinations thereof.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
engaging a first connector of a control line attached to the marine package with a second connector of the control line attached to the first pressure control device.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the control line is any one of a choke line, a kill line, a hot stab line, a multiplex hydraulic line, a hydraulic line, an electrical line, and a blowout preventer operating line.
12. A method for interchangeably connecting undersea first and second marine packages with a pressure control device, the method comprising:
lowering undersea the first marine package toward the pressure control device such that a first half of a feed-thru component for a fluid, mounted to the first marine package contacts a second half of the feed-thru component mounted to the pressure control device that controls the pressure of the fluid;
engaging the first and second halves, wherein the first and second halves of the feed-thru component were not previously engaged while the first marine package and the pressure control device were each assembled above sea; and
locking the first half to the second half by using an external pressure such that a functionality of the feed-thru component is achieved.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
engaging the first and second halves prior to the locking without using the external pressure.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the engaging step comprises:
floating at least a part of one of the first half of the feed-thru component or the second half of the feed-thru component as the first marine package is lowered further toward the pressure control device, wherein floating comprises allowing the at least a part of the first half of the feed-thru component to move with respect to the first marine package or allowing the at least a part of the second half of the feed-thru component to move with respect to the pressure control device.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein floating comprises allowing the entire first half or the entire second half of the feed-thru component to move with respect to a corresponding frame.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the move during the floating comprises at least one of:
allowing at least one of the first half or second half of the feed-thru component to translate in an oversized hole formed in a corresponding frame while the first marine package is further lowered toward the pressure control device, the oversized hole extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of a well to which the pressure control device is attached, or
allowing at least one of the first or second half of the feed-thru component to rotate about a point of contact between the first half of the feed-thru component and the second half of the feed-thru component or allowing at least one of the first or second half to rotate relative to a corresponding frame while the first marine package is further lowered toward the pressure control device.
17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
disconnecting the first marine package from the first pressure control device; and
connecting another first half of the feed-thru component mounted to the second marine package with the second half of the feed-thru component mounted to the pressure control device controlling the pressure of the fluid such that a functionality of the feed-thru component is achieved.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the other first half of the feed-thru component and the second half of the feed-thru component were not previously engaged while the second marine package and the pressure control device were each assembled above sea.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the connecting of the second marine package with the pressure control device further comprises:
before connecting the other first half of the feed-thru component mounted on the second marine package with the second half of the feed-thru component mounted on the pressure control device, floating at least a part of one of the other first half of the feed-thru component or the second half of the feed-thru component as the second marine package is lowered toward the pressure control device, wherein floating comprises allowing the at least a part of the other first half of the feed-thru component to move with respect to the second marine package or allowing the second half of the feed-thru component to move with respect to the pressure control device.
20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first and second marine packages and the pressure control device are selected from a lower marine riser package, a lower blowout preventer stack, a wellhead, a ROV mount, a production package, a workover package, a completion package, a riser, and combinations thereof.
21. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
engaging a first connector of a control line attached to the first marine package with a second connector of the control line attached to the pressure control device.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the control line is any of a choke line, a kill line, a multiplex hydraulic line, a hydraulic line, an electrical line, and a blowout preventer operating line.