Cap system for subsea equipment
View Patent ↗A cap system for subsea equipment that can be employed on various subsea equipment including but not limited to a vertical monobore tree, a horizontal tree, a wellhead and a tubing head spool. The cap system includes a cap assembly that has the flexibility of installation and retrieval for open water as well as a through a riser with a running tool. The cap assembly also does not require any orientation during installation. The cap system includes a debris cap assembly installable in engagement with the cap assembly. The debris cap assembly interfacing with the cap assembly provides the ability to inject and bleed fluids through a main bore and an annulus bore of the subsea tree independently and without removal of the debris cap assembly and cap assembly.
1. A cap system for subsea equipment comprising an annulus bore, including a cap assembly installable using a running tool either through a riser or open water, the cap assembly comprising:
a main body portion comprising a valve operable to control fluid communication through the main body portion and with the annulus bore of the equipment;
an actuator plate assembly movable relative to the main body and comprising a profile engageable by the running tool; and
wherein the cap assembly is installable by engaging the actuator plate assembly to move and land the cap assembly into the equipment and then moving the actuator plate assembly relative to the main body portion to lock the cap assembly inside the equipment.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the subsea equipment can be a vertical tree, a horizontal tree, a wellhead, or a tubing head spool.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the main body further includes seals for engaging the vertical tree or the horizontal tree to seal and isolate a main bore from the annulus bore.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the hot stab receptacle is engageable by a debris cap assembly.
5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the main body portion includes a seal that seals the annulus bore in a tree, which is the primary seal barrier for the annulus bore and secondary or tertiary seal barrier for a main bore of the tree.
6. The system of claim 1 , further including:
a split lock ring assembled to the main body;
a seal around the main body; and
the main body further including:
an elongated stab sub extending from the main body portion into a main bore; and
a hot stab receptacle allowing fluid communication with the main bore and the annulus bore.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the main body further includes more than one valve, wherein the valves are operable to control fluid communication between the hot stab receptacle and the main or annulus bores.
8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the elongated stab sub includes a seal that seals the cap assembly to the main bore and isolates the main bore from the annulus bore.
9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the split lock ring is actuatable by moving the actuator plate relative to the main body portion.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cap assembly is installable in any rotational orientation relative to the subsea equipment.
11. A cap system for subsea equipment comprising a production bore and an annulus bore, the cap system comprising:
a cap assembly including a hot stab receptacle allowing fluid communication with the subsea equipment and a valve operable to control fluid communication between the hot stab receptacle and the production bore or the annulus bore in the subsea equipment;
a debris cap assembly including a hot stab engageable with the hot stab receptacle for establishing fluid communication with the cap assembly; and
wherein the hot stab and the hot stab receptacle are configured to enable fluid communication therethrough only when engaged with each other.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the cap assembly is installable using a running tool either through a riser or open water and comprises:
a main body portion;
an actuator plate assembly movable relative to the main body and comprising a profile engageable by the running tool; and
the cap assembly is installable by engaging the actuator plate to move and land the main body portion into the subsea equipment and moving the actuator plate relative to the main body portion to lock the cap assembly inside the subsea equipment.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the the cap assembly includes a first valve operable to control fluid communication between the hot stab receptacle and the production bore in the subsea equipment and a second valve operable to control fluid communication between the hot stab receptacle and the annulus bore in the subsea equipment.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the debris cap assembly further includes:
a debris cap body;
a valve paddle manipulator engageable with one of the valves;
a ROV paddle engageable with the valve paddle manipulator;
a ROV hot stab male insert profile; and
a ROV hot stab receptacle.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the valve paddle manipulator controls fluid communication through one of the valves.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the debris cap assembly includes:
multiple valve paddle manipulators, each engageable with a valve; and
multiple ROV paddles, each engageable with a valve paddle manipulator.
17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the ROV hot stab receptacle on the debris cap assembly and the hot stab receptacle on the cap assembly are in fluid communication with a main bore and an annulus bore of the subsea equipment.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein fluid may be injected into either to the main or the annulus bore of the subsea equipment via the ROV hot stab without the removal of debris cap assembly.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the fluid is a chemical.
20. The system of claim 17 , wherein fluid may be bled from a production or an annulus bore in the subsea equipment through the ROV hot stab.
21. The system of claim 17 , wherein pressure applied above the cap assembly can be balanced below the cap assembly for easy installation and uninstallation.