Marine riser assembly

1. A marine riser assembly comprising:

a first tubular member having a first end face and an external surface, there being a first formation on said external surface adjacent said first end face;

a second tubular member having a second end face and an external surface, there being a second formation on said external surface adjacent said second end face, said first and second end faces being adjacent each other;

a seal assembly for sealing against external and internal pressure;

a ring in surrounding relationship to said first and second tubular members and spanning said adjacent end faces, said ring having an inner surface, there being a third formation engageable with said first formation on said inner surface and a fourth formation engageable with said second formation on said inner surface, said first and third formations having engaged surfaces urging said first end face toward said second end face when said ring is under radially inwardly directed compressive force, said second and fourth formations having engaged surfaces urging said second end face toward said first end face when said ring is under radially inwardly directed compressive force, said ring having an external surface with at least a portion being tapered, said tapered portion extending in a single direction for the majority of the length of said ring;

said ring comprising an annular body, said annular body having an annular wall, a first end and a second end, a plurality of first, circumferentially spaced slits extending through said first end and said annular wall to a point distal said second end and a plurality of second, circumferentially spaced slits extending through said second end and said annular wall to a point distal said first end, said first and second slits alternating to form a series of interconnected axially extending, circumferentially expandable fingers;

a sleeve having an inner surface with at least a portion having a taper complementary to said tapered portion of said external surface of said ring, said sleeve spanning said adjacent end faces and said sleeve exerting said compressive force when said tapered surface portions are engaged; and

an annular recess formed by and between said first and second adjacent end faces, a resilient seal ring received in said annular recess.

2. The riser assembly of claim 1 comprising an annular guide disposed between said first and second tubular members for maintaining said first and second tubular members generally coaxial.

3. The riser assembly of claim 2 , wherein said first tubular member has a first counterbore in said first end face and said second tubular member has a second counterbore in said second end face, said first and second counterbores cooperating to form an annular, radially inwardly extending recess spanning said adjacent end faces.

4. The riser assembly of claim 3 , wherein said first tubular member has a first annular, axially extending groove opening into said first counterbore and said second tubular member has a second annular, axially extending groove opening into said second counterbore.

5. The riser assembly of claim 4 , wherein said annular guide is generally T-shaped in cross-section and has a first annular, axially extending flange received in said first groove and a second annular, axially extending flange received in said second groove.

6. The riser assembly of claim 5 , wherein said first groove has a first annularly extending axially facing end wall and said second groove has a second annularly extending, axially facing end wall, said first flange being spaced from said first end wall, said second flange being spaced from said second end wall thereby forming first and second annularly extending seal ring pockets, respectively.

7. The riser assembly of claim 6 , wherein a first resilient seal ring is received in said first seal ring pocket and a second resilient seal ring is received in said second seal ring pocket.

8. The riser assembly of claim 7 , wherein said first and second seal rings comprise C seals.

9. The riser assembly of claim 1 , wherein said resilient seal comprises a C seal.