IP Library Granted Patent US 11,555,382
Granted Patent B2
US 11,555,382 · App. 17/542,277 · Granted Jan 17, 2023

Subsea field architecture

Inventors: Tore Halvorsen (Kongsberg, NO); Paulo Couto (Rio de Janeiro, BR); Alain Marion (Rueil Malmaison, FR)
E21B43/017E21B15/00E21B36/00E21B36/005E21B43/00E21B43/013E21B33/035
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,555,382
App. No.
17/542,277
Granted
Jan 17, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A subsea hydrocarbon production field includes a number of first subsea christmas trees, a first manifold, a number of first flexible flowline jumpers, each of which is connected between the first manifold and a corresponding first tree. Each first flowline jumper includes a first flow conduit and a number of first umbilical lines, and each first flowline jumper includes a first end which is removably connected to a corresponding first tree by a first multibore hub and connector arrangement and a second end which is removably connected to the first manifold by a second multibore hub and connector arrangement.

Claims (62)

1. A subsea hydrocarbon production field comprising:

a number of first subsea christmas trees;

a first manifold; and

a number of first flexible flowline jumpers, each of which is connected between the first manifold and a corresponding first tree;

wherein each first flowline jumper comprises a first flow conduit and a number of first umbilical lines; and

wherein each first flowline jumper comprises a first end which is removably connected to a corresponding first tree by a first multibore hub and connector arrangement and a second end which is removably connected to the first manifold by a second multibore hub and connector arrangement.

2. The subsea hydrocarbon production field of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first flowline which is connected to the first manifold, the first flowline comprising a second flow conduit and a number of second umbilical lines;

wherein the first flow conduits are connected through the first manifold to the second flow conduit and the first umbilical lines are connected through the first manifold to corresponding ones of the second umbilical lines.

3. The subsea hydrocarbon production field of claim 2 , wherein the first flowline jumpers and/or the first flowline comprise means for heating a fluid in the respective first and second flow conduits.

4. The subsea hydrocarbon production field of claim 2 , further comprising:

a number of second subsea christmas trees;

a second manifold;

a number of second flexible flowline jumpers, each of which is connected between the second manifold and a corresponding second tree, and each of which comprises a third flow conduit and a number of third umbilical lines; and

a second flowline which is connected between the first and second manifolds, the second flowline comprising a fourth flow conduit and a number of fourth umbilical lines;

wherein the fourth flow conduit is connected through the first manifold to the second flow conduit and the fourth umbilical lines are connected through the first manifold to corresponding ones of the second umbilical lines; and

wherein the third flow conduits are connected through the second manifold to the fourth flow conduit and the third umbilical lines are connected through the second manifold to corresponding ones of the fourth umbilical lines.

5. The subsea hydrocarbon production field of claim 4 , wherein the first and second flowlines comprise respective sections of a single flowline.

6. The subsea hydrocarbon production field of claim 4 , wherein the first flowline jumpers and/or the first flowline and/or the second flowline jumpers and/or the second flowline comprise means for heating a fluid in the respective first, second, third and fourth flow conduits.

7. The subsea hydrocarbon production field of claim 4 , further comprising:

a number of third subsea christmas trees;

a third manifold;

a number of third flexible flowline jumpers, each of which is connected between the third manifold and a corresponding third tree, and each of which comprises a fifth flow conduit and a number of fifth umbilical lines; and

a third flowline which is connected between the second and third manifolds, the third flowline comprising a sixth flow conduit and a number of sixth umbilical lines;

wherein the sixth flow conduit is connected through the second manifold to the fourth flow conduit and the sixth umbilical lines are connected through the second manifold to corresponding ones of the fourth umbilical lines; and

wherein the fifth flow conduits are connected through the third manifold to the sixth flow conduit and the fifth umbilical lines are connected through the third manifold to corresponding ones of the sixth umbilical lines.

8. The subsea hydrocarbon production field of claim 7 , wherein the first, second and third flowlines comprise respective sections of a single flowline.

9. The subsea hydrocarbon production field of claim 7 , wherein the first flowline jumpers and/or the first flowline and/or the second flowline jumpers and/or the second flowline and/or the third flowline jumpers and/or the third flowline comprise means for heating a fluid in the respective first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth flow conduits.

10. The subsea hydrocarbon production field of claim 1 , 4 or 7 , wherein at least one of the first manifold, the second manifold and the third manifold comprises a pipeline in-line manifold.

11. The subsea hydrocarbon production field of claim 1 , wherein the first multibore hub and connector arrangement comprises a first multibore hub which forms part of the first tree and a first end connector which forms part of the first end of the first flowline jumper, wherein the second multibore hub and connector arrangement comprises a second multibore hub which forms part of the first manifold and a second end connector which forms part of the second end of the first flowline jumper, and wherein the first and second end connectors are releasably connectable to the first and second multibore hubs, respectively.

12. The subsea hydrocarbon production field of claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second end connectors incudes a respective flowline bore which is connected to the first flow conduit in the first flowline jumper and a number of respective end line connectors which are each connected to a corresponding first umbilical line in the first flowline jumper.

13. The subsea hydrocarbon production field of claim 12 :

wherein each first tree comprises a tree production bore and a number of tree transmission lines;

wherein the first multibore hub comprises a tree hub production bore which is connected to the tree production bore and a number of tree hub line connectors which are each connected to a corresponding tree transmission line;

wherein each end line connector of the first end connector is configured to be releasably connected to a corresponding tree hub line connector; and

wherein when the first end connector is connected to the first multibore hub, the first flow conduit is connected to the tree production bore through the tree hub production bore and the first umbilical lines are connected to corresponding tree transmission lines through the end line connectors and the tree hub line connectors.

14. The subsea hydrocarbon production field of claim 13 :

wherein each first manifold comprises a manifold production bore and a number of manifold transmission lines;

wherein the second multibore hub comprises a manifold hub production bore which is connected to the manifold production bore and a number of manifold hub line connectors which are each connected to a corresponding manifold transmission line;

wherein each end line connector of the second end connector is configured to be releasably connected to a corresponding manifold hub line connector; and

wherein when the second end connector is connected to the second multibore hub, the first flow conduit is connected to the manifold production bore through the manifold hub production bore and the first umbilical lines are connected to corresponding hub transmission lines through the end line connectors and the manifold hub line connectors.

15. The subsea hydrocarbon production field of claim 14 , wherein the end line connectors, the tree hub line connectors and the manifold hub line connectors comprise wetmate connectors.

16. A subsea hydrocarbon production field comprising:

a number of first subsea christmas trees;

a first manifold;

a number of first flexible flowline jumpers, each of which is connected between the first manifold and a corresponding first tree, and each of which comprises a first flow conduit and a number of first umbilical lines;

a first flowline which is connected to the first manifold, the first flowline comprising a second flow conduit and a number of second umbilical lines;

wherein the first flow conduits are connected through the first manifold to the second flow conduit and the first umbilical lines are connected through the first manifold to corresponding ones of the second umbilical lines;

a number of second subsea christmas trees;

a second manifold;

a number of second flexible flowline jumpers, each of which is connected between the second manifold and a corresponding second tree, and each of which comprises a third flow conduit and a number of third umbilical lines; and

a second flowline which is connected between the first and second manifolds, the second flowline comprising a fourth flow conduit and a number of fourth umbilical lines;

wherein the fourth flow conduit is connected through the first manifold to the second flow conduit and the fourth umbilical lines are connected through the first manifold to corresponding ones of the second umbilical lines; and

wherein the third flow conduits are connected through the second manifold to the fourth flow conduit and the third umbilical lines are connected through the second manifold to corresponding ones of the fourth umbilical lines.

17. The subsea hydrocarbon production field of claim 16 , further comprising:

a number of third subsea christmas trees;

a third manifold;

a number of third flexible flowline jumpers, each of which is connected between the third manifold and a corresponding third tree, and each of which comprises a fifth flow conduit and a number of fifth umbilical lines; and

a third flowline which is connected between the second and third manifolds, the third flowline comprising a sixth flow conduit and a number of sixth umbilical lines;

wherein the sixth flow conduit is connected through the second manifold to the fourth flow conduit and the sixth umbilical lines are connected through the second manifold to corresponding ones of the fourth umbilical lines; and

wherein the fifth flow conduits are connected through the third manifold to the sixth flow conduit and the fifth umbilical lines are connected through the third manifold to corresponding ones of the sixth umbilical lines.

18. The subsea hydrocarbon production field of claim 16 , wherein at least one of said first and second manifolds comprises a pipeline in-line manifold.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT RECORDED AT R/F 064193/0810 Recorded Aug 9, 2024
From: DNB BANK ASA, NEW YORK BRANCH
To: FMC TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; SCHILLING ROBOTICS, LLC
Reel/Frame 068525/0717 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT RECORDED AT R/F 064193/0870 Recorded Aug 9, 2024
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: FMC TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; SCHILLING ROBOTICS, LLC
Reel/Frame 068527/0127 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 3, 2023
From: FMC TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; SCHILLING ROBOTICS, LLC
To: DNB BANK ASA, NEW YORK BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 064193/0810 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 3, 2023
From: FMC TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; SCHILLING ROBOTICS, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 064193/0870 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 5, 2022
From: MARION, ALAIN
To: FMC TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 061976/0124 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 5, 2022
From: COUTO, PAULO
To: FMC TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 061976/0170 →