IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,116,748
Granted Patent B2
US 12,116,748 · App. 17/639,775 · Granted Oct 15, 2024

Subsea foundation

Inventors: Kjell Einar Ellingsen (Tananger, NO); Jone Stangeland (Sola, NO); Geir Gundersen Fuhr (Sola, NO); Lorents Reinås (Stavanger, NO); Morten Æther (Lillestrøm, NO); Harald Sigurd Nesse (Sandnes, NO); Asle Eide (Sandnes, NO)
Assignee: EQUINOR ENERGY AS
E02D27/525E02D7/20E02D2250/0053E02D2600/20E21B41/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,116,748
App. No.
17/639,775
Granted
Oct 15, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A subsea foundation system and a method of connecting a lower pipe portion to a subsea foundation are provided. The method includes: providing the subsea foundation, an upper pipe portion being connected to the subsea foundation, deploying the subsea foundation subsea; and connecting the lower pipe portion to the upper pipe portion. The subsea foundation system includes: the subsea foundation; the upper pipe portion connected to the subsea foundation, and the lower pipe portion. The lower pipe portion can be connected to the upper pipe portion subsea. The lower pipe portion may be connected to the subsea foundation in a stowed position before deployment subsea. The lower pipe portion may be connected to a pull-in arrangement before deployment subsea.

Claims (37)

1. A method of connecting a lower pipe portion to a subsea foundation, the method comprising:

providing the subsea foundation, an upper pipe portion being connected to the subsea foundation;

connecting the lower pipe portion to a pull-in arrangement and the subsea foundation in a stowed position in which the lower pipe portion is attached to an outside of the subsea foundation and the lower pipe portion does not protrude beyond a bottom of the subsea foundation;

deploying the subsea foundation subsea with the lower pipe portion connected to the pull-in arrangement and in the stowed position;

releasing the lower pipe portion from the stowed position subsea; and

connecting the lower pipe portion to the upper pipe portion using the pull-in arrangement.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the upper pipe portion does not protrude beyond the bottom of the subsea foundation; and

when the lower pipe portion is connected to the upper pipe portion, at least part of the lower pipe portion protrudes beyond the bottom of the subsea foundation.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a pipe overlap section,

wherein connecting the lower pipe portion to the upper pipe portion comprises

overlapping the pipe overlap section on a part of the upper pipe portion or a part of the lower pipe portion.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the pipe overlap section is fixed to the lower pipe portion and overlaps the part of the upper pipe portion when the lower pipe portion is connected to the upper pipe portion.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the subsea foundation comprises a suction anchor.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the pull-in arrangement comprises two pull-in lines;

a first end of each of the two pull-in lines is connected to the subsea foundation; and

a second end of each of the two pull-in lines is connected to the lower pipe portion.

7. A subsea foundation system for deployment subsea, the subsea foundation system comprising:

a subsea foundation;

a pull-in arrangement;

an upper pipe portion connected to the subsea foundation; and

a lower pipe portion configured to be connected to the pull-in arrangement and the subsea foundation in a stowed position in which the lower pipe portion is attached to an outside of the subsea foundation and the lower pipe portion does not protrude beyond a bottom of the subsea foundation,

wherein:

the subsea foundation system is configured such that, subsea, the lower pipe portion can be released from the stowed position and connected to the upper pipe portion using the pull-in arrangement.

8. The subsea foundation system according to claim 7 , wherein:

the upper pipe portion does not protrude beyond the bottom of the subsea foundation; and

when the lower pipe portion is connected to the upper pipe portion, at least part of the lower pipe portion protrudes beyond the bottom of the subsea foundation.

9. The subsea foundation system according to claim 7 , further comprising a pipe overlap section which overlaps a part of the upper pipe portion or a part of the lower pipe portion when the lower pipe portion is connected to the upper pipe portion.

10. The subsea foundation system according to claim 9 , wherein the pipe overlap section is fixed to the lower pipe portion and overlaps the part of the upper pipe portion when the lower pipe portion is connected to the upper pipe portion.

11. The subsea foundation system according to claim 7 , further comprising a pipe connection guide for guiding a connection between the upper pipe portion and lower pipe portion.

12. The subsea foundation system according to claim 7 , wherein the subsea foundation comprises a suction anchor.

13. The subsea foundation system according to claim 7 , wherein:

the pull-in arrangement comprises two pull-in lines;

a first end of each of the two pull-in lines is connected to the subsea foundation; and

a second end of each of the two pull-in lines is connected to the lower pipe portion.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE FIFTH INVENTOR'S EXECUTION DATE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 67987 FRAME: 564. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Oct 4, 2024
From: ELLINGSEN, KJELL EINAR; STANGELAND, JONE; FUHR, GEIR GUNDERSEN; REINÅS, LORENTS; SÆTHER, MORTEN; NESSE, HARALD SIGURD; EIDE, ASLE
To: EQUINOR ENERGY AS
Reel/Frame 069403/0245 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2024
From: ELLINGSEN, KJELL EINAR; STANGELAND, JONE; FUHR, GEIR GUNDERSEN; REINÅS, LORENTS; SÆTHER, MORTEN; NESSE, HARALD SIGURD; EIDE, ASLE
To: EQUINOR ENERGY AS
Reel/Frame 067987/0564 →
Priority Claims (1)
GB 1912265 · Aug 27, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220333334A1 · Oct 20, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,618,217