Without limitation, embodiments of the present invention relates to an offshore wellhead platform (100), the offshore wellhead platform (100) comprising a configurable support structure (200) for supporting upper parts of a plurality of conductors (210) through which one or more well processing tasks can be performed, wherein the configurable support structure (200) further provides a first position (150) and a second position (160) for the conductors (210), and the offshore wellhead platform (100) allows movement of an upper part of a conductor (210) between its first (150) and second position (160). In this way, efficiency when processing a plurality of wells is provided since repositioning of the well center is not needed or needed significantly less. Effectively, the wells are brought to the well center so-to-speak instead of the well center needing to be moved to each well.

A guide apparatus 10 for an elongate member. The guide apparatus 10 comprises a plurality of elements 12 locatable along the length of the elongate member. Each element 12 extends around the elongate member. The guide apparatus 10 comprises a plurality of elongate link members 14 extending between elements 12. The elongate link members 14 are spaced from each other around the elements 12. The elongate link members 14 permit limited relative movement of the respective elements 12, such that the guide apparatus 10 permits limited bending of the elongate member. The guide apparatus 10 comprises a plurality of spacers 16. The spacers 16 are disposed between the elements 12. The spacers 16 extend around the elongate member. The spacers comprise guide formations 18, through which guide formations 18 the elongate link members 14 extend between the elements 12.

Apparatus and a method are disclosed for limiting contact pressure between a flexible pipe and a bending guide member. The apparatus includes a bending guide member extending over a covered region of a flexible pipe in which the flexible pipe can bend wherein a gap between an inner surface of the bending guide member and an outer surface on the flexible pipe in at least a portion of the covered region is tapered and narrows towards an unconstrained end of the bending guide member.

An extension member for coupling a tapered stress joint to a basket coupled to a porch extending from an offshore platform is disclosed. In an embodiment, the extension member includes a central axis, a first end, and a second end opposite the first end. In addition, the extension member includes a radially inner surface extending axially from the first end to the second end. The inner surface includes a first mating profile proximate the first end that is configured to engage a radially outer surface of the tapered stress joint. Further, the extension member includes a radially outer surface extending axially from the first end to the second end. The outer surface includes a second mating profile proximate the second end that is configured to slidingly engage a mating profile within the basket.

A rigid riser system including a rigid riser and one or more fatigue performance enhancers. The rigid riser includes a plurality of rigid metal sections welded together to form a plurality of girth weld joints. The one or more fatigue performance enhancers are positioned over one or more of the plurality of girth weld joints of the rigid riser to enhance the fatigue resistance and/or fatigue life. The body of the fatigue performance enhancer may include a central region and two end regions with the central region having a greater average radial cross-sectional thickness than each of the end regions. Methods of enhancing fatigue performance of the rigid riser and fatigue performance enhancers are also disclosed.

A bend stiffener is operable to be installed on site in a collapsed state and expanded upon installation to provide increased coverage of a tubing string to be reinforced by the bend stiffener. The bend stiffener is expandable upon the tripping of tubing through the bend stiffener. The bend stiffener includes a flexible sleeve having an outer flange at an upper end and sized to receive the tubing. The bend stiffener also includes an intermediary sleeve and an external sleeve. The intermediary sleeve has a cylindrical body and an internal flange for engaging and supporting the outer flange of the flexible sleeve. Similarly, the external sleeve has an internal flange for supporting an external flange of the intermediary sleeve. When installed, the flexible sleeve slides from the intermediary sleeve and the intermediary sleeve slides from the external sleeve so that each sleeve encloses and reinforces a segment of tubing.

The invention concerns a bend stiffener (50) for locally protecting an elongate flexible member (60) from excessive curvature under bending loads. The bend stiffener comprises an elongate stiffener body (52) which comprises polymer material and which has a root end (54) and a free end (56). A passage (58) extends through the stiffener body from the root end to the free end for receiving and embracing the flexible member. A coupling (66) is provided at or toward the root end of the stiffener body for mounting the stiffener body in cantilever fashion. The stiffener body is sufficiently flexible to curve somewhat along with the flexible member when the flexible member suffers a bending load but is sufficiently stiff to resist excessive curvature which could otherwise damage the flexible member, and sufficiently resilient to recover its original shape upon relief of the bending load. The stiffener body comprises at least two stiffener body parts (64a, 64b) which together define the passage and which are able to be separated from one another to enable the flexible member to be introduced to the passage, and subsequently assembled to one another around the elongate flexible member to ready the bend stiffener for use. Each of the stiffener body parts is provided with a respective interface member (68, 70) which comprises material which is stiffer than the polymer of the stiffener body. The bend stiffener further comprises a securing arrangement (80, 83) for securing the interface member of one stiffener body part to the interface member of another stiffener body part to secure the stiffener body parts to one another.

A fatigue life extender (10) has a cylindrical body (13) having a throughgoing passage (20), arranged to be incorporated at an end of a connection device such as a clamp (11). The cylindrical body has a mouth portion (18), the interior circumference of which is lined with a ring or band (22) of resilient material such as rubber or an elastomeric compound. The ring or band (22) is crosshatched into a grid creating a plurality of rectangular segments (24) of resilient material by a plurality of perpendicular cuts extending less than completely through the thickness of the material.

A technique facilitates monitoring and managing fatigue related a flexible conduit deployed from a surface vessel. Movements of the surface vessel may be measured to obtain vessel movement/position data. Based on this data, a flexible conduit bend profile may be determined via a computer-based data processing system. The flexible conduit bend profile may then be used to provide a flexible conduit fatigue profile for assessment of the flexible conduit in light of the environmental conditions. In some embodiments, the fatigue profile and assessment of the flexible conduit may be based on both functional loading and environmental loading.

An umbilical (2) has a center tube (4) that is a steel tube, and that the cross section of the center tube (4) at the extremity of the umbilical (2) is made corrugated on a length that extends substantially from the extremity to a distance from the extremity so that fatigue strain on non corrugated parts of the steel tube is avoided when the extremity of the umbilical (2) is inserted into a bend stiffener (1).