The present invention concerns a connection system 1 for a marine drilling riser 10 having one or more auxiliary lines 20, the connection system comprising: a moveable coupling member 30 having at least one first connector and at least one second connector coupled to the at least one first connector, wherein the at least one second connector is adapted for engaging with at least one connector of an auxiliary line of the marine drilling riser The connection system further comprising a control line support 18 for fixing at or adjacent an outer surface of the marine drilling riser; a control line supported by the control line support and for attachment to the moveable coupling member; and a tailing line for attachment to the moveable coupling member.

Disclosed is a drilling system for rock drilling with a drill string, wherein the drill string includes at least one bendable drill pipe. The drilling system further includes at least two block and tackle systems for driving an end of the drill string in a first direction; and at least two conveyor devices adapted to guide and bend the drill string between the first direction and a second direction, so as to convert a motion of the drill string between the first direction and the second direction.

A support system (12; 12′) for providing horizontal support to a riser (32) extending downward from a cantilever (18) along a well centre and into a body of water comprising a riser interface (48; 48′) and a tether arrangement (50; 50′). The support system (12; 12′) is configured to permit asymmetric placement of the riser interface (48; 48′) relative to the cantilever (18).

A top connection arrangement for a subsea riser comprises a pivot or joint combination disposed between, and fluidly connecting, upper and lower sections of rigid pipe. The pivot combination composes an upper ball joint about which the upper pipe section is pivotable. A lower joint, being a flexible joint or a tapered stress joint to which the lower pipe section is attached, is fixed to the ball joint in series.

A sleeve is fixed to the ball joint and surrounds the upper pipe section to permit limited pivotal movement of that pipe section about the ball joint. The sleeve may seat into the bellmouth of an I- or J-tube of a surface facility or may be omitted if the lower joint is seated in a hang-off formation.

A locking mechanism is capable of locking the ball joint and hence preventing pivotal movement of the upper pipe section.

A top connection arrangement for a subsea riser comprises a pivot or joint combination disposed between, and fluidly connecting, upper and lower sections of rigid pipe. The pivot combination comprises an upper ball joint about which the upper pipe section is pivotable. A lower joint, being a flexible joint or a tapered stress joint to which the lower pipe section is attached, is fixed to the ball joint in series. A sleeve is fixed to the ball joint and surrounds the upper pipe section to permit limited pivotal movement of that pipe section about the ball joint. The sleeve may seat into the bellmouth of an I- or J-tube of a surface facility or may be omitted if the lower joint is seated in a hang-off formation. A locking mechanism is capable of locking the ball joint and hence preventing pivotal movement of the upper pipe section.

A riser extending from a floating rig includes one or more flow control devices having at least one flow connection and having at least one control connection. A riser manifold is disposed on the riser above the one or more flow control devices and has a first mechanical connector, a first flow coupling, and a first control coupling. A rig manifold can be manipulated by an arm to couple in an automated manner to the riser manifold when running the riser from the rig. The rig manifold has a second mechanical connector that mechanically connects to the first mechanical connector of the riser manifold. Additionally, the rig manifold has a second flow coupling mating with the first flow coupling of the riser manifold for conducting flow, and has a second control coupling mating with the first control coupling of the riser manifold for conducting control.

Rigid riser adapter operable to be at least partially installed into a lower riser balcony. The rigid riser adapter includes a receptacle support structure. Additionally, the rigid riser adapter also includes an adapter tube extending from the receptacle support structure substantially along a vertical direction, the adapter tube operable to be inserted through a lower riser balcony. The rigid riser adapter can also include a rigid riser receptacle coupled to the receptacle support structure, wherein the rigid riser receptacle is angled between six degrees and twenty degrees in relation to the vertical direction.

This disclosure includes auxiliary-line riser segment assemblies (e.g., with isolation units) that are suitable for managed pressure drilling (MPD) and that can be lowered (e.g., when connected to other riser segment assemblies) through a rotary of a drilling rig. Some embodiments are configured to have portions of the auxiliary lines connected (e.g., without welding) below the rotary.

A flexible pipe system includes an unbonded flexible pipe connected to a floating vessel and a sensor system with an optical fibre integrated in the unbonded flexible pipe. Interrogating equipment transmits optical signals into the fibre, receives optical signals reflected from the fibre and detects a parameter of the unbonded flexible pipe. A turret connects the flexible pipe rotationally to the floating vessel via a swivel device that provides a fluid transfer passage between the turret and the vessel. The interrogating equipment is arranged on the turret and is further configured to transfer signals indicative of the detected parameter to receiving equipment on the floating vessel. In this way, optical signals reflected from the fibre can reach the interrogating equipment without distortion in the swivel, so that parameters can be detected with sufficient quality also for floating vessels equipped with a turret mooring system.

A workover unit for lowering an irregularly shaped production string into a live well includes a traveling assembly and stationary assembly movable relative to each other. The traveling assembly may include a traveling static annular BOP configured to seal around the production string during the lowering. The traveling assembly may include a reciprocating riser connected to the traveling annular BOP. The traveling assembly may include traveling slips configured to grip the production string during the lowering. The stationary assembly may include a dynamic BOP configured to seal around the reciprocating riser during the lowering. The stationary assembly may include a reciprocating jack configured to lower the traveling assembly. The stationary assembly may include a lower static annular BOP configured to seal around the production string when the traveling assembly is moved relative to the production string.