Connection system for a multi-bore flying lead or umbilical

Abstract

An umbilical termination head (1) for connection of a multi-bore flying lead or umbilical (2) to a structure (10), the flying lead or umbilical comprising multiple conduits (7) leading to couplers (4) being arranged on a connector part (3), the umbilical (2) being provided with an end fitting (9) onto which a bracket arrangement (8, 19, 20) is mounted, the connector part (3) being mounted to a bracket (8) of the bracket arrangement. A guide means (11) is arranged on the bracket (8) in such a way that an interacting guide means (12) on the structure (10) lead the umbilical termination head (1) onto the structure (10) for connection of the couplers (4) to corresponding couplers (6) on the structure (10).

Claims

1. A connection system comprising: a first connector part having couplers arranged thereon; an umbilical termination head for connecting a multi-bore flying lead or umbilical to a structure of a fixed structure, the flying lead or umbilical comprising an end fitting and multiple conduits leading to the couplers arranged on the first connector part; a second connector part comprising a set of couplers corresponding to the couplers of the first connector part, the second connector part connected to the structure; a bracket arrangement mounted on the end fitting, wherein the first connector part is mounted to a bracket of the bracket arrangement; an interacting guide on the structure; and a guide arranged on the bracket such that the interacting guide on the structure leads the umbilical termination head onto the structure to connect the couplers arranged on the first connector part to corresponding couplers of the second connector part on the structure, wherein the interacting guide is arranged to bring the first and second connector parts into a mating position through a descending motion of the first connector part, wherein the first connector part is suspended in free ends of associated conduits of the multiple conduits, the associated conduits extending from the end fitting of the flying lead or umbilical into the bracket, and wherein an eye on the bracket is insertable on a guidepost rising from the structure.

2. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the connector part comprises a plate holding the couplers of the first connector part, the plate being slidably connected to the bracket.

3. The connection system of claim 2, wherein one of the first connector part and the bracket comprise a set of rails in two or more sides and the other of the first connector part and the bracket is provided with a set of grooves, the rails fitting in the grooves, to enable a sliding movement of the plate relative to the bracket that is limited by a stopper.

4. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the bracket arrangement (comprises a distal leg portion pivotably connected to a proximal leg portion, the distal leg portion connected to the bracket and the proximal leg portion connected to an end fitting of the flying lead or umbilical.

5. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the guidepost rises from a top surface adjoining a front face of the structure.

6. The connection system of claim 5, wherein the guide post comprises a lower end portion with a first radius and a corresponding circumference, and an upper portion of a second radius, the first radius being larger than the second radius, the circumference of the eye on the bracket being larger than the circumference of the lower end portion.

7. The connection system of claim 1, wherein a guidepost extension is insertable over the guidepost.

8. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the eye is formed in a plate-like bracket protruding from the distal end of the bracket, the bracket received in overlapping relation with the top surface of the structure in a mating position.

9. The connection system of claim 8, wherein a lug in a front face of the structure protrudes to engage with a seat formed in an opposite front face of the bracket in the mating position.

Description

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following, embodiments of the invention will be more closely described with reference made to the drawings. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a partly sectioned elevational view of the connection system in mating position and in non-connected mode, and

(3) FIGS. 2A-2D illustrate the sequential steps in a process for mating a moving connector part with a stationary connector part of the present connection system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(4) For the purpose of disclosure, a multi bore flying lead or umbilical shall be understood as a flexible or semi-flexible multi-conduit structure designed to convey fluids, electricity or optical signals through internal tubing or cables between items of subsea equipment. The couplers mentioned in the disclosure and claims can thus either be hydraulic/pneumatic couplers, optic couplers or electric couplers. Accordingly, the first and second connector parts can be equipped with either kind of couplers or a mix of couplers for fluids, electricity or light respectively. However, if not otherwise stated, any mentioning herein of a multi-bore flying lead alone shall be understood to include also a corresponding multi-conduit umbilical as the alternative conveying structure.

(5) In FIG. 1, reference number 1 denotes generally an umbilical termination head of a connection system by which a multi-bore flying lead 2 can be connected to an item of subsea equipment. The subsea equipment in question can be any arbitrary subsea device and its representation is not required in the drawing for the purpose of illustrating the connection system and umbilical termination head 1.

(6) The connector 1 comprises a first flying connector part 3 carrying a number of couplers 4. The couplers 4 are arranged for coupling with corresponding couplers 6 carried on a second fixed connector part 5.

(7) The first connector part 3 is suspended in the ends of conduits (steel tube or flexible hoses) 7 that extend from the end of the flying lead 2 into a bracket 8. The first connector part 3 comprises a plate 31 in which the couplers are attached. In the shown embodiment, the plate is slidably connected to the bracket 8 by means of a set of small rails 32 arranged in a track or groove. In the shown embodiment, the track or groove is made by a set of bars forming the groove therebetween. The crossbars are attached to the bracket 8 and corresponding rails are arranged on each side of the plate 31, see FIG. 2B. To ensure that the plate 31 does not disconnect from the bracket 8, there are stop means arranged on the bracket 8 or connector part 3 preventing the plate 31 from sliding out of the rail-groove connection.

(8) It should be noted that the grooves on the bracket could be machined into the sides of the bracket 8 instead of fastening bars to the inner sides of the bracket. It is also conceivable to arrange the rails on the bracket 8 and form grooves or recesses on the plate 31. In this embodiment, the stop means can be added to the bracket on the end sections of the rails.

(9) The bracket 8 is anchored in a bulk-head plate or an end fitting 9 of the flying lead 2. In the shown embodiment, the bracket 8 is bolted to the rim of an end flange 9′ attached in the extreme end of the end fitting 9.

(10) The conduits 7 extend unconstrained within the bracket 8 from the flying lead end 9 to the associated couplers 4 in the first connector part 3. Thus, the first connector part 3 can be regarded as being suspended floating in the free/unconstrained ends of the conduits 7, due to an inherent flexibility in the conduits 7. In this connection, the capacity of “floating” refers to the ability of pulling the first connection part 3 towards the second connector part 4 by the operation of an ROV tool, which can be brought to engage the ROV handle 23 installed on the first connector part 3, while “sliding” refers to the ability of sliding the first connection part 3 within the bracket 8 to a limited extent as described above, as the connection part 3 will slide between stop means. The stop means are not shown on the figures.

(11) The bracket 8 is a structure comprising a couple of parallel legs, 19 and 20, of which only the distant leg 19 is visible in the sectioned drawing of FIG. 1 (see also FIG. 2B). Each leg comprises a distal leg portion 19′ or 20′ which is pivotally connected to a proximal leg portion 19″, 20″ under an adjustable intermediate angle. The proximal leg portion 19″, 20″ is the part of the bracket that is anchored in the end of the umbilical/flying lead.

(12) If the conduits 7 are made in a flexible material such as a polymeric or composite material, the pivotable connection can be adjusted up to submerging of the termination head into water. The pivotable connection makes it possible to adjust the legs 19 and 20 in different angels during transportation and on site for connection to a subsea structure. During transportation, it is an advantage that the legs 19, 20 do not point out in an angle relative to the end fitting 9. However, when the termination head is on site ready to be lowered down onto a subsea structure, it is an advantage to be able to adjust the legs to a precalculated angle based on the conditions on the seabed.

(13) It is also envisageable to enable adjustment of the pivotable connection on the sea bed, e.g. by making a ROV operable locking mechanism for the connection. It will then be possible to adjust the angle of the termination head on the seabed after connection to the subsea structure.

(14) A plate-like bracket member 18 connects the distal ends of the legs 19 and 20. The connecting bracket member 18 extends forward from the legs, defining an eye 11 that forms one part of an interacting guide means that controls the first connector part 3 in a lowering motion that brings the connector parts 3 and 5 into mating position.

(15) The second connector part 5 is stationary mounted in a holding fixture 10 which is secured in the structure of the connectable subsea equipment. Internal conduits 6′ of the subsea structure connect to associated couplers 6 in the second connector part 5. The holding fixture 10 has a top surface 16 supporting an upright guide post 12 that forms the other part of the interacting guide means. In the mating position shown in FIG. 1, the eye 11 is fully inserted on the guide post 12, the bracket member 18 landed on the top surface 16 for a load bearing contact at the landing interface 16-18.

(16) The guide post 12 has a lower end portion 12′ with a larger radius mainly corresponding with the radius of the eye 11. However, it can be seen on FIGS. 2C and 2D that the opening of the eye 11 is larger than the area or circumference of the lower end portion 12′ of the guide post 12, allowing the bracket member 18 to be angularly adjusted or slide to a limited extent in relation to the holding fixture 10. An upper portion 12″ of the guide post has a smaller radius adapted for insertion of a guide post-extension 17 over the guide post 12. The guide post extension may be used temporarily during lowering of the bracket and the first connector part 3 if weather conditions or other conditions so require.

(17) In the holding fixture 10, the top surface 16 adjoins a front face 14 facing the bracket 8 with the first connector part 3. A window 15 in the front face 14 provides access to the second connector part 5 for connection of couplers 4 and 6 in the mating position.

(18) In the mating position, the structural weight of the flying lead 2 acts to pull the bracket 8 and the first connector part 3 down, thus maintaining the mating position in which connection can be accomplished. A lug 21 that protrudes in the vertical face 14 of the holding fixture 10 defines the mating position by engagement with a seat 22 formed in the opposite face 13 of the bracket 8, as the faces 13 and 14 are facing each other in the mating position.

(19) The process of mating the connector parts will now be briefly explained with reference to FIGS. 2A-2D. FIG. 2A shows installation of the guide post extension 17 on the guide post 12. In FIG. 2B, the moving connector part is lowered through the water volume hanging from a strap 24 that is connected to eyelets 25 formed in the upper end of the bracket 8. The strap is typically fed out from a vessel on the surface, the lowering motion thus driven by gravity. In FIG. 2C, the bracket 8 has landed on the holding fixture 10, guided in position as the eye 11 slides down along guide post extension 17 and the guide post 12 respectively. Finally, in FIG. 2D, the guide post extension 17 may be detached.

(20) In the mating process, aligning the eye and the guide post/guide post extension can be accomplished using an ROV as the bracket is closing in on the holding fixture. Aligning of the two assemblies may alternatively be accomplished on the surface vessel by insertion of the eye 11 on a lowering line 26 used for installation and retrieval of the guide post extension 17, if appropriate.