Abstract
A method of removing a flexible line deployed between an offshore platform and a subsea structure, where the platform has a landing deck on which the flexible line is installed, the landing deck facing away from the platform towards an installation side. The method comprises: decoupling a topside end of the flexible line from the landing deck; lowering the topside end from the landing deck to the sea bed using a platform mounted winch, and detaching the winch from the topside end; moving the platform in a direction away from the installation side and positioning an installation vessel on the installation side; lowering a recovery line from the installation vessel and attaching an end of the recovery line to the topside or subsea end of the riser; raising the attached topside or subsea end onto the installation vessel from the seabed using the recovery line; and recovering the flexible line onto the installation vessel, whereupon the platform can be moved back to an operating position.
Claims
1. A method of removing a flexible line deployed between an offshore platform and a subsea structure, where the platform has a landing deck on which the flexible line is installed, the landing deck facing away from the platform towards an installation side, the method comprising: decoupling a topside end of the flexible line from the landing deck; lowering the topside end from the landing deck to the sea bed using a platform mounted winch, and detaching the winch from the topside end; moving the platform in a direction away from the installation side and away from the topside end and positioning an installation vessel on the installation side by moving the installation vessel towards the subsea structure; lowering a recovery line from the installation vessel and attaching an end of the recovery line to the topside end of the flexible line or a subsea end of the flexible line; raising the attached topside or subsea end onto the installation vessel from the seabed using the recovery line; and recovering the flexible line onto the installation vessel, whereupon the platform can be moved back to an operating position located substantially above the subsea structure.
2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, prior to decoupling the topside end of the flexible line from the landing deck and lowering the topside end from the landing deck, moving the platform in a direction towards the installation vessel.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the recovery line on the installation vessel is extended substantially to its maximum extent from the installation vessel towards the platform.
4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising attaching the end of the recovery line to the topside or subsea end of the flexible line using a Remotely Operated Vessel, ROV.
5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising disconnecting the winch from the topside end of the flexible line using an ROV.
6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, after said step of recovering the flexible line onto the installation vessel, moving the installation vessel in a direction away from the landing deck and relocating the platform to said operating position.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the flexible line is a riser for conveying hydrocarbons from a subsea well to an offshore platform, and said landing deck is a riser balcony.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the flexible line is deployed between the offshore platform and the subsea structure in a pliant wave configuration.
9. The method according claim 1, wherein an exclusion zone surrounds the landing deck of the offshore platform, and wherein the exclusion zone is defined such that hydrocarbon production must be ceased if a vessel enters the exclusion zone.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the platform is moored using mooring lines and said step(s) of moving the platform comprises pulling in and playing out the mooring lines.
11. A method of installing a flexible line between an offshore platform and a subsea structure, where the platform has a landing deck for landing the flexible line, the landing deck facing away from the platform towards an installation side, the method comprising: moving the platform in a direction away from the installation side and positioning an installation vessel on the installation side towards the subsea structure; lowering a topside end of the flexible line from the installation vessel; moving the installation vessel away from the topside end and away from the installation side and moving the platform in a direction towards the topside end; and installing the topside end to the landing deck and installing a subsea end of the flexible line to the subsea structure.
12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising, before lowering the topside end of the flexible line from the installation vessel, lowering the subsea end of the flexible line from the installation vessel using a winch mounted on the installation vessel.
13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising, after lowering the subsea end of the flexible line from the installation vessel, disconnecting the winch line from the subsea end of the flexible line and coupling the subsea end to the subsea structure.
14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising pulling the subsea end of the flexible line to the subsea structure using an ROV or a pull in wire depending from the platform.
15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising pulling the subsea end of the flexible line to the subsea structure using a pull in wire depending from the platform.
16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising disconnecting the winch from the subsea end and coupling the subsea end to the subsea structure using an ROV.
17. The method according to claim 11, further comprising, after moving the platform in a direction away from the installation side and prior to lowering a topside end of the flexible line from the installation vessel, installing buoyancy aids and/or weights on the flexible line and tethering the flexible line to a subsea anchor.
18. The method according to claim 11, further comprising attaching the end of the pull in line to the topside end of the flexible line using an ROV.
19. The method according to claim 11, wherein the flexible line is a riser for conveying hydrocarbons from a subsea well to an offshore platform, and said landing deck is a riser balcony.
20. The method according to claim 11, wherein the flexible line is deployed between the offshore platform and the subsea structure in a pliant wave configuration.
21. The method according to claim 11, wherein an exclusion zone surrounds the landing deck of the offshore platform, and wherein the exclusion zone is defined such that hydrocarbon production must be ceased if a vessel enters the exclusion zone.
22. The method according to claim 11, wherein the platform is moored using mooring lines and said step(s) of moving the platform comprises pulling in and playing out the mooring lines.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) FIGS. 1 to 6 illustrate schematically a prior art procedure for installing a flexible riser between a semi-submersible platform and a subsea structure;
(2) FIG. 7 illustrates schematically the area within which an FPU that is adapted to drill new wells while maintaining hydrocarbon production can move.
(3) FIG. 8(a) to (d) illustrates schematically an exclusion zone around the riser balcony of an FPU and the movement of an FPU that may occur during a process of replacing a riser;
(4) FIGS. 9 to 13 illustrate schematically a procedure for removing a flexible riser deployed between an FPU and a subsea structure;
(5) FIGS. 14 to 17 illustrate schematically a procedure for installing a flexible riser between an FPU and a subsea structure;
(6) FIG. 18 is a flow diagram further illustrating a procedure for removing a flexible riser; and
(7) FIG. 19 is a flow diagram further illustrating a procedure for installing a flexible riser.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(8) In the case of deep water hydrocarbon wells, floating production units (FPUs) are most commonly used as a means of receiving hydrocarbons from the well, storing it if necessary, and delivering it to oil tankers or exporting it through export pipelines. FPUs may be of various types including, for example, semi-submersible platforms, Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels, tension leg platforms, and spar platforms. As has been described above, flexible risers are installed and removed between the FPU and a subsea structure, such as a Christmas tree, using an installation vessel. The riser is generally pre-constructed and mounted on a reel on the installation vessel. The riser is then lowered into the sea from the installation vessel. As also described above, FPUs may have the ability to move laterally while remaining connected to the subsea wells via flexible risers to maintain production. This ability to move is necessary to allow new wells to be drilled from an FPU, or existing wells to be maintained, while maintaining hydrocarbon production. The approach presented here exploits the FPU's ability to move to remove the necessity for the installation vessel to enter an exclusion zone surrounding the riser balcony of the FPU during the operations of removing and installing a riser or other flexible line. As such, safety levels can be maintained and without the need to interrupt ongoing production.
(9) FIG. 7 illustrates the area within which an FPU can move while maintaining hydrocarbon production. The FPU 1, which is shown in a central position, is secured to the seabed by cables or mooring lines 5. The Figure illustrates a set of twenty four wells 3 located generally beneath the platform and arranged in a V-shaped pattern. The subsea wells 3 each comprise a subsea structure, e.g. Christmas tree, to which risers 2 are connected. In FIG. 7 the centre 6 of the FPU 1 is located substantially above subsea wells 3, and risers 2 are connected between the FPU 1 and the subsea structures in a Pliant Wave configuration. In FIG. 7 only the portions of the risers 2 that lie along the seabed and return back from subsea anchor points to the subsea structures 3 are shown; the portions of the risers 2 extending from the platform to the subsea anchor points are not shown. The circle 4 shown in the Figures indicates the maximum extent of movement of the centre 6 of the FPU 1. The circle 4 may have a radius of, for example, 80 m. The FPU 1 can be moved by shortening and lengthening the cables 5 as needed, such that the centre 6 of the FPU 1 remains within the area enclosed by the circle 4.
(10) FIG. 8(a) illustrates an exclusion zone 11 around a riser balcony of an FPU 1, where risers 2 are coupled to the riser balcony of the FPU. If any vessel enters the exclusion zone it may be necessary to depressurise the risers and cease hydrocarbon production. The exclusion zone may be defined by the area enclosed by an arc 200 m from the riser balcony of the FPU 1 and two radii extending at an angle of 30? relative to a straight line defined by the edge of the riser balcony. FIG. 8(b) to (d) illustrates the movement of an FPU 1 that may occur during a process of replacing a riser, where the FPU is secured to the seabed by cables or mooring lines (cables or mooring lines 5 are omitted in FIG. 8 (a) to (d) for clarity). In FIG. 8(b) the centre 6 of the FPU 1 is located substantially above subsea wells 3; the risers 2 may be connected between the FPU 1 and the subsea structures in a Pliant Wave configuration. An installation vessel 7 is shown outside of the exclusion zone 11. As in FIG. 7, the circle 4 shown in the Figures indicates the maximum extent of movement of the centre 6 of the FPU 1. As stated above, the FPU 1 can be moved by shortening and lengthening the cables 5 as needed. For example, in FIG. 8(c) the two right-hand sets of cables have been shortened and the two left-hand sets of cables have been lengthened, relative to FIG. 8(b). In FIG. 8(c) the FPU 1 has moved as far as possible to the right. The installation vessel 7 has also moved to the right, to remain outside of the exclusion zone 11. In FIG. 8(d) the FPU 1 has moved as far as possible to the left, and the installation vessel 7 has moved to a position as close as possible to the subsea wells 3 while remaining outside the exclusion zone 11 and off the riser balcony of the FPU 1. As will be described below, this movement facilitates the replacement of a riser without the need for an installation vessel 7 to enter the exclusion zone 11. As shown in FIG. 8(d), it may be possible for the FPU to move to a position where the centre 6 of the FPU 1, or the FPU 1, is not located above the subsea wells 3.
(11) A procedure for removing an installed flexible riser will now be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 13.
(12) FIG. 9 illustrates an installation vessel 7 located outside of an exclusion zone adjacent to an FPU 1. The FPU has been moved as far as possible to the right, e.g. 80 meters to the right of its centre location. As shown in FIG. 9, a topside end 9 of a flexible riser 2, which in the example shown in FIG. 9 had connected the FPU 1 to a subsea structure 3 in a Pliant Wave configuration (other riser configurations may be used), has been decoupled from the riser balcony of the FPU 1 and partially lowered from the FPU 1 using a pull-in wire (PIW) 8. FIG. 10 illustrates the topside end 9 of the riser 2 lowered still further such that the riser is laid along the seabed. FIG. 11 illustrates the situation after the topside end has been landed on the seabed, and the PIW has been released and pulled back up to the platform. The PIW 8 may be disconnected from the topside end 9 of the riser 2 using a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV).
(13) In FIG. 11 the FPU 1 is shown moved as far as possible to the left, away from its central position and from the installation vessel 7. The FPU has therefore moved 160 meters to the left of its previous position, and therefore approximately 160 meters from the topside end of the riser. At this stage, the installation vessel can move to the left without entering the exclusion zone around the riser balcony, as shown in FIG. 12. Indeed, as the FPU has moved 160 meters to the left of the topside end of the riser, the installation vessel can move to a position that is within 40 meters of the topside end, assuming an exclusion zone of 200 from the riser balcony, close enough for a line, for example an abandon and recovery wire 10, to be lowered from the installation vessel 7 and connected to the topside end 9, as illustrated in FIG. 13. It should be noted that, typically, the abandon and recovery wire 10 is deployed from a crane located on the installation vessel. This crane may have an arm that extends 10 to 15 meters out from the installation vessel, and the crane may extend into the exclusion zone; this means that the lateral distance between the point on the installation vessel from which the abandon and recovery wire depends and the topside end of the riser may be reduced to 25 to 30 meters. The connection between the abandon and recovery wire 10 and the topside end 9 may be performed using an ROV. NB. If the installation vessel is much further away from the topside end, even though an ROV could be used to connect the abandon and recovery wire to the topside end of the riser, it would probably not be possible to lift the riser.
(14) In FIG. 13 the topside end 9 of the riser 2 is shown being winched up to the installation vessel 7. The subsea end of the riser is subsequently disconnected from the subsea structure, e.g. using an ROV, and the clump weight and anchor also removed using an ROV, such that the entire length of the riser can be winched up to the installation vessel where it is wound up on a spool. During this process, the installation vessel may move slowly to the right. At the end of this process, the installation vessel is moved out of the vicinity of the FPU, allowing the FPU to return to its central or other desired operating position (FIG. 8(b)). To facilitate removal of the riser the disconnected subsea end may be mounted on a trolley, sledge, or similar apparatus.
(15) Using this method the removal of a riser from an FPU can be performed without the need to stop hydrocarbon production, and without compromising safety.
(16) FIGS. 9 to 13 describe a riser removal procedure in which the topside end of the riser is raised onto the installation vessel first. However, an alternative procedure is possible in which the subsea end of the riser is raised first onto the installation vessel. In this case, the procedure employs the steps illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11 to disconnect and lower the topside end of the riser to the seabed, and to position the FPU and the installation vessel in their left most positions (only the FPU is shown in its leftmost position in FIG. 11). At this point however, the abandon and recovery wire 10 is lowered from the installation vessel 7 and connected to the (disconnected) subsea end.
(17) It will be appreciated that a procedure for installing a riser will follow the reverse procedure to that described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 13, as illustrated in FIGS. 14 to 17. In a first step, the FPU moves away from an installation vessel (i.e. 80 meters to the left of its central position) to allow the installation vessel to approach as close as possible to a position above the subsea wells while remaining outside of the exclusion zone around the riser balcony. The subsea end of the riser is lowered from the installation vessel to the seabed or to an intermediate position between the installation vessel and the seabed. The subsea end of the riser is transported to a subsea structure on a subsea well and is then connected to the subsea structure. The subsea end of the riser may be transported to the subsea structure using an ROV or a winch wire extending from the platform. The subsea end of the riser may be connected to the subsea structure using an ROV. An intermediate step may comprise the installation of buoyancy aids and/or weights on the riser and the tethering of the riser to achieve, for example, a Pliant Wave shape in the riser.
(18) In FIG. 14, the topside end 9 of the riser 2 is shown being lowered to the seabed from the installation vessel 7 using an abandon and recovery wire 10. The abandon and recovery wire may be lowered from a crane arm that extends 10 to 15 meters from the installation vessel. This maximises the reach and therefore minimises the distance between the point at which the topside end of the riser lands on the seabed and the subsea well, while allowing the installation vessel to remain outside the exclusion zone and thus maintain the required safe distance between the installation vessel and the FPU. The abandon and recovery wire 10 is then disconnected. The abandon and recovery wire 10 may be disconnected from the topside end 9 using an ROV. The installation vessel 7 then moves away from the FPU. FIG. 15 shows the situation when the abandon and recover wire 10 has been disconnected and the installation vessel 7 has moved away from the FPU. FIG. 16 shows the situation after the FPU has subsequently returned to its original position and a pull-in wire has been lowered from the FPU and connected to the topside end of the riser. FIG. 17 shows the topside end of the riser being winched up to the FPU. The topside end of the riser is then connected to the riser balcony.
(19) As with the riser removal procedure, the installation procedure (FIGS. 14 to 17) may be reversed such that the topside end of the riser is deployed into the water first, and is pulled into the exclusion zone and connected to the riser balcony. The subsea end is then deployed using the manoeuvres described above.
(20) The approaches presented here provide a reversible method for the removal and installation of a flexible element comprising a riser or other flexible line (such as a power line, umbilical or tube) between an offshore platform and a subsea structure. By exploiting the ability of an FPU to move, the approach may avoid the need for the installation vessel to enter a defined exclusion zone in the vicinity of the platform during the removal or installation process and therefore may avoid the need to shut down platform operations, such as hydrocarbon production.
(21) FIG. 18 is a flow diagram illustrating at a high level a method of removing a flexible line deployed between an offshore platform and a subsea structure. The method comprises, at step S1, decoupling a topside end of the flexible line from the landing deck. At step S2 the topside end is lowered from the landing deck to the sea bed using a platform mounted winch, and the winch is detached from the topside end. At step S3 the platform is moved in a direction away from the installation side and an installation vessel is positioned on the installation side. At step S4 a recovery line is lowered from the installation vessel and an end of the recovery line is attached to the topside end of the riser or a subsea end of the riser. At step S5 the attached topside or subsea end is raised onto the installation vessel from the seabed using the recovery line. At step S6 the flexible line is recovered onto the installation vessel, whereupon the platform can be moved back to an operating position.
(22) FIG. 19 is a flow diagram illustrating at a high level a method of installing a flexible line between an offshore platform and a subsea structure. The method comprises, at step Sa1, moving the platform in a direction away from the installation side and positioning the installation vessel on the installation side. At step Sa2 vessel topside or subsea end of the flexible line is lowered from the installation vessel. At step Sa3 the the installation vessel is moved away from the platform and the platform is moved in a direction towards the installation vessel. At step Sa4 the lowered end is installed to a subsea structure or to the landing deck.
(23) It will be appreciated by the person of skill in the art that various modifications may be made to the above described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.
