U.S. patent application number 11/075555 was filed with the patent office on 2006-09-14 for support member for subsea jumper installation, and methods of using same.
Invention is credited to Michael R. Williams.
Application Number | 20060201679 11/075555 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36969606 |
Filed Date | 2006-09-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060201679 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Williams; Michael R. |
September 14, 2006 |
Support member for subsea jumper installation, and methods of using
same
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a support member for subsea
jumper installation, and methods of using same. In one illustrative
embodiment, the device includes a subsea jumper and at least one
adjustable support member coupled between portions of the subsea
jumper, the adjustable support member comprising at least one
hydraulic cylinder, wherein a length of the adjustable support
member may be adjusted by actuation of at least one hydraulic
cylinder. A method of installing a subsea jumper is also disclosed
which includes coupling at least one hydraulically adjustable
support member between portions of the subsea jumper, lowering the
at least one adjustable support member and the subsea jumper into a
body of water and operatively coupling the subsea jumper to a
plurality of subsea connections.
Inventors: |
Williams; Michael R.;
(Houston, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WILLIAMS, MORGAN & AMERSON
10333 RICHMOND, SUITE 1100
HOUSTON
TX
77042
US
|
Family ID: |
36969606 |
Appl. No.: |
11/075555 |
Filed: |
March 9, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
166/344 ;
166/347 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 33/047 20130101;
E21B 33/038 20130101; E21B 43/0107 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
166/344 ;
166/347 |
International
Class: |
E21B 33/064 20060101
E21B033/064; E21B 33/037 20060101 E21B033/037 |
Claims
1. A device, comprising: a subsea jumper; and at least one
adjustable support member coupled between portions of said subsea
jumper, said adjustable support member comprising at least one
hydraulic cylinder, wherein a length of said adjustable support
member may be adjusted by actuation of said at least one hydraulic
cylinder.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one adjustable
support member is releasably coupled to said subsea jumper.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein said at least one adjustable
support member is releasably coupled to said subsea jumper by a
plurality of releasable, pinned connections.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one adjustable
support member is releasably coupled to said subsea jumper by a
plurality of ROV actuatable pins.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one adjustable
support member comprises a support structure that is coupled to
said at least one hydraulic cylinder.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein said support structure comprises
a lattice-framework.
7. The device of claim 5, wherein said support structure comprises
a plurality of modular sections that are releasably coupled to one
another.
8. The device of claim 5, wherein said support structure comprises
a tubular member.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one adjustable
support member is releasably coupled between two upstanding legs of
said subsea jumper.
10. The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one adjustable
support member is releasably coupled between an outer leg of said
subsea jumper and another portion of said subsea jumper.
11. The device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said adjustable
support members are releasably coupled to said subsea jumper.
12. The device of claim 1, wherein said length of said adjustable
support member may be adjusted to increase or decrease a dimension
between centerlines of a plurality of jumper connections provided
on said subsea jumper.
13. The device of claim 1, wherein said length of said adjustable
support member may be adjusted to reduce bending of said subsea
jumper.
14. The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one adjustable
support member is releasably coupled to said subsea jumper by a
plurality of pin and socket connections.
15. The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one adjustable
support member is releasably coupled to said subsea jumper by a
plurality of pin-in-saddle connections.
16. A device, comprising: a subsea jumper; and a plurality of
adjustable support members coupled to portions of said subsea
jumper, each of said adjustable support members comprising at least
one hydraulic cylinder, wherein a length of each of said adjustable
support members may be adjusted by actuation of said at least one
hydraulic cylinder.
17. The device of claim 16, wherein at least one of said plurality
of adjustable support members is releasably coupled to said subsea
jumper.
18. The device of claim 16, wherein each of said plurality of
adjustable support members comprises a support structure that is
coupled to said at least one hydraulic cylinder.
19. The device of claim 18, wherein said support structure
comprises a lattice-framework.
20. The device of claim 18, wherein said support structure
comprises a plurality of modular sections that are releasably
coupled to one another.
21. The device of claim 18, wherein said support structure
comprises a tubular member.
22. The device of claim 16, wherein at least one of said plurality
of adjustable support members is releasably coupled between two
upstanding legs of said subsea jumper.
23. The device of claim 16, wherein at least one of said plurality
of adjustable support members is releasably coupled between an
outer leg of said subsea jumper and another portion of said subsea
jumper.
24. The device of claim 16, wherein said plurality of adjustable
support members are releasably coupled to said subsea jumper.
25. A device, comprising: a subsea jumper; and at least one
adjustable support member coupled between portions of said subsea
jumper, said adjustable support member comprising at least one
hydraulic cylinder and a modular support structure comprised of a
plurality of modular sections that may be coupled/decoupled from
one another, wherein a length of said adjustable support member may
be adjusted by actuation of said at least one hydraulic
cylinder.
26. The device of claim 25, wherein said at least one adjustable
support member is releasably coupled to said subsea jumper.
27. The device of claim 25, wherein said modular sections are
coupled to one another by a plurality of fasteners.
28. The device of claim 25, wherein said modular sections comprises
a lattice-framework.
29. A device, comprising: a subsea jumper having a plurality of
upstanding legs extending vertically from a horizontal section of
said subsea jumper; and a lifting support member operatively
coupled to said upstanding legs of said subsea jumper;
30. The device of claim 29, further comprising at least one
vertical support member that is coupled to said lifting support
member and said horizontal section of said subsea jumper.
31. The device of claim 29, wherein said vertical support member
comprises a hydraulic cylinder operatively coupled to said lifting
support member and said horizontal section of said subsea
jumper.
32. The device of claim 29, wherein said vertical support member
comprises at least one of a rigid support and a lifting sling.
33. The device of claim 29, wherein at least a portion of said
lifting support member is positioned within a substantially
U-shaped area defined by said upstanding legs and said horizontal
section of said subsea jumper.
34. The device of claim 29, wherein the entirety of said support
member is positioned within a substantially U-shaped area defined
by said upstanding legs and said horizontal section of said subsea
jumper.
35. The device of claim 29, wherein said lifting support member is
releasably coupled to said subsea jumper.
36. The device of claim 29, wherein said lifting support member is
releasably coupled to said subsea jumper by a plurality of
releasable, pinned connections.
37. The device of claim 29, wherein said at least one vertical
support member is releasably coupled to said subsea jumper by a
plurality of ROV actuatable pins.
38. The device of claim 29, wherein said lifting support structure
comprises a lattice-framework.
39. The device of claim 29, wherein said lifting support structure
comprises a plurality of modular sections that are releasably
coupled to one another.
40. The device of claim 29, wherein said lifting support structure
comprises a tubular member.
41. The device of claim 29, wherein a longitudinal axis of said
lifting support member is substantially parallel to a longitudinal
axis of the said horizontal section.
42. The device of claim 41, wherein at least a portion of said
lifting support member is positioned between said upstanding legs
of said subsea jumper.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention is generally directed to the field of
subsea oil and gas production, and, more particularly, to a support
member for subsea jumper installation, and methods of using
same.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Flowline jumpers are used in the field of subsea oil and gas
production to provide fluid communication between two items of
subsea equipment. For example, a flowline jumper may be used to
connect the production outlet of a Christmas tree to the end of a
subsea pipeline that terminates near the Christmas tree. Thus, a
flowline jumper usually comprises a length of conduit and two fluid
couplings or connections, one located at each end of the conduit,
which are adapted to mate with corresponding hubs connected to the
subsea equipment. To facilitate installing the flowline jumper from
a surface vessel, the hubs connected to the subsea equipment are
typically oriented vertically upward and the flowline jumper is
constructed so that the conduit and the fluid couplings lie in a
single plane with the fluid couplings oriented in the same
direction. In this manner, the flowline jumper may be lowered
vertically from the surface vessel and the fluid couplings on the
subsea jumper are landed on the hubs.
[0005] One illustrative example of an installation technique for a
subsea jumper 10 will now be described with reference to FIG. 1. As
shown therein, the subsea jumper 10 comprises a plurality of jumper
connections 12 that are adapted to mate or connect with a hub 13 of
a subsea device 15, e.g., a manifold, a subsea pipeline, etc. As
shown in FIG. 1, a spreader bar 14 and a plurality of slings 16 are
coupled to the jumper 10. A bridle 18 comprised of a plurality of
slings 20 is coupled to a line 22 from a crane (not shown). The
size of the illustrative spreader bar 14 may vary depending upon
the size of the subsea jumper 10 to be installed. Typically, a
spreader bar 14 is a massive structure that may have a weight of
approximately 20,000-40,000 pounds. As indicated in FIG. 1,
depending upon the size of the jumper 10, the distance 24 between
the bottom of the jumper 10 and the spreader bar 14 may be
approximately 15-20 feet. The distance 26 between the spreader bar
14 and the crane line 22 may be on the order of approximately 60
feet.
[0006] As indicated previously, installation of a subsea jumper 10
using a large, heavy spreader bar 14 and rigging requires the use
of large offshore installation vessels and cranes to achieve the
required hook height and lifting capacity. Handling of one or more
of these large spreader bars and the associated rigging,
particularly in rough weather when vessel motions are significant,
can be problematic. As indicated in FIG. 1, the jumper 10 is
suspended below the spreader bar 14 by a number of slings 20. The
rigging arrangement depicted in FIG. 1 typically requires a crane
with a hook height on the order of approximately 100 feet or more
which rules out the use of many types of offshore vessels.
Additionally, the spreader bar 14 and the rigging must be stowed on
the transportation vessel for delivery of the jumper 10 to the
offshore installation vessel that has a lifting crane of sufficient
size. The spreader bar 14 takes up significant space on the
transport vessel, limiting the number of jumpers 10 that can be
transported at a single time.
[0007] Using such a traditional method, when the jumper 10 is
lifted off the transport vessel, particularly in rough weather,
motion of the spreader bar 14 and its related rigging can be
difficult to control. Moreover, even after the spreader bar 14 is
positioned subsea, the ends of the spreader bar 14 may be
positioned near other subsea equipment, such as subsea trees and
manifolds, thereby creating a potential situation where the
spreader bar 14 hits or damages such subsea equipment. Even after
the jumper 10 is installed using the traditional method depicted in
FIG. 1, landing the spreader bar 14 back onto the transport vessel
can also be problematic due to its size and weight. The time and
effort employed to recover the large spreader bar 14 and its
associated rigging, and transporting such equipment back to shore
further adds to the costs of subsea jumper installation.
[0008] The present invention is directed to various devices and
methods for solving, or at least reducing the effects of, some or
all of the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The following presents a simplified summary of the invention
in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the
invention. This summary is not an exhaustive overview of the
invention. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements
of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its
sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a
prelude to the more detailed description that is discussed
later.
[0010] The present invention is directed to a support member for
subsea jumper installation, and methods of using same. In one
illustrative embodiment, the present invention is directed to an
adjustable support member employed in connection with the
installation of subsea jumpers, and methods of using same. In one
illustrative embodiment, the device comprises a subsea jumper and
at least one adjustable support member coupled between portions of
the subsea jumper, the adjustable support member comprising at
least one hydraulic cylinder, wherein a length of the adjustable
support member may be adjusted by actuation of the at least one
hydraulic cylinder.
[0011] In another illustrative embodiment, the device comprises a
subsea jumper and a plurality of adjustable support members coupled
to portions of the subsea jumper, each of the adjustable support
members comprising at least one hydraulic cylinder, wherein a
length of each of the adjustable support members may be adjusted by
actuation of the at least one hydraulic cylinder.
[0012] In yet another illustrative embodiment, the device comprises
a subsea jumper and at least one adjustable support member coupled
between portions of the subsea jumper, the adjustable support
member comprising at least one hydraulic cylinder and a modular
support structure comprised of a plurality of modular sections that
may be coupled/decoupled from one another, wherein a length of the
adjustable support member may be adjusted by actuation of the at
least one hydraulic cylinder.
[0013] A method of installing a subsea jumper is also disclosed. In
one illustrative embodiment, the method comprises coupling at least
one hydraulically adjustable support member between portions of the
subsea jumper, lowering at least one adjustable support member and
the subsea jumper into a body of water and operatively coupling the
subsea jumper to a plurality of subsea connections.
[0014] In another illustrative embodiment, the method comprises
coupling a plurality of hydraulically adjustable support members
between portions of the subsea jumper, lowering the plurality of
adjustable support members and the subsea jumper into a body of
water and operatively coupling the subsea jumper to a plurality of
subsea connections.
[0015] In yet another illustrative embodiment, the method comprises
assembling a hydraulically adjustable support member by coupling a
plurality of modular sections to one another to form at least a
portion of a modular support structure and operatively coupling at
least one hydraulic cylinder to the modular support structure. The
method further comprises coupling the hydraulically adjustable
support member between portions of the subsea jumper, lowering the
adjustable support member and the subsea jumper into a body of
water and operatively coupling the subsea jumper to a plurality of
subsea connections.
[0016] In yet another illustrative embodiment, the present
invention is directed to a subsea jumper having a plurality of
upstanding legs extending vertically from a horizontal section of
the subsea jumper, and a lifting support member operatively coupled
to said upstanding legs of the subsea jumper;
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The invention may be understood by reference to the
following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, in which like reference numerals identify like elements,
and in which:
[0018] FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative prior art subsea jumper
installation apparatus and technique;
[0019] FIG. 2 depicts one illustrative embodiment of an adjustable
support member for subsea jumper installation in accordance with
one aspect of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 3 depicts another illustrative embodiment of an
adjustable support member for a subsea jumper in accordance with
one aspect of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 4 depicts yet another illustrative embodiment of an
adjustable support member for a subsea jumper in accordance with
yet another aspect of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 5 depicts one illustrative embodiment of how an
adjustable support member of the present invention may be coupled
to a subsea jumper;
[0023] FIG. 6 depicts another illustrative embodiment of how an
adjustable support member of the present invention may be coupled
to a subsea jumper;
[0024] FIG. 7 depicts another illustrative embodiment of a support
member employed in subsea jumper installation; and
[0025] FIG. 8 depicts yet another illustrative embodiment of a
support member employed in subsea jumper installation.
[0026] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications
and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown
by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in
detail. It should be understood, however, that the description
herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the
invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary,
the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and
alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention
as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described
below. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual
implementation are described in this specification. It will of
course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual
embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made
to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with
system-related and business-related constraints, which will vary
from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be
appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and
time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for
those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this
disclosure.
[0028] The present invention will now be described with reference
to the attached figures. The words and phrases used herein should
be understood and interpreted to have a meaning consistent with the
understanding of those words and phrases by those skilled in the
relevant art. No special definition of a term or phrase, i.e., a
definition that is different from the ordinary and customary
meaning as understood by those skilled in the art, is intended to
be implied by consistent usage of the term or phrase herein. To the
extent that a term or phrase is intended to have a special meaning,
i.e., a meaning other than that understood by skilled artisans,
such a special definition will be expressly set forth in the
specification in a definitional manner that directly and
unequivocally provides the special definition for the term or
phrase.
[0029] FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 depict illustrative embodiments of an
adjustable support member 30 that may be employed in connection
with the installation of a subsea jumper 10 in accordance with the
present invention. As indicated in FIG. 2, the adjustable support
member 30 may be releasably coupled to the subsea jumper 10 at a
plurality of attachment areas 32, e.g., pad eyes. In the embodiment
depicted in FIG. 2, the adjustable support member 30 is comprised
of a hydraulic cylinder 31 that is operatively coupled to a
generally cylindrical structural member 33. Of course, the
structural member 33 may be of any desired shape or configuration.
Moreover, the adjustable support member 30 may be coupled to the
subsea jumper in accordance with any of a variety of known
techniques. In one illustrative embodiment, the adjustable support
member 30 is releasably coupled to the subsea jumper 10. In other
embodiments, the adjustable support member 30 may be fixedly
coupled to the subsea jumper 10 and may remain attached to the
subsea jumper 10 after the installation of the subsea jumper 10 is
complete. Pressurized fluid may be supplied to the cylinder 31 via
the schematically depicted fluid connection 31.
[0030] A bridle 34 comprised of a plurality of bridle slings 36 is
releasably coupled to the subsea jumper 10 through a plurality of
attachment mechanisms 32, e.g., pad eyes, in accordance with known
techniques. These connections may be released by an ROV (remote
operated vehicle) or by a diver. The bridle 34 is coupled to a
crane line 38 that is operatively controlled by a crane (not shown)
located on a surface vessel. In accordance with one aspect of the
present invention, through use of the adjustable support member 30,
the total height 40 of the bridle rigging 34 and subsea jumper 10
may be on the order of approximately 40 feet. This is in contrast
to traditional methods involving the use of a spreader bar 14 (as
depicted in FIG. 1), where the total height from the bridle rigging
18 to the bottom of the subsea jumper 10 may be on the order of
approximately 75-80 feet.
[0031] In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, the adjustable support
member 30 comprises a hydraulic cylinder 31 and a lattice-type
structural member 42. In one illustrative embodiment, the
structural member 42 may be of modular construction in that various
sections of the structural member 42 may be made of bolted modules
coupled to one another by a plurality of fasteners, e.g., bolts 35,
similar to lattice beam sections employed on large lifting cranes.
If the structure member 42 comprises such modules, the modules may
be added or removed to adjust the length of the adjustable support
member 30. In this manner, one set of modules may be used to
install subsea jumpers 10 that have a wide range of varying
lengths. Currently, spreader bars 14 like that depicted in FIG. 1
are typically fabricated to match the length of a particular jumper
10 to be installed.
[0032] FIG. 4 depicts yet another illustrative embodiment of the
adjustable support member 30 of the present invention wherein a
plurality of hydraulic cylinders 31, 37 are operatively coupled to
a structural member of the adjustable support member 30. In the
depicted embodiment, the first hydraulic cylinder 31 is adapted to
increase or decrease the length of the adjustable support member 30
in the direction indicated by the arrows 39, whereas the second
hydraulic cylinder 37 is adapted to reduce bowing or bending of the
subsea jumper 10 by increasing or decreasing the distance 41
between the jumper 10 and the adjustable support member 30.
[0033] FIGS. 5 and 6 depict illustrative embodiments of how the
adjustable support member 30 may be releasably coupled to the
subsea jumper 10. As depicted in FIG. 5, the adjustable support
member 30 is releasably coupled to the subsea jumper 10 by a
plurality of pin/socket arrangements. More specifically, the subsea
jumper 10 may be provided with a plurality of socket-type
attachment mechanisms 45 having an opening 47 extending
therethrough. The adjustable support member 30 may have projections
51 formed thereon with openings 53 formed therein. In some cases,
one of the projections 51 may constitute a portion of a hydraulic
cylinder rod 55. Through operation of the hydraulic cylinder 31,
the adjustable support member 30 may be positioned such that the
projections 51 are resident within the socket mechanisms 45 on the
jumper 10. Thereafter, ROV (remote operated vehicle) releasable
pins 49 with a detent type of retainer, which are known in the art,
may be employed to operatively couple the adjustable support member
30 to the subsea jumper 10 by positioning the pins 49 through the
openings 45 and 53.
[0034] In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 6, the adjustable support
member 30 is operatively coupled to the subsea jumper 10 by a
plurality of tab-in-saddle type connections. More specifically, the
adjustable support member 30 is comprised of plate-type attachment
clips 61 having openings 63 formed therein on each end of the
adjustable support member 30. In some cases, one of the attachment
clips 61 may be coupled to a hydraulic cylinder rod 55. The
plate-type clips 61 are adapted to be received in saddle joints 65
that are welded to the subsea jumper 10. The saddle joints 65 have
an opening 67 defined therethrough. In operation, the adjustable
support member 30 is releasably secured to the subsea jumper 10
through use of the illustrative ROV pins 49 once the plate clips 61
are positioned in the saddle joints 65 and the pins 49 are
positioned through the openings 67, 63.
[0035] In operation, the adjustable support member 30 of the
present invention may be coupled to the subsea jumper 10 prior to
positioning the subsea jumper/adjustable support member combination
on a transport vessel for transport to the local installation site.
Alternatively, the subsea jumper 10 and the adjustable support
member 30 may be transported separately on the transport vessel and
assembled at the worksite. In the case where the adjustable support
member 30 is comprised of a module type structural members, such as
the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, the necessary modular components
may be assembled such that the adjustable support member 30 is of
the desired length for the particular subsea jumper 10 to be
installed. Once the adjustable support member 30 is coupled to the
subsea jumper 10, the hydraulic cylinder (or multiple cylinders
depending upon the particular application) may be energized (via
schematically depicted connection 31A) to effectively establish a
rigid support beam between the attachment points on the subsea
jumper 10. Thereafter, the bridle 34 and its associated slings 36
may be coupled to the subsea jumper 10 in accordance with known
techniques.
[0036] Once the adjustable support member 30 is coupled to the
subsea jumper 10, and that assembly is rigged for lifting by crane,
the combined assembly may be lowered to the subsea installation
site using a crane (not shown). During the lifting and transporting
of this combined assembly to the subsea floor, the adjustable
support member 30 provides the necessary structural support to
maintain the subsea jumper 10 in the desired orientation and to
reduce or limit undesired bending of the subsea jumper 10.
[0037] In addition to providing this structural support during the
handling and installation of the subsea jumper 10, the adjustable
support member 30 may also be employed to facilitate the coupling
of the subsea jumper 10 to the various subsea devices 15. That is,
if necessary, the length of the adjustable support member 30 may be
increased or decreased to facilitate alignment of the jumper
connections 12 with the hubs 13 of the subsea devices 15. In the
illustrative embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, the first hydraulic
cylinder 31 may be actuated to adjust the length of the adjustable
support member 30 in the direction indicated by the arrows 39 to
thereby increase or decrease the spacing between the centerlines
12A of the jumper connection 12. Additionally, the second hydraulic
cylinder 37 may be actuated so as to increase or decrease the
dimension 41 in an effort to reduce the bending or bowing of the
jumper assembly 10. In practice, the various hydraulic cylinders
depicted herein may be energized through use of an ROV containing a
hydraulic fluid supply. Alternatively, the hydraulic cylinders
employed herein may be operatively coupled to hydraulic lines that
extend to a surface supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid. The
hydraulic cylinders described herein may be dual acting hydraulic
cylinders that are well known in the industry.
[0038] After the subsea jumper 10 is properly positioned and
secured to the hub 13 of the subsea device 15, the adjustable
support member 30 may be removed or disengaged from the subsea
jumper 10 and returned to the surface for use in installing
additional subsea jumpers 10. As indicated in the illustrative
embodiment depicted herein, this releasable attachment may be
accomplished through use of the ROV releasable pins 49.
Additionally, in the depicted embodiments, the adjustable support
member 30 is depicted as being positioned between the upstanding
legs 10A of the subsea jumper 10 (see FIG. 2). In practice, the
adjustable support member 30 described herein may be operatively
coupled to the subsea jumper 10 at any desired location.
[0039] Moreover, a plurality of such adjustable support members 30
may be operatively coupled to a subsea jumper 10 if desired. For
example, FIG. 2 depicts the illustrative situation where a
plurality of additional adjustable support members 30A are
operatively coupled to the subsea jumper 10 between the outer legs
10B of the subsea jumper 10 (connected to the jumper connection 12)
and the upstanding legs 10A of the subsea jumper 10. So as not to
obscure the present invention, the adjustable support members 30A
are depicted in phantom in FIG. 2. In this particular embodiment,
the use of the adjustable support members 30A in lieu of or in
addition to the adjustable support member 30 depicted therein may
be desired so as to provide greater flexibility in adjusting the
location of the subsea jumper connections 12 relative to the subsea
hubs 13 on the subsea devices 15. If employed, the adjustable
support members 30A would be of similar construction as that
described above with respect to the adjustable support member
30.
[0040] Although the present invention has been disclosed in the
context where a prior art spreader bar 14 (see FIG. 1) is not
employed in installing the subsea jumper 10, the present invention
may be employed even in those situations where a spreader bar 14 is
employed. That is, due to the unique characteristics of the present
invention enabling the adjustment of various lengths and positions
of the subsea jumper 10, the use of such an adjustable support
member 30 may be desirable even in the case where the prior art
spreader bar 14 is employed as depicted and described in FIG.
1.
[0041] FIGS. 7 and 8 depict another illustrative embodiment of the
present invention. As depicted therein, the subsea jumper 10 has a
generally U-shaped configuration as defined by the upstanding legs
10A and the horizontal section 10C. In accordance with one aspect
of the present invention, a lifting support member 70 is coupled to
the upstanding legs 10A of the subsea jumper 10 via illustrative
pad eyes 32. One purpose of the lifting support member 70 is to
facilitate installation of the jumper 10 on various subsea
connections. For example, through use of the lifting support member
70, various installations forces or reactions, such as bending or
bowing of the horizontal section 10C may be reduced or eliminated
during the installation process. The illustrative lifting support
member 70 depicted in FIGS. 7 and 8 does not employ a hydraulic
cylinder that would allow length-wise extension of the support
member in the direction indicated by the arrow 39. In the depicted
embodiment, at least a protion of the lifting support member 70 is
positioned between the upstanding legs 10C of the jumper 10, and a
longitudinal axis of the lifting support member 70 is substantially
parallel to a longitudinal axis of the horizontal section 10C.
These comments apply equally as well to the adjustable support
member 30 disclosed previously in the application. Also note that,
in one illustrative embodiment, the upper surface 75 of the lifting
support member 70 is positioned below the upper surface 77 of the
upper horizontal legs 10D of the subsea jumper 10. Stated another
way, the upper surface 75 of the lifting support member 70 is
positioned below the uppermost extension of the upstanding legs
10A.
[0042] The lifting support member 70 may be of any desired size,
shape or configuration. Any type of structural members may be
employed to manufacture the lifting support member, e.g., pipe,
structural tubing, I-beams, angle iron, etc. In the illustrative
embodiment depicted in FIG. 7, the lifting support member 70 is a
section of pipe. In the illustrative embodiment depicted in FIG. 8,
the lifting support member 70 is a modular lattice-type structure
member comprised of a plurality of modular sections that may be
assembled to any desired length, as discussed previously with
respect to the illustrative embodiment depicted in FIGS. 3 and
4.
[0043] FIGS. 7 and 8 further schematically depict a plurality of
schematically depicted vertical support members 71 that may be
coupled to the lifting support member 70 and the horizontal section
10C of the jumper 10 to reduce or prevent sagging. The vertical
support member 71 may be any type of device or structure capable of
providing the desired support of the horizontal sections 10C. For
example, the support 71 may be a chain or sling, a rigid support
member, e.g., angle iron or pipe, or may be an adjustable hydraulic
cylinder like the illustrative hydraulic cylinder 37 depicted in
FIG. 4. Of course, the manner in which the vertical support member
71 is operatively coupled to the lifting support member 70 may vary
depending upon the particular application. For example, if the
vertical support members 71 are lifting slings, the slings may
simply be positioned around portions of one or both of the lifting
support member 70 and/or the horizontal section 10C of the jumper
10. Of course, the illustrative support members 71 may also be
employed with the various embodiments of the adjustable support
member 30 depicted in the earlier drawings.
[0044] The lifting support member 70 will typically be coupled to
the subsea jumper 10 on a surface vessel. The subsea jumper 10 has
a generally U-shaped configuration defined by the upstanding legs
10A. The support members 30, 70 disclosed herein may be positioned
at least partially within the U-shaped section. In the illustrative
embodiment depicted in FIGS. 2 and 7, the entirety of the support
members 30, 70 are positioned within this U-shaped section. In the
embodiments depicted in FIGS. 3, 4 and 8, at least a portion of the
support members 30, 70 is positioned within this U-shaped region.
Since the lifting support member 70 is positioned at least
partially within the U-shaped section of the subsea jumper 10, the
total hook height required for the combination of the lifting
support member 70 and the subsea jumper 10 is less as compared to
prior art lifting systems like the one depicted in FIG. 1. This
reduction in hook height allows the use of smaller, less expensive
cranes for performing the subsea jumper installation. The comments
regarding reduction in hook height apply equally as well to the
various embodiments of the adjustable support member 30 disclosed
herein. Additionally, the lifting support member 70 as well as the
vertical support member 71 may be releasably coupled to the various
components depicted herein as described previously with respect to
the embodiments shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
[0045] The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative
only, as the invention may be modified and practiced in different
but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having
the benefit of the teachings herein. For example, the process steps
set forth above may be performed in a different order. Furthermore,
no limitations are intended to the details of construction or
design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below.
It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed
above may be altered or modified and all such variations are
considered within the scope and spirit of the invention.
Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the
claims below.
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