Flying Lead Connector and Method for Making Subsea Connections

Abstract

The present invention generally provides a rigid flying lead. The improved flying lead arrangement is configured to provide fluid communication between a first item of subsea equipment and a second item of subsea equipment in a marine body. In one embodiment, the flying lead includes a first substantially rigid end kit disposed at a first end of the flying lead, and a second substantially rigid end kit disposed at a second end of the flying lead. A substantially rigid midsection is defined between the first end kit and the second end kit. At least one, and preferably multiple, fluid communication lines are disposed within the midsection, providing fluid communication between the two items of subsea equipment. Examples of subsea equipment include an umbilical end termination, a subsea distribution unit, a subsea tree and a manifold. The flying lead is configured to be lowered into a marine body using a spreader bar so that junction plates on the respective end kits can be gravitationally landed into respective junction plate receptacles.

1 . A flying lead for providing fluid communication between a first item of subsea equipment and a second item of subsea equipment in a marine body, the flying lead comprising: 
 a first substantially rigid end kit disposed at a first end of the flying lead;    a second substantially rigid end kit disposed at a second end of the flying lead; and    a substantially rigid and substantially linear midsection providing two or more fluid communication lines between the first end kit and the second end kit;    wherein each of the first and second end kits is configured to be landed into a respective first and second item of subsea equipment by lowering the flying lead into the marine body with a spreader bar.    
   
   
       2 . The flying lead of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second end kits comprises: 
 an end kit connector for receiving a releasable connection with the spreader bar.    
   
   
       3 . The flying lead of  claim 2 , wherein the end kit connector on each of the first and second end kits defines a pad eye.  
   
   
       4 . The flying lead of  claim 1 , wherein the first end kit comprises: 
 a first end and a second end;    a junction plate configured to land into a junction plate receptacle at the first item of subsea equipment; and    at least two end kit communication lines each having a first end and a second end, the first end of each of the at least two end kit communication lines being in fluid communication with a receptacle on the junction plate, and the second end of each of the at least two end kit communication lines being in fluid communication with a respective one of the one or more fluid communication lines in the midsection of the flying lead.    
   
   
       5 . The flying lead of  claim 4 , wherein: 
 the junction plate is a multi-coupler junction plate; and    the at least one two kit communications line comprise at least two separate metal-encased communication lines.    
   
   
       6 . The flying lead of  claim 1 , wherein the first end kit comprises: 
 a first end and a second end;    a multi-coupler junction plate disposed proximate to the first end of the first end kit, and configured to land into a junction plate receptacle at the first item of subsea equipment; and    at least two metal-encased end kit communication lines each having a first end and a second end, the first end of each of the at least two end kit communication lines being in fluid communication with a receptacle on the junction plate, and the second end of each of the at least two end kit communication lines being in fluid communication with a respective fluid communication line in the midsection of the flying lead.    
   
   
       7 . The flying lead of  claim 7 , wherein the first end kit further comprises: 
 a locating pin configured to land into a locating pin receptacle at the first item of subsea equipment.    
   
   
       8 . The flying lead of  claim 1 , further comprising a locating pin for a locating assembly.  
   
   
       9 . The flying lead of  claim 8 , wherein the locating pin further comprises: 
 a first end connected to a frame of the first end kit; and    a second end configured to gravitationally land into a locating pin receptacle at the first item of subsea equipment.    
   
   
       10 . The flying lead of  claim 1 , further comprising a locating pin, the locating pin having: 
 a first end connected to a frame of the first end kit;    a second end configured to gravitationally land into a locating pin receptacle at the first item of subsea equipment; and    a key dimensioned to land on and to ride along a shoulder of the locating pin receptacle.    
   
   
       11 . The flying lead of  claim 1 , wherein the first end kit comprises: 
 a connector for receiving a releasable connection with the spreader bar;    an upper frame section;    a multi-coupler junction plate disposed on the upper frame section, and configured to land into a junction plate receptacle at the first item of subsea equipment;    a lower frame section configured to be attached to the midsection in a substantially horizontal orientation along the bottom of the marine body;    an intermediate frame section connected to the upper and lower frame sections; and    at least two metal-encased end kit communication lines each having a first end and a second end, the first end of each of the at least two end kit communication lines being in fluid communication with fluid couplers on the junction plate, and the second end of each of the at least two end kit communication lines being in fluid communication with respective fluid communication lines in the midsection of the flying lead.    
   
   
       12 . The flying lead of  claim 11 , wherein the upper, lower and intermediate frame sections are each fabricated out of a metallic substance.  
   
   
       13 . The flying lead of  claim 11 , wherein the upper frame section and the intermediate frame sections connect to form an essentially right angle.  
   
   
       14 . The flying lead of  claim 11 , wherein the intermediate frame section connects to a riser casing, the riser casing in turn being connected to the lower frame section.  
   
   
       15 . The flying lead of  claim 11 , further comprising a bushing providing a flex-limited connection between the upper frame section and the intermediate frame section.  
   
   
       16 . The flying lead of  claim 6 , wherein: 
 the two or more communication lines comprises at least two fluid communication lines having different inner diameters; and    at least one of the communication lines is fabricated from heavy wall tubing.    
   
   
       17 . The flying lead of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the two or more communication lines comprises a fluid communication line having an inner diameter of at least one inch.  
   
   
       18 . An end kit for a flying lead, the flying lead providing fluid communication between a first item of subsea equipment and a midsection having at least two fluid communication lines, the end kit comprising: 
 at least one rigid frame section;    a connector disposed on the at least one rigid frame section for receiving a releasable connection with a spreader bar; and    a multi-coupler junction plate also disposed on the at least one rigid frame section, and configured to gravitationally land into a junction plate receptacle in an item of subsea equipment.    
   
   
       19 . The end kit of  claim 18 , wherein the connector on the at least one rigid frame section defines a pad eye.  
   
   
       20 . The end kit of  claim 18 , further comprising at least two fluid communication lines each have a first end and a second end, the first end of each of the end kit fluid communication lines being in fluid communication with a receptacle on the junction plate, and the second end of each of the end kit fluid communication lines being in fluid communication with a respective fluid communication line of the midsection.  
   
   
       21 . The end kit of  claim 18 , further comprising a locating pin configured to land into a locating pin receptacle at the item of subsea equipment.  
   
   
       22 . The end kit of  claim 21 , wherein the locating pin has a first end connected to the at least one rigid frame section, and a second end configured to land into a locating pin receptacle at the first item of subsea equipment.  
   
   
       23 . The end kit of  claim 18 , wherein: 
 the at least one rigid frame section defines an upper frame section, an intermediate frame section and a lower frame section, with the junction plate being disposed on the upper frame section, the lower frame section being configured to be attached to the midsection in a substantially horizontal orientation along the bottom of the marine body, and the intermediate frame section being connected to the upper and lower frame sections;    and wherein the end kit further comprises at least two metal-encased end kit communication lines each having a first end and a second end, the first end of each of the at least two end kit communication lines being in fluid communication with a respective receptacle on the junction plate, and the second end of each of the end kit fluid communication lines being in fluid communication with a respective fluid communication line of the midsection.    
   
   
       24 . The end kit of  claim 23 , wherein the upper frame section and the intermediate frame section connect to form an essentially right angle.  
   
   
       25 . The end kit of  claim 23 , wherein the intermediate frame section connects to a riser casing, the riser casing in turn being connected to the lower frame section.  
   
   
       26 . The end kit of  claim 23 , further comprising a flexible bushing providing a limited-pivoting connection between the upper frame section and the intermediate frame section.  
   
   
       27 . The end kit of  claim 18 , further comprising a locating assembly.  
   
   
       28 . The end kit of  claim 18 , further comprising a locating assembly, the locating assembly comprising: 
 a locating pin disposed along the first rigid frame section; and    a receptacle configured to receive the locating pin, the receptacle residing on the item of subsea equipment.    
   
   
       29 . The end kit of  claim 18 , further comprising a locating assembly, the locating assembly comprising: 
 a locating pin disposed along the first rigid frame section;    a key disposed along an outer diameter of the locating pin;    a receptacle configured to receive the locating pin, the receptacle residing on the item of subsea equipment; and    a shoulder along an inner diameter of the receptacle, the shoulder configured to receive the key and direct it into a slot.    
   
   
       30 . The end kit of  claim 29 , wherein the shoulder is bi-helically arranged.  
   
   
       31 . A method for installing a flying lead, the flying lead providing fluid communication between a first item of subsea equipment and a second item of subsea equipment in a marine body, the method comprising the steps of: 
 placing a flying lead onto a vessel, the flying lead comprising: 
 a first rigid end kit disposed at a first end of the flying lead, the first rigid end kit having a fluid communication line secured therein,  
 a second rigid end kit disposed at a second end of the flying lead, the second rigid end kit also having a fluid communication line secured therein, and  
 a substantially rigid and substantially linear midsection also having a fluid communication line disposed therein, the midsection fluid communication line having a first end in fluid communication with the fluid communication line of the first end kit, and a second end in fluid communication with the fluid communication line of the second end kit,  
 and wherein each of the first and second end kits is configured to be landed into a receptacle at a respective first and second item of subsea equipment by lowering the flying lead into the marine body with a spreader bar;  
   locating the vessel at a selected location generally above the first and second items of subsea equipment;    releasably securing the flying lead to a spreader bar;    lowering the spreader bar and connected flying lead into the marine body;    positioning the first end kit above the first item of subsea equipment;    landing the first end kit into the first item of subsea equipment;    establishing fluid communication between the fluid communication line of the first end kit, and the first item of subsea equipment;    positioning the second end kit above the second item of subsea equipment;    landing the second end kit into the second item of subsea equipment;    establishing fluid communication between the fluid communication line of the second end kit, and the second item of subsea equipment, thereby establishing fluid communication between the first and second items of subsea equipment.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the first end kit and the second end kit each further comprises: 
 at least one rigid frame section;    a connector disposed on the at least one rigid frame section for receiving a releasable connection with the spreader bar; and    a junction plate also disposed on the at least one rigid frame section, and configured to land into a junction plate receptacle in an item of subsea equipment.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein: 
 the communication line of the first end kit is in fluid communication with the junction plate receptacle on the first end kit; and    the communication line of the second end kit is in fluid communication with the junction plate receptacle on the second end kit.    
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein: 
 each junction plate is a multi-coupler junction plate having multiple receptacles for receiving fluid communication lines;    the first end kit comprises at least two fluid communication lines;    the second end kit comprises at least two fluid communication lines; and    the midsection comprises at least two fluid communication line.    
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein: 
 the first end kit further comprises a locating pin configured to land into a locating pin receptacle at the first item of subsea equipment; and    the second end kit further comprises a locating pin configured to land into a locating pin receptacle at the second item of subsea equipment.    
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein: 
 the locating pin of the first end kit has a first end connected to the at least one rigid frame section of the first end kit, and a second end configured to land into a locating pin receptacle at the first item of subsea equipment; and    the locating pin of the second end kit has a first end connected to the at least one rigid frame section of the second end kit, and a second end configured to land into a locating pin receptacle at the second item of subsea equipment.    
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein: 
 the locating pin of the first end kit further comprises a key dimensioned to land on and to ride along a shoulder of the locating pin receptacle at the first item of subsea equipment; and    the locating pin of the second end kit further comprises a key dimensioned to land on and to ride along a bi-helical shoulder of the locating pin receptacle at the second item of subsea equipment.    
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising the step of: 
 releasing the flying lead from the spreader bar.    
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the step of releasing the flying lead from the spreader bar is conducted before the step of establishing fluid communication between the fluid communication line of the first end kit and the first item of subsea equipment.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the first item of subsea equipment is selected from the group consisting of an umbilical end termination, a subsea distribution unit, a subsea tree and a manifold.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising the step of: 
 delivering fluid from the first item of subsea equipment to the second item of subsea equipment through the flying lead.    
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of hydraulic control fluid, chemical treatment fluid, and gas for gas lift valves.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein: 
 the fluid is a gas for gas lift valves, and    the gas is transmitted through a communication line having a diameter greater than 1 inch.    
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the chemical treatment fluid is methanol.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the step of establishing fluid communication between the fluid communication line of the first end kit, and the first item of subsea equipment, is accomplished by using an ROV after the junction plate on the first item of subsea equipment has gravitationally landed into the receptacle on the first item of subsea equipment.  
   
   
       46 . A flying lead for providing fluid communication between a first item of subsea equipment and a second item of subsea equipment in a marine body, the flying lead comprising: 
 a substantially rigid and substantially linear midsection, the midsection having a first end and a second opposing end, and having a hydraulic line disposed therein;    a first end kit disposed at a first end of the midsection, the first end kit having a steel-encased hydraulic line therein in fluid communication with the hydraulic line of the midsection;    a second end kit disposed at a second end of the midsection, the second end kit also having a steel-encased hydraulic line therein and also being in fluid communication with the hydraulic line of the midsection; and    wherein the hydraulic lines of the midsection, the first end kit and the second end kit each have an inner diameter of at least one inch.