Pipeline entry system

Abstract

An apparatus for inserting coiled tubing into a sub-sea pipeline comprising an adaptor which is releasably couplable to an anchor to hold the adaptor in position against lateral and/or vertical forces, the adaptor having: i) a first end comprising first coupling means for releasably coupling the adaptor to a riser and an opening through which coiled tubing can extend, ii) a second end comprising second coupling means for releasably coupling the adaptor to the anchor, and iii) a curved guide comprising an entrance end facing the opening and an exit end, the curved guide being in communication with the opening such that coiled tubing from the riser can extend through the opening and along the curved guide, the curved guide, in use, guiding the coiled tubing from a substantially vertical orientation at the entrance end to a substantially horizontal or near-horizontal orientation at the exit end.

1 . An apparatus for inserting coiled tubing into a sub-sea pipeline comprising an adaptor which is releasably couplable to an anchor to hold the adaptor in position against lateral and/or vertical forces, the adaptor having:
 i) a first end comprising first coupling means for releasably coupling the adaptor to a riser and an opening through which coiled tubing can extend,   ii) a second end comprising second coupling means for releasably coupling the adaptor to the anchor means, and   iii) a curved guide comprising an entrance end facing the opening and an exit end, the curved guide being in communication with the opening such that coiled tubing from the riser can extend through the opening and along the curved guide, the curved guide, in use, guiding the coiled tubing from a substantially vertical orientation at the entrance end to a substantially horizontal or near-horizontal orientation at the exit end.   
   
   
       2 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first and second ends of the adaptor are at opposing ends of an adaptor body and are separated by side walls of the adaptor body, the curved guide extending through the side wall of the adaptor body so that the exit end of the curved guide is outside the adaptor body. 
   
   
       3 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the inner surface of the curved guide has a generally circular cross-section and the curved guide has a radius of curvature of at least about 20 times the outer diameter of the curved guide to be used. 
   
   
       4 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a launcher having a channel extending there-through for housing a pipeline intervention tool, the launcher being couplable downstream of the adaptor so that coiled tubing extending from the exit of the curved guide of the adaptor can extend into the channel through the launcher to couple to the intervention tool. 
   
   
       5 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising a transition element between the exit end of the curved guide and the launcher, the transition element comprising a channel there-through for conducting coiled tubing from the curved guide to the launcher, the channel having an entrance adjacent the exit end of the curved guide and an exit adjacent the launcher. 
   
   
       6 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the transition element is adapted to accommodate one or more of a separation or a vertical, lateral or rotational misalignment between the exit of the curved guide and the entrance of the launcher. 
   
   
       7 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the transition element has an adjustable length. 
   
   
       8 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the transition element includes at least a portion that is generally rigid but which is resilient to allow flexing along the length thereof. 
   
   
       9 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , in which a flex joint is provided at one or both of the entrance end or the exit end of the transition element, thereby allowing the exit of the channel of the transition element to be freely adjusted with respect to the exit end of the curved guide of the adaptor. 
   
   
       10 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , in which the exit of the transition element is provided with a funnel for guiding the exit into engagement with the launcher in use. 
   
   
       11 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , in which the transition element is releasably couplable to the exit end of the curved guide of the adaptor. 
   
   
       12 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , in which the transition element is part of the adaptor. 
   
   
       13 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the distance between the first and second ends of the adaptor is adjustable so as to vary the height of the curved guide. 
   
   
       14 . A method for inserting coiled tubing into a sub-sea pipeline comprising:
 (a) providing an adaptor having:
 i) a first end having first coupling means for releasably coupling the adaptor to a riser and a first opening through which coiled tubing can extend, 
 ii) a second end having second coupling means for releasably coupling the adaptor to the anchor means, and 
 iii) a curved guide comprising an entrance end facing the opening and an exit end, the curved guide being in communication with the opening such that coiled tubing from the riser can extend through the opening and along the curved guide, the curved guide, in use, guiding the coiled tubing from a substantially vertical orientation at the entrance end to a substantially horizontal or near-horizontal orientation at the exit end; 
   (b) lowering the adaptor to the sea bed;   (c) connecting an end of a riser to the first end of the adaptor either before step (b) in which case the riser is lowered simultaneously with the adaptor, or after step (b) in which case the riser is lowered separately from the adaptor; and   (d) deploying coiled tubing through the riser, through the first opening of the adaptor and through the curved guide so that the coiled tubing extends beyond the exit end of the curved guide substantially horizontally.   
   
   
       15 . A method as claimed in  claim 14 , in which step (b) is followed by the step of releasably coupling the second end of the adaptor to an anchor fixed to the sea bed. 
   
   
       16 . A method as claimed in  claim 14 , in which step (b) is preceded by releasably coupling the second end of the adaptor to an anchor, the anchor being lowered to the sea bed with the adaptor and then being fixed to the sea bed. 
   
   
       17 . A method as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising the step of providing a launcher having a channel extending there-through for housing a pipeline intervention tool, loading an intervention tool into the channel through the launcher, lowering the launcher and intervention tool to the sea bed and coupling the launcher to a flowline connector connected at a flowline access point. 
   
   
       18 . A method as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising connecting a transition element between the exit end of the curved guide and the launcher, the transition element comprising a channel there-through through which coiled tubing is passed from the curved guide to the launcher. 
   
   
       19 . A method as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising the step of passing the coiled tubing from the launcher into the flowline access point. 
   
   
       20 . A method as claimed in  claim 14 , using the apparatus of  claim 1 .