Valved tree member for a riser system and telescoping device for inclusion in a riser system

Abstract

A valved tree member ( 50 ) for inclusion in a riser completion system ( 35 ) and suitable for use in the region of a moon pool ( 14 ) on a floating vessel ( 8 ), the valved tree member ( 50 ) comprising: one or more valve members ( 70 ) adapted to selectively permit and prevent flow of fluid therethrough, and one or more moveable stab members ( 76 ) adapted to respectively selectively provide a sealed fluid communication path between a throughbore of the riser system and the one or more valve members ( 70 ). A telescoping device ( 60 ) and a flow diverter member ( 66 ) for inclusion in the riser completion system ( 35 ) are also provided, as well as a riser completion system ( 35 ) incorporating the valved tree member ( 50 ), the telescoping device ( 60 ) and the flow diverter member ( 66 ).

1 . A valved tree member for inclusion in a riser system and suitable for use in the region of a moon pool on a floating vessel, the valved tree member comprising:
 one or more valve members adapted to selectively permit and prevent flow of fluid therethrough, and   one or more moveable stab members adapted to respectively selectively provide a sealed fluid communication path between a throughbore of the riser system and the one or more valve members.   
     
     
         2 . The valved tree member of  claim 1 , further comprising a body member upon which the said one or more valves are mounted, wherein each of the one or more valve members mounted thereon comprises a longitudinal axis arranged substantially perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the riser system at the point at which the valved tree member is included in the riser system. 
     
     
         3 . The valved tree member of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more valve members are connected to the body member by a tubular coupling having a throughbore. 
     
     
         4 . The valved tree member of  claim 3 , wherein the said moveable stab member is located within the throughbore of the tubular coupling. 
     
     
         5 . The valved tree member of  claim 2 , wherein the moveable stab member is arranged to selectively engage with a port provided in the riser system. 
     
     
         6 . The valved tree member of  claim 5 , wherein the said moveable stab member is arranged to selectively sealingly engage with the port provided in the riser system. 
     
     
         7 . The valved tree member of  claim 6 , wherein the port is included at a suitable location in the riser system and comprises at least an aperture through a sidewall of the riser system. 
     
     
         8 . The valved tree member of  claim 7 , wherein the said moveable stab member is arranged to selectively move radially inwards toward the longitudinal axis of the riser system in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the riser system to sealingly engage with the port such that fluid in the throughbore of the riser system is allowed to flow in a sealed manner from the throughbore of the riser system through the moveable stab member and into the said one or more valves mounted on the valved tree member. 
     
     
         9 . The valved tree member of  claim 5 , wherein a flow diverter member is included in the riser system, the flow diverter member comprising a substantially vertical tubular member having a longitudinal axis substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the riser system at a point at which the flow diverter member is included in the riser system. 
     
     
         10 . The valved tree member of  claim 9 , wherein the substantially vertical tubular member has the longitudinal axis substantially co-incident with the longitudinal axis of the riser system at the point at which the flow diverter member is included in the riser system. 
     
     
         11 . The valved tree member of  claim 9 , wherein the flow diverter member further comprises a cross tubular member. 
     
     
         12 . The valved tree member of  claim 11 , wherein the cross tubular member is arranged with its longitudinal axis to be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the substantially vertical tubular member. 
     
     
         13 . The valved tree member of  claim 11 , wherein the cross tubular member provides the port at each end thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The valved tree member of  claim 11 , wherein the flow diverter member comprises three or more fluid entry/exit points. 
     
     
         15 . The valved tree member of  claim 14 , wherein the flow diverter member comprises four fluid entry/exit points where two are provided by each end of the substantially vertical tubular member and two are provided by each end of the cross tubular member. 
     
     
         16 . The valved tree member of  claim 11 , wherein respective throughbores of the cross tubular member and the substantially vertical tubular member intersect one another. 
     
     
         17 . The valved tree member of  claim 1 , wherein the valved tree member is selectively coupled to a housing member provided on the floating vessel. 
     
     
         18 . The valved tree member of  claim 17 , further comprising a selective locking system configured to selectively lock the valved tree member to the said housing member of the floating vessel. 
     
     
         19 . The valved tree member of  claim 18 , wherein the valved tree member is locked to the said housing member when the riser system is being run into the body of water on which the vessel is floating, the riser system being run in through a throughbore of the valved tree member and through the moon pool of the floating vessel. 
     
     
         20 . The valved tree member of  claim 19 , wherein once the one or more valves of the valved tree member are in sealed fluid communication with the throughbore of the riser system, the selective locking system is unlocked to release the valved tree member from engagement with the housing member and one or more tension supporting members are provided to support the weight of the valved tree member. 
     
     
         21 . The valved tree member of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more tension supporting members permit relative movement to occur between the valved member which is secured to the riser system and the floating vessel such that the one or more tension supporting members also bear at least a portion of the weight of the riser system and thereby compensate for relative heave between the riser system and the floating vessel. 
     
     
         22 . The valved tree member of  claim 21 , wherein the relative movement is substantially vertical. 
     
     
         23 . A telescoping device for inclusion in a riser system, the telescoping device comprising:
 an inner member telescopingly provided in an outer member;   
       the inner member being moveable between three configurations in which:
 i) the inner member is locked to the outer member in a substantially closed configuration such that a substantial proportion of the inner member is located within the outer member such that the telescoping device is relatively short; 
 ii) the inner member is locked to the outer member in a substantially open configuration such that a substantial proportion of the inner member is located outwith of the outer member such that the telescoping device is relatively long; and 
 iii) the inner member is substantially free to move with respect to the outer member such that the inner member can telescope in and out of the outer member, 
 wherein the inner member is sealed to the outer member when in at least one of configurations i) and ii), wherein the inner member is clear of at least a portion of the outer member when in configuration iii). 
 
     
     
         24 . The telescoping device of  claim 23 , wherein the telescoping device comprises a seal member provided on one of the inner and outer members wherein the seal acts against the other of the inner and outer members to thereby provide a seal there between when the telescoping device is in at least one of the configurations i) and ii). 
     
     
         25 . The telescoping device of  claim 24 , wherein the seal member is provided on one of the inner and outer members in such a manner that the seal is clear of the at least a portion of the other of the inner and outer members to thereby not make contact with and thereby not provide a seal with the other of the inner and outer members when the telescoping device is in configuration iii). 
     
     
         26 . The telescoping device of  claim 24 , wherein the telescoping device comprises a selective locking system to selectively lock the inner member to the said outer member. 
     
     
         27 . The telescoping device of  claim 26 , wherein the locking system comprises a dog member provided on one of the inner and outer members, the dog being moveable toward and away from the other of the inner and outer members to make contact with the other of the inner and outer members to prevent relative movement occurring therebetween. 
     
     
         28 . The telescoping device of  claim 27 , wherein the dog member is provided on the outer member and is selectively moveable toward and away from the inner member to make contact with an outer portion of the inner member to prevent relative movement occurring therebetween. 
     
     
         29 . The telescoping device of  claim 27 , wherein the outer portion of the inner member comprises a formation formed at least part way around the outer circumference of the inner member. 
     
     
         30 . The telescoping device of  claim 29 , wherein the inner member comprises two said formations at or toward each end of the inner member. 
     
     
         31 . The telescoping device of  claim 30 , wherein one of the inner and outer members is provided with a varied inner or outer circumference such that the seal is prevented from acting against the other of the inner and outer members when the seal is at a location in between the two formations such that the seal does not act when the telescoping device is in configuration iii). 
     
     
         32 . The telescoping device of  claim 29 , wherein the dog member is moved radially towards or away from the respective formation by an actuating mechanism. 
     
     
         33 . The telescoping device of  claim 32 , wherein the actuating mechanism comprises at least one angled or tapered surface provided on the dog member and against which the actuating mechanism acts upon in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the riser system and which results in movement of the dog member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the riser system. 
     
     
         34 . The telescoping device of  claim 24 , wherein the seal is mounted on a portion secured to the outer member and acts against an inner bore of the inner member. 
     
     
         35 . The telescoping device of  claim 34 , wherein the seal is located within the bore of the inner member and acts against the inner surface of the bore of the inner member. 
     
     
         36 . The telescoping device of  claim 35 , wherein the seal is secured within a recess provided on an outer surface of the said portion secured to the outer member and acts against the inner surface of the bore of the inner member to provide a seal therebetween when the telescoping device is in one of configurations i) or ii). 
     
     
         37 . A riser completion system comprising:
 a riser system comprising:
 a lower in-line valve, 
 a flow diverter member located above the lower inline valve and at least one upper in-line valve located above the flow diverter member, and 
 a telescoping device located above the said upper in-line valve to permit compensation for heave; and 
   a valved tree member suitable for use in the region of a moon pool on a floating vessel, the valved tree member comprising:
 one or more valve members adapted to selectively permit and prevent flow of fluid therethrough, and 
 one or more moveable stab members adapted to respectively selectively seal with at least one portion of the flow diverter member to thereby provide a sealed fluid communication path between a throughbore of the riser system and the one or more valve members. 
   
     
     
         38 . The riser completion system of  claim 39 , wherein the lower and upper in-line valves are adapted to be selectively opened or closed to respectively permit or prevent flow of fluid through the throughbore of the riser system. 
     
     
         39 . The riser completion system of  claim 38 , wherein the lower in-line valves is located below the valved tree member when the one or more valves of the valved tree member are in sealed fluid communication with the throughbore of the riser system. 
     
     
         40 . The riser completion system of  claim 38 , wherein the upper in-line valve is located between the valved tree member and the telescoping device. 
     
     
         41 . The riser completion system of  claim 40 , wherein two upper in-line valves are provided. 
     
     
         42 . The riser completion system of  claim 37 , wherein the valved tree member further comprises a body member upon which the said one or more valves are mounted, wherein each of the one or more valve members mounted thereon comprises a longitudinal axis arranged substantially perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the riser system at the point at which the valved tree member is included in the riser system. 
     
     
         43 . The riser completion system of  claim 37 , wherein the telescoping device comprises:
 an inner member telescopingly provided in an outer member;   the inner member being moveable between three configurations in which:
 i) the inner member is locked to the outer member in a substantially closed configuration such that a substantial proportion of the inner member is located within the outer member such that the telescoping device is relatively short; 
 ii) the inner member is locked to the outer member in a substantially open configuration such that a substantial proportion of the inner member is located outwith of the outer member such that the telescoping device is relatively long; and 
 iii) the inner member is substantially free to move with respect to the outer member such that the inner member can telescope in and out of the outer member, 
   wherein the inner member is sealed to the outer member when in at least one of configurations i) and ii), wherein the inner member is clear of at least a portion of the outer member when in configuration iii).   
     
     
         44 . The riser completion system of  claim 37 , wherein the flow diverter member comprises:
 a substantially vertical tubular member comprising a throughbore having a longitudinal axis substantially co-incident with the longitudinal axis of the riser system at the point at which the flow diverter member is included in the riser system; and   a cross tubular member having a throughbore arranged with its longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the substantially vertical tubular member;   wherein a lower end of the substantially vertical tubular member is coupled to a lower portion of the riser system such that, in use, fluid passing through the lower portion of the riser system is arranged to enter the throughbore of the lower end of the substantially vertical tubular member in a fluid tight manner; and   an upper end of the substantially vertical tubular member is coupled to an upper portion of the riser system such that, in use, fluid passing through the upper end of the substantially vertical tubular member is arranged to enter the upper portion of the riser system in a fluid tight manner;   and wherein the throughbore of the cross tubular member is in fluid communication with the throughbore of the substantially vertical tubular member such that, in use, fluid produced from the lower portion of the riser system is permitted to flow through the end(s) of the cross tubular member and/or the upper end of the substantially vertical tubular member depending upon the configuration of valves attached thereto.   
     
     
         45 . A method of completing a riser installation comprising the steps of:
 lowering a riser system from a vessel at the surface of a body of water to or in close proximity to the surface at the bottom of the body of water;   connecting a lower inline valve toward an upper end of the riser system;   connecting a flow diverter member above the said lower inline valve in the riser system;   connecting at least one upper inline valve above the said flow diverter member in the riser system;   connecting a telescoping member above the said upper inline valve in the riser system;   connecting the lower end of the riser system to wellhead equipment provided at the head of a well;   providing a valved tree member suitable for use in the region of a moon pool on the vessel, the valved tree member comprising one or more valve members adapted to selectively permit and prevent flow of fluid therethrough, and one or more moveable stab members wherein the riser system is run into the sea through a throughbore of the valved tree member; and   aligning and coupling the flow diverter member with the valved tree member and moving the said one or more stab members to respectively seal with at least one portion of the flow diverter member to thereby provide a sealed fluid communication path between a throughbore of the riser system and the one or more valve members;   wherein the flow of fluid produced from the upper end of the riser system is capable of being selectively diverted from flowing up through the upper end of the riser system and instead is capable of being selectively diverted through the said one of more stab members and through the said one or more valves of the valved tree member.