Shell Oil Comapny

Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij, B.v.

Denby Grey Morrison

David A Huete

Peter W Marshall

Susan L Smolinski

Jeremy R Dean

Romulo Gonzalez

John H Pelletier

Roy Mitchell Guinn

Christian A Cermelli

Hugo A Corvalan San Martin

Jeremy Richard Shell Inter Ex A Prod Dean

The invention describes apparatuses and methods of monitoring fatigue, structural response, and operational limits in structural components. More particularly, the present invention relates to fatigue, response, and operational monitoring systems on steel catenary risers using optical fiber sensors. The sensors can be pre-installed on new risers, or post-installed sub-sea on existing risers, using a variety of methods.

Apparatuses and methods for monitoring stress in steel catenary risers

The invention describes a cost-effective alternative for deploying and installing subsea equipment using a workboat or other vessel of opportunity. The equipment is not supported directly by the vessel, but is instead supported by one or more buoys below the wave zone. The buoys are controlled by a combination of chain, wire rope, and synthetic line linking it to the workboat. As such, the buoy system described herein decouples vessel motion from the payload by supporting the payload from the buoys below the wave zone. Because the buoys are below the wave action and its associated turbulence, there is little energy and hence little tendency for motion. The result is a stable, inexpensive, maneuverable system capable of servicing large subsea payloads in a wide range of water depths.

Apparatuses and methods of deploying and installing subsea equipment

A compliant tower is disclosed having a foundation connected to a wide-bodied compliant framework with a plurality of vertically extending legs a minimum of horizontal bracing. The compliant framework is configured to maintain a substantially wide, open riser suspension corridor. A topside facility is supported by the compliant framework and a plurality of freely suspended production risers extend through the riser suspension corridor from the vicinity of the topside facility to communicate with the reservoir. These production risers are spaced to provide clearance to prevent riser interference in response to normal flexure of the compliant tower and normal environmental loads on the risers. A riser support assembly is configured to accomodate relative motion between the risers and the topside facility, supporting the production risers in tension near their upper ends to provide the principal load transfer between the riser and the compliant framework.

Compliant tower

The present invention is a deepwater compliant platform that has enhanced dynamic characteristics by virtue of its wide stance, eliminates conventional conductor drivepipe guides and supporting framework, and reduces the net material requirements with a substantially open interior permitted in the absence of the conductor guides. This utilizes the wide body stance to accommodate a wide riser suspension corridor through the open interior thereby allowing suspended risers to be spaced apart sufficiently to avoid interference in response to normal tower motions.

Lightweight, wide-bodied compliant tower

The present invention is a method for reducing the natural period of the second harmonic response in a deepwater compliant tower by decoupling the mass of the production risers from the vertically extending compliant framework.

Method for improving the harmonic response of a compliant tower

A tensioned riser deepwater platform suitable for offshore oil and gas applications is disclosed having a foundation secured to the ocean floor, a topside facility above the ocean surface, and a vertically extending tower jacket secured to the foundation and supporting the topside facility. A plurality of substantially vertically extending risers provide fluid communication between the wells and the topside facility. These risers are connected to riser supports near their upper ends and the riser supports provide the principal load transfer between the risers and the tower jacket. Thus, the conductor guides and attendant horizontal bracing of conventional deepwater design can be substantially eliminated.

Tensioned riser compliant tower

A tensioned riser deepwater platform suitable for offshore oil and gas applications is disclosed having a foundation secured to the ocean floor, a topside facility above the ocean surface, and a vertically extending tower jacket secured to the foundation and supporting the topside facility. A plurality of vertically extending risers provide fluid communication between the wells and the topside facility. These risers are connected to riser supports near their upper ends. The riser supports provide the principal load transfer between the risers and the tower jacket and the conductor guides and attendant horizontal bracing are substantially eliminated from the design.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Denby Grey Morrison