Societe Nationale Elf Aquitaine (production)

Societe Nationale Elf Aquitaine (production), Tour Aquitaine

Elf Exploration Production

Enterprise De Recherches Et D'activites Petrolieres (e.r.a.p.)

Michel Iato

Yvon Castel

Alain Viard

Andre Gaston Bourgeois

Jean-Paul Marcel Gaudin

Guy Soulie

Claude Duvet

Installation for pumping a liquid coming from an underground source, comprising a well (10) extending from the surface (12) towards the liquid source (14), the well having a chamber (40) extending substantially over its entire length, at least one tubing (18) passing through the chamber and communicating with the latter, and a set of valves (34), which is intended for putting the chamber selectively in communication with a gas source at a first pressure (36), making it possible for the liquid coming from the source to fill the chamber, and a gas source at a second pressure (38) higher than the first pressure, in order to empty the chamber, the liquid being delivered towards a first outlet (30) by flow through the tubing, characterized in that the said installation comprises, furthermore, a shutter (52), mounted in the tubing (18), and a second conduit (58; 70) leading to a second outlet (74), the shutter being capable of reacting to the density of fluid surrounding it, so that it can deliver a first liquid towards the first outlet (30), a second liquid of higher density being delivered towards the second outlet (74) via the second conduit (58; 70).

Method and installation for pumping an oil-well effluent

A device is provided for positioning, activating and connecting the modules of a sub-sea oil production station. It comprises a frame 1 on which is mounted a central orientatable mast 20 having at its end a means 26 for connecting with a stringer train 28 and comprising a telescopic articulated gib 30 having a connector 32 at its end, said frame comprising underneath a connector 5 capable of locking a fixed mandrel 54 or that of a module to be positioned and comprising guide means 2 for lowering the device and means 3 for positioning it with respect to the module to be positioned, a multiconnector 6 for the electro-hydraulic connection with a multiconnector receptacle 54 carried by the module 70, electric and hydraulic umbilical ducts and cables 40 for the control and energy transmission to the multiconnector 6 and to the connector 32 and display means 33, 36.

Device for positioning, activating and connecting modules of a sub-sea

A device for connecting a collecting head input with the well head output by means of a movable connector connected to a looped duct, comprising a flexible connecting coupling formed by two horizontal loops surrounding the distribution block of the collecting head at different levels and connected by a vertical duct portion. The movable connector, for guiding same towards a receptacle-connector, rests on a fork integral with a lever hinged by means of a swivel joint, an intermediate point of the lever resting on one end of a hydraulic cylinder provided with a swivel joint, the other end of the hydraulic cylinder resting on the connection module being hinged by means of a swivel joint, the connector comprises at its periphery radical guide rollers co-operating with inclined ramps of the receptacle and grouped in pairs of superimposed rollers, of which the lower roller has a diameter less than that of the upper roller. With the loop configuration of the duct and the device for guiding the connector, the stresses in the duct due to the rotating movement of the connector during alignment of its axes with that of the receptacle may be reduced.

Device for connecting a collecting head input to the well head output by

An operation for re-entry to an underwater station equipped with a well apparatus. The device comprises, fixed at the end of a rod 1 of a train of rods, a support 2 from which is suspended a module 3 formed by uprights 8 disposed concentrically and connected together, a receptacle 13 being fixed to the center of the module, which is provided with a conical housing 30 for retaining connector 15 and a re-entry cone 14, said module being suspended from the support 2 by the guide line 19 whose tension is maintained constant by the pounding compensation means formed by two cables 7 fixed to the two ends of support 2 and to the two uprights 12 of the module, while passing over fixed pulleys 20 and 21 and a mobile pulley 22 weighted with a counterweight 23. A fitting device provided with means for compensating the pounding due to the swell.

Device and process for lowering a connector suspended from guide line to

Operations for returning to an underwater station equipped with a well apparatus. The device comprises a rectangular frame formed by tubes 1 and at the four corners of which are fixed vertical fixed tubes 2. Four diagonally disposed radial arms 4 extend from each corner and are fixed to tubes 2. In the longitudinal axis of the frame there is fixed to the arms 4 a well head connector 6 carried by a train of rods 7. One of the arms 4 carries a funnel 8 for guiding the frame. Inside tubes 2 are slidably placed weighted tubes, 11, whose upper part has a shoulder 13, inside which comes to bear an olive 14 crimped to a cable 12, which passes through tubes 2 and 11 and carries at its lower end a guide line connector 10 intended to be locked to a guide post 24. With the device, four guide lines may be positioned and connected simultaneously without being hindered by the encumbrance around the well head.

Device and process for lowering and connecting the four guide lines to

The invention provides a tool for disconnecting a guideline connector hooked in a sleeve forming the extension of a guide column of an underwater station, by means of retractable locking heads housed in a bore in the body of the connector. It comprises a re-entry cone, whose upper cylindrical part 1, adapted to cap the top of the connector having helical ramps, comprises swivel pins to cooperate with said ramps and is connected to a widened cylindrical part 4, ending in an upturned funnel 5, by a truncated cone-shaped part 3, with which are associated valve means 18 for controlling hydraulic cylinders 14 and 14a responsive to the pressure exerted by the body of the connector, when the re-entry cone rests on the connector, as well as two hydraulic cylinders 14 and 14a and hydro-pneumatic accumulator 12, mounted outside the cone.

Tool for disconnecting a guideline connector and a process for using same

In a device for interconnecting respective ends of two conduits a male connecting piece (2) is fixed on the end of one of conduits and provided on its outer periphery with annular ridges (4), while a female connecting piece is fixed to the end of the other conduit and comprises, in succession, as viewed from its end opening, a first cylindrical annular portion (5), a convergent frustoconical portion (6) and a divergent frustoconical portion (7) which is connected to a second cylindrical portion. A spherical ring member (10) slidably mounted on male connecting piece (2) engages the cylindrical portion (5) and the convergent frustoconical portion (6) of female connecting piece (3) and is subjected to a longitudinal force, so as to be locked on male connecting piece (2) under the effect of plastic deformation. This device can be used for connecting large diameter pipes used for transporting high pressure fluids, particularly in submarine installations.

Pressure conduit connecting device

The invention relates to installation of underwater equipment, more specifically for use in oil-fields. This new device for connecting and disconnecting a guide line between an installation on the seabed and a floating platform comprises a cylindrical adapter, free to rotate on its own axis, and provided with means of guiding, directing, positioning lengthwise and locking into a cylindrical sleeve, forming the upper portion of a guide post fixed to the underwater installation. The locking mechanism comprises at least one locking head, which extends out from and can be detached from a locking bar. The lower edge of this locking head forms a retracting cam, while the horizontal upper surface forms a locking edge. Such a device can be used to connect and disconnect the guide line by remote control, from a floating platform.

Connecting and disconnecting device for a guide line

Apparatus for compensating for variations in the distance between an object or load suspended by a string of rods from a floating support or vessel and the sea floor therebelow so as to control the movement of the object or load with respect to the sea floor. There is both active and passive compensation provided by respective cylinder and piston assemblies associated with pressure accumulators. The passive compensation acts like spring. The active cylinder and piston assembly is of the double action type and disposed in parallel with the passive assembly. The active assembly compensates for residual vertical oscillations and operates as a function of two parameters : the position of the piston rod with respect to the cylinder of the active assembly and the velocity of the floating support with respect to the sea floor. Hydraulic control means operative in accordance with the parameters is connected to variable chambers of the active cylinder divided by its piston for varying the direction and flow rate of hydraulic fluid delivered thereto.

Apparatus for compensating variations of distance

Method for externally connecting a riser pipe, at great depths beneath a body of water, to the B.O.P Stack of a well, said riser pipe and B.O.P Stack carrying registering eccentric tubes. In this process the riser pipe is centered on the B.O.P Stack by resting a bearing surface on the outside of the bottom of the riser pipe on a bearing surface on the outside of the top of the B.O.P. Stack, bringing the eccentric tubes into registration by rotating the riser pipe relative to the B.O.P. Stack and mechanically connecting, seating and locking the riser pipe to the B.O.P Stack, while separating the bearing surface on the bottom of the riser pipe from the bearing surface on the top of the B.O.P Stack and, finally, connecting the eccentric tubes. SP

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Pau, France

Michel Iato