System and method for supporting risers from floating vessel

Abstract

A system to support a tubular component used to communicate between a vessel and a subsea environment, includes: a receiver configured to be supported on the vessel, the receiver defining a receiver bore therethrough, the receiver bore defining an engagement shoulder 116 and defining a latch profile 114 therein; and a connector 120 disposed on the tubular component and being insertable in the receiver bore, the connector having: a latch 130 disposed on the connector and being mechanically movable with a first mechanical movement at least from a retracted condition to an extended condition on the connector, the latch in the extended condition being configured to latch in the latch profile in the receiver bore; a trigger 140 disposed on the connector and being operatively coupled to the latch 130, the trigger 140 being mechanically triggered in response to engagement with the engagement shoulder in the receiver bore, the trigger being configured to initiate the first mechanical movement of the latch from the retracted condition to the extended condition; and an anchor 150 disposed on the connector and being operatively coupled to the latch, the anchor being configured to mechanically engage against the receiver bore in response to the first mechanical movement of the latch 130 to the extended condition.

Claims

1. A system to support a tubular component used to communicate between a vessel and a subsea environment, the system comprising:a receiver configured to be supported on the vessel, the receiver defining a receiver bore therethrough, the receiver bore defining an engagement shoulder and defining a latch profile therein; anda connector disposed on the tubular component and being insertable in the receiver bore, the connector having:a latch disposed on the connector and being mechanically movable with a first mechanical movement at least from a retracted condition to an extended condition on the connector, the latch in the extended condition being configured to latch in the latch profile in the receiver bore;a trigger disposed on the connector and being operatively coupled to the latch, the trigger being mechanically triggered in response to engagement with the engagement shoulder in the receiver bore, the trigger being configured to initiate the first mechanical movement of the latch from the retracted condition to the extended condition; andan anchor disposed on the connector and being operatively coupled to the latch, the anchor being configured to mechanically engage against the receiver bore in response to the first mechanical movement of the latch to the extended condition.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the connector further comprises a lock disposed on the connector, the lock being operatively coupled to the anchor and being mechanically movable with a second mechanical movement at least from an unlocked condition to a locked condition, the lock in the locked condition being configured to lock the anchor against the receiver bore.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the connector further comprises a slip disposed on the connector between the lock and the anchor, the slip being configured to grip between the lock and the anchor in response to the lock being in the locked condition.

4. The system of claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the connector defines a first side opening; and wherein the latch comprises:a sleeve being axially moveable at least from a first axial position to a second axial position on the connector;a first biasing element biasing the sleeve from the first axial position toward the second axial position; andat least one dog disposed in the first side opening of the connector and being laterally moveable at least from a retracted position in conjunction with the sleeve in the first axial position to an extended position in conjunction with the sleeve in the second axial position.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one dog comprises a plurality of bearings disposed in respective ones of the first side opening of the connector arranged about a circumference of the connector.

6. The system of claim 4 or 5, wherein the connector defines a second side opening; and wherein the trigger comprises a pin disposed in the second side opening of the connector and being biased from a released condition to an engaged condition, the pin in the engaged condition being engaged with the sleeve of the latch and holding the latch in the first axial position, the pin in the engaged condition being configured to engage the engagement shoulder of the receiver bore and being moveable to the released condition, the pin in the released condition releasing the sleeve to move toward the second axial position.

7. The system of claim 4, 5 or 6, wherein the connector defines a third side opening; and wherein the anchor comprises:an activation wedge being axially moveable at least from an inactive position to an active position on the connector;a second biasing element biasing the activation wedge from the inactive position toward the active position; andan engagement wedge disposed in the third side opening of the connector and being laterally moveable from an unwedged position to a wedged position, the engagement wedge having the unwedged position in response to the activation wedge in the inactive position, the engagement wedge having the wedged position in response to the activation wedge in the active position, the engagement wedge in the wedged position being configured to engage against the receiver bore.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the latch comprises a retention rod extending from the sleeve and being moveable axially with the movement of the sleeve from the first axial position to the second axial position, the retention rod with the sleeve in the first axial position holding the activation wedge in the inactive position, the retention rod with the sleeve in the second axial position releasing the activation wedge to move to the active position.

9. The system of claim 7 or 8, wherein the connector further comprises a lock disposed on the connector, the lock being operatively coupled to the anchor and being movable at least from an unlocked condition to a locked condition, the lock in the locked condition being configured to lock the activation wedge in the active position.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the lock is movable from the locked condition to a released condition, the lock in the released condition being configured to move the activation wedge from the active position to the inactive position, the lock in the released condition being configured to move the sleeve from the second axial position to the first axial position on the connector.

11. The system of claim 9 or 10, wherein the lock comprises:a drive shaft extending from the connector and being rotatable in a first direction;a pinion gear being rotatable with the rotation of the drive shaft in the first direction; anda lock rod having a rack gear engaged with the pinion gear, the lock rod being axially moveable between an unlocked position and a locked position in response to the rotation of the rack gear in the first direction, the lock rod in the unlocked position permitting movement of the activation wedge from the activation position, the lock rod in the locked position preventing movement of the activation wedge from the activation position.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the activation wedge defines a first lock surface; and wherein the lock rod defines a second lock surface, the second lock surface on the lock rod in the unlocked position being disengaged from the first lock surface of the activation wedge, the second lock surface on the lock rod in the locked position being engaged with the first lock surface of the activation wedge.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the anchor comprises a plurality of the activation wedge and the engagement wedge disposed about a circumference of the connector; and wherein the lock comprises:a circumferential gear rack disposed on the connector and being engaged with the pinion gear, the circumferential gear rack being rotatable about the circumference of the connector;a plurality of second pinion gears engaged with the circumferential gear rack and being rotatable thereby; anda plurality of second lock rods each having a second rack gear engaged with a respective one of the second pinion gears, each second lock rod being axially moveable between the unlocked position and the locked position in response to movement of the rack gear by the rotation of the respective second pinion gear, each second lock rod in the unlocked position having the first lock surface disengaged from the second lock surface of a respective one of the activation wedges, each second lockrod in the locked position having the first lock surface engaged with the second lock surface of the respective activation wedge and preventing movement of the respective activation wedge from the activation position.

14. The system of claim 11, 12 or 13, wherein the activation wedge defines an inclined surface; wherein the lock rod defines a ratchet surface; and wherein the lock comprises a slip disposed between the inclined surface and the ratchet surface, the slip being configured to grip between the inclined surface and the ratchet surface in response to the lock rod moved toward the locked position, the slip being configured to release between the inclined surface and the ratchet surface in response to the lock rod moved toward the unlocked position.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the anchor comprises sets of the activation wedge and the engagement wedge disposed about a circumference of the connector, each activation wedge being movable independently to the activation position along the ratchet surface of the respective lock rod and moving the respective engagement wedge laterally into engagement with the receiver bore across a respective annular gap between the connector and the receiver bore, the slip of each activation wedge being movable independently along the ratchet surface of the respective lock rod to engage the inclined surface and being configured to provide an adjustable engagement point between the lock rod and the activation wedge such that the lock is configured to pull down evenly on each activation wedge.

16. The system of any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein the lock is movable from the locked condition to a released condition, the lock in the released condition being configured to move the activation wedge from the active position to the inactive position, the lock in the released condition being configured to move the sleeve from the second axial position to the first axial position on the connector; and wherein: the drive shaft is rotatable in a second direction opposite to the first direction; the pinion gear is rotatable with the rotation of the drive shaft in the second direction; andthe lock rod having the rack gear engaged with the pinion gear is axially moveable between the locked position to a release position inresponse to movement of the rack gear by the rotation of the pinion gear in the second direction, the lock rod in the released position being configured to engage a retention rod of the latch, move the activation wedge from the active position to the inactive position, and move the sleeve from the second axial position to the first axial position.

17. A vessel for which a tubular component is used to communicate between the vessel and a subsea environment, the vessel comprising:a balcony extending from a side of the vessel; anda system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, the system having the receiver supported on the balcony of the vessel and having the connector disposed on the tubular component.

18. A method used for a vessel, the method comprising:passing a tubular component through a receiver bore of a receiver supported on the vessel;inserting a connector disposed on the tubular component into the receiver bore;mechanically triggering a trigger disposed on the connector in response to engagement of the trigger with an engagement shoulder defined in the receiver bore;mechanically releasing a latch, in response to the mechanical triggering of the trigger, from a retracted condition to an extended condition on the connector, and latching the latch in the extended condition against a latch profile defined in the receiver bore; andmechanically anchoring an anchor disposed on the connector against the receiver bore in response to the mechanical release of the latch.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising locking the anchor against the receiver bore by mechanically moving a lock disposed on the connector from an unlocked condition to a locked condition.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising gripping a slip between the lock and the anchor in response to the lock being in the locked condition.

21. The method of claim 18, 19 or 20, wherein mechanically releasing and latching the latch comprises:moving a sleeve axially from a first axial position to a second axial position on the connector by biasing the sleeve with a first biasing element;moving at least one dog disposed in a first side opening of the connector laterally from a retracted position in conjunction with the sleeve in the first axial position to an extended position in conjunction with the sleeve in the second axial position; andengaging the at least one dog in the latch profile defined in the receiver bore.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein mechanically triggering the trigger comprises:holding the latch in the first axial position by biasing a pin of the trigger disposed in a second side opening of the connector to an engaged condition, the pin in the engaged condition being engaged with the sleeve of the latch; andreleasing the sleeve to move toward the second axial position by engaging the pin in the engaged condition against the engagement shoulder defined in the receiver bore and moving the pin from the engaged condition to a released condition.

23. The method of claim 21 or 22, wherein mechanically anchoring the anchor comprises:holding an activation wedge of the anchor in an inactive position biased toward an active position on the connector;releasing, in response to the sleeve moving toward the second axial position, the activation wedge to move from the inactive position toward the active position; andwedging an engagement wedge of the anchor disposed in a second side opening of the connector by moving the engagement wedge laterally from an unwedged position in conjunction with the activation wedge in the inactive position to a wedged position in conjunction with the activation wedge in the active position.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein releasing the activation wedge to move in response to the movement of the sleeve toward the second axial position comprises: holding the activation wedge in the inactive position with a retention rod extending from the sleeve;moving the retention rod axially with the movement of the sleeve from the first axial position to the second axial position; andreleasing the activation wedge to move to the active position with the movement of the retention rod.

25. The method of claim 23 or 24, further comprising locking the anchor against the receiver bore by mechanically moving a lock disposed on the connector from an unlocked condition to a locked condition.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein mechanically moving the lock comprises: rotating a drive shaft extending from the connector in a first direction; rotating a pinion gear with the rotation of the drive shaft;moving a lock rod having a rack gear engaged with the pinion gear axially from an unlocked position to a locked position in response to the rotation of the pinion gear; andpreventing movement of the activation wedge from the activation position by engaging a first lock surface on the lock rod against a second lock surface of the activation wedge.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein engaging the first lock surface on the lock rod against the second lock surface of the activation wedge comprises:engaging a first shoulder on the lock rod against a second shoulder on the activation wedge; orengaging a ratchet surface on the lock rod against a slip, and engaging the slip against an inclined surface on the activation wedge.

28. The method of claim 26 or 27, further comprising:releasing the lock from the locked condition to a released condition;moving the activation wedge from the active position to the inactive position; andmoving the sleeve from the second axial position to the first axial position on the connector.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein releasing the lock comprises:rotating the drive shaft in a second direction opposite to the first direction;rotating the pinion gear with the rotation of the drive shaft in the second direction;moving the lock rod having the rack gear engaged with the pinion gear axially from the locked position to the released condition in response to movement of the rack gear by the rotation of the pinion gear;engaging the lock rod in the released condition against a retention rod of the latch;moving the activation wedge from the active position to the inactive position with the movement of the lock rod; andmoving the sleeve from the second axial position to the first axial position with the movement of the lock rod engaged against the retention rod.37

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