Floating-Seal Subsea Connector for Misalignment and Hydrate Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Subsea wellhead connectors face challenges with hydrate buildup due to gas migration, which interferes with the operation of the latching mechanism, and existing connectors are often large, heavy, and expensive to manufacture.
Innovation Solution
A wellsite subsea connector design featuring a connector body with a piston and collets that allow for angular misalignment, using a floatable seal member and collets with a grip profile to securely engage components, and a hydraulic system for latching, reducing the overall height and weight while maintaining alignment capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional subsea connector is used to prevent hydrate buildup, then gas migration is controlled, but the connector becomes large, heavy, and expensive to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into separate functional components: a connector body, a separate floatable seal member, and collets. This segmentation allows the main connector structure to be lighter while the seal member provides the hydrate prevention function independently, reducing overall weight and manufacturing cost while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
A floatable seal member is introduced as an intermediary element between the connector body and the connecting member. This seal member migrates to seal against the connecting member, preventing gas migration and hydrate buildup without requiring the entire connector structure to be oversized, thus reducing weight and cost while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
2Reliability
If a floatable seal member is used to prevent hydrate buildup, then gas migration is controlled, but the connector requires additional components increasing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is designed to be floatable and self-positioning. When the connecting member is inserted into the connector body, the seal member automatically floats and seals against the connecting member without requiring external actuation or complex positioning mechanisms. This self-service approach prevents gas migration while minimizing structural complexity.
3Strength
If collets with grip profile are used to securely engage components, then connection strength is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The collet design incorporates specific geometric parameters including a grip profile with predetermined angles and dimensions. By optimizing these parameters, the collet achieves strong engagement with the connecting member while tolerating reasonable manufacturing variations. The grip profile geometry is designed to maximize mechanical interlocking strength without requiring ultra-precise manufacturing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design provides a compact, lightweight, and cost-effective solution that allows for secure connection of wellsite components with angular misalignment tolerance, preventing hydrate buildup and improving operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a floatable seal member slidably movable in the annular pocket of the piston in a direction transverse to the axis of the connector body whereby the second of the components is alignable to the first of the component for connection therebetween
Implementation Method 2
a piston axially movable in the connector body, the plurality of collets positionable about the connector body adjacent the piston and radially movable thereabout whereby the plurality of collets are selectively latching about the connecting member
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
A wellsite connector for connecting components of a wellsite is provided. The wellsite has a wellbore extending into a subsurface formation. The wellsite connector includes a connector body and a floatable seal. The connector body has an end adapted for coupling to a first of the components, a pocket along an inner surface thereof, and a cavity adapted to receive a second of the components. The floatable seal member includes a seal ring having a hole therethrough to sealingly receive the second of the components. The seal member is slidably movable in the pocket of the connector body transversely to an axis of the connector body whereby the second of the componentss is alignable to the first of the components for connection therebetween.