Telescopic Pipe-Landing Drainage for Cement Residue Removal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for cementing operations in subsea casing installations are hazardous and time-consuming, with cement residues often setting in the annulus of telescopic pipe-landing units, causing functional issues and requiring costly cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A drainage device for tubular, telescopic pipe-landing units with a centre pipe and annulus, featuring fluid-communication openings that close and drain passages that open during retraction, allowing cement residues to be flushed out with fluid, preventing setting and simplifying maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a telescopic pipe-landing unit is used for cementing operations, then the landing operation is simplified and safety is improved, but cement residues set in the annulus requiring time-consuming and costly cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates drain passages and fluid-communication openings that are pre-designed into the pipe-landing unit structure. These features automatically enable cement residue removal through fluid circulation during normal operation, eliminating the need for subsequent manual cleaning maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The pipe-landing unit is equipped with self-cleaning capability through integrated drain passages and fluid-communication openings. The system uses its own operational fluid flow to automatically flush out cement residues from the annulus, making the unit self-maintaining without requiring external cleaning operations.
2Stress or pressure
If the centre pipe has fluid-communication openings for pressure equalization, then pressure balance is achieved, but cement can enter the annulus requiring removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful cement residues from the annulus through dedicated drain passages. The fluid-communication openings allow controlled fluid exchange while the drain passages provide a specific extraction path for removing cement contaminants that enter the annulus during pressure equalization operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain passages act as intermediary channels between the annulus and the external environment. They mediate the removal of cement residues by providing a controlled pathway for fluid and particulate matter to exit the annulus, separating the harmful removal function from the pressure equalization function.
3Reliability
If the annulus is filled with fluid for pressure equalization, then pressure balance is maintained, but cement residues set in the annulus ruining the telescoping function
Solution Approach 1:
The drain passages are pre-configured in the pipe-landing unit structure to enable automatic cement residue removal. By having the drainage capability built-in beforehand, the system prevents cement setting that would compromise the telescoping function, maintaining both pressure equalization reliability and mechanical mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own operational fluid flow to automatically flush cement residues from the annulus through the drain passages. This self-cleaning mechanism prevents cement setting that would ruin the telescoping function, thereby preserving the structural integrity and mobility of the pipe-landing unit without external intervention.
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 solution effectively removes cement residues and prevents them from setting, reducing maintenance time and costs, ensuring the telescopic function and seal systems remain operational.
Implementation Method 1
at least one fluid-communication opening arranged for pressure equalization between the pipe bore and an annulus defined between the centre pipe and the outer pipe-landing section
Implementation Method 2
drain passage which is arranged to be opened by the axial movement of the inner pipe-landing section into the outer pipe-landing section away from an extended, operative position
Data Source
AI summary
A drainage device is for a tubular, telescopic pipe-landing unit having a through pipe bore partially formed of a center pipe extending from an upper end portion of an outer pipe-landing section and with a free end in through an upper end portion of an inner pipe-landing section, which is axially movable in the outer pipe-landing section. The center pipe has a fluid-communication opening arranged for pressure equalization between the pipe bore and an annulus between the center pipe and the outer pipe-landing section. The annulus has a drain passage arranged to be opened by the axial movement of the inner pipe-landing section into the outer pipe-landing section away from an extended, operative position, in which an abutment portion on the upper end portion of the inner pipe-landing section is resting sealingly against a seat portion on a lower end portion of the outer pipe-landing section.