Riserless Workover System Reconfiguration for Open Water Operations

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current workover systems lack flexibility to quickly and cost-effectively adapt between riserless and open water riser configurations, requiring separate components and lengthy reconfigurations, which increases operational time and investment costs.

Innovation Solution

A method that involves relocating and reorienting the wireline shear seal valve assembly and connecting accumulator arrangements to convert a riserless workover system into an open water riser system, utilizing existing components to maintain quick emergency disconnection and pressure management through bleed-off valves.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a riserless workover system is used, then operational speed and efficiency are improved, but the system cannot provide quick emergency disconnection capability required for open water operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational speedVSAvoidemergency disconnection capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables dynamic reconfiguration between riserless and open water modes by making the riser assembly and associated components (retainer valve, bleed-off valve, accumulator) movable and conditionally connectable. The riser assembly can be quickly attached or detached from the well control package, allowing the system to adapt its configuration based on operational requirements while maintaining both productivity and safety capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If separate components are used for riserless and open water systems, then each system can be optimized for its specific function, but investment costs and reconfiguration time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem optimizationVSAvoidreconfiguration time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The well control package is designed with universal interfaces and integrated components that serve dual purposes in both riserless and open water configurations. The emergency disconnect package, retainer valve, and bleed-off valve are integrated into the well control package in a manner that allows them to function in both system types, eliminating the need for separate dedicated components and enabling rapid reconfiguration between modes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system is divided into modular segments including the well control package, riser assembly, emergency disconnect package, and accumulator arrangement. These segmented components can be independently configured, attached, or detached as needed, allowing the system to transition between riserless and open water modes by simply connecting or disconnecting specific modules rather than reconfiguring entire systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If the wireline shear seal valve assembly is repositioned and rotated, then the system can adapt to open water configuration, but operational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfiguration flexibilityVSAvoidrepositioning operations
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wireline shear seal valve assembly is pre-positioned and pre-configured within the well control package during manufacturing, with all necessary connection points, valve orientations, and hydraulic lines already arranged for both riserless and open water modes. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex field repositioning operations, as the assembly simply needs to be connected to the appropriate interfaces when transitioning between configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4031746B1A configurable workover system and method for adapting the system
Publication Date: 2023.09.13 AKER SOLUTIONS AS
  • EP4031746B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4031746B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4031746B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for adapting a riserless workover system configuration (1') into an open water riser workover system configuration (30'), wherein the system comprising an emergency disconnect package (20) arranged between a lubricator section (28) and well control package (21), the lubricator section (28) comprises a wireline shear seal valve assembly (15), the system further comprises an emergency disconnect package connector (22)for disconnecting the emergency disconnect package (26) from the well control package (21) in case of emergency. The method comprising the steps of -relocate the wireline shear seal valve assembly (15') by rotating the valve assembly (15) upside down prior to attaching a riser assembly to the configured open water riser workover system (30'), and -connecting at least one accumulator arrangement (50) to the configured open water riser workover system ( 30'). The invention further relates to a configured open water riser workover system and a riserless workover system.