The Nonoriented, Multiple Passageway Flowline Connection System

Abstract

The remote, diverless, simultaneous connection of multiple subsea flowlines has historically been a difficult and costly operation. Difficulties and intensified operational activities stem from the need to orient the multiple flow paths prior to the final connection of the tubulars. This rotational orientation has proven to be very difficult for randomly prelaid flowlines or flowlines which must be rotated a relatively large amount prior to makeup. A new, innovative method has been developed whereby multiple flowlines can be connected without the need to rotationally orient the multiple tubulars. This new connection system technology has undergone full-scale subsea testing and will be implemented in a major development in the North Sea. The significance of this achievement is assessed in this paper with a focus on the design philosophies used, the principles of operation, the overall system reliability, the projected amount of operational cost reduction, and the full-scale testing results. Additional comments are made concerning the applicability of this technology in various other subsea applications. [S0195-0738(00)00501-X]