Patent ID: 9322225
Filing Date: 2016-04-26
CPC Classification: E21B

Claim Text:
1. A weak link for a riser system, the weak link comprising: a first member; a second member; wherein each of the first member and the second member comprises a bore communicating with a bore of a riser; a connection means for releasably connecting the first member and the second member, the connection means being designed to break at a predefined tension; wherein a pressure balancing mechanism is provided for balancing axial forces acting on the connection means due to end cap effect of the riser system; wherein the pressure balancing mechanism comprises a first pressure balance piston for transferring pressure load to a box of the second member and a second pressure balance piston for transferring pressure load to a pin of the first member; and wherein the first and second balancing pistons are situated, when the pin and the box are in a fully connected state, at a mutual distance between the first and second balancing pistons that is greater than the diameter of the bores of the first member and the second member.