Patent ID: 8931561
Filing Date: 2015-01-13
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
1. A subsea well system, comprising: a subsea equipment adapted for mounting on a subsea wellhead; an equipment package that lands on the subsea equipment; a hub on the subsea equipment for mating with a corresponding connection on the equipment package to establish fluid communication between the equipment package and the subsea equipment; a first alignment member carried by the equipment package and positioned to receive a corresponding second alignment member connected to the subsea equipment to thereby mate with the second alignment member when the equipment package is being landed on the subsea equipment to provide for establishing alignment of the equipment package with the subsea equipment when being landed thereupon; a third alignment member carried by the equipment package and positioned to receive a corresponding fourth alignment member connected to the subsea equipment to thereby mate with the fourth alignment member when the equipment package is being landed on the subsea equipment to provide for further establishing alignment of the equipment package with the subsea equipment when being landed thereupon, the third alignment member comprising: a chamber for trapping sea water when the fourth alignment member enters an opening in an end of the third alignment member, and an orifice extending through a portion of the third alignment member; and a flow control valve in fluid communication with the sea water trapped within the chamber and configured to allow the sea water trapped within the chamber to be released at a desired rate to provide a soft landing of the equipment package onto the subsea equipment.