Patent ID: 6651745
Filing Date: 2003-11-25
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
An apparatus for recovering fluids from a subsea well located at a water depth of at least about 1,500 feet from a surface location, said apparatus comprising:a fluid separator having a nominal vertical dimension larger than a nominal horizontal dimension, said fluid separator capable of operating at an internal pressure of no more than about half of the external pressure and having a multi-phase fluid inlet; a transducer producing a signal that is at least in part dependent upon a fluid interface level within said fluid separator; an upper, less-dense fluid outlet of said fluid separator fluidly connected to a riser assembly that extends from said fluid separator to a near surface location; a hydraulically-driven pump fluidly connected to a lower, more-dense fluid outlet of said fluid separator, wherein the operational speed of said hydraulically driven pump is at least in part controlled by said signal produced by said transducer.