Abstract:
A manipulator device ( 4 ) arranged to move a hose manifold ( 13 ) as one or more hoses ( 12 ) is/are being connected to and disconnected from pipelines ( 11 ) arranged on a marine riser ( 1 ), the manipulator ( 4 ) being fixed to an undercarriage ( 3 ) which is movable relative to a working well ( 21 ).

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a 35 U.S.C. §371 National Phase conversion of PCT/NO2011/000335, filed Dec. 1, 2011, which claims benefit of Norwegian Application No. 20101693, filed Dec. 3, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The PCT International Application was published in the English language. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     A manipulator device is described, arranged to move a hose manifold as one or more hoses is/are being connected to and disconnected from pipelines arranged on a marine riser at a floating field installation with one or more well centres. 
     2. Related Art 
     Between a marine riser which is anchored to a seabed and a floating installation moving with the waves, fluids are carried in hoses. Conventionally, one end of the hoses is connected to the riser via pipe bends, so-called goosenecks, near to a telescopic riser element. The other end of the hoses will be firmly connected to the floating installation, hanging in a loop down around the upper portion of the riser. The connection of hoses is, to a great degree, carried out manually by means of one or more operators hanging on a belt in the so-called moon-pool area, called the working well in the further description, the operations being greatly exposed to the influence of wind and waves and also adjacent structures. 
     Mechanical systems are also known, for example the ROPS (Remote Operated Pull-in System) from Sub Sea Services AS, Stavanger, Norway, in which the hoses are connected to a hose manifold provided with several goosenecks, each connected to a hose, and in which quick-release couplings provide for releasable connection between the gooseneck and a pipe socket on the riser. In the connection phase, the hose manifold is manoeuvred by a first manipulator which is arranged on the riser, and the hose manifold is moved towards or away from the riser by means of a second manipulator arranged near the working well. 
     The prior art technique entails hoses and handling equipment taking up space around the riser centre and the working well, which is obstructive to handling other equipment to be used in the well operations. 
     The invention has for its object to remedy or reduce at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art, or at least provide a useful alternative to the prior art. 
     The object is achieved through features which are specified in the description below and in the claims that follow. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A device for handling a hose manifold arranged to releasably connect one or more hoses to a marine riser extending between a well installation on a seabed and a floating installation on a sea surface is provided. The device includes at least one manipulator connected to an undercarriage which is horizontally movable relative to a working-well opening on the floating installation. The undercarriage is preferably a carriage, for example a transportation skid arranged to carry a blowout preventer (BOP). 
     The invention relates, more specifically, to a manipulator device arranged to move a hose manifold as one or more hoses is/are being connected to and disconnected from pipelines arranged on a marine riser, characterized by the manipulator being fixed to an undercarriage which is movable relative to a working well. 
     The undercarriage may be a carriage arranged on a deck bordering on the working well. 
     The undercarriage may be connected to a supporting structure for a well element or a well tool. 
     The manipulator may have three translatory degrees of freedom, first and second degrees of freedom being assigned to the manipulator arm and a third degree of freedom being assigned to the undercarriage. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In what follows is described an example of a preferred embodiment which is visualized in the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows schematically a plan of a section of a working-well area, in which two hose manifolds are positioned near a riser by means of a carriage provided with two manipulators; 
         FIG. 2  shows the hose manifolds moved in towards the riser and connected to it; and 
         FIG. 3  shows, on a larger scale and in more detail, an example of a carriage provided with two manipulators in a situation in which the pipe manifolds are connected to the riser. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the figures, the reference numeral  1  indicates a riser extending, in a manner known per se, from a subsea well-head (not shown) and up through a working well  21  on a field installation  2  floating on a sea surface (not shown). The working well  21  is defined by a deck  22 . 
     Along the outside of the riser  1 , several pipelines  11  extend in a manner known per se, for example for the conveyance of hydraulic fluid to a subsea blowout preventer (not shown). Each of the pipelines  11  is provided, in a manner known per se, with a connecting piece  111  arranged for releasable connection via a gooseneck  131  to a hose  12  hanging in a curve from a hose manifold  13  carrying several goosenecks  131  and being provided with suitable connection and locking elements (not shown) to hold the hose manifold  13  fixed to the riser  1 . A connection between the pipeline  11  and the field installation  2  past a telescopic riser section, here indicated by the reference numeral  34 , is thereby provided, which is necessary to provide a riser connection which is not disturbed by the heaving motion of the field installation  2 . 
     A supporting structure  23  is arranged at the working well  21  for the suspension of various well elements and well tools, indicated in  FIG. 3  by the reference numerals  34  and  35 . 
     An undercarriage  3  is arranged horizontally movable between a position above the working well  21  and a position in which the undercarriage  3  is positioned outside the working well  21 , the undercarriage  3  being provided with a drive  31  comprising wheels  32  which can roll on suitable tracks  221 , shown in  FIG. 3  as rails arranged on the deck  2 . 
     The undercarriage  3  has an approximately C-shaped ground plan with a front opening  33  which provides a possibility of moving the undercarriage  3  in an axial direction indicated by an arrow  423  (see  FIG. 2 ) into a position in which it encloses a portion of the riser  1 . At the side portions of the front opening  33 , two manipulators  4  are arranged, each provided with a manipulator arm  41  rotatable around a horizontal axis  421  and telescopically extendable in an axial direction indicated by an arrow  422  (see  FIG. 2 ). The manipulator arm  41  is provided with a gripping device  42  forming an interface between the manipulator  4  and coupling elements (not shown) on the hose manifold  13 , the hose manifold  13  being disengageable from the manipulator  4  when necessary. 
     Whenever there is a need to disconnect the hoses  12  from the riser  1 , the undercarriage  3  is moved in over the working well  21  by means of the drive  31  into a position in which the gripping devices  42  of the manipulator  4  are positioned right opposite the coupling elements, not shown, of the hose manifolds  13 . The manipulator arms  41  are adjusted into engagement with the hose manifolds  13  which is then disconnected from the connecting pieces  111  on the pipelines  11  as the hose manifolds are pulled away from the riser  1  and out towards the outer edges of the working well  21 . The undercarriage  3  is moved away from the riser  1  so that the hose manifolds  13  and the hoses  12  are located far from the centre area of the working well  21 . Other work on and around the riser  1  may thereby take place unobstructed by the hose manifolds  13 . 
     Even though, in the exemplary embodiment, an undercarriage  3  with two manipulators  4  is shown, it is within the scope of the invention to provide the undercarriage  3  with a different set-up of manipulators  4  arranged to handle elements connected to the riser  1 .