Coil tubing guide

Abstract

A guide system includes a flexible pipe and a plurality of bend restrictor members disposed along the flexible pipe. The bend restrictor members define a first channel and are operable to limit a degree of bending present in the first channel. An apparatus for interfacing with a subsea well includes a flexible pipe extending from a surface vessel to the subsea well. A plurality of bend restrictor members is disposed along the flexible pipe and defines a first channel. The bend restrictor members are operable to limit a degree of bending present in the first channel. Coil tubing extends from the surface vessel to the subsea well through the first channel.

1 . A guide system, comprising:
 a flexible pipe;   a plurality of bend restrictor members disposed along the flexible pipe and defining a first channel, the bend restrictor members being operable to limit a degree of bending present in the first channel.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each bend restrictor member defines a second channel for receiving the flexible pipe. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein a diameter of the second channel is less than an outside diameter of the flexible pipe. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each bend restrictor member comprises first and second members cooperating to define the first channel. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second members are bolted to one another. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pin recess defined in each of two adjacent bend restrictor members; and   a pin disposed in the pin recesses to limit a degree of rotation present between the adjacent bend restrictor members.   
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a segment of the first channel is defined by each bend restrictor member, and the segment defines at least one beveled end portion. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each bend restrictor member has an overall displacement volume to weight ratio which is less than sea water to create positive buoyancy. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the bend restrictor members comprises rigid syntactic foam. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the bend restrictor members comprises a molded member having at least one sealed cavity defined therein. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the degree of bending is limited by at least one of a dimension of one of the bend restrictor members, a dimension of the first channel, or the spacing between two adjacent bend restrictor members. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the bend restrictor dimension, the first channel dimension, or the spacing is varied to provide different maximum bend radii at corresponding portions of the guide system. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first channel is lined with a material different than a material of the bend restrictor members. 
   
   
       14 . An apparatus for interfacing with a subsea well, comprising:
 a flexible pipe extending from a surface vessel to the subsea well;   a plurality of bend restrictor members disposed along the flexible pipe and defining a first channel, the bend restrictor members being operable to limit a degree of bending present in the first channel;   coil tubing extending from the surface vessel to the subsea well through the first channel.   
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a guide coupled to the surface vessel and operable to receive a first end of the coil tubing and guide the first end to the first channel during insertion of the coil tubing. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a lower riser package coupled to the subsea well and defining a production bore access port for accessing the subsea well and a return port, wherein the flexible pipe is coupled to the return port to provide a return circulation path to the surface vessel for the coil tubing. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a snubbing injection unit coupled to the lower riser package and in communication with the production bore access port and operable to receive the coil tubing, inject the coil tubing through the production bore access port, and provide a pressure retaining seal around the coil tubing. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a guide coupled to the snubbing injecting unit and operable to receive a first end of the coil tubing and guide the first end to the snubbing injecting unit during insertion of the coil tubing. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein each bend restrictor member defines a second channel for receiving the flexible pipe. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein a diameter of the second channel is less than an outside diameter of the flexible pipe. 
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein each bend restrictor member comprises first and second members cooperating to define the first channel. 
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the first and second members are bolted to one another. 
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a pin recess defined in each of two adjacent bend restrictor members; and   a pin disposed in the pin recesses to limit a degree of rotation present between the adjacent bend restrictor members.   
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein a segment of the first channel is defined by each bend restrictor member, and the segment defines at least one beveled end portion. 
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein each bend restrictor member has an overall displacement volume to weight ratio which is less than sea water to create positive buoyancy. 
   
   
       26 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the bend restrictor members comprises rigid syntactic foam. 
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the bend restrictor members comprises a molded member having at least one sealed cavity defined therein. 
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the degree of bending is limited by at least one of a dimension of one of the bend restrictor members, a dimension of the first channel, or the spacing between two adjacent bend restrictor members. 
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein at least one of the bend restrictor dimension, the first channel dimension, or the spacing is varied to provide different maximum bend radii at corresponding portions of the guide system. 
   
   
       30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the degree of bending is limited to a value less than a compressive buckling radius of the coil tubing. 
   
   
       31 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the first channel is lined with a material different than a material of the bend restrictor members. 
   
   
       32 . A method for interfacing with a subsea well, comprising:
 providing a plurality of bend restrictor members disposed along a flexible pipe and defining a first channel, the bend restrictor members being operable to limit a degree of bending present in the first channel;   attaching the flexible pipe to the subsea well;   inserting coil tubing from a surface vessel to the subsea well through the first channel to interface with the subsea well.   
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising providing a guide coupled to the surface vessel and operable to receive a first end of the coil tubing and guide the first end to the first channel during insertion of the coil tubing. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising coupling the flexible pipe to a lower riser package coupled to the subsea well, the lower riser package defining a production bore access port for accessing the subsea well and a return port, wherein the flexible pipe is coupled to the return port to provide a return circulation path to the surface vessel for the coil tubing. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein each bend restrictor member comprises first and second members cooperating to define the first channel and a second channel, and the method further comprises:
 positioning the first and second members around the flexible pipe to enclose the flexible pipe in the second channel; and   coupling the first and second members to one another.   
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein a diameter of the second channel is less than an outside diameter of the flexible pipe. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein a pin recess is defined in each of two adjacent bend restrictor members, and the method further comprises providing a pin in the pin recesses, the pin limiting a degree of rotation present between the adjacent bend restrictor members. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein a segment of the first channel is defined by each bend restrictor member, and the segment defines at least one beveled end portion. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein each bend restrictor member has an overall displacement volume to weight ratio which is less than sea water to create positive buoyancy.