Subsea Control Module with Removable Section

Abstract

A subsea device is configured to control a subsea well. The subsea device includes a frame, a blowout preventer connected to the frame and configured to close a bore that fluidly communicates with the subsea well, a pressure supply line connected to the frame and configured to provide a fluid under high pressure, and a control module connected to the frame and configured to receive the fluid from the pressure supply line. The control module includes a fixed part and a removable section. The fixed part has a valve manifold that houses a hydraulic activated valve. The removable section is configured to detachably attach to the fixed part and includes an electrically activated valve. The hydraulic activated valve of the fixed part are configured to be actuated by the electrically activated valve when the removable section is mated to the fixed part.

1 . A subsea device that is configured to control a subsea well, the subsea device comprising:
 a frame;   a blowout preventer connected to the frame and configured to close a bore that fluidly communicates with the subsea well;   a pressure supply line connected to the frame and configured to provide a fluid under pressure;   a control module connected to the frame and configured to receive the fluid from the pressure supply line and to distribute the fluid to control various functions of the subsea device, the control module including a fixed part and a removable section;   the fixed part having a valve manifold that houses a hydraulic activated valve; and   the removable section being configured to detachably attach to the fixed part and including an electrically activated valve,   wherein the hydraulic activated valve of the fixed part is configured to be actuated by the electrically activated valve when the removable section is mated to the fixed part.   
     
     
         2 . The subsea device of  claim 1 , wherein the fixed part does not include electrically activated valves. 
     
     
         3 . The subsea device of  claim 1 , wherein the removable section does not include hydraulically activated valves and the removable section is removable by a remotely operated vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The subsea device of  claim 1 , the removable section further comprising:
 an electronic section configured to control the electrically activated valve.   
     
     
         5 . The subsea device of  claim 1 , the removable section further comprising:
 a connection device configured to be connected to a remotely operated vehicle for being removed from the fixed part.   
     
     
         6 . The subsea device of  claim 1 , the removable section further comprising:
 a wet-mate electrical connector configured to be connected to a corresponding wet-mate electrical connector on the fixed part for receiving electrical signals to actuate the electrically actuated valve; and   at least one of a fluid filter, pressure sensing devices, or pressure regulation devices.   
     
     
         7 . The subsea device of  claim 1 , wherein the fixed part receives electrical signals from a MUX pod. 
     
     
         8 . The subsea device of  claim 1 , wherein the subsea device is a blowout preventer stack. 
     
     
         9 . The subsea device of  claim 1 , wherein the subsea device is a lower marine riser package that is configured to be removably attached to a blowout preventer stack. 
     
     
         10 . The subsea device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a MUX pod device configured to receive electrical signals and includes plural hydraulic activated valves fluidly connected to plural electrically activated valves that are not removable from the MUX pod by a remotely operated vehicle.   
     
     
         11 . The subsea device of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure supply line is fluidly connected to a MUX pod or is a regulated or unregulated supply line that provides the fluid under pressure to the blowout preventer. 
     
     
         12 . A control module configured to control various elements of a subsea device to be attached to a subsea well, the control module comprising:
 a fixed part attached to a frame of the subsea device, the fixed part having a valve manifold that includes a hydraulic activated valve; and   a removable section being configured to be removably attached to the fixed part and including an electrically activated valve, wherein   the fixed part is configured to receive a fluid under pressure from a pressure supply line and to distribute the fluid under pressure to the hydraulic activated valve and the electrically activated valve,   the hydraulic activated valve of the fixed part is configured to be actuated by the electrically activated valve when the removable section is mated to the fixed part, and   the removable section being configured to receive electrical signals for controlling the electrically activated valve.   
     
     
         13 . The control module of  claim 12 , wherein the fixed part does not include electrically activated valves. 
     
     
         14 . The control module of  claim 12 , wherein the removable section does not include hydraulic activated valves and the removable section is removable by a remotely operated vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . The control module of  claim 12 , the removable section further comprising:
 a cavity that includes an electronic section configured to control the electrically actuated valve, the cavity being configured to maintain a pressure of substantially 1 atm.   
     
     
         16 . The control module of  claim 12 , the removable section further comprising:
 a connection device configured to be connected to a remotely operated vehicle for being removed from the fixed part.   
     
     
         17 . The control module of  claim 12 , the removable section further comprising:
 a wet-mate electrical connector configured to be connected to a corresponding wet-mate electrical connector on the fixed part for receiving the electrical signals to actuate the electrically actuated valve.   
     
     
         18 . The control module of  claim 12 , wherein the fixed part receives the electrical signals from a MUX pod. 
     
     
         19 . The control module of  claim 12 , wherein the pressure supply line is fluidly connected to a regulated or unregulated supply line that provides the fluid under pressure to a blowout preventer. 
     
     
         20 . A subsea blowout preventer stack that is configured to control a subsea well, the stack comprising:
 a frame;   plural blowout preventers connected to the frame and configured to close a bore that fluidly communicates with the subsea well;   a pressure supply line connected to the frame and configured to provide a fluid under pressure;   a control module connected to the frame and configured to receive the fluid from the pressure supply line and to distribute the fluid to control various functions of the subsea device, the control module including a fixed part and a removable section;   the fixed part having a valve manifold that houses a hydraulic activated valve; and   the removable section being configured to detachably attach to the fixed part and including an electrically activated valve,   wherein the hydraulic activated valve of the fixed part is configured to be actuated by the electrically activated valve when the removable section is mated to the fixed part.