Lifting Apparatus for Subsea Equipment

Abstract

A lifting apparatus for subsea equipment and a method of installing subsea equipment for a subsea well. A lower marine riser package (LMRP) including elevator links that pivot on a load bearing structure located on the LMRP. An elevator link can include a stem coupled between a pivot loop and a crane loop releasably attachable to a crane block on a hoisting mechanism, such as a gantry crane. The elevator link can be configured to support at least some of the weight of the LMRP. The elevator links can be adjusted to a predetermined spacing between crane blocks by pivoting the elevator links on pivot points located on the load bearing structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lower marine riser package (LMRP), comprising:
 a load bearing structure comprising a pin; and   an elevator link coupled to the load bearing structure and pivotable on the pin, the elevator link configured to support at least some of the weight of the LMRP.   
     
     
         2 . The LMRP of  claim 1 , further comprising a subsea blowout preventer (BOP) stack engageable with the load bearing structure such that the subsea BOP stack is supportable by the LMRP. 
     
     
         3 . The LMRP of  claim 1 , wherein the load bearing structure comprises a stab plate. 
     
     
         4 . The LMRP of  claim 1 , wherein the elevator link comprises a loop releasably attachable to a crane block. 
     
     
         5 . The LMRP of  claim 1 , wherein the elevator link comprises a loop and an additional loop axially spaced from the loop, wherein the loop is coupled to the additional loop via a stem. 
     
     
         6 . The LMRP of  claim 5 , wherein the elevator link is coupled to the load bearing structure through the pivot loop. 
     
     
         7 . The LMRP of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an additional pin located on the load bearing structure; and   an additional elevator link coupled to the load bearing structure and pivotable on the additional pin.   
     
     
         8 . The LMRP of  claim 7 , further comprising a constraining device coupled to the elevator link and the additional elevator link, wherein the constraining device is configured to prevent the elevator links from pivoting on the pins. 
     
     
         9 . The LMRP of  claim 7 , wherein the elevator links are configured to support at least one of (a) up to about 500 metric tons and (b) more than 500 metric tons. 
     
     
         10 . A method of positioning a lower marine riser package (LMRP), comprising:
 adjusting elevator links to a predetermined spacing by pivoting the elevator links on pins located on a load bearing structure located on the LMRP;   releasably coupling the elevator links to crane blocks axially spaced by the predetermined spacing; and   positioning the LMRP by moving the crane blocks.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 releasably coupling a subsea blowout preventer (BOP) stack to the LMRP; and   positioning the LMRP and the BOP stack.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising coupling a constraining device to the elevator links so that the elevator links are positioned at the predetermined spacing and prevented from pivoting on the pins. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one elevator link of the elevator links comprises a loop and an additional loop axially spaced from the loop, wherein the loop is coupled to the additional loop via a stem. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one elevator link of the elevator links comprises a loop removeably attachable to at least one crane block of the crane blocks. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising coupling the elevator links to the load bearing structure at the pins. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein positioning comprises moving the LMRP using a crane with the crane blocks. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising supporting at least one of (a) up to about 500 metric tons and (b) more than 500 metric tons using the elevator links. 
     
     
         18 . An offshore lifting system, comprising:
 a crane comprising crane blocks axially spaced by a predetermined spacing;   a lower marine riser package (LMRP) comprising:
 a load bearing structure comprising a pin; and 
 an elevator link coupled to the load bearing structure and pivotable on the pin, the elevator link configured to support at least some of the weight of the LMRP; and 
   a subsea blowout preventer (BOP) stack releasably coupled to the load bearing structure such that the subsea BOP stack is supportable by the LMRP.   
     
     
         19 . The offshore lifting system of  claim 18 , wherein the LMRP further comprises:
 an additional pin located on the load bearing structure;   an additional elevator link coupled to the load bearing structure and pivotable on the additional pin; and   a constraining device coupled to the elevator link and the additional elevator link, wherein the constraining device is configured to prevent the elevator links from pivoting on the pins.   
     
     
         20 . The offshore lifting system of  claim 19 , wherein the elevator links are configured to support at least one of (a) up to about 500 metric tons and (b) more than 500 metric tons, and wherein an additional constraining device is coupled to the LMRP and the elevator link.