Open Water Coiled Tubing Sealing Device

Abstract

Dynamic/static sealing of coiled tubing subsea for pipeline and well access with hydrostatic conditions up to 10,000 feet water depth while maintaining wellbore or pipeline pressures up to 10,000 psi may be achieved using a system comprising a subsea fluid source which utilizes a riserless open water coiled tubing system and an open water coiled tubing sealer to control hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures. This comprises an upper well control assembly having a first geometric orientation and a lower well control assembly in fluid communication with the upper well control assembly aligned in a second geometric orientation substantially inverted to the first orientation; a quick disconnect connector in fluid communication with the upper well control assembly; one or more electrically powered subsea assist jacks operatively connected to the quick disconnect connector; a controller operatively in communication with the electrically powered subsea assist jacks; and a power connector operatively in communication with the source of electrical power, the controller, and the electrically powered subsea assist jack.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An open water coiled tubing sealer to control hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures, comprising:
 a. an upper well control assembly having a first geometric orientation;   b. a lower well control assembly in fluid communication with the upper well control assembly, the lower well control assembly comprising a second geometric orientation substantially inverted to the first orientation;   c. a quick disconnect connector in fluid communication with the upper well control assembly;   d. an electrically powered subsea assist jack operatively connected to the quick disconnect connector, the electrically powered subsea assist jack comprising:
 i. an electric motor; 
 ii. a power connector operatively in communication with the electric motor; and 
 iii. a power convertor operatively in communication with the electric motor; 
   e. a controller operatively in communication with the electrically powered subsea assist jack; and   f. a power connector operatively in communication with the source of electrical power, the controller, and the electrically powered subsea assist jack.   
     
     
         2 . The open water coiled tubing sealer to control hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures of  claim 1 , wherein the controller further comprises:
 a. a feedback loop adapted to provide data communication over the power connector;   b. an electronic sensor; and   c. a position sensor operatively in communication with the electrically powered subsea assist jack and operative to provide feedback on a position of an internal element of the electrically powered subsea assist jack.   
     
     
         3 . The open water coiled tubing sealer to control hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures of  claim 1 , wherein the source of electrical power comprises a skid based source of electrical power. 
     
     
         4 . The open water coiled tubing sealer to control hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures of  claim 1 , further comprising a coiled tubing packer disposed intermediate the electrically powered subsea assist jack and the quick disconnect connector. 
     
     
         5 . The open water coiled tubing sealer to control hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures of  claim 1 , wherein the upper well control assembly comprises a plurality of control assemblies. 
     
     
         6 . The open water coiled tubing sealer to control hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a. the upper well control assembly comprises a plurality of control assist assemblies arranged into pairs; and   b. the lower well control assembly comprises a plurality of control assist assemblies arranged into pairs.   
     
     
         7 . The open water coiled tubing sealer to control hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures of  claim 1 , wherein the upper well control assembly comprises an inverted stripper. 
     
     
         8 . The open water coiled tubing sealer to control hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures of  claim 1 , wherein the upper well control assembly comprises a packer element. 
     
     
         9 . The open water coiled tubing sealer to control hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures of  claim 1 , wherein the lower well control assembly comprises a stripper. 
     
     
         10 . The open water coiled tubing sealer to control hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures of  claim 1 , wherein the lower well control assembly comprises a packer element. 
     
     
         11 . The open water coiled tubing sealer to control hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures of  claim 13 , wherein the packer element comprises a subsea replaceable packer. 
     
     
         12 . A method for controlling hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures in a system that comprises a subsea fluid source which utilizes a riserless open water coiled tubing system, the method comprising:
 a. operatively connecting an open water coiled tubing sealer to the subsea fluid source which utilizes the riserless open water coiled tubing system and to a source of electrical power, the open water coiled tubing sealer comprising:
 i. an upper well control assembly having a first geometric orientation; 
 ii. a lower well control assembly in fluid communication with the upper well control assembly, the lower well control assembly comprising a second geometric orientation substantially inverted to the first orientation; and 
 iii. a quick disconnect connector in fluid communication with the upper well control assembly; 
 iv. an electrically powered subsea assist jack operatively connected to the quick disconnect connector, the electrically powered subsea assist jack comprising:
 1. an electric motor; 
 2. a power connector operatively in communication with the electric motor; and 
 3. a power convertor operatively in communication with the electric motor; 
 
 v. a controller operatively in communication with the electrically powered sub sea assist jack; and 
 vi. a power connector operatively in communication with the source of electrical power, the controller, and the electrically powered subsea assist jack; 
   b. using the upper well control assembly and the lower well control assembly packer assembly to pressurize a predetermined set of annular cavities existing between the upper well control assembly and the lower well control assembly packer assembly;   c. enabling hydrostatic pressure to assist sealing the upper well control assembly;   d. using fluid pressure from the subsea fluid source which utilizes the riserless open water coiled tubing system to assist sealing the lower well control assembly; and   e. maintaining a predetermined amount of hydrostatic pressure with very low well/pipeline pressure and handling the subsequent differential pressure.   
     
     
         13 . The method for controlling hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures in a system that comprises a subsea fluid source which utilizes a riserless open water coiled tubing system of  claim 12 , further comprising creating bi-directional sealing elements set up in pairs. 
     
     
         14 . The method for controlling hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures in a system that comprises a subsea fluid source which utilizes a riserless open water coiled tubing system of  claim 12 , wherein the upper well control assembly comprises a plurality of packer assemblies with hydrostatic control assist and the lower well assembly comprises a plurality of packer units adapted for well control assist, the method further comprising using hydro-cushions to pressurize the annular cavities between the dual sets of packers. 
     
     
         15 . The method for controlling hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures in a system that comprises a subsea fluid source which utilizes a riserless open water coiled tubing system of  claim 12 , wherein the system further comprises a subsea fluid source, the method further comprising controlling the pressure using pairs of sealing elements with full backup for each system to enable the hydrostatic pressure to assist sealing the upper pair of packers and the wellbore pressure to assist sealing the lower pair of packers. 
     
     
         16 . The method for controlling hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures in a system that comprises a subsea fluid source which utilizes a riserless open water coiled tubing system of  claim 15 , wherein the sealing elements comprise a packer. 
     
     
         17 . The method for controlling hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures in a system that comprises a subsea fluid source which utilizes a riserless open water coiled tubing system of  claim 15 , wherein the full backup comprises a duplicate set of sealing elements, each set of sealing elements further comprising a packer. 
     
     
         18 . The method for controlling hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures in a system that comprises a subsea fluid source which utilizes a riserless open water coiled tubing system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a. using hydrostatic pressure of up to a first pressure of around 4500 psi; and   b. using source fluid pressures from zero to around 10000 psi.   
     
     
         19 . The method for controlling hydrostatic pressure and wellbore/pipeline pressures in a system that comprises a subsea fluid source which utilizes a riserless open water coiled tubing system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a. using the electronic sensor to provide feedback to the controller on an electrically related parameter; and   b. using the position sensor to provide feedback to the controller on a position of an element of the electrically powered subsea assist jack.