Portable subsea well service system

Abstract

A technique facilitates a subsea operation such as a well intervention operation. A system comprises a station movably positioned at a subsea location. The station comprises a housing and a lifting arrangement mounted on the housing to enable lifting of the station and movement of the station from one subsea location to another to enable successive subsea operations. The station further comprises a docking station which may have connectors within the housing. In some applications, the station also may comprise a power lead which may be operatively connected to a subsea installation and a transceiver for communicating data to a desired location, e.g. a surface location. The docking station enables docking with an underwater vehicle used to facilitate the subsea servicing operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for use in a subsea operation, comprising:
 a station movably positioned at a subsea location, the station comprising:
 a housing; 
 a lifting arrangement coupled to the housing to enable repeated coupling of the lifting arrangement with a lift line as the station is sequentially transported from one subsea location to another for a plurality of well servicing operations; and 
 a docking station having interfaces for an underwater vehicle receivable within the housing. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising the underwater vehicle dockable with the docking station within the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the station further comprises a power lead coupled to the docking station and a transceiver for communicating data wirelessly. 
     
     
         4 . The system as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising a host, the transceiver communicating data between the station and the host. 
     
     
         5 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the station further comprises batteries for supplying electrical power. 
     
     
         6 . The system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the underwater vehicle comprises a sensor to detect subsurface equipment. 
     
     
         7 . The system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the underwater vehicle comprises a sensor to detect a subsea infrastructure. 
     
     
         8 . The system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the underwater vehicle comprises a battery to power the underwater vehicle when it leaves the docking station. 
     
     
         9 . The system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the transceiver comprises a transmitter for transmitting data wirelessly to a host located on the surface. 
     
     
         10 . A system as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the host comprises a surface vessel. 
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 an underwater vehicle; and   a transportable station for positioning proximate a sea floor, the transportable station comprising a housing and a docking station having a power coupler, the docking station being positioned for docking with the underwater vehicle when the underwater vehicle enters the housing, the transportable station further comprising a lifting arrangement by which the transportable station and the underwater vehicle may be lifted and moved from one subsea location to another subsea location.   
     
     
         12 . The system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the transportable station further comprises a transceiver for communicating data between the transportable station and a host. 
     
     
         13 . The system as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the host comprises a platform. 
     
     
         14 . The system as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the host comprises a surface vessel. 
     
     
         15 . The system as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the host comprises a buoy. 
     
     
         16 . The system as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the host comprises an unmanned surface vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . The system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the transportable station further comprises a power lead coupled with the power coupler, the power lead being selectively connectable to a subsea installation to enable delivery of electrical power from the subsea installation to the transportable station. 
     
     
         18 . A method, comprising:
 placing a transportable station on a sea floor;   docking an underwater vehicle to a docking station within a housing of the transportable station;   coupling a lift line to the transportable station;   lifting the transportable station from the sea floor; and   moving the transportable station to another location on the sea floor.   
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising powering the transportable station from a subsea installation. 
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising undocking the underwater vehicle from the docking station and directing the underwater vehicle to a subsea infrastructure.